CNN

[...] there are some differences of opinion on Capitol Hill about health care reform.  There are those who WANT to reform it, and those who [...]

I really hope a public option becomes available. Medicare and Medicaid were good first steps, but we need more drastic steps.

According to the KCMU and Urban institute analysis of the March 2005 current population survey, 4/5 of the people who are uninsured are from working familes. The argument that anyone who works can afford healthcare just won't cut it anymore.

[...] post: CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive ... Share and [...]

[...] original post here:  CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive ... Share and [...]

First I know you guys will not post this.

I find it quite disheartening that Conservative News Network (CNN) will selectively not mention Rush Limbaugh's comment on Sean Hannity Show equating and comparing the President to Al-Queda but jump at the statements by critics of Obama. Rush totally crossed the line and if CNN is TRULY independent, which I doubt, then they should step up to the plate and call this statement what it is.

Just getter done !!!

The public plan should be held seperate for now. The biggest thing and it is also the one thing that was touched on for even thinking of implementing the public coverage plan is to get the costs under control. You really shouldn't even be discussing any sort of public coverage plan till you get costs under control. Once that happens now your looking at a completely different ball game as far as potential coverage numbers, and also the amount of money that individuals, employers, and the government have to pay (ie everyone pays less). Then you see how coverage has changed since lower premiums lower cost means more people can afford to cover themselves. After all that then you should look at what would be reasonable to cover the remaining gap.

Cost needs to be brought down, and at the same time something needs to be done in terms of being denied coverage out right. Personally I have gone through that and for a time before I was covered through my employer had attempted to find individual insurance. I got one of two responses it was either A) denied or B) 1000-1500 a month for coverage. The reason I was under their weight criteria and instantly deemed as having a pre-existing condition making me extremely high risk.

We can and do oftentimes spend millions of dollars on legal fees and procedures, rounding up judges and juries to take a criminal to trial.

It would seem logical to me that spending that same amount of money on a sick child or working adult would be a better investment.

We keep hearing about cuts in education and child welfare. Saving criminals will not insure the future of America. Save the children and rid ourselves of the expensive human waste we keep behind bars.

Our priorities are ass backwards. Wake up America!!!!!!!

I do not understand why the Senators are so stuck on whether or not to have a alternative government health plan that Americans can choose over their current insurance company.

Every single member of Congress currently get FREE healthcare coverage from a GOVERNMENT-BASED plan. It provides outstanding coverage and benefits to them.

Why is their GOVERNMENT plan great for them but should not be available to the rest of us???

The greed-based insurance companies need real competition from a good government healthcare plan that Americans can choose over them. Maybe they will then treat us like human beings and actually do what is right when it comes to treatment and claims.

We HAVE to have an alternative government healthcare plan so Americans have a choice in what is best in coverage and cost for them.

Come on Senators – you have a government healthcare plan – what is so wrong with Americans having access to one??????

Sen. Baucus will be the face of failed health care reform. His own Montana constituents are pressing for single payer. New research shows that over 60 percent of personal bankruptcies are caused by medical debt–and most of the victims had insurance when they fell ill. Even with the global downturn, this is not happening in other countries. The insurers will never allow a meaningful public option. The mandate model is not working in Massachusetts. It's time to reread HR676, the Conyers bill. Let the CBO score the savings we would have under single payer!

I’ve lived in countries that have a national health care system and those who live there come to America to get treated. We can’t afford the debt Obama has sold us now. Raising taxes to pay fore this will result in more jobs gone away because of the taxes that will be levied on us all.. Back away from the Kool-Aid.

These people (Senators and Congressmen) must understand that this health program will benefit the middle class most, who have been the backbone of America's economic strength. The poor have been supported by Medical and Medicaid and the rich have so much $$ they do not know what to do with. The Stimulus money going to the giant corporations really need to go to the middle class, as if the middle class is not supported so it can recover to pre-Bush era prosperity, the GNP will fall, eventually United States losing it title and the World Power, if it has not already.

Did you ever notice that every time there is a Bush in office, the country enters a deep Recession?

of course its difficult, I mean just look at social security, medi caid, the post office well anything the gov is in charge of.... I mean these are the same people who pay 500 bucks for a hammer!

It's time to get rid of Sen. Dodd and install a senator who is competent and dedicated to the Constitution. Support Peter Schiff for U.S. Senate in 2010.

Here, I have a private insurance and people with lower income have access to government-sponsored insurance option.

Why is it that the government is not reeling in money right now? I've seen how we've got this insane IRS tax code. I've seen how the Veteran's Administration will not only deny you benefits you are entitled to, but will all-out insult you and try to humiliate you and put you down in a very rude manner when you go try to receive benefits you have earned and badly need. We've all seen how they cut costs through haphhazard sloppiness and I'm sure you've heard of the hundreds of people that got the AIDS virus from going there and the workers were not even sanitizing, or even cleaning off the colonoscopy probes and instruments. So...if the government is already doing all of this shady and gray area and questionable policies, than why isn't they don't have tons of money acquired through the illegitimate practices. I would call the U.S. tax code criminal. It's hard to call it anything else. It would really be, in a perfect world anyway, illegal. People put up with it, but why I'll never understand.

