Subscribe to Common Dreams News Updates
Most Popular This Week
Popular content
Today's Top News
'Deathers' One, Obama Zero
Open town meetings were supposed to be a forum for open, civil discussion between citizens and their elected representatives. The 'deathers', who insist a government run health insurance system could, as IA Senator Charles Grassley says, decide "when to pull the plug on grandma", have forever changed that.
Many of the town hall protesters are justly concerned about their health care coverage; happy with what they have, concerned about costs and fearful of single payer universal health insurance.
Others just wanted Obama to fail.
The most vocal element may, as Paul Krugman of the New York Times alleges, have racist motives. Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution estimates that "45-65%" of the protesters are motivated by racism.
If racism is the protesters real problem, then health insurance reform is not our only problem.
Democrats accuse Republicans of staging the town hall protests. Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Dick Polman quotes Republican National Campaign Committee Chairman, Pete Sessions as saying "the days of civil town halls are now over".
If Sessions is serious, we've taken a step backwards in the democratic process.
Misguided, obstructionist or greedy, the protesters, the Republicans and the insurance companies have won. The White House appears to have given up on a public insurance option.
In June Obama told Senate Democrats "I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest."
On August 15, at a Colorado town hall meeting Obama downplayed the public option saying it was "just one sliver of the debate".
How quickly things change, how quickly Obama folded.
With the Administration apparently ready to scrap the public option, health insurance cooperatives are touted as an alternative, a weak option at best. As the non-profit alternative to private insurance, Wisconsin's Farmers Health Cooperative offered me a $10,000 deductible policy with only slightly higher premiums than I now pay for the same level of private coverage. Some alternative.
With no competition from a public option, private health insurance companies will continue to raise premiums and pad their profit margins. USA Today reports that employers could see insurance costs rise 9% in 2010; when their costs go up 9% employees can expect to see their costs increase by double digits.
Premiums could go even higher (11% to 16%) in some areas served by a limited number of private health insurance providers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Dept. of Health and Human Services) expects per capita medical costs to increase 71% over the next decade. Todays average family premium of $13,000 is expected to rise to $22,000 by 2019.
The town hall protesters see the elimination of any public option as a victory. They better keep their check books handy.
Now that the President has caved in to the health care officials that have frequented the White House since his election, one wonders what's next, privatization of Medicare?
- Posted in
32 Comments so far
Show All"How quickly Obama folded." That's what has shocked me. He didn't even try. A few public speeches and then, a few days later, he throws in the cards and gives up. If he and his party cannot counter the Republican lie machine, especially when they spread such easily debunked lies like "death panels," they will be ineffective in all issues and, God help us, we will have another Republican president next election.
The worst thing? All the lies spread about public health insurance are already true about private health insurance. They DO put seriously ill-patients on hold as long as possible, hoping they will die before the costs for their care impact the insurer's bottom line. They DO ration health care, much preferring to care for people who are healthy and cheap. Why haven't those facts of life been readily and loudly shouted at the public?
Canada is looking better by the day.
Step one, get elected on a platform of "change." Step two, have unassailable majorities in both houses of Congress. Step three, have the majority of the American public favor as single-payer option. Then cave in to a bunch of hillbilly fascists inspired by the ever so clever Sara Palin blogging from her Facebook page.
President Obama, in the words of Douglas C. Niedemeyer: "You are worthless and weak, drop down and give me twenty."
Ever notice that those in favor of either a single payer plan or at least a public option (per the New York Times Poll ~72%) is almost the same majority by percentage as those who rated the Bu$h Regime's performance as dissatisfactory? (Wasn't Bu$h's final approval rating somewhere around 26%? On the public provided healthcare option, dissapproval, aka teabaggers, townhall protesters, fascists, etc.~28%) I believe those Bu$h supporters are exactly the same greedy, obstructionist, anti-reform, and just generally stupid motherfu*kering people, almost down to the individual person.
He has demonstrated his willingness to cave considering he was completely capable of ignoring single payer--what the MAJORITY of American preferred.
