Does anyone else's head explode at the $$$$$ spent for our representatives to do NOTHING

[BeHereNow]

I'm sitting here thinking about how much money it has cost
we, the people, for these jack asses in Washington DC to come up with
what amounts to NOTHING that benefits US while they
perform more Kabuki theater on C-span?

They think we're idiots, they really do.

I'm livid.
Simply LIVID.

BHN:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Edited because when I am FURIOuS, I can't type.
On 2nd edit: I am naturally, referring to the HCR insurance company give away.

[Missy Vixen]

1. They know we have no alternative

They screen us off their phones and e-mail, have us escorted out of their "town meetings" when we dare to stand up and tell them they're wrong, and generally ignore us till it's time to write a check.

I wish someone could explain what the difference is to me; it's becoming increasingly apparent that there is not one.

And, no, I don't want a fucking pony. I want some health insurance.

:mad:

[BeHereNow]

2. The rest of the civilized world must be shaking their heads.

They too, THOUGHT, believed, hoped, as we did that
Obama was going to DO the things he so eloquently
speechified about doing.

So far, all they, and WE get is MORE fucking WAR.
Money for war, no PROBLEM.
Money for providing affordable access to health care, education?
Sorry.

BHN

[charlie]

5. We just got reminded we can't do guns and butter

Which is funny, since we're still in the uniquely historic age of guns and tax cuts. Nobody seems to be in any rush to fix that.

[Missy Vixen]

17. Absolutely

I just read an article in the local paper twenty minutes ago. It seems Oslo is already gearing up for the protesters on Thursday when Obama arrives to pick up his Nobel Peace Prize.

I guess it was a whole bunch of "caveat emptor", right? We bought it. We should have known he wasn't telling the truth.

:mad:

[charlie]

3. Wait 'til you have to listen to them campaign on it

That's what it's coming down to, just getting some damn thing out the door so they can say they "reformed" healthcare. When those "standing tough for American working families" ads appear, it's going to be hard to not break the furniture.

[BeHereNow]

4. I may not have any furntiture left to break by then.

The outrages just keep coming.

I can't keep up, which I suspect is part of their plan.

BHN

[autorank]

7. Wait till they hear what we have to say.

A bait and switch public option that was not going to start for FOUR years from the date of passage,
what a bunch of clowns.

I live in Virginia and buy my insurance out of New York State. How about that. It costs me a
boat load of money but I can't buy in Virginia from the same large carrier because of pre-existing
conditions.

I'll make a bet with anyone who will take it. The pre existing conditions clause in the bill that
passes will not cover my situation.

I'm self employed. We're screwed. The bill in the Senate is supposed to be

--neutral on costs for self-funded insurance plans (54% of workers, big companies that pay but have insurance companies administer the plan)

--provide some savings for small companies that buy from insurance companies for their employees AND

--GO UP 10% FOR THOSE WHO BUY QUANTY 1 (INDIVIDUAL/FAMILY)DIRECT FROM INSURANCEN--THE SELF EMPLOYED.

I hope I'm wrong but I'm probably not on the pre existing conditions part but I'm sure they'll screw me and the other 15,000,000 self employed on costs. They said so!

See Screwing the Self-Employed Out of Health Insurance

[charlie]

8. Good Gawd

The premiums + deductibles for the self-employed in that article make my hair stand on end. It's like carrying a second mortgage. 11% of the workforce is in that trap!

It's a crisis tipping into calamity. And still, they dither.

It astonishes me that the party doesn't seem to realize what dangerous waters they're in.

[autorank]

9. Thank you

It's pretty obvious. When I wrote that, I just sailed all over.

My rates went up 10% just a month ago, now another 10%. My only solution is get the Hell to
65 as fast as possible but I can't figure out a short cut;)

If the party had come up with a solution for the self employed, they would have gained the
loyalty of 90% of those 15 mil...immediately. Plus it's wrong to screw us.

But even now it's totally unfair. If you're in a high premium state, like NY or MASS, you get a nice
discount from the federal tax code because now premiums are 100% deductible. But if you're in a low
premium state, UT or MI, you have much less to claim and your deductible payments are part of some
half ass formula that really doesn't give you much of a break.

We are nothing to them.

[CrispyQ]

16. "It astonishes me that the party doesn't seem to realize what dangerous waters they're in."

They are oblivious to the mounting anger of Main St.

[Missy Vixen]

19. They don't care

>They are oblivious to the mounting anger of Main St.<

We have NO alternative. No matter whom we vote for, it's same shit, different day. They will do what benefits THEM and their corporate donors. They always have, they always will.

I knew this was going to happen before the Presidential election. I suppose I should be thanking certain parties for proving themselves to be exactly what I thought they were, but in the meantime, millions will suffer.

I didn't vote for a bailout of the health insurance industry. I also didn't vote for War Without End, but it looks like that's exactly what we're going to get.

:eyes:

[BeHereNow]

20. They don't care- a sign of just how far removed and protected they have become.

They've got theirs and have NO fear of us.

BHN

[Missy Vixen]

18. I'm not taking that bet

I'm 49. My husband's 45. We both have pre-existing conditions, and yeah, I'm self-employed as well. He's now a contractor. We've been without health insurance since September.

