# Harry, you Dick!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357 "2009-12-07T20:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/41 "2009-12-09T02:17:06Z")
Well, maybe, but do they have the pristine reputation for strict non-partisan and unbiased reporting that you find on Real Clear? Pretty high bar, there… ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/42 "2009-12-09T03:49:13Z")
> [@blinkie](#): > > I just thought I’d thank all of you for the government healthcare I enjoy! I had private insurance right up until I needed it most. Then private insurance kicked me to the curb. > I sincerely hope none of you ever gets seriously ill. If you do you’ll quickly see how BADLY private insurance is administered. > [@gonzomax](#): > > It seems nobody else matters. If you have insurance screw everybody else. They just figure the insurance company wont screw them over. When it does they suddenly get a horrible lesson. But then it is too late. It happens over and over . I suppose it might have to do with the definition of "seriously ill. However, I’ve had serious illnesses for most of my adult life, have been covered under private group insurance for almost 30 of those adult years and have never had the kind of trouble that I have had with any government run insurance. I think it would help you guys if you realized that excellent medical care costs a lot of money, particularly if one is “seriously ill”. So, either those who are seriously ill pay their own way thru private insurance, or everyone pays the way of all seriously ill people thru taxes. As well as taxes going to pay to cover all pregnancies, well baby care and all of the illnesses and issues young children have, not to mention the incredible expense of any baby born ill, which are the other big ticket things that private insurance companies cover now. To forestall the claim that a “civilized country” covers everyone’s health needs, do you all really want to be paying taxes to cover cancer treatment for smokers, NICU for people who knew damn well they were likely to conceive a sick baby, ICU for drunk drivers, and everyone else that essentially brings long term high cost medical treatment on themselves? ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/43 "2009-12-09T03:59:59Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > So, either those who are seriously ill pay their own way thru private insurance, or everyone pays the way of all seriously ill people thru taxes. I don’t know if you realize, but that isn’t how private insurance works. Seriously ill people in no way cover their costs through premium payments. Seriously ill people on private insurance are subsidized by the healthy people in the same pool. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/44 "2009-12-09T05:35:56Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Did anyone see the RNC’s completely ridiculous rebuttal? They put out a web ad reading: “Do you agree with Harry Reid? Oppose Govt Health Care = Support Slavery. Yes or No.” > > [Link - CNN Ticker.](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/08/republicans-rip-reid-for-slavery-remarks-2/) > > What a pack of bags-o-douche. The Freepers are gonna be ALL over that. (You’ve heard of “freeping”, I assume?) ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/45 "2009-12-09T05:41:41Z")
> [@MilTan](#): > > I don’t know if you realize, but that isn’t how private insurance works. Seriously ill people in no way cover their costs through premium payments. Seriously ill people on private insurance are subsidized by the healthy people in the same pool. Well, if they became seriously ill right after they started getting insurance, yes. OTOH, insurance companies don’t pay claims with premiums, they take those premiums and invest them as there is no way they could cover all their costs on the amount that the average person is willing to pay. They also work on getting “group rates” for xrays, and lower charges on doctors office visits. Not to mention reasonable and customary, which I cannot imagine existed before insurance companies essentially forced it on the medical community. The thing is, even “healthy” people generally end up costing the insurance companies _something_, so it isn’t like they are getting in all of these millions of dollars in premiums from people who never go to the doctor, for every person that ends up needing millions of dollars in cancer care. All you have to do is apply a bit of logic to it - the average young adult is going to spend more of the insurance money than they are going to put in, by covering pregnancy and delivery, and then all the costs of young children. Then add in the fact that families almost always pay less per person in premiums than singles. Then add in the folks who are seriously ill and require even more money from the insurance company. Do you really think that costs are covered by premiums? ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/46 "2009-12-09T05:53:21Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > Fair and balanced… from DailyKos? While **Gigobuster** already explained how the poll you linked isn’t even answering the same question, would CNN work for you as a source? [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/23/cnn-poll-gop-favorable-rating-lowest-in-25-years/](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/23/cnn-poll-gop-favorable-rating-lowest-in-25-years/) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/47 "2009-12-09T10:43:04Z")
> [@MilTan](#): > > I don’t know if you realize, but that isn’t how private insurance works. Seriously ill people in no way cover their costs through premium payments. Seriously ill people on private insurance are subsidized by the healthy people in the same pool. You call it “subsidizing,” Comrade Guevara… I call it THEFT! ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/48 "2009-12-09T13:38:20Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > While **Gigobuster** already explained how the poll you linked isn’t even answering the same question, would CNN work for you as a source? > > [http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/23/cnn-poll-gop-favorable-rating-lowest-in-25-years/](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/23/cnn-poll-gop-favorable-rating-lowest-in-25-years/) Good link! Thanks. You’re right, I couldn’t find on my favorite site RCP the poll that was referenced earlier. I notice that the CNN poll didn’t have nearly the gap of the poll listed in that objective news-only site, Kos (ie, Kos has GOP favorable rating at 14%, CNN at 36%. That’s a huge swing.) I do think however that the RCP poll is more ‘actionable’, as they would say in my business. In other words, and as CNN suggests in your article, the coming 2010 election will be about the Dem congress vs any alternative, not so much on the GOP platform. After all they’ve been in charge since 2006 (I dont think W blocked much of consequence his last two years). For their sake I hope unemployment is down and inflation stays down by then. Else, could be a bloodletting a la 1994. PS Since we’ve threadjacked, let me reiterate I hate Harry. People who use OUR money to bribe senators ought to be ousted, tarred and feathered, and run out of town on a rail. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/49 "2009-12-09T14:56:09Z")
