Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[Rome]

I'd vote for you before I'd vote for either of them.

[rjs246]

Lies.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I'm not eligible.  Too young.  Nice thought, though.

[Phanatic]

If someone from this board were to run for president all kinds of quotes from this place would make it to the national media to be used against ye. Awesome!

[rjs246]

Oh man. That sort of makes me want to run. My opponents would have a hilarious field day. I wonder if Obama has ever taken part in a celebrity death pool.

[Rome]

My love for bacon alone would disqualify me with all the Jews & Muslims.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I like this universal health plan.

"I shall propose a sweeping new program that will assure comprehensive health-insurance protection to millions of Americans who cannot now obtain it or afford it, with vastly improved protection against catastrophic illnesses."

    * build on existing employer-sponsored insurance plans
    * provide government subsidies to the self-employed and small businesses
    * ensure universal access to health insurance
    * no new federal bureaucracy


Too bad it was proposed by Richard Nixon in 1974.

[Phanatic]

I like this universal health plan.

"I shall propose a sweeping new program that will assure comprehensive health-insurance protection to millions of Americans who cannot now obtain it or afford it, with vastly improved protection against catastrophic illnesses."

    * build on existing employer-sponsored insurance plans
    * provide government subsidies to the self-employed and small businesses
    * ensure universal access to health insurance
    * no new federal bureaucracy


Too bad it was proposed by Richard Nixon in 1974.

I would like a little more free market freedom of choice for healthcare too. Most companies offer you one choice and your stuck with it. If that insurance company starts nickle and diming you challenging everything your stuck. US Healthcare tried to do that for a standard eye exam for my 5 year old son that was part of his physical. Should be pretty standard and not even questioned at all. Where I work we have two choices. I told them I could switch to the other healthcare pretty easily and they paid for the stupid test. If I only had one choice through the company I worked for I might have been stuck eating the cost. Make it available and make sure they perform up to snuff.

[Cerevant]

The Canadian system isn't all that different from the US HMO/PPOs - price fixing exists in the US, it is just done by the insurance companies rather than the government.  I think it would be easy to reform the current system:

• Create regional groups, instead of by company
• US funds basic coverage for everyone
• Individuals can select their own provider
• Employers can negotiate for supplemental coverage
• Providers can provide perks/discounts for individuals selecting their coverage

It really isn't that complicated.

[Phanatic]

Its really very simple. Give consumers a choice and make the insurance companies compete for our business.

[Cerevant]

Its really very simple. Give consumers a choice and make the insurance companies compete for our business.

Not quite that simple.  Individuals cannot afford health insurance.  Small businesses can barely afford health insurance.  The market isn't set up that way.  My health insurance cost me $3250/year, and my company picked up the other 50%.  That was health only - no dental, no vision, no disability, etc.  Individuals have no shot to survive in the current system.

One thing that has confused me about health insurance: why does the insurance company base the risk on groups rather than their entire client base.  If a group spreads out the risk, why wouldn't they make the group as large as possible?

[MadMarchHare]

Well, unless you're in a system, if you're risky, they just don't insure you at all.  And in the end, isn't that easier?

[Sgt PSN]

I like this universal health plan.

"I shall propose a sweeping new program that will assure comprehensive health-insurance protection to millions of Americans who cannot now obtain it or afford it, with vastly improved protection against catastrophic illnesses."

    * build on existing employer-sponsored insurance plans
    * provide government subsidies to the self-employed and small businesses
    * ensure universal access to health insurance
    * no new federal bureaucracy


Too bad it was proposed by Richard Nixon in 1974.

The Canadian system isn't all that different from the US HMO/PPOs - price fixing exists in the US, it is just done by the insurance companies rather than the government.  I think it would be easy to reform the current system:

• Create regional groups, instead of by company
• US funds basic coverage for everyone
• Individuals can select their own provider
• Employers can negotiate for supplemental coverage
• Providers can provide perks/discounts for individuals selecting their coverage

It really isn't that complicated.

I have no idea what the point of either of these posts is about.  I didn't read them.  Maybe they are making points and counter-points.  Maybe they're both saying the same thing......don't know, don't care.  What I do know is that Cerevant used real bullets while Freddie used some ghetto ass asterick signs.  Cerevant wins.  A++ for presentation. 

[Rome]

If only they both used real bullets on each other.

[Diomedes]

If you come to the United States to live, you should learn to speak read and write English.  This is admittedly asking more of immigrants than many born citizens ever achieve (or even seek to achieve), but it is nevertheless correct.  Time to stop with the hundred language documentation, signage, and education.  Put up a plan to eliminate that shtein, move all public schools into English as a requirement curriculum, etc.  It simply isn't sensible to accomodate every language.  We should still teach other languages of course, and there should be provisions for new immigrants to give time to learn, etc.

I don't think many so called liberals agree with me on this.  But if I moved to Spain, I'd learn Spanish and if I moved to France, I'd learn icehole.