funetical

If your so tired of politicians what do you do to rid yourselves of them? Elect more?
Nestor the public option is unpopular because it leaves the middle class paying for everything. To broke to buy out. America ask to much of it's middle class, but as a Canadian I'm sure you know what that's like.

travelover

The public option cuts out the middle man - that is the insurance companies. They make a tremendous amount of money now and have an army of lobbyists in Washington and many, if not most, members of congress on their payroll. Who do you think pays for all the scare ads about killing grandma and creeping socialism? Another major foe is the hospital systems themselves, who negotiate rates with individual insurers. The government drives a hard bargain (reference Medicare reimbursement rates) and hospitals know that their profits will be nicked.

Interestingly, when you add up Medicare, Medicaid, Veteran's Administration Hospitals and government employee's health care, most of the health care delivered in the US is already via a "public option".

travelover

Reread post #21 . Ironically, corporations have so much control now, they can send a lynch mob against anyone that opposes them by manipulating highly emotional topics like abortion, socialism, racism, social class competition, immigration, etc.

Nestor_Kelebay

That's the problem with having that word "option" in there. The very wealthy opt out of the program because they can well afford the medical insurance.

That's why all the other G8 countries have a public health care system, not a "public option".

funetical

I don't disagree with writing it out, the problem is though the rich run our nation. The politicians will inevitably opt out themselves after they live in their victory a bit longer. Same as it ever was.

oldognewtrick

Well heres where we disagree, because what ever the govt is providing me they are taking the money out of YOUR pocket to fund it. How do you like paying for my free health care.

I don't want the govt to provide me with anything but national security, they have shown that whatever they get their hands on they will mismanage.

And where does it state in the constitution that the purpose of govt is to be the provider of all things....

SJNServices

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that the biggest reason insurance is so expensive is because of these wonderful government "regulations" that require you to have it. If you were not required to have it, and if you could purchase it from the insurance company of your choice anywhere, would the insurance companies not have to make themselves price competitive to attract business, in order to stay in business?

As to the Constitution, if strictly read and interpreted the government should really just be there to guard our borders and fill potholes. In other words, stay the f*** out of my bank account!

I think that if government would really lay off taxing the crap out of everyone, including the wealthy, a lot more people would have money to fix up or build homes. Therefore, we would have a lot more to do and a lot more money (to be taxed). I'll get off my soapbox now.

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funetical

It doesn't and you're right on that. The issue though is it also used to not provide regulations about slavery. That being said, maybe the constitution is not an all inclusive doctrine of the regulations of government, but a guide to the times. I think the thing that I found most disheartening is that the main reason health care is so expensive has less to do with government intervention and more to do with people not paying their bills. How do you deny a life saving operation to some one who can't afford it? You don't. The unfortunate truth is that everyone is entitled to not die from preventable circumstance, but then that brings on debt. So what do you do? Allow the debt to remain unpaid and drive up the cost of current medicine to make it up, or do you ensure it gets paid in order to keep the cost from building up and bankrupting an industry that is indispensable? If current health cost continue to rise due to unpaid bills it's going to come out of the pocket of the middle class. In way of more expensive operations, higher prices for medication, and less coverage when you do have a claim. The solution is as difficult as the problem.The reality though is this affects us all and when it does it becomes the responsibility of the federal government to handle it. The middle class is going to pay for it any ways. Why not get everyone else involved?