He did not fold. He eagerly bailed out his bankster masters, sorta like the lookout man, Chicago style.
This angers me. It really, really angers me. The Republicans should just be ignored. Would someone please tell me how Republicans still control Washington withouth control of Congress?
In a manner of speaking you have made your point, with a question that because of the situation automatically becomes. 'rhetorical'.
The reason that the Republicans can still exercise control even with a minority in the Congress and White House is simply this: The Plutocratic Oligarchy, is composed of the "Money Guys" (there are some 'money gals', but not many) they are in absolute control at all times and have been since the beginning.
In this case the "Lobby" has spent millions to influence the arguments to keep them in power. The insurance companies risk loosing billions in profits from any changes made in Health Care. The fact that so many of the 'conservatives' who are the 'TeaBaggers'---"Please' don't kill grandma-group" and the "Race-its the issue group" (which is populated with Rep. and Libertarians---who differ only in their 'form' of conservatism) is simply a reflection on the fact that these people; lend themselves to the kind of reactions they are exhibiting BECAUSE they are "conservatives". Conservatives are bound by their 'dogma'---that is: "don't change nothin"---even if it requires repeating the same mistakes--and as many times as they want to.
If nothing they prove the point that "to be a 'conservative' you are required to 'dumb yourself down'. Otherwise, you can't qualify to be called a conservative.
The "Money Guys' KNOW this, and use it to their advantage. It is very easy to control poorly informed people, and the conservatives seem to make that a 'national pass time'----of being poorly informed.
The health insurance industry has worked for generations to 'mold' the thinking of the 'consumers', and 'anyone who starts to rock the boat with 'free thinking' ---'better think otherwise'. Since the insurance industry cannot imagine letting go of something that 'makes so much money'---they are in a position to spend what they need to keep things just the way they are. In fact they will 'win this round'(they most likely knew they would anyway)---and everyone can expect their insurance premiums to rise since the 'industry' will need to 'recoup' its expenditures incurred while fighting those "fools who thought they could change things without our approval"-------------
"That's Business".
If one were to make a carefully crafted study of American History, they would find that any social changes made in the American society were most often made with the careful manipulations and the approval of the "Money Guys".
If Progressive 'free thinking' Americans truly want a Democracy they are more than capable of out smarting the conservatives and defeating the Plutocratic Oligarchy by removing the "Money Guys"---------
If America is to survive the upcoming difficulties that seem to be approaching, they will need to rid themselves of the 'conservative influence' over so much.
It was the 'conservatives' who created the financial collapse, the wars, the pollution, ----they can brag about being 'successful in controlling so much'---but in reality it was the "Money Guys" that controlled them, they just fooled the fools.
If the latest elections with such an over whelming majority of voters voting for 'change', only to receive an 'over dose of the same' from the ones who claimed to change; then there is nothing that will show them that the Plutocratic Oligarchy and not a Democracy is "in charge".
America you are at a cross roads. If you do not take the control of your nation out of the hands of the Plutocratic Oligarchy, you will all most likely be prisoners in your own country.
Now that might be interesting.
But Native Son, you of all people must surely know we are already prisoners in our own country, except of course it is NOT our own country.
We are living in an occupied territory. occupied by fat capitalist plutocrats and their army,navy marines, and air force. and cops.
The only action to thwart a complete victory for insurance companies is for citizens to take it to the streets in every village, town and city. Otherwise the insurance comapnies will have President Obama over the barrel where they want. It is important to remind each other what Harvard Medical School's Dr. Marica Angell stated in a 2008 Canadian Medical Journal article, "The US is the only country in the world with a health care system based on avoiding sick people."
tw august: There's a little problem with your "take it to the streets" call: that there just aren't that many people interested in doing that. Our population is divided roughly into 3 large components. 1. Republican type yahoos concerned only about keeping their tax money and letting the poor eat cake. 2. The "poor" who are chronically disengaged in anything political and now acutely recession-stressed. 3. The traditional "street people' (you and me) who turn out at rallies for this and against that. Trouble is that a much-diminished 'we' would have to carry the burden of the street action.
