The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Alex]

But on what principal does he differentiate it from car insurance or other instances of government mandating purchases of private insurance without provision of a publicly managed option? I guess I just find the hyperbole stupid, and the principal on which he is apparently standing empty since a week ago when he thought the Medicare buy-in was part of it he was ok with me being forced to buy health insurance from private companies under penalty of law (he, being 50 now would have been nearly ready to qualify by the time things kicked in).

And I guess I see his stupidity more in his "all or nothing" approach to it. Everybody knew when all of this started that a public option was almost certainly an impossible achievement. Yes, for negotiating reasons you have to start there but it was never realistic. And sticking out the lower lip and stomping around and gnashing the teeth just looks stupid (to me).

And the nonsensical fixation on going through reconciliation just strikes me as more fantasy. Somehow they've decided that the 20% benefit is more important than the 80% benefit and so are willing to sacrifice the latter to get the former, assuming it even worked enough to get the latter.

I just can't help but be reminded of how much Ted Kennedy came to regret scuttling the deal that was reached on health care reform 30 years ago because it didn't get him everything he wanted soon enough. I've not yet seen any of the left opposition make a compelling case for how the proposal is worse than the status quo, simply that it lacks important parts of what they want.

I agree that cost containment is important (and apparently the far left argument is that the uninsured should only get health care if it can be provided cheaply enough). I also agree it is important to make sure that everybody has access health care. Personally, I think having the latter will create pressures making the former much more likely. And getting both at the same time just stacks too many interests against the entirety.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I agree that wanting to toss the whole thing out over the issue is dumb, and the way he stated his disapproval is dumb. Won't argue that.

As for the difference between this and auto insurance, among other things, in some sense there IS a public option for auto insurance - public transit. There's also the fact that the mandate for auto insurance is about making sure you don't fvck someone else over (except for no-fault states, the requirement is that carry insurance that covers the other person's car, not your own), as opposed to covering yourself, so there's a different set of reasoning for it. And, most importantly, auto insurance companies make business decisions that might mean that some individual might, in service of increasing some exec's pocket change, not be allowed to drive their car, while medical insurance companies make those same business decisions at risk of costing people their lives. So I think there's some more justification for being rather opposed to something that bolsters that system and stands to continue to reward them for making those business decisions.

But yes, Olberman's reported stance is a bit of dramatic hyperbole, and I am definitely in favor of doing SOMETHING to get more people covered as opposed to doing nothing. I just don't think that forcing people to pay for insurance, when the whole point is that they can't afford insurance to begin with, makes a lot of sense.

[Alex]

But that last sentence will be true with any version of the public option discussed as well.

Public or private it requires people who can't afford insurance now (or choose not to) to buy insurance and then offers subsidies to those who can't afford. The difference with a public option (potentially) is that you'd subsidies would be cheaper if the plan really is cheaper than private insurance but that doesn't really have much to do with affordability on the consumer end.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Fair enough, I'll concede that. I suppose my opposition does fall back on my distaste for people profiting from the business of figuring out how not to cover people's medical bills. So at least with public option/single payer, people aren't being forced to contribute to those profits.

That said, I still support that over nothing because, theoretically, getting EVERYONE into the insurance pool will help spread costs around and reduce cost of insurance for everyone. Theoretically. But I still consider it purely a baby step.

[Gemini Cricket]

Obama's in town again.
That only means one thing.
I sent out 2 letters to the editor this time. One to each of the major papers here.
Let's see if they publish at least one of them like last time.
I got a call from one saying that they're 99% sure they will publish my letter.
That's awesome.
I hope he reads it.
I wrote about how DADT and DOMA are still around and that he should refrain from making any new year's resolutions for 2010, seeing as how he can't keep his campaign promises why bother with resolutions for the new year?

[alphabassettgrrl]

Nice, cricket! I hope they get published and that he reads 'em, too.

[Gemini Cricket]

I just Alex'ed someone who was sending out bad info via email.

Someone sent me (and about 100 people) a spam email about an upside-down US flag at Montebello High School. The email was misleading and was about an incident that happened in 2006 (but it made it sound like it just happened and was happening on a regular basis). I sent a Reply All to everyone with a link to the snopes.com article about the incident.

The email itself smelled racist and was incorrect about a couple of things, so I told everyone to do their research before getting into a tizzy and running outside, naked waving their tallywhackers around saying, 'The sky is falling, the sky is falling!'

[Alex]

Yay me.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Alex

Yay me.

Although deep inside I feel like I did the right thing, the person who sent me the email hates me now. He left me a ranky stank voicemail. I think it was the Reply All thing that did it. Ugh. Oy vey. Well, the deed is done. Not much I can do now.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Although deep inside I feel like I did the right thing, the person who sent me the email hates me now. He left me a ranky stank voicemail. I think it was the Reply All thing that did it. Ugh. Oy vey. Well, the deed is done. Not much I can do now.

Eh, if he's forwarding that email, he sounds like one of those flag-idolaters who aren't much worth your time anyway.