ObamaCare Headlines

Obama Now Selling Judgeships for Health Care Votes?
After the "Louisiana Purchase" and the "Cornhusker Kickback," this really isn't hard to believe.

Why Health Insurers Make Lousy Villains
"...the profit margin for health insurance companies was a modest 3.4 percent over the past year"
Yet Dems can't seem to get upset over attornies' profits.

Health Insurance Profits: Not Worth the Outrage?
You know the Dems have problems when ABC is turning on them.

Does Lack of Health Insurance Kill? (Probably Not)
"...no significantly elevated risk of death among the uninsured."
So millions aren't dying because they don't have insurance.

Liberal Elitism in Obamacare

There are two things about the Democrat's attempts at health care reform that stand out. First, their approach to the problem relies on the federal government doing many things it has not previously done. Second, as the public gets louder in its rejection of their approach, the Democratic party prepares to run roughshod over public opinion and the traditional legislative process.

Both are symptoms of liberalism.

The first presents no surprise; liberalism believes that the solution to most problems and the appropriate holder of power is the centralized government. Conservatives, on the other hand, believe power should be kept as close to the people as possible both because of our federalist constitution and because it's just wise.

The second should be more of a surprise. Liberals bill themselves as the ultimate populists. They believe in the basic goodness of people (e.g., society makes criminals do bad things vs some people being just bad). They believe they give a voice to the little guy.

And they believe they have to protect the little guy. That is where the trouble appears.

Liberals love the little guy, but they don't respect him. They see themselves as smarter or wiser than the general public. If the little guy agrees with them, that's great, but if he doesn't, they're going to do what they have to for the little guy's sake.

In health care reform, that means passing the bill they think is best (centralized control) even though the public hates the idea. The fact that the public hates the idea is proof that they are smarter than the public.

As the ObamaCare struggle goes on, its liberal proponents have tended to one of two responses to public opposition. One group (usually politicians) says, "How can they oppose a bill that doesn't exist?" They imply, of course, that the public is upset over nothing; they're just lemmings following the latest email they got.

The other group (usually liberal pundits) say, "People don't really understand the issues." The less charitable say, "Americans are stupid, and we should push this down their throats for their own good." That really doesn't require interpretation.

So if we had to boil liberalism down to two simple phrases, this is how it would look: "Government is good" and "people are stupid."

This is about to be played out in Washington. The Democrats appear willing even to lose control of Congress to push through a bill the public hates because they know what's best. And they hope maybe, just maybe, after ObamaCare is imposed upon us we'll realize they were right.

If the Dems do go through with this plan, we all need to realize that every yes vote is calling us stupid and respond accordingly.

Headlines 3/1/10

Can you believe it's already March?

The Indiana Healthcare "Reform" Experience
Cold hard cash changes things.

Paring the Deficit, by Selling Part of the Radio Spectrum
An interesting idea: Raising money by ending TV over the airwaves. I said "interesting," not "good."

Health care bill? What health care bill?
"An emerging talking point from Democrats ... despite the fact that the House and Senate have actually passed national health care bills, ... there is not, in fact, a national health care bill."

Healthcare Summit Reading

Government Ordered Health Care Rationing: It’s in the Bill!
Of course, it always has been, but here's chapter and verse.

TV Coverage Limits Success of Health Care Summit

"...the summit broadcast will provide six hours of political posturing about the proper role of government in regulating and mandating health care coverage."

As if that were a bad thing.

A Better Way to Reform Health Care

"Three policy changes will go a long way to achieving these objectives: (1) eliminate the tax code's bias that favors health insurance over out-of-pocket spending; (2) remove state-government barriers to purchasing and providing health services; and (3) reform medical malpractice laws."

The use of reconciliation 1980-2008
Turns out budget reconciliation is usually used for, well, budget-related issues.

GOP's Healthcare Summit Trap

"You know this is a trap."

How many action movies use that line? The girl's been kidnapped, and the bad guy has made sure the hero knows where she is. Someone tells the hero, "It's a trap."

And he says, "Of course it is, but I still have to go."

This is the same thing. Pres. Obama's health care summit is clearly a trap for the GOP.

If they go, when the GOP doesn't back the president's health care bill, he can claim he tried to be bipartisan and ram in through.

If they don't go, the networks will show a sea of empty chairs every time health care comes up.

What do you do when you know it's a trap? You try to figure out how to turn the trap around on your foe.

Republicans, this is what you need to do:

The cameras will be there. Use them to your advantage. Don't let them paint you as "the party of no." Be the party of "this-not-that."

Start every statement with things like:
"Since this has failed everywhere it's been tried..."
"Since this will be ruinously expensive..."
"Since the American people have clearly said they don't want this..."

Then introduce your ideas.

Let the doctors among you do a lot of the talking. Maybe even have them use phrases like, "I wouldn't expect a lawyer to understand this but..." People trust doctors and are suspicious of lawyers. Use that.

And try to keep this from looking like a funeral. But if you're successful, it might be the wake for the Dem's crappy health care reform bill.

Healthcare Summit Preview

Later this week, President Obama and the Dems and GOP in Congress are supposed to get together for a little pow-wow on health care reform.

A little of what to expect:
A Year Later, Obama to Offer Health-Care Bill

Boehner: Healthcare Summit Will Be 'Infomercial'

And the American people's stance:
61% Say Congress Should Start All Over Again on Health Care

All we can do now is wait and see.

Headlines 2/19/10

Record-low number like Congress
Now if people will just do something about it.

Texas sues EPA over anti-pollution plan
ClimateGate strikes again.

10 ways Congress is letting you down
Not an exhaustive list.

Mayo Clinic in Arizona to Stop Treating Some Medicare Patients
Apparently it costs money to treat patients.

Work Overload Brings Panic, Anxiety, Stress
Sometimes the news isn't exactly news.