But Senator Snowe did mention history in her statement, and I can foresee a moment coming where Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats have to make a decision whether they want to be part of a historic development or...well, if they vote against a bill that still passes, they've sort of covered their butts. That "no" vote may be forgotten in light of success.
However, if it is Democrats like Kent Conrad, or quasi-Dem Joe Lieberman, or even enough Republicans to block consideration or passage and throw their own victory party, I predict that individuals will start going down in history as villains.
American not only wants health insurance reform, they are desperate for it. Get ready for that work plan so dear to you to require more funding from you, the worker, as the employers of America cut back their contributions -- per Rupert Murdoch's own Wall Street Journal:
As companies begin unveiling their workplace benefits for next year, many employees are learning they will have to dig even deeper into their pockets for health coverage.
Such price increases have become a fact of life during open-enrollment season, when workers sign up for their health plans. But the jump is expected to be steeper in 2010 than this year, as employers struggle with the impact of the recession and continually rising insurance costs. Employees will pay $4,023 on average in premiums and out-of-pocket charges next year, up 10% from 2009, according to a projection from Hewitt Associates, a benefits-consulting firm. In dollar terms, it's the biggest boost since the firm started keeping track of the data a decade ago.
For workers, that will mean larger payroll deductions, as well as spending more on co-payments and other fees tied to care. Companies also are expected to prod more employees into cheaper coverage by getting them to sign up for high-deductible health plans. And many employers are trying to rein in the expense of covering workers' families, sometimes by making insurance for kids and spouses pricier.
Me, I favor Single Payer, and that's the only way we'll ever have 100% coverage in this country. But clearly now we see, without a Public Option, there's no backstop, and the President's prediction of costs spiraling out of control will come agonizingly true.
3 comments:
Lieberman's an interesting case. More than anyone in Congress he owes his political life to insurers, but he owes his position in the Dem Party to BHO, who held back those who (justifiably, IMHO) wanted to boot him from the caucus & strip him of his committee assignments after his disgraceful shenanigans during the campaign, when he vainly expected that Patriotic John was going to make him his running mate.
As such, it's not entirely surprising that he's been uncharacteristically quiet during most of the HC debate. If I had to guess, I'd say he's been praying that the whole thing would collapse w/o his help and he wouldn't have to take a public stand. Now that that doesn't seem to be the case, you can be certain his industry patrons are putting the squeeze on him 24/7.
I can't believe that he'd ever dare vote against the final bill, but we'll see. It wouldn't surprise me to see him make some sort of typical high-profile grandstanding move to insert himself into the negotiating process at the 11th hour, loudly proclaiming the need for "true bipartisanship for the American people" (translation: "perverting the bill to the whims of my patrons) or some such other Liebermanesque hogwash.
I'd hate to be Holy Joe under any circumstances, but especially now.
2/3 Americans favor the public option?
Let's ask that same question, would you like a government run health insurance plan that would compete against private health insurance plans that could not pay for itself, raise taxes, and would eventually drive the competition out of business?’
You know what, I'm guessing that they may even keep with their current decision. We're a nation of debtors what's another couple billion, whoops I mean trillion? We can just print more money right?
American people:
If we want to buy something like that new BMW let's just buy it, our credit's good right?
American Congress:
If we want something let's just vote for it. The U.S.'s credit is good for it right?
We deserve this, nay we are entitled to this. So let's go out and get it, because Oprah said so.
1) I want 100% free health insurance for me and people I like, paid for by people I don't like, as well as a no show job w/ high wages.
2) I'd also like the upper tax bracket to be 100% for the CEO's of any bank that received taxpayer money.
3) Lastly, I'd like the government to buy me a set of golf clubs. (I don't golf, but if #1 comes through I'll need to learn as part of my new lifestyle.)
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