Can We Dial Back the Outrage Meter Just a Little?
June 28, 2009
“We have a bigger problem now.”
Cap and Trade was bad, but it’s very unlikely to make it past the Senate. A healthcare bill reform bill, however, that includes any kind of “public option” that people can ditch private insurance for is a long-term, permanent problem. It can’t be repealed the way the energy tax (Cap and Trade) can; its design and intent is to undercut private insurers and put nearly all of them out of business (with the probable exception of those run by larger and richer unions, most definitely including the Motion Picture and Television Fund—because, let’s face it— if actors and actresses have to put up with substandard medical care, there will be blood in the streets of L.A. and Manhattan).
Ironman, at TNR:
See we now have an even more serious threat to the future of the Republic, and that would be a socialized health care system. I’ll let John Hinderaker explain:
One of my law partners asked me yesterday which of the Democrats’ current initiatives is worse, the tax on carbon or the health care “public option,” otherwise known as socialized medicine. I replied unhesitatingly that socialized medicine is much worse. Carbon tax-and-trade can rather easily be repealed once people realize what a dumb idea it is. However, once our health care system has been destroyed and replaced with “single payer” socialized medicine, there is no going back.
We need to explain to the Octofail Republicans that there is only one way out of the flaming pit they have dug for themselves. They need to become hard-line zealots against the “public option” health care “reform.”
And not milquetoast statements and a quiet vote “nay” on final passage. I mean going medieval on the whole concept 24/7/365. I mean like righteous 100 decible opposition. I mean like Rudy Giuliani vs. squeegee men or Michael Moore v. the Hometown Buffett bad.
Anything less, and we re-send the pink slips with no remorse and no reconsideration.
Now for our political geniuses [who voted for Cap and Trade]. First off, let’s dispense with the “socially liberal, fiscally conservative” canard here. This was a statist bill from the word go and there wasn’t a libertarian idea within the same zip code. It was simply an energy tax. Ok if you want to keep the government out of my bedroom. ,i>How about letting people afford to heat their bedrooms?
Second, this bill is going to appeal to the vocal but few Saab Socialists who put the environment ahead of the economy. It is going to be painfully unpopular with blue collar America. Maybe Dave Reichert’s uber green district will like it; but if Mark Kirk or Mike Castle think this isn’t going to backfire on them big time in Rockford and New Castle they are going to [be surprised to] find the Democrats whacking them with their own bill next November.
Well, yeah: A Democrat-backed bill that 50 Dems voted against is probably not universally popular, and that’s without even getting into the fact that 300 pages were released at 3:00 a.m. in the morning on the day the vote was taken. Or the fact that there was a “placeholder” in the bill.
Let’s face it: Friday was “Let’s Make a Deal,” and 218 congresscritters voted for “that carbon tax behind curtain #2.”
But the show is over, and we have bigger fish to fry now. It isn’t “Let’s Make a Deal” any more: more like a PG-rated-version of War of the Worlds.
h/t: Insty.
Posted in Uncategorized
Join the 
June 28th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I understand where you’re going, but I’m at the point now where I’m not feeling like giving up a god damned thing. Palin or Keyes for President.
June 28th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
@GS,
You have to understand that, if you can’t be goaded into switching from your private company to your government company(?), you can be priced into it.
All of these entitlements are sherman anti-trust act violations writ large.
June 28th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I think he/she meant principles, Smitty.
But your point is what’s so enraging about this: not only can the umpire play in the game–but the umpire is allowed–encouraged, supposed to–violate the rules given to the other players. And this is supposedly a GOOD thing.
June 28th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
AMERICA’S NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY!
It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.
STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.
And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public health. And a detriment to national security, public safety, and the public health.
Progressive democrats and others should stand firm in their demand for a robust public option for all Americans, with all of the minimum requirements progressive democrats demanded. If congress can not pass a robust public option with at least 51 votes and all robust minimum requirements, congress should immediately move to scrap healthcare reform and request that President Obama declare a state of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY! Seizing and replacing all PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance plans with the immediate implementation of National Healthcare for all Americans under the provisions of HR676 (A Single-payer National Healthcare Plan For All).
Coverage can begin immediately through our current medicare system. With immediate expansion through recruitment of displaced workers from the canceled private sector insurance industry. Funding can also begin immediately by substitution of payroll deductions for private insurance plans with payroll deductions for the national healthcare plan. This is what the vast majority of the American people want. And this is what all objective experts unanimously agree would be the best, and most cost effective for the American people and our economy.
In Mexico on average people who received medical care for A-H1N1 (Swine Flu) with in 3 days survived. People who did not receive medical care until 7 days or more died. This has been the same results in the US. But 50 million Americans don’t even have any healthcare coverage. And at least 200 million of you with insurance could not get in to see your private insurance plans doctors in 2 or 3 days, even if your life depended on it. WHICH IT DOES!
If President Obama has to declare a NATIONAL STAT OF EMERGENCY to rescue the American people from our healthcare crisis, he will need all the sustained support you can give him. STICK WITH HIM! He’s doing a brilliant job.
THIS IS THE BIG ONE!
THE BATTLE OF GOOD Vs EVIL!
Join the fight.
Contact congress and your representatives NOW! AND SPREAD THE WORD!
God Bless You
Jacksmith – WORKING CLASS
June 28th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Apparently you attracted the attention of a Democratic spam-commenter, Attila. Ah well, such is the fate of popular political bloggers, I guess.
The thing is, you cannot realistically ditch private insurance. Malaysian government hospitals (at least the General Hospitals) boast quite a significant number of competent doctors, cheap medication, and is essentially free to everyone. But the waiting list is pretty much forever, and you have to share rooms with 7 other folk, and so on and so forth.
As long as private health care remains an alternative, trust me - the middle class will continue to spring for it.
June 29th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Smitty,
Point well taken, though like our host said, my comment was more on the subject of principle than specific point.
That being said, I agree with both of yall in the sense that the maddening thing about liberal politics re: the last 20-30 years, is that they have controlled public debate, so as Ms. Atilla said, “not only can the umpire play in the game–but the umpire is allowed–encouraged, supposed to–violate the rules given to the other players.”