BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Click on the link to read the rest. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/opinion/my-state-needs-obamacare-now.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130927&_r=2& FRANKFORT, Ky. — SUNDAY morning news programs identify Kentucky as the red state with two high-profile Republican senators who claim their rhetoric represents an electorate that gave President Obama only about a third of its presidential vote in 2012. So why then is Kentucky — more quickly than almost any other state — moving to implement the Affordable Care Act? Because there’s a huge disconnect between the rank partisanship of national politics and the outlook of governors whose job it is to help beleaguered families, strengthen work forces, attract companies and create a balanced budget. It’s no coincidence that numerous governors — not just Democrats like me but also Republicans like Jan Brewer of Arizona, John Kasich of Ohio and Rick Snyder of Michigan — see the Affordable Care Act not as a referendum on President Obama but as a tool for historic change. That is especially true in Kentucky, a state where residents’ collective health has long been horrendous. The state ranks among the worst, if not the worst, in almost every major health category, including smoking, cancer deaths, preventable hospitalizations, premature death, heart disease and diabetes. We’re making progress, but incremental improvements are not enough. We need big solutions with the potential for transformational change. The Affordable Care Act is one of those solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bliz Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Louisville concluded that expanding Medicaid would inject $15.6 billion into Kentucky’s economy over the next eight years, create almost 17,000 new jobs, have an $802.4 million positive budget impact (by transferring certain expenditures from the state to the federal government, among other things), protect hospitals from cuts in indigent care funding and shield businesses from up to $48 million in annual penalties. In short, we couldn’t afford not to do it. I wish Georgia viewed it that way. Unfortunately our gov would rather poke obama in the eye than do what's best for Georgians. I've seen similar numbers here about how many jobs it would create, how much money would go into the economy, how many thousands more people would have health coverage...instead they're doing literally everything in their power to make it as difficult as possible for Georgians to take advantage of the exchange (e.g., high requirements for licensure of "navigators" who help people use the system) Best line in the article: Frankly, we can’t implement the Affordable Care Act fast enough. As for naysayers, I’m offended by their partisan gamesmanship, as they continue to pour time, money and energy into overturning or defunding the Affordable Care Act. It’s shameful that these critics haven’t invested that same level of energy into trying to improve the health of our citizens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 The strategy is so backwards. It shouldn't be kill Obamacare, it should be reform and improve it. Everyone knows that the healthcare system in the US is a mess. The solution is not to back to what was failing us so badly, but to build a better mousetrap. You don't do that by burning down the forest. After all, if you do the trees will be gone, but the mice will probably flee and be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 The solution is not to continue what was failing us so badly, but to build a better mousetrap. Fixed it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Fixed it for you. boiling frogs seems appropriate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Fixed it for you. Yup... What existed before Obamacare was dreadful and failing us in many ways from increasing costs to declines in service and effectiveness. Can't judge Obamacare yet because it's still pretty abstract, but based on the theory it needs work. To go backwards to what we had before seems stupid... to go forward involves hard work not retreating into the past. Don't like many facets of Obamacare... frankly, I think they've created a hybrid frankenstein. If they want universal healthcare then they shouldn't be afraid of that and go socialist. This mismatched model needs work, but I don't think it deserves a nuke job, esp. after passed by Congress, voted on by the United States in the last major elections (Obamacare was a major issue, Obama was retained, and they made gains in Congress), not to mention being affirmed by the Supreme Court. Seems having lost in all legal and electoral challenges some conservatives still want to have their way through blackmail. Not constructive or good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 the legislative process is blackmail? I coulda swore the House is the peoples voice (ya might want to recheck that legal challenge statement ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 the legislative process is blackmail? I coulda swore the House is the peoples voice (ya might want to recheck that legal challenge statement ) Obviously the GOP won the House by a significant margin in 2012, while Obama retained the White House by a landslide. Curious to know what the margin of the popular vote for House only was. Gerrymandering is a significant issue with the whole "voice of the people" thing.Edit- found the answer: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2013/feb/19/steny-hoyer/steny-hoyer-house-democrats-won-majority-2012-popu/ Dems won the House popular vote in 2012, along with the Presidency and the Senate. So ya know, if the GOP wanted to be the voice of the people they should resign enough of their House seats to give Dems a narrow majority there too. Preferably Tea Partiers. Then something might actually get done in Congress. Sounds like a pretty good plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveakl Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 We got our bcbs letter yesterday. Our monthly payment (family of 5) is going up 40%. I own my own business, wife is a prn physical therapist. Three kids so we need more then just catastrophic care but not the super gold premium plan. Dont qualify for any subsidies. Not super excited to be paying $4200 more per year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Interesting TWA is siding with Washington politicians as opposed to the much more local governor who wrote the article who has to clean up the messes of the Partisan War going on in DC. Washington's only broken when you disagree. Have some principles. Stand on something. Don't waffle back and forth to whichever way suits you best. