LOL. Federal Retirement pensions are nothing special at all. That's the biggest lie there is. I'm sure you get a much better package where you work. I had better retirement plans at 4 of my private sector jobs, just not enough time at each to qualify.
Smart enough to know better than to listen to someone who calls me stupid. Seriously, how's that approach working for you?
You do realize Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell) was a devout Democratic Socialist, and that he opposed totalitarianism, while supporting Democratic Socialism as the true path to personal freedom and social justice.
Actually, it's Secretary Sebelius and the rest of the Obama Administration calling us stupid. And I don't think it's working out well at all for them.
Why price controls are a bad idea, not just generally, but in the health care market: http://american.com/archive/2010/october/confessions-of-a-price-controller
A little factoid about universal health care. The first Democratic Party president to propose it was... Harry Truman. When he decided not to run for re-election, his poll ratings were down at W's levels, if not worse. The next Democrat to try and push it on everyone was Clinton. Hillarycare, remember? The result was an ass kicking in the mid terms. Republicans took control of the House for the first time in 40 years. A 54 seat swing. At least Hillarycare was mostly done in public (public meetings, etc.) and without trying any parliamentary tricks. Obama, Pelosi, and Reid did push it on everyone, the bill written in secrecy, nobody actually read it, and passed using a parliamentary trick. Republicans need 39 seats to take over the House. In an ordinary mid-term election, the party in power loses some seats, but 39 is rare. And the drubbing about to come is likely to top the 54 seat swing of 1994. The senate is going to be a massive swing as well, even if Republicans don't gain control. A swing of 8 or 9 seats out of 33 possible is rather stunning, and also rare to have such a big change. Third time's the charm, it seems. But what part of "the people don't want any part of it" don't the Democrats understand?
My dad just got dropped by his health provider (the one through his employer before he retired). He worked for the company for 40 years and this is how they re-pay him. He's 76 years old and has Parkinson's disease. He's got all kinds of other problems: bum shoulder, bad back, bum hip. He still gardens and keeps bees though and tries to be active. He's led a healthy life style but was dealt crappy DNA. He's scrambling to find coverage with private insurers because his doctor doesn't take Medicare. He said he's having trouble finding affordable coverage. My brother and sisters and I have told him find the best coverage and we'll help him pay for it but he's a stubborn old man ("doesn't want to be a burden") . Fuck this health care system
Did he get dropped by his employer from their health care system or by his health insurer? It would seem suspicious to me that a health insurer would drop him out of the blue with no reason. Usually they just raise your premiums or lower your coverage. I think everyone has a responsibility to plan and provide for their own health care. One quarter of your total health care expenditures come in the last six months of your life. Forewarned is forearmed. I don't want to be a burden to my family either, which is why I save money every month specifically for health care. And if you hate the fact that the physician you want can't be had through Medicare, imagine what our care will be like when everyone is on quasi-Medicaid via Obamacare.
This is all kabuki. It's going to end up in the Supreme Court and assuming no change in the makeup of that body, Anthony Kennedy will decide whether or not mandating health care coverage is constitutional.
It can be changed to the government buying the health insurance for everyone and levying a tax to pay for it. It comes to exactly the same thing, which is why the claims of unconstitutional seem pretty unfounded and the Supreme Court is unlikely to strike it down. It's simply a version of tax and spend, which is hardly considered unconstitutional. This version just cuts out the middle man of the IRS.
I'm sure if Kennedy rules to limit the Commerce clause, that will be the next bite of the apple. We'll see if the American people elect leaders in 2012 that will propose that kind of solution. The polling appears to show they won't.
I wish I knew the answer. He's being vague about it. He's pissed off more than I've seen in years so I think it's the employer. My folks have always been reluctant to share financial info with their children. I agree but you can't expect people to predict that health care costs will sky rocket in 30 years. I'm sure my dad wanted to save for unforeseen costs in the future but he was too busy raising 7 kids and paying the mortgage. It's a shitty bill. Hopefully the republican controlled congress can pass some legislation that provides real reform
Time to ditch this thing and go for a VA style government run health care option. Bad news for barfo's chili since the govt. can't mandate everyone has to buy and eat it.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business...the-sick-people-who-cant-get-insurance/69738/ An interesting question that the supporters of Obamacare can't seem to answer.
