Walk Away From the Health Reform Bill

[Joanne98]

For OpEdNews: Rob Kall - Writer


House progressives should simply walk away from this bill that's in conference. People who say accept what we've been offered don't have the negotiator chops to make the call.

Just walk away.

Imagine paying $100 for a store brand loaf of white bread. That's what the senate is asking us to do.


I learned about walking away from a deal in morocco, back in 1973. There, in the souks where tourists and locals buy goods, the vendors expect you to haggle. The vendors expect to rip off the most naive tourists, so they start off asking an outrageously high price. This happened to me when I was looking at a tapestry.

"How much," I asked.

"Eight hundred dirhams," he replied, about $200.00.

I knew my brother had bought one of these for $20 or $30 in the states, so I took a deep breath and offered ten dirhams, $2.50, and laughed.

He looked at me like I was crazy, so I started to walk away, as I'd done on numerous other occasions on my one month, post college graduation trip to Morocco.

"I give you special price-- 400 dirhams," he called to me.

"You insult me," I replied. "I'll give you 15 Dirhams," turned to see his response, then kept walking.

"Wait, wait. two hundred. Is very good price." He tried again.

I turned again towards him. "My brother bought one of these in the US. I know what it's worth. I'll give you 20 dirhams," I said.

"I have a wife and four children," he opined. "One hundred Dirhams. You take, yes?"

I walked again.

After a few more exchanges, I finally bought the tapestry for 40 dirhams-- ten dollars, a fortieth of the price he'd originally asked But I'd been ready to walk and did start walking several times. Just because he told me he was giving me a good deal didn't cut it. His offers had sucked. They had been insanely unreasonably initially.


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http://www.opednews.com/articles/Walk-Away-From-the-Health-by-Rob-Kall-091226-885.html

[babylonsister]

1. Wow. He walked away from buying a rug. Did he negotiate

10+ months for it first? Does Congress have the time or inclination to go through this again when there are so many other pressing issues?

[ima_sinnic]

4. right. "expediency" is the first priority, no matter how sucky the deal.

Just agree to "whatever." Next rip-off we "must" accept because "there are so many other pressing issues"? Next time, just announce the absolute bare minimum "we'll" accept (if any!) and call it a done deal. You saw "negotiations," I saw corrupt back-slappers and payola grubbers making deals with their corporate sponsors.

[POAS]

5. Sometimes an image says it best

:banghead:

But for continuing the effort I give you this:

:yourock:

[ixion]

2. kicked and recommended

:applause:

[Xipe Totec]

3. Maybe we can try that strategy on a surgeon, as we're wheeled into the OR n/t

[Vidar]

6. K&R.

[Daveparts still]

7. As the Old Saying Goes

If you don't have time to do it right when will you have time to do it over?