Vetting McCain’s Health Plan

They harassed her until she registered to vote six times!:
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=3145562&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/

"Not all Democrats agree with Mr. Frank that such policies are off-limits to criticism. Last week Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama said in a statement: 'Like a lot of my Democratic colleagues I was too slow to appreciate the recklessness of Fannie and Freddie. I defended their efforts to encourage affordable homeownership, when in retrospect, I should have heeded the concerns raised by their regulator in 2004. Frankly, I wish my Democratic colleagues would admit when it comes to Fannie and Freddie, we were wrong.'

"Mr. Davis is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus."

'Rank snobbery'

Camille Paglia, who supports Sen. Barack Obama, has nothing but scorn for the way the media has treated Sarah Palin.

"The mountain of rubbish poured out about Palin over the past month would rival Everest. What a disgrace for our jabbering army of liberal journalists and commentators, too many of whom behaved like snippy jackasses," Miss Paglia writes at www.salon.com.

"The bourgeois conventionalism and rank snobbery of these alleged humanitarians stank up the place. As for Palin's brutally edited interviews with Charlie Gibson and that viper, Katie Couric, don't we all know that the best bits ended up on the cutting-room floor? Something has gone seriously wrong with Democratic ideology, which seems to have become a candied set of holier-than-thou bromides attached like tutti-frutti to a quivering green Jell-O mold of adolescent sentimentality."

Go to the candidates' records on the independent watchdog websites...then make a post here. If you say something, base it in facts, or you are nothing but uninformed. The only people taking a cold shower will be the voters who discover who their candidate is after it is too late ,and after they've been taxed to death and lost their jobs. Educate yourself now, so you are not surprised at the outcome. Was that last post a discussion? I missed it.

"Not all Democrats agree with Mr. Frank that such policies are off-limits to criticism. Last week Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama said in a statement: 'Like a lot of my Democratic colleagues I was too slow to appreciate the recklessness of Fannie and Freddie. I defended their efforts to encourage affordable homeownership, when in retrospect, I should have heeded the concerns raised by their regulator in 2004. Frankly, I wish my Democratic colleagues would admit when it comes to Fannie and Freddie, we were wrong.'

"Mr. Davis is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus."

'Rank snobbery'

Camille Paglia, who supports Sen. Barack Obama, has nothing but scorn for the way the media has treated Sarah Palin.

"The mountain of rubbish poured out about Palin over the past month would rival Everest. What a disgrace for our jabbering army of liberal journalists and commentators, too many of whom behaved like snippy jackasses," Miss Paglia writes at www.salon.com.

"The bourgeois conventionalism and rank snobbery of these alleged humanitarians stank up the place. As for Palin's brutally edited interviews with Charlie Gibson and that viper, Katie Couric, don't we all know that the best bits ended up on the cutting-room floor? Something has gone seriously wrong with Democratic ideology, which seems to have become a candied set of holier-than-thou bromides attached like tutti-frutti to a quivering green Jell-O mold of adolescent sentimentality."

If you think health care is expensive now...imagine when it is free. Look at the tax rates in socialized nations. Is anyone opening their eyes? I am a physician and I can assure you that socializing medicine and health care will do nothing but reduce the quality of care, breed apathy among doctors, and bankrupt the small group practices and solo docs out there trying to survive on reduced reimbursements already. If you like the care that you receive now from your personal doctor, imagine how you will be treated when the physician is on a salary like a state employee. What government program hasn't increased the cost to society, being burdened by over complex rules and offices? It is naive to think that socialized programs won't increase our deficit...look at California and its socialist policies. A tax on health benefits is not a deal breaker if the benefit is generous. Speaking in generalities like HUGE or BIG tax increases does not inform anyone. Go to the watchdog websites and see how Obama's plans will increase our deficit. I encourage you to read, read the watchdog sites. Don't buy the socialist policies like you buy a car on TV. Get through the bias and find the truth. Ask your doctor what he thinks. Neither plan is perfect...but socialized medicine and insurance with penalities for small business...does nothing but hurt all of us.

