The MSM more or less ignores the inherent insanity of penalizing people for not buying insurance....

[marmar]

..... that they can't afford, as mandated in some of these absurd health care bills.

Which sadly is typical of the political thought process in this country. This is the most punitive "First World" country on the planet. Let's not help people get health care - let's put them further in the poorhouse until they pay a corporation to supply them with shitty bare-bones healthcare.

It's enough to make you scream.......


:rant:

[xchrom]

1. well -- it sure is 'uniquely' american...nt

[Echo In Light]

2. That would be one way of putting it. Ed/Keith/Rachel have guests who raise their voice re this.

[marmar]

3. Other than those exceptions, of course......

MSNBC from 6-10, along with the odd Rich Sanchez segment on CNN, are the only slivers of MSM sanity.

[Echo In Light]

4. Oh, I know what you mean re the majority of M$M - just wanted to give credit where credit's due

[Yupster]

5. Around here we have something like 25 % of all car drivers who do not have auto insurance

It seems like any accident I've ever had is with someone who doesn't have the mandatory insurance.

So my thinking is why does anyone think that mandating insurance will mean that people who don't want it will actually get it? Is there a mechanism to make it happen other than saying it?

[mntleo2]

6. AARRGGHH! I hit unrecommend instead of recommend

I am sorry because I hit the wrong button.

I cannot tell you how many people (mostly working single moms working McJobs) who do not have our state required auto insurance because they barely have enough to pay the rent. Our public transportation system here is very poor. You cannot use it at the best of the day to get children to daycare and yourself to work, much less do other chores such as groceries, laundry, etc.

Most McJobs are at odd hours and on weekends ~ when the daycare and public transportation is almost nil. I had three kids and was working and going to school without at car. I am not making this up to tell you I was on the bus for 4 hours every day. My kids, who had "aged out" of any daycare, were without any adult supervision for almost 14 hours every day. Big surprise, they began to get into trouble.

Then people wonder why someone would drive without insurance. What makes them think requiring insurance makes it affordable or even attainable for people working their asses off and living on the edge where they have to choose between paying the rent and their electricity bill?

GAWD what ignorant idiots!

Cat

[Lorien]

8. I just hit the recommend button for you

at least it evens it out! :-)

And I agree; this is the most punitive first world Nation on earth. People are quick to judge, condemn and incarcerate in this Country (just look at our prison populations), but the are, for the most part, loathe to help one another. "United we stand"? No, that just apples to the kind of group think that benefits big corporations. "Ive got mine, and if you don't have enough that screw you, you lazy piece of...."should be our new slogan. Obama likes to talk about "rugged individualism", which is just a pretty Right Wing term for utter and complete selfishness. We need a change in this country; a huge cultural shift to the Left! But as long as the Fairness Doctrine remains repealed and we avoid election reform, that'll never happen.

[CrispyQ]

7. "This is the most punitive "First World" country on the planet."

So true.

On CNN's Headline News morning show, Jennifer Westhoven mentioned the fines if you don't have coverage. I wasn't paying close attention, but I thought she said $3,800 for those making over $66,000 a year. I didn't catch if that is family or individual income.

And of course she didn't mention the inhumanity of it all.

k&r

[Lorien]

9. can you imagine this kind of inhumanity being tolerated 30 years ago

or even 20 years ago? It just goes to show how far down the Far Right rabbit hole we've all fallen.

[Echo In Light]

10. Corporate Culture Conditioning (also explains the zeal of some conspiracy theory deniers)

[emulatorloo]

11. People who can't afford it will get subsidies or free coverage. n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. The problem is "afford" is a general comment. What's affordable

to the government (remember they pay thousands for a toilet seat) may not be affordable for your average family.