He’s made it clear in other threads that he thinks they are.
Agreed.
I don’t put much faith in people understanding the issues and taking rational, well considered points of view. I’m even less trustful of polls alleging to measure people support for things.
The one thing political parties are really good at is spreading FUD. And Americans are all too willing to swallow the FUD without even so much as a thought given to perhaps taking a critical look at it.
That “Obama broke is oath” guy from last week is a perfect example. He was completely clueless on the real issues and perfectly willing to allow himself to be a pawn to the right wing Obama FUD. And while that was a right wing example, I’m sure if I looked around I could find comparable left wing FUD.
If Obama’s health care plan is really losing support, it isn’t because most people have take a critical look at the plan, but because the right has cranked up the bullshit machine.
People who voted for Obama would do well to remember that a central theme in his campaign was health care reform and not be swayed by the bullshit machine.
And those who didn’t might well be reminded that he won. Handily.
But, why do you believe this? Our health insurance “system” is **MORE ** expensive than other wealthy countries, most (all?) of which have UHC in one for or another. Are we just less competant than the French, British, Canadians, Swiss, Germans, Japanese, and so on, so our bumbling attempts at UHC will, by the nature of our incompetance, be more expensive?
It doesn’t make sense to me – we’re more productive than those countries when it comes to all the rest. Why can’t we be more productive and more efficient than them when it comes to healthcare?
Well, bricker responded kinder than I deserved, but there’s an important oversight, which is that I myself never once referred to opinion polls as supporting my position. My position is based on reasion, ethics, and imagination, not opinion polls.
Pretty ineffectual totalitarian regimes at that. We haven’t managed to imprison nearly as many Canadians as you have Americans because we’ve become slack in our freedom-hating.
From the AP:
I’m pretty sure this will turn out to be the same thing in new packaging, either by design or by effect. These government co-ops will likely need an endless series of bailouts to stay solvent, and I expect Obama knows that once created, they won’t be permitted to fail. Except they will lack direct accountability. Mmmm . . . where have we seen this before? Oh, yeah: the GSEs.
I imagine the Left is in stitches at the appropriation of McCain’s words from last Fall to mean almost the exact opposite of what he meant.
I’m also disgusted with people who demand UHC NOW!!! and are quick to abandon Obama because it’s not easy to pass it.
Some blame attaches, however. It seems that the Obama folks figured on having a sensible and reasonable debate, with some bi-partisan give and take. For those of us to the left of Obama, it was clear that Big Money would fight this thing like a rabid velociraptor, there would be no reasonable debate because reason would not be permitted, we were carrying a Nerf bat to a knife fight.
We are gravely in error when we overestimate the humanity and sanity of our opposition.
One simple thing would sway me into accepting the government run healthcare.
One simple thing.
Congress and The President joyfully join the healthcare user list.
In my honest opinion, they shouldn’t get to decide what ‘the people’ NEED if they aren’t willing to accept the same.
I would also like a wife so hot she scorches footprints in the sidewalk when she barefoots! But, I’m willing to compromise…
(What, dear? Me? Oh, nothing, just some posting, nothing really. So, tell me about your day!..)
From what I understand, the President and Congress are on the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan. I would be thrilled if everyone in this country was on it.
How is that at all comparable? Did you choose your wife?
I agree, the plan that they have is (allegedly) doing fantastic. However the sheer cost magnitude of this magnanimous plan they have is outrageous. It is also ‘privately run’ and they operate it like a business with market competition. The government couldn’t do it.
Damn, you beat that joke to death like a baby seal. Ok with you if I have a bit of fun, every now and again?
Have all the fun you want. Please do so at your own expense.
Nah, you’re too good a target, and have a snotty attitude to boot. Can’t resist.
For instance:
By my count, four bald assertions without so much as a hint of substantiation. Comedy gold!
No, the problem is that Obama sure as hell doesn’t seem to be putting any muscle into it. If this is going to be the biggest, most important thing he’s going to do in his term(s), maybe he should actually put some effort into it.
During the campaign he was nearly flawless at steering the narrative when it veered in directions that he didn’t like. Now he’s not even trying.
-Joe
Now he has to actually do something besides talk.
I seem to remember some discussion a few months back concerning relative levels of experience in leadership amongst the various candidates. I thought the consensus on the SDMB was that running a campaign was all the experience a President needed.
Maybe he will do better in the next six months.
Regards,
Shodan
Right, because those who disagree with you on the role of the government are inhuman and insane. And you have the temerity to say that it is the anti-UHC folks who are not being rational and reasonable.