Beauty and the Beast unleashed their inner pit bulls and are attacking Obama with their same old tricks- character assassination, lies and distortion. But Joe Six Pack isn't fooled.

This is a quote from foxnews.com:

"The analysis also concluded that in the latest period, nearly 100 percent of the McCain's ads were negative, compared to 34 percent of Obama's ads."

McCain has nothing good to say about himself. How pathetic.

So those of us who opted to take lower paying governement jobs, in significant part due to the benefits package that came with them now will have that equation fudementally altered due to John McCains tax on health benefits. How is he going to calculate how many pounds of flesh to extract from me for the benefits I earned as a military retiree and disabled veteran? Anyone with any kind of decent health plan really needs to pay attention to this because it is going to be a HUGE tax increase for you.

Quinn's highly biased, anti-McCain polemic leaves out the major benefit of his reform: reducing moral hazard. As young people move into Health Savings Accounts and control their own spending in order to get paid interest on their accumulated savings, we will solve the crisis of inflated health costs. Oh, yes, and ask your employer for a raise, about $9,000 for an average employee.



Obama

By the way, is "vetting" a real word?

To "injustopost". I really find most younger people (I am 54), not all that bright. The public schools have consistently been "dumbing down". (No child left behind, everyone has to graduate, etc.)

Both plans by the candidates will fail. Obama and McCain haven't solved the root cause for high insurance costs to consumers. Malpractice insurance is the cost driver for medical industry. The only way to lower the Malpractice insurance is to reduce awards and punitive damages for injuries caused by doctors. I understand they should be held liability, but for how much? Does getting hot coffee spilled on your lap mean you should millions in awards and damages? The answer is no.

Obama's plan will fail because he doesn't understand the tax system and how the collection of taxes works. He plans to raise the qualified dividend rate of 15% back to the ordinary rate of 35% for high income tax payers to pay for his plan. But what he doesn't understand companies are run by the high income taxpayers. Companies aren't required by law to pay dividends. A great example is Microsoft. Until Bush lowered the dividend rate Microsoft never issued a dividend. The IRS collected millions upon millions from shareholders of Microsoft that they would have never collected. Bush just spent the money poorly in IRAQ.

As the article points out, McCain plan isn't any better. I would really like to see a detailed calculation of a person's 1040 prior to McCain's plan and one with the plan McCain is purposing. The price index for inflation can be changed by Congress at anytime the price index doesn't match the actual inflation. So this is as much as a concern as Congress wants a healthcare plan to work. What I don't like about the credit is the taxpayers must pay their health insurance up front and wait a year to receive their money back from the government.

I know that the health care in Canada is different than here, and a lot of people would like something liek that in
the US. But it isn't going to happen, Insurance companies are going to continue to cost us more-our co pays
will not be going down, and we will stil need to get pre approved for certain procedures. As for Katrina victims, mother nature is letting you know that you shouldn't rebuild in certain areas. It will happen again-IT WILL!
Global warming, and obesity are causing more problems for people than ever before. Children with high blood pressure? how we going to cover that??? Adults wanting their incredibly expensive meds for free! Yes!!! For everyone!!! All those meds that are keeping our parents and grandparents alive are costing millions! The new
President of our United States will do nothing for our helath care costs. Its the same old, same old...
They walk and talk thetalk-but thats it. My insurance covers less than it did 15 yrs ago-and costs more out of pocket. It wont change. I know too many people with out Dental ins, and the small comanies that are non union
that they are insured by are offereing lessand less. But they don't have the money to go anywhere else-andthey are uneducated-but who cares??? Certainly not you-you just want all your medical bills paid-right? Someone will have to pay for all these wonderful changes in healthcare reform that our two candidates are raving about.
Remember that-nothing , nothing, will cost us nothing in the long run. We will all pay in the end for these
horrible mistakes our leaders and legislaters are making.

