Obama braces for town hall health talk

Tuesday 11th August, 05:47 AM JST

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goodDonkey at 07:25 PM JST - 11th August

Let's face it the conservatives have resorted to name calling and they are getting away with it. Calling Obama a socialist is the same as a little kid on the playground calling someone names. He will try to use whatever name is most effective. Furthermore, they will try to yell at Obama's scheduled "Town Meetings."

I would advise Obama to have many of them televised and Obama should say, "Please don't raise you voice. If you have something to say make your point and I will respond." So far the proposal is contrary to the conservatives allegations on JT. Everyone would be free to keep their current coverage. That alone dispels the socialism charge. It means free market choice with a safety net. That dispels the charge that people will be forced into a government run program. They have been working hard not to price the insurance industry out of the market. It has been a major discussion. It is unheard of to be discussing "how to pay for it" during the introduction of such a vast change. But that is exactly what he is doing and exactly what he proposed during his campaign.

If I were him I would be very clear that the Republicans had their opportunity and squandered it. It is his turn. Conservatives have a funny way of looking at things. Let's take Bush's Prescription plan. Many conservatives put Bush down because of the ballooning costs. Many liberals see it as an opportunity to once again bust Bush's chops. I know for a fact that many, many Americans can now afford to take the medicine prescribed by their doctor for them. That is a good thing. We spend money on all kinds of crap. Bush's effort helps millions of Americans. It is expensive but money well spent. It also changed the free market. First Wal Mart then others offered low priced meds. Not only that but Bush set in place some controls that reduce the cost of the governments procurement of medicines. In the long run the Pharmaceutical companies are making even more money because more people are taking their prescribed medications. When everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to criticize the Prescription Drug Program I am willing to commend him for saving lives and improving the quality of other's lives.

It is the perfect example of which to compare Obama's Medical Care proposals. It will have benefits to the free market. It will cut costs to small businesses and provide an incentive for employees to remain in small business ventures instead of leaving when they achieve a measured level of success. It will create a more even playing field when America competes with other country's corporations that do not bear the same medical costs due to their governments coverage. Our labor costs are outrageous yet we have some of the most productive workers in the world. So the end result is job loss based on medical coverage costs. So when people are calculating the net costs make sure they include the benefits that are purely monetary that would not normally be included. They are vast.

As far as those who want to be disruptive at Town Hall meetings I say bring them forward. But they only get their turn and should not be allowed to monopolize the meeting. They do not represent unanimous opposition. They represent one faction. Let everyone's voice be heard.

When those who are currently uninsured and use medical facilities and services and are unable to pay for them, that cost is shifted onto the rest of our backs anyway. We either pay directly, pay higher costs for medical care, pay higher premiums or receive lower wages because the company is spending their income on insurance costs. Medical care in the U.S. has been a scam for years. Huge numbers of people make an income in the medical industry and have nothing to do with medical care.

Tort is a minuscule portion of the costs. The lion share is profit distributed among administrators, health organizations (actually money launders), and insurance companies. In my opinion more money should be funneled back to doctors and other health care professionals and health care facilities and more services should be provided. What a waste funding health care management like it compares to funding health care.
adaydream at 08:42 PM JST - 11th August

skipthesong I agree that Pelosi's comments were wrong. I'm not sure about the silverspoon part. I'm sure that compared to my childhood you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

I want health care in this country to be reworked all the way. To leave it to the free market is doing nothing. We've seen how that works.

I like Obama's plan. < :-)
hworta269 at 09:03 PM JST - 11th August

Disagreeing with Obama is unAmerican!!!!!
SushiSake3 at 09:21 PM JST - 11th August

Disagreeing with President Obama is not in the slightest unAmerican (although I understand you are being sarcastic).

Unlike the childish diatribe to that effect introduced by the previous U.S. bush administration, Americans should feel free to voice their agreement, disagreement or whatever else they wish.
Good_Jorb at 11:03 PM JST - 11th August

those who live close enough, and can afford it, to a major US city do prefer to get their medical needs there.