I'm trying to figure out where the money for the health insurance is coming from. Well, if they let us buy it. I'm sure they will. Hopefully, it'll be less than the additional MORTGAGE PAYMENT per month ($1400!) we were quoted by Washington State's high-risk program.

Autorank, seriously -- what's going to be the last straw for the American people? I think this may be it.

[autorank]

29. Missy Vixen

You hit on it. This is the last straw. I've been pushing that line for a while because you don't hold out a promise like this unless you're going to deliver. They never intended to deliver, not for a minute. I knew that from day one but the real proof was link:tinyurl.com/pxtlrh|right here] where the president says, "This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right." The "exchange" is where the phantom "public option" was.

I'm sorry to hear that about the WA state program. I'd like to get my BC/BS policy for that (same as yours, couple).

They got a couple of hundred million people focused on this, promised results, and there will be hell to pay if they're not produced. Health plus messing with the internet, which they are doing in a huge way, will be the unraveling of any shred credibility the political system has left.

Good luck to you. :hi:

[autorank]

6. "Kabuki theater on C-Span" Sweet! k*r

Nice one. I see them more as Gilbert and Sullivan but they do operate on several levels of
unreality.

Great post - a rant in one sentence!

Old Turkish proverb: If you sleep on the floor, you can't fall out of bed.

They do their thing, we do ours. Hopefully, we'll be able to do it more and more without them.

:)

[chill_wind]

10. K & R.

Kabuki- perfect description.

Seems like a lot of our worst legislation is passed right before Christmas break when they can't wait to get out of town-- and "don't have time"/can't be bothered to read long complex bills. They're going to do it again.

[Tailormyst]

11. Yes- I reached my breaking point this fall.

[BeHereNow]

21. Welcome to DU- you're in good company, for the most part.

Learn early- the ignore button is your friend these days.

BHN

[Blue_Tires]

12. lobbyist $$$$ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> voters' $$$$

[Echo In Light]

13. They may think the people idiots, but KNOW they won't actually DO anything

Which perspective do you suppose takes priority for them to act as brazenly against the betterment of humanity as they routinely do?

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. Sometimes doing nothing is better than doing something harmful

[Obamanaut]

15. No, it doesn't bother me anymore. I am reconciled to the fact that

we will continue to reelect incumbents based on "the name we know" despite all the fuming and fussing we do between election cycles.

They know it, and so they don't care. Their mantra could well be "Of all the words so big and fine, the best are these: 'I got mine.'"

[cali]

22. well, I don't begrudge my reps in D.C. their salaries

but then I like my reps in D.C.

[B Calm]

23. Is there a way we can impeach Senators?

[BeHereNow]

24. Good question- if not, there should be.

But then I think that they are so insulated by their corporate backers at this point,
they really have become untouchable, unremovable if you will.
That is why they act with no fear of consequence from us.
That's my theory anyway.
How else does one explain their blatant disregard for us?

BHN

[cali]

27. nope. no way at all.

[kctim]

25. Instead of getting furious

why not get progressives elected? Shouldn't be hard, what with all Americans, except for a few 'teabaggers,' agreeing with you that we need govt healthcare and all.

[BeHereNow]

28. You're funny.

Do you honestly believe the PTB would allow anyone who might
act in the interest of We, the people, to hold a seat of power?

:spank:

BHN

[kctim]

32. The powers that be, huh?

I guess if one believes a secret cabal is who really runs the show and determines everything, then there is no sense in trying to discuss what steps need to be taken.
My bad.

[Missy Vixen]

31. What "progressives" are those?

I think there's two in the Senate, and a handful in the House. Not enough to make real change, and God knows those capable of it won't get anywhere near anything that might help.

People are too busy trying to hang onto their jobs, their houses, keep food on the table, etcetera, to protest. The wheels will really come off the bus, though, when a family of four making $35K per year is presented with mandated health care insurance premiums of $7,000+ per year, as one of the proposals floated stated. If those in Congress thought "town hells" were rough this summer, wait till they have people in their faces that realize it's either health care insurance or housing, health care insurance or food, health care insurance or no college education for their kids.

THAT'S when it's going to get fun.

In the meantime, again, whomever came up with "Kabuki on CSPAN", you RAWK. That's exactly what it is. It's rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and telling the band to play a little louder...

[kctim]

33. I got the impression

that many on here believe things would get done IF there were progressives, not Democrats, holding those seats. So, IF the people all want govt healthcare, it should not be hard to replace the Democrats with progressives in order to get it done. With 60 progressive votes, they could actually turn this country into the progressive nation everybody on here believes all Americans want it to be by doing "something" instead of doing "nothing."

[Forkboy]

26. That's why any money I give goes to local causes like food pantries, shelters, etc.

The Dems and everyone in Washington don't need my money.

[varelse]

30. If only they had done nothing

it would not have been nearly as bad as what they are doing now :(

[BeHereNow]

34. No argument there. Nothing would have been an improvement.

And not cost us untold millions in paying for
their production costs to come up with more
legislation of the corporations, by the corporations
and FOR the corporations.
It really pisses me off that we PAY for that shit.

BHN