In which instance, the entire Senate will consist of Bernie Sanders. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/50 "2009-12-09T15:32:55Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > This is the guy who bribed Landrieu (D - On The Take) with $100m of OUR TAX MONEY just so she would change her vote. Legislative quid-pro-quo != bribery. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/51 "2009-12-09T15:34:56Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Well, if they became seriously ill right after they started getting insurance, yes. OTOH, insurance companies don’t pay claims with premiums, they take those premiums and invest them as there is no way they could cover all their costs on the amount that the average person is willing to pay. They also work on getting “group rates” for xrays, and lower charges on doctors office visits. Not to mention reasonable and customary, which I cannot imagine existed before insurance companies essentially forced it on the medical community. > > The thing is, even “healthy” people generally end up costing the insurance companies _something_, so it isn’t like they are getting in all of these millions of dollars in premiums from people who never go to the doctor, for every person that ends up needing millions of dollars in cancer care. > > All you have to do is apply a bit of logic to it - the average young adult is going to spend more of the insurance money than they are going to put in, by covering pregnancy and delivery, and then all the costs of young children. Then add in the fact that families almost always pay less per person in premiums than singles. Then add in the folks who are seriously ill and require even more money from the insurance company. Do you really think that costs are covered by premiums? Distinguishing between premiums the and returns from investing those premiums is meaningless. If it makes you feel better, replace “healthy people’s premiums” with “healthy people’s premiums and associated returns on investment.” Regardless, healthier than expected people always subsidize sicker than expected people. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/52 "2009-12-09T19:33:15Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Well, to be fair and balanced, _someone_ should mention that congress’ approval rating is only that low because the Republicans are dragging it way, _way_ down: > > ```auto > > favorable unfavorable don't know > congressional dems: 40 (41) 55 (54) 5 (5) > congressional gops: 14 (14) 69 (70) 17 (16) > > ``` > > [http://www.dailykos.com/weeklytrends](http://www.dailykos.com/weeklytrends) > > Now 40% approval isn’t all that great for the Dems, but at 14%, the pubbie congresscritters should all consider killing themselves, or resigning like Nixon did when his numbers wandered down towards the single digits. 27% still sucks, regardless if the minority (at 14%F, 69%U) is “dragging it way, _way_ down”. Even the majority (at 40%F, 55%U) is still regarded as unfavorable as well no matter which numbers you use. There is plenty of blame to go around no matter _who_ is doing _what_. Can you say in good conscience that “My party’s reps sucks less than their party’s reps?” Not me…They _all_ suck collectively, because they HAVE to work collectively to be functional. _That_ is my point. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/53 "2009-12-09T20:16:54Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > Can you say in good conscience that “My party’s reps sucks less than their party’s reps?” Yup, pretty easily. 14% favorable is about what you get if every gay person in the country loves you, and no one else. We know that’s not true for Republicans, so it must be some sort of _serious_ riff raff that’s still holding a torch for em. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/54 "2009-12-09T20:32:38Z")
> [@MilTan](#): > > Distinguishing between premiums the and returns from investing those premiums is meaningless. If it makes you feel better, replace “healthy people’s premiums” with “healthy people’s premiums and associated returns on investment.” Regardless, healthier than expected people always subsidize sicker than expected people. True. However, those healthy people who are subsidizing the unhealthy thru their insurance premiums are at least getting something for their money. Taxpayers who subsidize healthcare don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/55 "2009-12-09T20:41:21Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > True. However, those healthy people who are subsidizing the unhealthy thru their insurance premiums are at least getting something for their money. Taxpayers who subsidize healthcare don’t. I’m perfectly happy to throw in some money to piss of whining trolls. I’d see it as getting something for my money. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/56 "2009-12-09T21:29:28Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Yup, pretty easily. > 14% favorable is about what you get if every gay person in the country loves you, and no one else. > We know that’s not true for Republicans, so it must be some sort of _serious_ riff raff that’s still holding a torch for em. 14%… 4%… what’s the difference [http://gaylife.about.com/od/comingout/a/population.htm](http://gaylife.about.com/od/comingout/a/population.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/57 "2009-12-09T21:47:01Z")
> [@Mr\_Smashy](#): > > 14%… 4%… what’s the difference Well, it’s certainly much smaller than the difference between 14% and 40%. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/58 "2009-12-09T22:15:20Z")
Actually, in proportion, 4% : 14% involves a factor of just over three, while 14% : 40% involves a factor of just _under_ three. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Smashy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr\_Smashy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Smashy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/59 "2009-12-09T22:20:43Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Actually, in proportion, 4% : 14% involves a factor of just over three, while 14% : 40% involves a factor of just _under_ three. not sure of your point here… so he’s only lying by a moderate amount, and therefore his postings should be treated with a similar amount of distrust? I think you mixed your apples and oranges in your comparison, sry. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357/60 "2009-12-09T22:21:05Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Actually, in proportion, 4% : 14% involves a factor of just over three, while 14% : 40% involves a factor of just _under_ three. Factors? We don’t need no stinking factors here! No one _exists_ according to factors, they’re all present according to their incidence in the total population. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-you-dick/520357.md?page=4)