# Obama steps in it again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 19, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051 "2009-03-19T18:27:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051/101 "2009-03-23T18:32:03Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Fuck you, Equipoise. Just a friendly reminder: [QUOTE=Restricted language in the Pit] The following expressions should not be directed at other posters. * * * fuck you and variants, e.g., go fuck yourself, fuck off and die [/QUOTE] [Restricted language in the Pit - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508858) No warning issued. **Gfactor** Pit Moderator ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051/102 "2009-03-23T18:34:28Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > His changing his mind is not the point. The point is that he tried to do it in the first place! And that his doing so was unethical. > > WHOOSH. Right over your head. Was it unethical? I don’t think so, because that would mean he knew how shitty an idea it would be. Was it stupid? Hell yes. But the point is, he changed his position when someone (don’t know who) asked him the equivalent of “WTF are you thinking”. Someone can be dumber than shit and do the wrong thing, and still be ethical. They actually think it’s right. Unethcial would be if they knew it was wrong and did it anyway. So given a choice between “teh stupids” or “unethical”, I’d vote that this was a case of “the stupids”. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051/103 "2009-03-23T18:56:53Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > No, Bush was not correct in making the cuts. But Bush’s actions are not the point of my post; Obama’s actions in one specific area are. I pointed out that those actions were immoral and unethical; why didn’t anyone else? … Please post proof that I didn’t care. Otherwise, shut the fuck up. See, this is the exact point I was making. Nobody here has said that this private insurance idea was a good one, and you’re outraged that nobody complained about it. In reality, there already was a thread about it, and Obama had already reversed course two days before your OP. And yet, you’re outraged that we aren’t outraged about a news story that is basically over. Meanwhile, Bush approved a policy in 2003 that prevented literally hundreds of thousands of veterans from signing up for VA health care services. That policy remains in place to this year, and for the six years that have passed, you haven’t raised a peep about it. Nobody here said that Obama idea is good, but you’re wringing your hands, fretting and seeing red, over a policy that was proposed and rejected… by a DEMICRAT! Meanwhile, a patriotic Republican actually blocked VA health care to many, many people, and you reply that Bush’s policies aren’t the point of your post. Well, no fucking duh. Again, this is why you aren’t credible on any political issue. Even when most of us see one particular issue in the same way as you do, we go to extreme lengths to avoid saying that we agree with you. And that is because you’re completely biased wingnut, and we don’t want to be associated with the embarrassing drivel that you try to pass off as commentary on current affairs. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051/104 "2009-03-23T18:59:08Z")
What exactly _was_ the idea, anyway? Something about reorganizing veterans’ health coverage? Is there a tidy summary of what Obama’s plan originally was? I see a lot of people _saying_ Obama’s idea was dumb, but what _was_ it, exactly? At this point, I’m kind of suspicious that the idea might have _seemed_ dumb at first knee-jerk reaction, but wasn’t really. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051/105 "2009-03-23T20:39:31Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What exactly _was_ the idea, anyway? Something about reorganizing veterans’ health coverage? Is there a tidy summary of what Obama’s plan originally was? I see a lot of people _saying_ Obama’s idea was dumb, but what _was_ it, exactly? At this point, I’m kind of suspicious that the idea might have _seemed_ dumb at first knee-jerk reaction, but wasn’t really. Here are the basics, as I understand them: 1. The cost of any treatment related to a veteran’s service is covered by the Veteran’s Administration. 2. Some veterans are also covered by a private insurance plan, either their own or their spouse’s. 3. Obama figured he could save some money by requiring veterans with private insurance to use that insurance to cover expenses that normally would be paid for by the VA. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051/106 "2009-03-23T20:42:55Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > Here are the basics, as I understand them: > > 1. The cost of any treatment related to a veteran’s service is covered by the Veteran’s Administration. > 2. Some veterans are also covered by a private insurance plan, either their own or their spouse’s. > 3. Obama figured he could save some money by requiring veterans with private insurance to use that insurance to cover expenses that normally would be paid for by the VA. That’s the gist of it. It was a stupid idea. Fortunately, it was dropped. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-steps-in-it-again/490051.md?page=5)