ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY THE ONLY THING I’M GOING TO POST ON OBAMA’S OTHER SOCIALIST BRAINWASH SPEECH

[defrog]

I didn’t watch it, no. I was on my way to work while it was being delivered. I did hear that Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) loved it so much he yelled “You ROCK!” Or something.

Bipartisanship!

Anyway, as I've said before, I tend to stay out of the healthcare debate because I don’t understand how the system works. Yes, I know, that hasn’t stopped everyone else (which is also why I stay out of most debates, period).

So the only opinion I have on Obama’s latest pitch is that it’s unlikely to make a real difference, if only because so much of the GOP’s criticism has been based mainly on fear, lies and demented paranoid fantasies of the slippery slope to a future dystopia where private-run hospitals and insurance companies are dead and everything is under govt control.

Which brings me to this worthwhile piece from FactCheck, in which they take Conservatives for Patients’ Rights to task for a new ad which says: "Despite what the president or Congress say, their health care proposals do not guarantee you can keep your own doctor,” or that you won’t "wait longer for care," face "rationing," or "lose your insurance," because "the president’s public option plan could lead to government-run health care."

FactCheck makes a point that’s been made before (and bedsitter23 makes it well here), but is worth repeating: the hazards described in the ad are already happening under the current healthcare system. And I still have trouble seeing why it’s better for private insurers to screw you than govt bureaucrats (is it because if yr going to fuck people over, you should use yr own money rather than tax dollars?). I’m funny that way.

For my money, however, the most interesting part of the ad is that opening phrase. It reminds me of my friends who tell me when Obama says he wants to “fundamentally change America”, what he REALLY means is he wants to burn the Constitution and write a new one proclaiming him Yr New Favorite Glorious Leader.

Basically CPR (see what they did there?) is saying that no matter what Obama and the Democrats claim (and no matter what their bill actually says), what they’re REALLY proposing is to kill off private healthcare forever.

Which is why I figure Obama’s healthcare speech won’t make much difference in the overall debate. Though at least he’s put the public option back on the table. Kind of. Sort of. Unless he thinks of something else that accomplishes the same goal. No matter. All Obama really accomplished was to extend the debate. The civility and rational arguments (or lack thereof) will remain unchanged.

Wake me when it’s over,

This is dF

Comments

[garbagecanmusic.livejournal.com]

The question that should've been asked of you before:

HK is single-payer, correct?

And how is that working out?

(I've been looking to ask people of different systems what their healthcare is like, to get some perspective. Especially since all the Canada bashing lately, and the typical Canadian response "What just a fookin' minute, we like our healthcare....")

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

I should probably do a longer post on this, actually, because it's a bit complicated. The short answer is yes, we technically have single-payer, but we don't exactly have a Medicare set-up either. And HK competes with Israel for the second-highest healthcare costs in the world behind the US.

Watch this space and I'll try to come up with a more detailed explanation.