I live in what is currently the richest part of Canada and I have had contracts with oil and gas companies(some very rich people) and have yet to meet a person who went state side to get their medical needs met. I did meet a guy who went to Cuba to get surgery/stay at a oceanside hospital for four months, as well as a women who went to China to get an organ transplant. As well I also know people(including myself) who turned down job offers in the States for fear of getting sick and needing medical attention.
LastBestHope at 01:04 AM JST - 12th August

America has the best health care in the world.
KyotoChris at 01:12 AM JST - 12th August

LastBestHope,

Even many in the US don't believe that propoganda. Your leaders even criticize it.
hworta269 at 06:59 AM JST - 12th August

America does in fact have the best healthcare in the entire world. Our health care industry creates more cures and treatments then most the rest of the world combined. American politicians wont address the real cost driving forces in our industry which are government run programs like medicare and litigation that causes doctors to have to pay 75 percent of their income to insurance and drives up everyone's cost. A government run system would ration healthcare out to people, Obama even admitted that much and also obama would exempt himself from having to use that system that he would force upon Americans. End of life counseling..... politicans would decide what treatments people got. If they want to shut down people who merely protest them then what would they do if they could decide who gets lifesaving care and who doesnt?
sfjp330 at 07:08 AM JST - 12th August

Problem with American health care is that it eats up 16 percent of the GNP annually. If the current health care plan stays the same, in a next 7 to 10 years, it will take 25 percent of the GNP for the same care. This will be comparable to entire GNP of Japan. This is a major reason they are looking into drastic change to save the country.
Taka313 at 10:09 AM JST - 12th August

Hworta269,

A government run system would ration healthcare out to people...

You missed a very important word there. The word is "all." All people will be covered, not just the wealthy.

Why is it that conservatives want every woman who is pregnant to give birth to that child, but then they don't care if that child receives proper health care? What the hell?

I've given up on them having common sense. I'm now just wondering if they can spell those two words or use them correctly in a sentence. And applying it...well lets just try to keep things within the realm of possibility.

Taka
Taka313 at 10:17 AM JST - 12th August

You know, the more I thought about this, the dumber the anti-healthcare crowd is.

How can someone want a mandate forcing a poor woman to have a child (no abortions for you, Missy, that womb belongs to the state), but then tell her that she's on her own regarding the health care that child will require after he/she is born.

That is so far passed stupid, you can't even see it in the mirror. AND...things in those mirrors are closer than they appear!

Amazing.

Taka
USNinJapan2 at 12:48 PM JST - 12th August

Taka313

Also, the USPS is posting a loss of $7 billion this year with another $7 billion projected loss for next year. It's services may be impressive but unfortunately the USPS is in the red because of them.
lostrune2 at 04:27 PM JST - 12th August

Just a brain quiz: Though I wonder what would happen if the money-losing USPS is eliminated, how long could it take current and new private competitors to fill in the gap left by USPS, particularly the money-losing sparsely-populated areas... People are already complaining that their local corner mailboxes are progressively becoming a thing of the past due to email (like phone booths due to cellphones)....
hworta269 at 07:00 PM JST - 12th August

Most Americans have healthcare and 80 percent of Americans are happy with the coverage they have. This is a situation that is being totally blown out of proportion to give the government an excuse to take over and nationalize a huge American industry and they are doing nothing to lower actual healthcare costs and making a huge excuse to rape every American out of more income in taxes.
KyotoChris at 09:32 PM JST - 12th August

hworta269: I believe you're incorrect in most Americans having healthcare from the statistics I've seen (from multiple sources). It's the duty of the state to protect the people and if they can spend so much on military and violent defense, they certainly can provide at least basic health coverage to those who can't afford it.

I saw that they just recently raised the minimum wage (to the dismay of a certain 'R' political party but can you imagine working for $7 dollars and change and being able to afford to live, have food, clothes, AND pay medical expenses? The U.S. has great opportunities but it's also VERY expensive to live and raise a family. Most parents both have to work and if there is no extended family there, they also have to pay for childcare if they have a child.

I live in both the U.S. and Japan during the year so I do have some idea of how things are. When I was younger and just out of college I had a job that didn't provide healthcare and had to have some medical attention. The bill out of my pocket was 10 times what someone with insurance would pay. Look at the numbers and you'll see that the insurance companies negotiate service costs with doctors and hospitals while the uninsured (if it's so bad they have to see a doctor) pay FULL price for their treatment. That's very sad.