"Obama went on with health care reform essentially alone"

[impik]

Amazing interview with Jonathan Alter on Countdown:



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#37200954

[pnorman]

1. I gotta get that book!

n/t

[CTLawGuy]

2. I enjoyed that interview

Obama came into office wanting to get things done. On health care he did, at least the first step.

[zipplewrath]

3. Backwards

Not all progress advances one towards goals.

[dflprincess]

11. I keep wondering how this insurance scam can be called health care reform

all it did was dig the for profit insurers in deeper. People will continue to pay more for insurance and get less access to care and the number of uninsured will continue to grow. Eventunally the government won't be able to afford the premium subsidies they promised the industry and we'll wind up in a situation as bad or even worse than where we are now.

[zipplewrath]

12. Health Insurance Industry Stimulus Package

I try to avoid the HCR label. Even Krugman admits that it didn't really reform healthcare from a cost perspective. There is little there to control the governments health CARE costs, and even less to control the general cost of health care to the rest of us. It ensconses the insurance companies as the conduit to health care.

Worse, it was based heavily upon a bill by the GOP that was specifically designed to prevent nationalized health care.

In 10 years we'll complain about this the way we complain about NAFTA, DADT, and DOMA.

[dflprincess]

18. I tend to call it the "Health Insurance Profit & Campaign Donation Protection Act"

but don't worry - they'll go back & fix it. :sarcasm: (Just like they were going to go back and fix NAFTA & NCLB).

[zipplewrath]

20. I like that

There were reports that Rahm managed aspects of the package to ensure that contributions continued to flow to the democratic party from the health care industry. Reports of late suggest he failed.

[CTLawGuy]

24. tell that to the

22 year old recent college grads who now have health insurance with their parents, even if they don't have jobs.

If you're talking about getting people health insurance, it ain't bad.

If all you care about is punishing insurance companies, then well I guess I can't argue with you.

[zipplewrath]

26. That already were covered a half dozen other ways

The estimates were that very few people fell into that category that were "uninsurable" in other fashions.

And we weren't talking, going in, about "insurance". "We" were talking about health CARE.

But if all ya wanted was a "win", ya got one.

[CTLawGuy]

27. umm

how are young college grads with no jobs covered in other ways? I didn't have insurance for a while after I graduated college.

[zipplewrath]

28. You didn't BUY insurance

This is one of the lowest cost groups. College students often qualify for policies through the college (for a fee). Many group policies can add dependents, regardless of age, for a fee. It cost money. It still costs money. It's just now that you can ALSO get it through your parents policy. (The law already dictated in Florida, something like 25 or so) It was always available, it just wasn't always cheap. It's still not cheap.

[CTLawGuy]

29. I'm not talking about college students

I'm talking about grads. and it's a very different thing to be part of your parents' group rate insurance than it is to purchase your own policy on the individual market.

[zipplewrath]

31. Can be

Depends upon alot of factors. Mostly whether you have one of the "pre-existing conditions". That's the sliver of people this is really aimed. Not yet eligible for a group plan, but out of college. I've forgotten the number, but it is amazingly low. But if you're just another healthy 25 year old, insurance can be real cheap. Probably on par with your parents plan.

[bvar22]

30. Assuming their parents HAVE insurance....

..and can afford the extra premiums, deductibles, and co-pays.

Yes.... The already comfortable will still be comfortable.

After all the "compromises" (capitulations), appeasement of Republicans, and prostrations before the mighty Lieberman...

AFTER the American People gave the Democratic Party The White House, a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, a BIG Majority in The House, and a HUGE MANDATE for "CHANGE"...

After ALL the promises and visions of a Public Option...

After ALL THAT,
The Democratic Party under Obama's "Leadership" has made it possible for Americans to BUY Health Insurance from a Health Insurance Corporation.

Woo-Fucking-Hoo.

[NJmaverick]

4. The President is a man of principles that believes in doing the best job he can

[zipplewrath]

13. In doing as best he believes he can

Once you go pro, you have to deal with the fact that sometimes "doing your best" isn't good enough.

[supernova]

5. I like him even more

after that interview.

You go, Mr President!

:patriot:

[Peacetrain]

6. I heard that this morning...good for the President!

[Clio the Leo]

7. Triple dog dare anyone to claim he's being lead astray by his advisors again!

;)

[Sheepshank]

8. I thought Alter's comments were very interesting

I was suprised at how Obama clearly understood the waves he was creating and how this would possibly play negatively into any re-election. Yet he forged ahead to do what he thought was right for the country, not necessarily right for his poiltical future. It solidified my support for a man that I considered one with deep integrity.

I do think there was some strategy in pushing HCR early in his Presidency...in case there was only one term. It would be so much easier to the Reps to reverse HCR if it was still in it's very early infancy vs. a bill that is in place and actively being used by millions.

[zipplewrath]

16. Ah, if he only had

But as Krugman suggested, this wasn't HCR. It was a modification of our health insurance industry.

Krugman suggests that soon we'll have to reform health care because the costs are going to continue to rise at similiar rates they always have. And we can't afford that, including the cost to the federal government.

[AtomicKitten]

9. Obama: "I promised Teddy."

:patriot:

[backscatter712]

10. B-b-but... I thought Rahm had Obama on puppet strings!!!

:sarcasm:

[Radical Activist]

14. Yeah, he's a tool of the DLC people in his administration!

That's what I keep reading.

[zipplewrath]

17. No, to push him in that direction

Obama hired him to pull him away from his progressive leanings. Occasionally he is successful.

[Cha]

22. It's like my sig line..only I should

expand it to read "rumors on the internet too".

[GeorgeGist]

15. Bullshit ...

and shame on Alter for excreting it.

[impik]

23. Oh, because you have proofs, right?

Bitterness can be hilarious.

[stevenleser]

25. Can't handle that your guesses about the administration are contradicted by 1st hand facts?

That has to be hard. I recommend altering your perception. Facts are hard to argue against.

[DrToast]

19. Sounds like he needs a new staff then.*

*

[jillan]

21. I'm definitely going to get that book. I've always liked Alter and it sounds like he

did a great job getting details from the inside.