The party of 'NO' is at it again, just think what would happen during the next election cycle or presidential election if democrats and President Obama pass universal healthcare....

...Now do you understand why republicans are always saying no?

1. Don't socialize medicine.
2. Don't promise "free" healthcare to anyone.
3. Don't borrow any more money (our national debt is too high).
4. Don't raise taxes.
5. Start with legal/malpractice reform.
6. Encourage but don't force employers to provide insurance.

Of course, Conservatism, as usual, says that the problem cannot be solved, just like all other national problems. There is never a Conservative solution to anything.

Republicans are afraid that implementing universal health care will lead America down the road to socilaism and ultimatley to communism. I've been hearing this crap for 40 years from my own family. Republicans know this is a quick nd easy thing to do because the U.S. Armed Forces have free health care, so this is nothing new and works quite well. We must vote more Democrats to federal office and/or push through a well thought out health care plan without Republican support. I have children who do not have health care becuase it is unaffordable for them. At a minimum, Republican leaders opposed to universal health care should have their own health care taken away from them and their families for ten years just to experience that for a while. Every industrialized liberal democracy EXCEPT the U.S. has universal health care for their citizens. So why don't we? Because Republicans are anti-humankind. They are pricks. They are arrogant. They are selfish. They only care about wealthy Americans. Republicans are idiots. God bless America, our wonderful Democratic President and VP and their families. God bless this new American Revolution. The Democrats won the election and we are going to change America for the better. All the Republicans can do is sit there and watch the Revolution unfold. Or, they can deny themselves, pick up their crosses and follow us. Follow us to the promised land that they have kept hidden from the middle-class for far too long. Glory to God. Glory to America. Glory to the Democrats, and glory to the Revolution.

I doubt if they have any sensible plan for health care. They will put any
thing in a health care bill without any thought of the harm it will do to
to the country and the american people.

Don't you freakin DARE stand in the way of real health care reform, you bottom-dwelling Republicans! It is one of the grossest moral shames on America that it leaves anyone within its borders in the position of either foregoing necessary medical care or facing financial ruin. Everyone who is sick must be given high-quality, timely and affordable health care. Period!

The fetishistic obsession that the GOP has against governmental role in things is all well and good–EXCEPT in health care. All sorts of flat-out lies are peddled by the right about alleged failures in the socialized, single-payor systems enjoyed in so many other countries. And no one is even seriously proposing that here. But if you don't have a government-run option, there cannot be any real price competition among the private insurers.

Why is Chris Dodd involved in screwing this up, too? He, as one person, is as much responsible for the mortgage meltdown as any CEO. The Dems should have broke his rank by now.

"Writing a health care reform bill" is simple: start the phase-out of Medicare and Medicaid and keep government the hell out of health care.

I guess they are going to tax the health care our employers provide for us to give healthcare to the welfare sector who won't try to provide for their selves.Typical, we carry the load so he can be the Great Provider and champion of the free loaders

I don't want the gov telling me which dr. to go to what tests I can have and when and if I can go to the hospital. The gov. has never ever run anything correctly the last thing I want is them messing in my health care.

'Government bureaucrats' deciding my health? As opposed to private insruance companies and healthcare providers' bureaucrats doing the same thing. AND they have the added incentive of making a profit out of denying me health services. There really isn't an advantage or disadvantage to either system. Maybe the only difference is that I get to vote government administrations out of office. I cannot do that to the health insurance monopoly in my state!

All this is is another step toward socialized health care..big brother is going to continue to take over our lives until we all march in lockstep..or is it goose step??..it is amazing that so many of us are willing to give up even the privacy we have with our doctors..and if you don't think that will happen just wait..do you really want the federal government dictating your healthcare to you??..and having chris dodd involved..gee..I wonder if he can do to healthcare what he did to the banking industry??..

I have seen government housing, I don't want government health care.

Put the Congress on OUR health care system – they'll fix it.

The secret deal was that Israel could build all the settlements they wanted and the US would NOT interfere. SECRET – not in writing – no one else knew.

The plot thickens. Every day it's something new.

Latest – Israel had a secret deal with GW Bush and now they are complaining that Obama won't honor it. It was not in writing, not discussed publicly, SECRET.

Like our SECRET president was Cheney !! Is that how it's been for the entire 8 years and the republicans didn't know?

Repukes say it's too complicated because they want to keep the highest cost and most wasteful health care system in the world, which is hurting US competitiveness, adding excessive costs to business and hurting American families who cannot afford health care. Repukes are protecting the vested interests who want to keep the status quo.

I trust that the Democrats understand that the republicans are ONLY participating in an effort to ensure that President Obama's Healthcare Plan fails.

They need a failure on a large campaign promise to help them with their 2010 elections. Republicans are never really part of the 'solution'.

I am sure Mr President is too smart for their very 'obvious' political games. We will have a comprehensive healthcare plan, and it will be this year.