#1
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Blue Dog Democrats
What are they? They call themselves fiscally conservative democrats. The Blue Dog democrats basically have stalled any chance at expediting universal health care in America.
WTF? Is getting something done to benefit regular Americans just become out of the question?
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#2
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
They're assholes. That's all there is to it.
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#3
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
Why "Blue Dog"?
BTW, a better name would be "Intelligent Democrats"
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#4
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
Jimmy Kimmel got it right last week when he explained what the term "Blue Dog" signifies. The "Blue" means they're from "blue" or Democratic states (not quite true, but let's not quibble), and the "Dog" means they roll over for health insurance companies.
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#5
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
kimmel is spot on.
according to the blue dog logic then, and the republicans as well, public health insurance is good enough for the elected officials from the house of representatives and the senate, as well as the president and all of the armed forces. they get public health insurance, it's good enough for them, but apparently it's not good enough for the american citizen, or the american civilian doesn't deserve it. go figure. |
#6
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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I am fiscally conservative. I know that the health care system is broken, but so far I haven't seen any suggestions that I can get behind. I'm terrified of the mindset that "we have to do something, anything, even though we don't know what the fuck we're doing or what it will cost." Not when we're still at war in two countries. Last edited by Documad : 07-27-2009 at 09:37 PM. |
#7
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
At least some Democrats understand bills have to be paid for eventually.
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#8
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
i think having a public option is a great idea. people have the choice of sticking with, or choosing private health insurance companies, or going with the public one. with approximately 18,000 americans dying every year because they can't afford health insurance, i'd say it's a very serious issue.
how about ending american empire? that would save billions. it costs approximately 100 billion to maintain 750 to about 1000 foreign military bases. i don't think the us or the rest of the world has to worry about germany or japan acting up. |
#9
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
Why would my private employer offer health care coverage if I can get it from the government? Will a public option become a nationalized health care program eventually?
I don't see how we reform the system until we decide that some people won't be treated and some conditions won't be treated. And no politician is going to do that. |
#10
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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#11
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
Bob, shouldn't you be in bed?
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#12
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
sorry mom
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#13
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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#14
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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this is something I'm concerned about. and mostly because anytime someone asks that, there's a lot of avoidance and double talk...which leads me to believe that it might be a problem that they just don't want to talk about right now. I have no answers to the health care problem. I'm basically just in favor of things being fair, and people's lives and health being more important than a corporation's bottom line. how to accomplish that, I don't know. |
#15
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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I guess I don't understand your point. Perhaps my employer pays for my private coverage now because they want me to be able to work for them even if I need some major medical care because it's worth it to my employer if I come back to work at some point. My employer wants me to be able to have surgery without going bankrupt. But why would my employer pay $10,000 a year for my coverage if they know that they can drop my coverage, pay zero, and I'll still get on some government plan? Why won't that lead to most people being on the government plan -- a la the nationalized system that most americans don't want? Quote:
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#16
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
If you think Health Insurance is expensive now, just wait 'til it's free.
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#17
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
there ain't no such thing as a free bootstrap
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#18
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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how about cutting the waste out of the defence budget? how about ending the illegal occupation in iraq, which is costing approximately nine billion a month? |
#19
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
yeah what brought this on is a Krugman Op/Ed piece in yesterdays NYTimes, An Incoherent Truth and I have to be honest with you, I had never heard of the Blue Dog democrats until now.
It seems as if they haven't a fucking clue to any solution other than "We have to hold down costs" whatever the fuck that means? Because you know what? The more I read about the Blue Dogs the more I realize what they should be saying is "We have to keep corporate interests above our citizenry's health interest". My mom has worked in health insurance her whole life, it's busted and it will bankrupt this nation if we do not get a handle on it. That handle isn't about corporate profits and CFO's running hospitals. I agree with Krugman when he states, Now, however (the blue dogs), they face their moment of truth. For they can’t extract major concessions on the shape of health care reform without dooming the whole project: knock away any of the four main pillars of reform, and the whole thing will collapse — and probably take the Obama presidency down with it. Is that what the Blue Dogs really want to see happen? We’ll soon find out.
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#20
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
On another note, remember "Privatizing Social Security: The $10 Trillion Opportunity" ? George W. Bush and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke almost fucking convinced us to give our money away to what undoubtedly would of been a total fucking corporate bailout of proportions 10 fold of our current fucked up economy the bitches left us.
We currently have a $108 billion dollar surplus while paying out $608 billion dollars in 2008. Fuck just imagine what would of happened had the corporate machine convinced these assholes to just go ahead and fuck the average citizen out of their paychecks monthly. I equate a lot of what is happening currently with healthcare to retirement benefits. It is the closest way to examine our current state of healthcare. Unless someone can come up with a better comparison.
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#21
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
I bet we're all happy that initiative was put to an end.
And I hope Obama's National Health Insurance Plan meets the same death.
Last edited by RobMoney$ : 07-28-2009 at 05:25 AM. |
#22
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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Pffthahhaahaaaa. How can anyone raise an issue about the wars being a financial concern at this point while keeping a straight face. The exit plan is in E.F.F.E.C.T. brother. HOW ABOUT OBAMA'S TRILLION DOLLAR CORPORATE WELFARE PROGRAM? You kinda forget to include that in your list of financial concerns.
