The insults keep coming from the Left, this time from Maxine Waters:
"The people of this country elected you and gave you a Democratic majority in the House and the Senate... Yes, we know that you are a nice man, that you want to work with the opposite side of the aisle. But there comes a time when you need to drop that and move forward," Waters said. "We're saying to you, Mr. President, 'Be tough. Use everything that you've got. Do what you have to do. And we have your back...' "This is the woman who openly called for the nationalization of the oil industry not so long ago. Hm, I can't imagine what she would have in mind for government controlled health care, can you? Anyway, Dems also continue to take shelter behind union doors to avoid dealing with those icky (real) constituents.
"Not only are we going to do everything we can to organize and put pressure on the senators -- some of whom are Neanderthals -- we're going to say to the president, 'We want you to use every weapon in your basket in order to get those senators to do what they should be doing,' " Waters said.
At the same time, real Americans from both sides of the aisle are still confronting (and humiliating) their elected representatives by being more knowledgeable, more credible, more rational, and more passionate on the issue:
I think my favorite part of that video is when he walks back to his seat and gives his wife a kiss. That's a real American conquering hero, and he even gets the girl at the end!
Barack Obama is continuing to peddle the same myths about his plan, but he's being refuted over and over again, especially by doctors. For instance:
And here's this point-by-point rebuttal from another doctor, puncturing many of the Obamessiah's oft-touted
- 1. We need health care reform.
We do not need health care reform. We have the best health care system in the world. We need health insurance reform.
- 2. Free market health insurance has caused our current problem.
It is the government that has caused the current problem. We have not had free market health insurance in this country since 1965. It is not possible to consider our system of medical payment free market when the government controls $.60 of every dollar spent on health care.
- 3. The evil and greedy health insurance companies have caused prices to skyrocket.
Again, it's the government that has caused prices to skyrocket. Medicare and Medicaid are the 800 pound gorilla and insurance companies are the fleas on the gorilla. Nothing can be done by the private insurance companies that has not been done by Medicare and Medicaid. The federal government opens the door and the private insurance companies follow. It is the government manipulation of the free market that has caused our current health insurance problem. The out of control medical costs in Britain and Canada, as well as in Massachusetts and other states that have tried government health care prove this point.
- 4. Nearly 50 million Americans are without health care.
Nearly 13 million Americans are without health insurance. No one in the United States is without health care. Government regulations prohibit patients from being turned away from hospitals, which must provide medical care to anyone. The huge number that the Obama administration has used is highly inflated.
- 5. A government option will lower costs and improve quality of care.
A government option will increase costs and reduce quality of care. In every instance so far government involvement in medical services has caused prices to increase. Medicare spending has increased at a rate greater than 10 times that which was projected. Medicare and Medicaid will be broke in less than nine years. Adding another entitlement program will cause economic disaster. The Congressional Office of Management and Budget has stated that the president's plan is unaffordable. Further, the necessary rationing in order to even begin the program will reduce quality of care.
- 6. If you like your insurance and your doctor you can keep them.
The same things were said at the inception of Medicare. Medicare was supposed to be a supplemental insurance plan for retired people. It now covers the disabled as well and those over the age of 65, who are now ineligible for any other type of primary medical insurance. The government option will become the only option. Therefore, it's not an option and in the end hospitals, doctors, and all health care companies will be working directly and only for the government.
Something that really seemed to grab people's attention was that whole notion Sarah Palin put out there of 'death panels'. Obama tried to downplay it, but it appears she's won that round. Now he's trying to act offended by the proposition, but it's pretty clear from reading the bill that that's how things would end up - with a group of bureaucrats deciding who gets what treatment. I thought this was an interesting exchange from two respected people from the Right that helps flesh out this death panel idea:
Charles Krauthammer wrote a column over at Town Hall. It begins with:The article goes on to talk about how the Left in general -- and Obama in particular -- has already moved toward encouragement of death. His 100% pro-abortion (including infanticide) record notwithstanding, he also revoked a measure that George W. Bush enacted that banned a 'death book' for veterans. Basically, if a vet is depressed, the U.S. government used to hand them a book with a checklist of questions; if you answered enough questions in a depressing enough fashion, the book suggests you commit suicide. Bush stopped the practice, but Obama reinstated it.“Let’s see if we can have a reasoned discussion about end-of-life counseling.
We might start by asking Sarah Palin to leave the room. I’ve got nothing against her. She’s a remarkable political talent. But there are no “death panels” in the Democratic health care bills, and to say that there are is to debase the debate.
In response, East of Eden* wrote:Dear Mr. Krauthammer:
If one thinks that a “death panel” is always and only a handful of implacable bureaucrats — be they doctors, scientists, ethicists or some other suitably selected expert — functioning like a parole board or the rank and tenure committee at a university, then, of course, you will not find “death panels.” Whether by incompetence or morally culpable indifference, those charged with designing “Obamacare,” have conjured far more insidious death panels.
Consider but one part of 1233:
(3) PHYSICIAN’S QUALITY REPORTING INITIATIVE-
(A) IN GENERAL- For purposes of reporting data on quality measures for covered professional services furnished during 2011 and any subsequent year, to the extent that measures are available, the Secretary shall include quality measures on end of life care and advanced care planning that have been adopted or endorsed by a consensus-based organization, if appropriate. Such measures shall measure both the creation of and adherence to orders for life-sustaining treatment.
And now consider Pres. Obama’s well-known remarks to Mr. Leonhardt of the NY Times:
“Well, I think that there is going to have to be a conversation that is guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists. And then there is going to have to be a very difficult democratic conversation that takes place. It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions just through the normal political channels. And that’s part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance. It’s not determinative, but I think has to be able to give you some guidance. And that’s part of what I suspect you’ll see emerging out of the various health care conversations that are taking place on the Hill right now.” LINK
Now, there is clearly much that is objectionable about Pres. Obama’s comments. But the point is: Of course some supplicant will not be hauled before some tribunal. Rather the “death panel” will be further removed, more amorphous, hence more noxious yet no less real. No, the death panel will be that task force, or panel of experts, or “consensus-based organization,” or “independent group that can give you guidance.” And they will appropriate physicians as the mechanism of implementation, under the guise of incentives, but it will really be the coercive bureaucracy that routinely judges whether physicians meet the standards of care determined by our “consensus-based organization.”
The point is not whether the term 'death panel' is in the bill (it's not), but rather the intent of the bill regarding the health care of anyone who is deemed sub-productive by the all-powerful State. Call it what you will...that is exactly what Obamacare will give us. As Patrick Henry once said:
"It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth -- and listen to the song of that syren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? ... For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it might cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it."Wow, they had hope-n-change back then too, huh? I'm with Henry - let's get the truth out there, and let the American people judge for themselves. Them, I trust to do the right thing.
The federal government and our elected representatives? Not so much.
There's my two cents.
Related Reading
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The history of the government option
La Raza wants Obamacare...but no, Obamacare won't cover illegals *wink wink*
Obama's blame game
5 simple arguments against Obamacare
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