As long as Darth Vader Bush and Cheney were the targets, you had no trouble turning out, say, an anti-war demonstration. Now, with "our guy" at the helm, we're content to stay home and wait for more pretty words to describe the next edition of Obamacare that we have been supporting and likely will continue to support as it morphs into what Nichols calls a "de-form" plan.
Jim Goodman, now you have it. Gave all the $$ to the banksters and now we got to Privatize Medicare and SSI so they can have that too. So lemme see here:
Out of Iraq Af/Pak -- is off the table
EFCA -- is off the table
Single Payer -- is off the table
Public Option -- is off the table
Torture, Renditions & Spying -- Good to Go
Massive Ongoing Wealth Transfers to Richfilth Animals -- Good to Go
But he is clean and well spoken, isn't he...
bligh4
65% of those that don't agree with President Obama do so because they are racist? Oh come on! Can't someone just disagree because they have a different opinion?
bligh4, that's the sad reality. Question any of Obama's policies or support of certain policies and you get called a "Republican" or worse a "racist". It irritates me too that race has to be tied to health care reform. Obama has already shown nothing but rollover leadership that I'm glad I voted for Ralph Nader.
Per Goodman, 35%.
Unless all racists agree with him, some who don't are apt to be racist.
Sounds like a tough figure to verify, though - unless you can don a hood and go to meeting.
"Sounds like a tough figure to verify, though - unless you can don a hood and go to meeting."
Unfortunately, in my neck of the woods at least, you can do just that. No humor meant either. Believe it or not, the KKK has put flyers in mailboxes stating that they are no longer a rascist organization.
Fewer jobs.
Declining wages.
Declining health.
Failing infrastructure.
But plenty of warpower to defend all this.
A beacon to the world.
More like a flamethrower...
Moon.
"Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution estimates that "45-65%" of the protesters are motivated by racism."
What is that possibly based on?
By the time Obama is out of office, the term "racism" will have no meaning. Barack and his followers use it as an excuse for every bit of dissent against him and his policies.
Pathetic. How about "Sorry, I'm a corporate tool who lied my way into office, and now I'm just doing what my Creepy Corporate Cabal overlords are instructing me to do."
I feel badly for those who actually believed him.
"By the time Obama is out of office, the term "racism" will have no meaning." Very stupid statement. "Barack and his followers use it as an excuse for every bit of dissent against him and his policies." Total lie. Are you a complete idiot or just another RACIST?
It just never ceases to amaze me how the right wing can get traction with the stupidest, most inane assertions and send the cowardly Democrats scambling for cover. Are people in the US really that that dumb to believe this crap? Apparently so, as in the recent townhall meetings, where the tea baggers continue to yell and scream against their own self interest. Come on, folks, learn to do some critical thinking instead of following your emotions or America is finished!
Half the people in this country wake up every morning and can't remember which hand they use to wipe their backsides.
"one wonders what's next, privatization of Medicare? "
It is already happening. In fact, it has already started since Nixon I think. Privatizing medicare, medicaid, and social security is what this trojan horse legislation is designed for. All 3 will be raided to "bail" out Big Pharma/Insurance as if they needed it to begin with.
And stop blaming the protesters. Protesters don't influence legislation. Congress and the White House do. They took single payer off the table and kept on compromising on public option. It was already doomed to failure. The Democrats welcome the protest to blame the Republicans. The Republicans welcomed the protests to look like they stopped some boogeyman. Not only are the pols to blame but so too are the cornfed electorate that picked between Mccain, Obama, and each of their ilk. :(
Has a sitting president ever been beaten in a primary? well, not that I know of. Let's make history next time around and get Obama out of the running before he has sex with all the male members of the republican party in Congress and gets and unpronouncable desease. Oh hell! I'm gonna need an other round of antibiotics!
I wish we had a system like I saw in the film "Soylent Green." A person gets tired of living and goes into a theater, takes end of life drugs, listen to beautiful music and watch beautiful peaceful pictures and go out in peace. Death should be embraced not feared. Life isn't everything.