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#23
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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If this is really about nationalizing the entire US health care system, then let's have that discussion. But Obama, and the people in congress who support "health care reform" are telling me that it isn't about nationalization. I'm being told that I will have the same great plan I have today, and I don't see how they can guarantee that. I suspect that they're lying to me. Until I can trust what they're saying, I can't get behind any legislation. Again, I think it's dangerous to say "we have no idea what we're doing but we need to do something so aaaaahhhhh, we're going to pass a bill we haven't read." I know it's happened before, like with the republicans' prescription drug bill under Bush, and I opposed that bill too, for the same reason. I want to insure poor kids, I really do. But tell me the truth about the cost and what we're going to cut to pay for it. There are many, many things that I'm willing to cut. I haven't heard anything that Obama or Pelosi want to cut yet, at least nothing significant. And the argument that we can pay for this by cutting "waste" is silly. This is where McCain was an idiot. Waste is a tiny percentage of the budget compared to entitlements. We have to cut entitlements. And defense of course. Quote:
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#24
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
Rob, those wars are still costing a shitload of money every day and we rarely hear anything on the news about it anymore. Americans are oblivious to the cost. It's been going on for years. We can't get it back. We have to pay the interest on that money. It ties our hands. We have to acknowledge that. It's similar to when Bill Clinton got into office with all his big plans and learned that he couldn't pay for any of them because the budget was in worse shape than expected.
I don't blame Obama or Pelosi for the situation we're in, but I do blame them for not having a frank talk about what is possible in the near future. Americans are delusional. The easiest thing to do is to tell them that we can do everything at once. Politicians know that so they don't tell us the truth. |
#25
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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Last edited by saz : 07-28-2009 at 11:18 AM. |
#26
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
I'm perplexed why the corporate health insurance companies can profit as much as they do. The similarities to the mortgage crisis are there, the lobbying by pharmaceuticals and health insurance companies is equal to creditors and bankers.
The Blue Dogs are telling us one thing by saying they are fiscally conservative yet on the other hand they are personally fiscally liberal on corporate handouts. Just on a human level, I find the profit motive to be fucked up on health care here on earth. In the long run we have filled emergency rooms with homeless and transient people, we're storing mentally ill people in jails and when they're out of jail they're looking at you for the next ticket back to a cot and a hot meal. That is dangerous, expensive and morally bankrupt. This is America?
Last edited by yeahwho : 07-28-2009 at 12:41 PM. |
#27
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
Thanks for summing everything up perfectly, sazi!
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#28
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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Show me these polls that show Americans consistently want Nationalized Healthcare. Because I dispute that. Obama's approval ratings are dropping faster than the Titanic. He's trying to push this through before they can get any worse. It reeks of desperation. Hell, even Obama's own party isn't sure they want it, how can you claim it's what most americans want?
Last edited by RobMoney$ : 07-28-2009 at 07:54 PM. |
#29
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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We're taking steps to end the war in Iraq. We can't just up & leave on a moments notice because we now decide we want a nationalized health insurance program.
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#30
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Re: Blue Dog Democrats
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"When given a choice of the current system or one "like Medicare that is run by the government and financed by taxpayers," voters overwhelmingly chose the latter. A solid majority (59%) say they would prefer a national health insurance program that covers everyone, over the current system of private insurance offered to most through their emloyer." link Americans are more likely today to embrace the idea of the government providing health insurance than they were 30 years ago. 59% say the government should provide national health insurance, including 49% who say such insurance should cover all medical problems. link "....local ballot initiatives supporting single payer and opposing individual mandates passed by landslide margins in all ten legislative districts where they appeared. With almost all precincts tallied, roughly 73 percent of 181,000 voters in the ten districts voted YES...." link 9. Do you think it's the government's responsibility to make sure that everyone in the United States has adequate health-care, or don't you think so? In Pennsylvania; Yes 65%, No 31%, NA/DK 4% link "...59 percent of them 'support government legislation to establish national health insurance,' while 32 percent oppose it and 9 percent are neutral." link 14. "Which comes closest to your view? 34% - The United States should continue the current health insurance system in which most people get their health insurance from private employers, but some people have no insurance 65% - The United States should adopt a universal health insurance program in which everyone is covered under a program like Medicare that is run by the government and financed by taxpayers 2% - Refused / Not Answered" link 30. Do you think the government should provide a national health insurance program for all Americans, even if this would require higher taxes? 64% - Yes, 35% - No, 2% - No opinion link 27. Do you think the federal government should guarantee health insurance for all Americans, or isn't this the responsibility of the federal government? 64% - Guarantee 27% - Not responsibility 9% - DK/NA 30. If you had to choose, which do you think is more important for the country to do right now, maintain the tax cuts enacted in recent years or make sure all Americans have access to health care? 18% - Cutting taxes 76% - Access to health insurance 1% - Neither 2% - Both 4% - DK/NA link 49. Which would you prefer – (the current health insurance system in the United States, in which most people get their health insurance from private employers, but some people have no insurance); or (a universal health insurance program, in which everyone is covered under a program like Medicare that's run by the government and financed by taxpayers?) 62 % Universal 33% Current 6% No opinion link |
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