Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I am occasionally amazed at the drooling stupidity of the American public, and how so many mouth-breathers are willing to be led lemming-like by the mouthpieces of the far right who do nothing but lie — lie loud and lie strong — about everything that they are against.
President Clinton’s health care plan was defeated in the ’90s because of their lies, and now the lies continue, primarily for two reasons: because conservatives want their power back and they’ll do anydamnthing to get it, including hiding behind God and American patriotism, and because they hate President Obama because he’s a democrat, he’s intelligent, and he’s black.
Joe Conason is a writer who suffers no fools, and he’s written an exposé about two of the leading liars in the news today:
If the current effort to reform American healthcare ends in frustration, much of the blame rests on our political culture’s empowerment of deception and ignorance. Fake erudition is revered, every hoax is deemed brilliant, and prejudice is presented as knowledge — while actual expertise is disregarded or devalued.
This revelation is just the tip of an underlying strategy by the far right which is designed to be invisible to us, the public, just as we are supposed to become simultaneously outraged that Obama isn’t an American, that he’s a racist, that his health care plan is Socialism, that God would never allow global warming to happen, and that Judge Sotomayor was a dyke in an all-girl Hispanic gang.
Okay. I made that last one up. But some of you believed it.
No matter how many pundits mocked her on Fox News and on talk radio, Hilary Clinton was right when she referred to a “vast conservative conspiracy.” From conservative think tanks and stealth-attack programs being funded by the rich and powerful Annenbergs behind the scenes, to the amateurish actions of the politicos with perfect, blow-dried hair and cheesy flag pins (such as Virginia’s Eric Cantor and his lame-ass job fair), there is a war going on — it’s a war for our wallets; it’s a war for raw power and mass control, no matter what. And it’s not a war being waged by the little people or the liberals — it’s one being waged by the conservative bullies and rich elites who have been kicked out of the sandbox, but are now scheming to take over the whole playground — and then blame those who are against them.
Do you know all the dirty tricks that are being played on us? Here are some, if you don’t believe me. Do the research. See for yourself.
UPDATE: SATURDAY 7:25 pm _________________________
. . . and the Republican lies keep gushing out, just like Old Faithless. Go here for more Obama hatred, health care fear-mongering, and how Medicare is socialist.
Rus Wornom 
“When fascism comes to America, it will be carrying a cross, wrapped in the flag.”
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Who's really lying about health care, Russ? I work in insurance, and I can assure you the President has yet to tell the truth about either of the health plans being debated. They are full of penalties and fines, and force health insurance even on those who are voluntarily uninsured. The repubs are at least trying to be watchdogs, but neither the members of congress or the press are revealing the true intent of these plans. Personally, I may very well lose my job if these abominable plans are passed – but nobody really cares if insurance people lose their jobs, right? After all, we are the villains in all this. Read up on these plans before you spew your partisan venom, Russ. They are very very bad, believe me.
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I am fully for health care reform, but I don't think Obama holds any moral high ground. There are many simple reforms that would save billions, like fewer unnecessary tests, doctors who work on salaray instead of by the procedure, a more rational approach to end of life decisions.
I just received my bill for an ordered catscan confirming my mild hearing loss was the old fashioned kind. I'm less and less enthralled with the big solution. It does nothing to fix the systemic problems embedded in the health care culture.
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Gentlemen, thank all of you for commenting. Even though some (or all?) of us may disagree on some things, I truly enjoy good conversation; and since none of you has flamed or said anything evil, I consider this pretty civil, and I thank you.
Dale, my research — and I have done some — indicates that the uninsured will never be forced to participate in the government option. This is a misinformational argument propagated by organized conservatives, starting in the 1990s with the Clinton plan. The strategy worked that time, and they're using it now in the same hope.
Here's an analysis of the Obama plan written by a nonpartisan group. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411754_obama_health_proposal.pdf
It clearly states that some people will be left uninsured.
Dale, on the contrary, I do care if you lose your job. Until three weeks ago, I had been out of work for 7 1/2 months. I don't wish that on anybody (except the two bastards responsible for firing me. But I'm not bitter.) Employees are not the villains, but I do and will hold responsible the executives who demand exorbitant profit margins, as well as demand their annual bonuses and stock options, when people are being hurt because they can't afford medications or care. Companies begin with individuals, and if anything, the United States was founded on the worth and rights of the individual, not the corporation. I would like to see the politicians who swear to uphold the Constitution actually act like they mean it.
