This political blog discusses history & national politics using valid sources: govt databases, scientific journals, research centers, etc. Sources are posted in the blog, & often linked from the topic header. Faves are posted lower right. This website is not supported by any political party, interest group or corporation--no ads, no money.
Who comes between you and your doctor? Answer: Your Insurance Company.
Can the US Govt do a better job with healthcare? They didn't do too bad with Medicare.
We protested the Detroit auto executives flying corporate jets to ask for a loan; what protests do we hear about this obscene pay structure for insurance CEO's?
When you hear the folks on Fox News and others cite The Lewin Group as a source, realize that this is a subsidiary of UnitedHealthCare, one of the biggest healthcare companies in the world. It is not an unbiased source (as they falsely claim).
If you're against "socialized" medicine, then you're against Medicare & Medicaid and the VA system. Tell that to your retired parent or military vet. We have socialized education and police/fire departments. I guess we should eliminate those too. After all, the dumber the population, the more demogogues can run the country--and no police force to stop 'em.
If you're against the "public option", know what it means--you get to opt in if you want. It's simply one of many options, most of which are still private. This is the gist of the possible legislation being discussed in Congress. So, why don't we take the 20% overhead costs insurance companies now stick us with (besides telling us and our doctors how to care for us) and put those savings into the public option? And, btw, have this option run by a non-profit--the way insurance used to be.
Most countries on the planet have universal healthcare--and it works. So, if the US can't do it, doesn't that say the US a) isn't as good as other countries b) doesn't care about its workers c) doesn't care about businesses staying in the US.
Did you know that, according to Article VI of the US Constitution, treaties become the law of the land. In several US treaties, the right to healthcare has been among them. Go to http://www.righttohealthcare.org/index.htm for more info. So, in essence, it's already a right which we are being denied.