Floridave...this is the same flawed right wing argument I hear over and over.

I work for a living, 60+ hours a week (Yeah..I'm REAL lazy). I am on salary. I am single. Right now my health insurance plan is paid for. John McCain's plan will tax my health benefits through out the year (and my health benefit covers more then the average 20% that most others do) and give send someone (my employer? an outside insurance company because I am younger and can probably "survive" on a cheaper plan) a check for $2,500 at the end of the year.

In the end I have less money in my pocket every month for something that was not an issue before. With less money in my pocket, I spend less. The less I consume, the less growth our little capitalist society sees and the less profit employer's like mine earn. The less profit they earn, the less likely it is their employee's pay will keep up with inflation or the less likely it will be that they hire new people. You elitist snobs should keep that in the forefront of your small minds. Capitalism is driven by CONSUMERISM. If people aren't buying, money is not being made.

So stop acting like everyone complaining about McCain's plain is a "lazy liberal"

Jane Bryant Quinn...you don't look healthy !!

Your Muslim friend was the only one in the Senate that went against a Bill that would protect an infant born alive at abortion...the only one out of both Dems and GOP's....the guy is a ***.

Jane...you are unpatriotic , stupid , and in the words of fair and balanced.." a pinhead left-wing nut job !! "

As a registered nurse for 29 years, including 5 years working for an HMO, I feel compelled to point out the obvious: McCain's plan helps insurance companies get richer. Period.

It does NOT help people with insurance get cheaper insurance, and it does not help people with no insurance afford any insurance.

It is instructive to note that the American Nurse's Association has endorsed Barack Obama for president. Both the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association's websites are silent on their endorsements.

Nurses know what the rest of the health care system either doesn't know or doesn't want to discuss - that McCain's plan may or may not assist employers, will certainly benefit the insurance companies, but will NOT help patients get or keep affordable health insurance.

And without a means to cover even basic health care, Americans will continue to get sicker and poorer.

Under the old fee-for-service system, we proved doctors were lousy businessmen.
Under the present managed care system, we proved businessmen were lousy doctors.

When we make the mistake of linking profits to health care, no one gets healthy, and only the insurance companies, the drug companies, the medical device companies, and the surgeons get profits.

Unfortunately, Obama's plan continues the failed tactic of linking employment to health insurance, but at least he makes a better attempt to cover more people with basic services - it is a start.

But if we truly are concerned with people's health, instead of business's profits, we need national health coverage for each and every American. The sooner the better.

bosco: as someone who is representing a medium- sized business, you really need to clean up your grammar and your spelling. How can anyone take your point seriously? Besides, you should be incorporated, which would lessen your peronal tax burden.
As far as McCain's plan goes: I would be outta luck. I have rheumatoid arthritis, which would be considered a pre-existing condition, and, therefore, uninsurable. The plan is weak and frightening to those of us who work for a living, pay for health insurance, yet would be on long waiting lists without the care necessary for day-to-day life. How on earth would I be able to pay for my meds and doctor's visits? Do I wait and pray a miracle happens? McCain's plan is irresponsible and reckless. Talk about un-American. He himself would not be eligible for insurance!

bosco: as someone who is representing a medium- sized business, you really need to clean up your grammar and your spelling. How can anyone take your point seriously? Besides, you should be incorporated, which would lessen your peronal tax burden.
As far as McCain's plan goes: I would be outta luck. I have rheumatoid arthritis, which would be considered a pre-existing condition, and, therefore, uninsurable. The plan is weak and frightening to those of us who work for a living, pay for health insurance, yet would be on long waiting lists without the care necessary for day-to-day life. How on earth would I be able to pay for my meds and doctor's visits? Do I wait and pray a miracle happens? McCain's plan is irresponsible and reckless. Talk about un-American. He himself would not be eligible for insurance!