He was conned into doing it by the government so they could then process his body into ersatz food for the rest of the population. Remember that? That's what "soylent green" was: people.
Rainborowe
I see somebody just had to respond. I am aware of the story, thank you. I think people should have the right to terminate their own life on their own accord and not have to worry about being forced to stay alive to satisfy the whims of the prolifers or anyone else.
Paul Krugman needs to close his pie hole - If he thinks he speaks for what he knows nothing about, he needs his head examined.
To say those against "healthcare reform" or just in general those against Obama - or those who use the words Socialist - are RACISTS? That is just Pure B.S. and it is a really SAD Short Cut to Thinking - Just use the Race card - Divide people in this country even further apart!
How come when George W. Bush was in office, we never accused the Minorities who hated him to Be racists?
I thought it was some sort of Proven fact that when Obama was elected that somehow racism just disappeared - Oh I get it - When A Black president doesn't want to attend a conference on RACISM - because his Zionist Paymasters would be offended - then RACISM is Over - But when that PUNK in office Obama is facing Opposition - then the race card comes out again in his favor?! F'ing Hypocrites!
Obama is a Fascist - he is Worse even than the Evil George W. Bush - and this has nothing to do with race - It has to do with the String Pullers behind the scene, ie the "federal" reserve.
Stop looking for Weak excuse, you weak excuses for intelligentsia - and start using that brain that is supposed to be in between your ears - This has NOTHING to do with the Skin color of OBAMA - and it has EVERYTHING to do with the FACT that OBAMA is a dirty Fascist Dictator who is Shoveling ALL of Americas Wealth into the Controlling Hands of the (not so Federal) "federal" reserve and the IMF (international Monetary Fund) and the World Bank - that is why since Obama has been President Our DEBT has Gone UP, unemployment has GONE UP and We are Fighting MORE WARS overseas!
Ron Paul for President 2012
A lot of people seem to love hyperbole. Why not jazz it up a bit? Krugman says racism likely plays a role in the protests. So, naturally, some bloggers say it's his central thesis on why people are angry. Sometimes the Internet reminds me of a million Groucho Marx's as Presidents of Fredonia.
I am bewildered by all the surprise and disappointment here. I smelled a rat in the primaries when Obama spoke in lofty cadences and said absolutely nothing. I mentioned my worries about him to several friends who had become his groupies and all I was told was "Go to his website. The details are all there." So I went to his website and there were NO details (not even, in fact, any policies), just more lush platitudes. He never had what politicians in my younger days always had: A PLATFORM.
I have to admit that, suspicious as I was, even I was staggered when he embraced the whole Bush fascist laws on secret detention and so on. But at least that inocculated me against any surprise at his vapidity on domestic reforms. (I hope those guys we're still imprisoning in secret sites, "trying" in secret courts with no recognition of the usual proprieties of English Common Law, and torturing forever, understand that it's not personal--as we Americans like to say.)
Rainborowe
Well, I'll be throwing my vote away on the Greens next election because there's no way I'll waste another vote on Corporate Amerrikkka's favorite caddy BarSteppin OFetchita and his cadre of spooge-catchers in Congress. They have the Presidency, huge majority in the House, veto-proof majority in the Senate, and STILL they act like a weak-kneed, trembling, fudge-packed minority... F 'em!
Dafoe
Ah a kellogg food and society fellow, wonderful, a food company promoting what it wants to promote, itself and its products, reminds me of the gates fdn who deal only in MS products when it "gives' anything away. Gie us all a break.
What do you expect from the corporations and their bought guvmint but corporate advantages. Obama doesn't stand a chance. Ike a repugnant by "marriage" warned us of the industry military complex and guess what the voters did, squat, as did the two political parties. Its the putrid system of guvmint federal and state that has been bought by those corporate socialists who feed from the public trough. If you want health care reform have a revolution and change the system and form of government or secede like some folks in Vermont want to do. Doemocrat or repugnant don't expect much, they do things on business principles and war and guns are profitable as is private health care.