Charles Krauthammer's column in the July 24th Washington Post, "Why Obamacare Is Sinking", makes the point that no amount of Presidential rhetoric can sell a bad program once it has been written down as legislation. No amount of Obamaesque spin can contradict the written words that are there for all to see.
Regarding Obamacare, Krauthammer ("The Hammer") makes the following specific points:
The President based the need for reform on the fact that medical costs are destroying the economy. But, the health-care bill, says the CBO, increases costs on the order of $1 trillion plus. The President now says the bill must only be "revenue neutral", but that does nothing positive for the economy and promises a big tax increase that will further depress the economy. So, the bill doesn't "save" the economy, a principal goal stated during the Obama campaign, it damages the economy instead.
The President says this bill is not about politics, but the bill fails to address the gigantic cost of our malpractice system? The Hammer says, "When a neurosurgeon pays $200,000 a year for malpractice insurance before he even turns on the light in his office, who do you think pays? Patients, of course, in higher doctor fees to cover the insurance. But the greatest waste is the hidden cost of defensive medicine: tests and procedures that doctors order to protect themselves from lawsuits. Tort reform would yield tens of billions in savings, yet you cannot find it in the bill." Why? Because the Democrats are politically dependent on huge donations from trial lawyers, so we know the bill is about politics after all.
The hammer says, "The President promises expanded, portable, secure, higher-quality medical care -- at lower cost!" Let me know where you find it in the bill because I couldn't. The American people are being asked to support a set of Presidential promises, when what they are going to get, and all they are going to get, is what is in the bill. There is little similarity between the promises and the bill!
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Comments: 28
Jim has written a series of articles about the Cloward-Piven Strategy of Orchestrated Crisis. Jim is a former White House staff economist and budget analyst with the Reagan Administration, the entire George H Bush administration and through a potion of the Clinton Administration.. This show will be incredibly fascinating as we delve into the question, “Either the Democrats are unfathomable idiots, who ignorantly pursue ever more destructive policies despite decades of contrary evidence, or they understand the consequences of their actions and relentlessly carry on anyway because they somehow benefit.”
He told so many lies, I couldn't keep track. Husband could not hear for me screaming 'another lie - another lie' during the brainwashing. Then, he weighed in on the Prof and the Dumb cop. He also mentioned his being on a committee on racial profiling. Hmm - it all fits.
How stupid was it to alienate the police? I will not be surprised when a big "Law enforcement appreciation" event is announced to be held at the White House. It should be soon, as even our athletic president can only hop on one leg just so long. He needs to get his foot out of his mouth ASAP.
I am also becoming concerned about the nutty records of the thirty plus "czars" that work in the White House to coordinate these programs that, as you have said, must have a secret agenda. For example, we have followers of Prof. Peter Senger, advocate of "human rights for animals" and "abortion until the age of two" fame, in high level positions in our government.
Why do we need all of these people who could not get through the confirmation hearings for a Cabinet position? What are they doing in the White House, accountable only to the President and his political strategists, and what are their objectives?
It looks like the President's stumble on Health Care Reform and his inability to give straight answers to detailed questions are the first confirmation we have had that he is not being truthful with the American people. I hope it is a wake up call for the media, and that they will start some real reporting on what's going on in the White House.
I think the Dems have seriously misread the American public. The public being over 70% in favor of a public option is similar to a first grade class being asked if they want an all sugar lunch program. Until they understand the downside they will go along with it every time.
The Blue Dogs are going to wind up saving the Democratic party and not get an ounce of credit for doing it.
The president allowed the Congress to write th legislation for "his" health care plan, just as he did for the "stimulus".
Big mistake.
There are two major brick walls to reaching the two sensible goals. One is politics and the other is greed. If the politicians are smart (which I am convinced they are not), there would be an independent medical ethics group to determine a fair and just distribution of medical acre.
The greed factor is very difficult to control. The pharmaceutical group, health care insurance group, medical education, all doctors and other medical staff all contribute to the inflationary cost increase. What if we allowed all of the medical services to be non-profit, setting salaries of all medical workers, including doctors and pharmaceutical companies, then there will be no profit motive for seeing as many patients as possible?
Remove the political and greed factors from our society, and I bet we will see a dramatic drop in the patient care costs. But.. I'll never see that in my lifetime.
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2009/07/deconstructing-the-right-wing-lies-health-bill.html