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Bang was someone tying that governors hands?.....nice to see you consider Cruz part of the Washington crowd lol, they don't seem to see him fitting in.skinsfan_1215 that Republic thing gets in the way of populism don't it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I consider Cruz a small minded ignoramus, but that's par for the course of Washington. There are a good number of Partisan fighters that really don't care what goes on out beyond their belt(way). No one is tying that governor's hands. They might be holding political guns to his head, but he's free to do, and will do, what is right for his state regardless of how it makes the partisan fighters feel, or what threats they will bring to bear against his ability to do his job in the future. His message wasn't really to me, but to you. ~bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/09/28/2696271/senator-bashes-house-republicans-they-hate-government-they-dont-want-government-to-work/ Senator Bashes House Republicans: ‘They Hate Government. They Don’t Want Government To Work.’ Sen. Angus King (I-ME) tore into House Republicans on Saturday for roadblocking passage of government funding, saying that “they hate the government,” and are “holding the entire United States hostage” because they “don’t believe government can or should work.” Speaking on MSNBC’s Up With Steve Kornacki, King also trashed the so-called ‘Hastert Rule,’ an informal agreement by Republicans including House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) not to bring a bill up for a vote unless it can win the majority of the Republican caucus: KING: If [bohener] brought the continuing resolution that we sent him yesterday… chances are it would pass. It would get most of the Democratic votes and enough Republican votes to achieve a majority, but they’ve got this rule that if they can’t have a unified caucus then nothing comes to the floor. That’s one of the things I think people should realize: Out of 535 people in Congress, this is like 120 or so that are — you know, it’s the tail wagging the dog. The other thing that I think that’s important, and it didn’t come up in your earlier discussion, is there is a pernicious inner logic to what these characters are doing. They hate government. They don’t want government to work. They don’t believe government can or should work. Crashing the economy, crashing the government, is a kind of weird success and it’s very hard to reach agreement with people who don’t share a kind of basic appreciation of the institution. This is dangerous. We’ve never been here before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebluefood Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 The strategy is so backwards. It shouldn't be kill Obamacare, it should be reform and improve it. Everyone knows that the healthcare system in the US is a mess. The solution is not to back to what was failing us so badly, but to build a better mousetrap. You don't do that by burning down the forest. After all, if you do the trees will be gone, but the mice will probably flee and be safe. Couldn't agree more, and I'm not really that jazzed up about Obamacare. A lot of this drummed up outrage from the Republican leadership in Congress can be summed up in this clip: http://youtu.be/uTmfwklFM-M?t=7s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Sen. Angus King (I-ME) tore into House Republicans on Saturday for roadblocking passage of government funding, saying that “they hate the government,” and are “holding the entire United States hostage” because they “don’t believe government can or should work.” 1) Think Progress? 2) And I don;t think the charge is true. The GOP has made it plain that they don;t have government. They simply don't want the government to work when they think a Democrat will get the blame, if it doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 They simply don't want the government to work when they think a Democrat will get the blame, if it doesn't. Yes people against Obamacare are against it because they don't want the Democrats getting credit. Very astute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Yes people against Obamacare are against it because they don't want the Democrats getting credit. Very astute. I can see exactly one reason to explain the vast difference between the GOP's reaction to W's prescription drug plan, and Obamacare. The two plans have two major differences. 1) Obama paid for his plan (at least on paper, for the first 10 years). W made no effort whatsoever to pay for his. 2) A Republican gets credit for one, and a Democrat gets credit for the other. Show me the Republican Governors who are intentionally blocking W's prescription drug plan from being implemented, in their state. Show me the Republicans holding the nation's economy hostage, if W's plan isn't defunded. There may be some other reason to explain the observed fact of the huge difference in Republican's reactions. But I haven't seen one that I can believe for an instant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 you think medicare D is comparable?....seriously? add Bang, the Gov and the state had the power over ins there....whining like a **** for the feds to bail him out is not impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 you think medicare D is comparable?....seriously? A taxpayer-subsidized plan that helps people purchase private medical insurance? What could that have in common with Obamacare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 A taxpayer-subsidized plan that helps people purchase private medical insurance? What could that have in common with Obamacare? What differs though? IF that was all ACA was there would be much less opposition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 This idea of all government being fundamentally ineffective is laughable. When the people want military force, they get it. Now, the people want gun control, health care and peace. Can we get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 What differs though? IF that was all ACA was there would be much less opposition Yeah. I'm certain that the unanimous GOP opposition, that began even before the plan was drawn up, was because the GOP objects to some of the details. Why, I bet that all of those Republican Governors who have announced that they intend to intentionally obstruct people whose job is to help people deal with the government, is because of their deeply held belief that it is immoral for the government to be easy to deal with. I suppose there are people stupid enough to believe that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 You would deny choice to the Governors? and to the people as well apparently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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