In the last 22 years or so, both sides have spent more time trying to undermine the other side than trying to make the country better. It's the worst time in our history regarding Congress so far as I'm concerned.
How can "the right" stop any legislation? The have a minority in the House, and the Dems have 60 seats in the Senate. The Dems could write a bill that gives people that voted for them $1 million each, and the GOP could not do a thing to stop it. Blaming the GOP for what is really an internal division for the congressional Dems does not jibe with reality.
1) tort reform 2) competition across state lines That's in at least 2 of the 4 counterproposals offered by the GOP. Just because you are ignorant to the existence of other plans doesn't mean they don't exist.
You are right, I am ignorant of the 4 GOP counterproposals. What are they, please? And why don't republicans ever seem to talk about them? barfo
HR 3400 is the composite GOP bill. Look it up yourself. The GOP does "talk" about; you're not listening.
Some of the "ideas" in that article are already in the health plan proposal. So they are not original. But that doesn't mean they aren't good ideas. But unfortunately, I look at the rest of the ideas, and they are basically toothless. They don't have an ounce of a chance at making health care more affordable. IMO at this time the best way to make health care affordable, is if citizens took the problem into their own hands. It is well known health care insurance companies run 30%++ profit margin. It sure would be nice if another separate insurance company came forward, pledged to never earn more than 5% profit, and return all proceeds exceeding 5% to the people that bought the policies in the form of company stock. That insurance company would kick some serious ass providing they could survive the lawsuits from the other insurance comapnies trying to take them down before they got started.
Ok, looked it up. HR 3400 isn't the composite GOP bill; in fact the Republican leadership (such as it is) doesn't even endorse it. Here's an interesting AP article about the R's health care plans. barfo
This is a very good idea. The large health insurance company I work for in non profit. I think they should all be non profit so there are no competing interests from share holders. But, if health insurers are forced to not make a profit, they should be entitled to some relief if they sustain losses. Recent and probable near future regulations have cut deeply into profits and for us have really forced to cut back on people & benefits.
Sounds like the R's fear that if they proposed their bill (if they actually have one) it would just get drowned out by the noise surrounding the Democrats' bill? This sounds pretty lame to me. However, there probably is some truth to the idea that the R's bill wouldn't stand a chance with the current state of the D's majority in Washington. I wonder if they are trying to stall things until after the election cycle to see if they can get more R's in Washington and have a better chance with passing a bill?
It's absolutely true that any bill that the R's introduce won't go anywhere. I'm not sure it's about introducing bills, though. I think it's about ideas, and engaging in a debate over what's the best approach, not just finding ways to dismiss your opponents ideas as if Senators were just a bunch of yahoos on an OT message board. If the Rs want to gain those extra seats in the next election, they need to show they stand for something... barfo