As to being partisan, them's fightin' words, son; but since you don't know me, and I was angry when I wrote my blogpost, I can understand where you get that. I am a proud GDI — God Damned Independent — and I vote for the person who I think will get the job done. If I could have voted in '72, I would have voted for Nixon, because I thought his competition was weak. In '76, I voted for Ford, because I thought he would do a better job than Carter.
My post — and my vote — comes from the heart, because I am tired of liars — and I'm tired of the public just bleating along like sheep. And I see a lot of conservative politicians lying a LOT more than Democrats — but I'll go after those bastards, too, when they treat us people like cattle.
Paul, I don't think Obama is our savior, either. But I do think his plan is a solid one — and one that is much needed. I would like you, however, to define the systemic problems you see with health care — and Dale, I'd like your opinion as well.
Gregg, peace out.
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Health care reform? The whole idea of insurance is betting you will get sick and the dealer or company is betting you won't. In the meantime the medical testing is running up the cost. The only REAL solution is socialism, which won't happen. But if you are uninsured, and you go to the emergency room, they will take care of you, then bill you$$$$$$. Who pays for that?
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If anyone wants a good reason why I am against HR 3200 (health care bill) here is about 30:
Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure.
• Page 29: There is an admission in the text: health care will be rationed (with explanations).
• Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits patients get; and, unlike a private insurer, there will be no appeals process for denied coverage.
• Page 42: The “Health Choices Commissioner” will decide health benefits for patients. Patients will have no choice.
• Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
• Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in the Healthcare Exchange.
• Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
• Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled.
• Page 124: No “judicial review” is permitted against the government monopoly. This will negatively impact private insurers.
• Page 127: The government will set wages for doctors and specialists.
• Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan if a private plan is not in place. employers cannot switch providers at open enrollment without switching to the exchange. This takes away choice in coverage.
• Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families once on the exchange or be penalized.
• Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll.
• Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll.
• Page 167: Any individual who does not have acceptable healthcare coverage (ie catastrophic-only or discount coverage) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
• Page 203: “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.”
• Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid.
• Page 241: All Doctors will be paid the same.
•Page 272: Treatment for Cancer patients will be determined by the Exchange according to prognosis (example: in Britain 50% of all women with breast cancer die; in America it is less than 20%. Reason: Care must be “portioned” in Britain. Source: Cato Institute)
• Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.
• Page 317: Doctors will be prohibited for owning and investing in healthcare companies.
• Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures, which ultimately is rationing.
• Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.
• Page 354: Government can restrict enrollment of special needs individuals.
• Page 379: More bureaucracy: A Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone) will be established for “minor” care.
• Page 425: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens age 65 + must attend mandatory end-of-life counseling. Was originally 1x per year, modified to 1x every 5 years in the new version. This body will also provide an approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding seniors in death. Finally, (page 427) the exchange mandates a program that approves end-of-life treatment in the event of terminal illness, ie assisted suicide. Doctors within the exchange approved for end-of-life care will be exempt from litigious actions. The Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient’s health deteriorates. This can include an order for end-of-life plans. Also (page 430) the Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.
Pass the Quietus, please.
• Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy.
• Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.
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Dale, I was waiting (and hoping!) for what you promised in your email to me: your own, rational list of arguments against US health care.
But these aren't your words! I Googled one of your bullet points; you cut and pasted from any one of at least 64 sources where this list is available at this very second on the Internet — and they're all partisan, right-wing sources.
In addition, these are incomplete bullet points that are NOT verbatim from the bill, and were written with obvious prejudice and out of context. If you want America to take your points seriously, include the relevant portions straight from the bill so we can understand what HR 3200 says, not how conservatives wish to (badly) interpret it.
And personally, I'm all for pages 127, 126, 149, 150, 379 (why see a dr. if you can DIY?), 425 and 489. For someone who doesn't want the government to tell us how to live, what gives you or the government the right to tell us how we can or can't die?
One more thing: health care was not the main point of my post. It was really about organized Republican dirty tricks. The list that you used here is one of them.
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