Archive | 1:16 AM

Public Option far from dead, be careful what you ask for

21 Oct

Right, wrong, indifferent, it doesn’t’ seem to matter, the liberal Democrats are going after a public option based on Medicare and amazingly the numbers seem now to work, relatively speaking of course.

Those of us standing a bit right of center just don’t get it.  Our amazement over the fact that some politicians and many Americans want to see more beaurocracy, larger obligations of the Federal government and the taxes to support it all is never ending.  I am incredulous hearing that people generally don’t get the health care issue, but are more comfortable blaming the insurance companies.  A few bad experiences dealing with some incompetent customer service rep or overzealous claims manager can do that, but when compared to dealing with a federal or state bureaucracy, it pales in comparison.  On top of that, what federal or state program is well run over a long period or comes even close to meeting budget or is not tinkered with by every successive Congress or legislature?

Does the average person who supports a public option really think that the plan will pay whatever is ordered, not apply medical necessity standards, ration care in some form or not quickly become underfunded?  Do they think that the taxes to support all this will not rise continuously?  How do they think such a plan will control the rate of health care inflation once all the profit is driven out of health insurance?  What do they think will be the consequences of a public option paying providers Medicare rates for millions more Americans?

Be careful what you ask for, you just may get it.

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Here comes the cash flow

21 Oct

 

It is being reported that Wall St bonuses are up 40% and billions of dollars are being paid out. I can just hear the Schumers and Rangels of the world bemoaning such extravagance.

Ok, boys I'm first in line

Ok, boys I'm first in line

On the other hand those billions are taxed at the local, state and federal level, they go to charities and they go to buy stuff (after all the BMW dealer has to eat too), yikes they even go into PACs.  I know of at least some of it that may go to buy a home.

By Jove this is real economic stimulus and it didn’t even add to the deficit.   I calcualted that these payouts will create or save 500,000 jobs (ok, I made that up but I am at least as accurate as the administration don’t you think?).

A year ago we were ready to organize a Walk for Wall Street and now they are helping us out of the recession one new purchase at a time.

They make money the old fashioned way…They earn it!

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Getting down to the nitty gritty

21 Oct

 

Health care reform of any kind is a complex issue and there are very few people in or out of government who understand what is happening, the probable unintended consequences, the impact on various groups and the long-term consequences for the winners and losers, and there are losers, in all of what is being proposed.  To give you some insight into what is being assumed, and the possible implications, I have copied key sections from the CBO report on the Senate Finance Committee legislation.  I have added the bold text to emphasize those areas I believe of special interest and significant consequence. 

Note especially the last sentence of this excerpt.

(more…)

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