Wow, some rationale and measured talk on health care reform without the usual hyperbole and platitudes heard in the national debate on the issue.
Republican Matt Doheny has taken a stab at explaining where he would like to see the nation go if and when ObamaCare was repealed. I think there is a market for calm voices because I for one am tiring of the FOX-MSNBC shouting match....And if someone like me is sick of it, you know its over the top.
Doheny has the blessing of being a smart guy who understands the core issues and rhetorically can cut to the bone if he has to (obviously he has an idealogical bent which some disagree with). Like most candidates, he runs the risk of having his message muddled by the filter of political professionals, which their bushel baskets of BS, cliches and talking points.
Unfortunately there are few arenas for candidates to talk directly to voters. I once urged the candidate to adopt those old Perot flip chart style commercials which were very effective until the candidate imploded for other reasons.
That idea was dismissed as the incoherent ramblings of someone around politics for too long.
Watertown Daily Times | Doheny offers health-care alternatives, which Owens dismisses
23 comments:
How can you get sick of the shouting match?
Its not about ideology for the conservative side it is about honesty.
Healthcare has a number of problems and Obamacare did nothing to solve any of them and instead makes them worse. Period.
Oh...and Owens voted for it because he is a suck up.
And Doh has a better plan? HAHAHA!!! One core issue is that workers are trying to live on low wages, and can't afford health insurance on their own. Another core issue is that the system is run by HMOs and Big Pharma, both of which are for-profit agents in the marketplace. A third issue is that these HMOs will not pay if certain tests are not performed in a certain sequence.
You people make me sick@! Good thing I have health insurance. Others aren't so fortunate.
My post at the WDT and here, FYI:
Most of Mr. Doheny’s answers are the same standard, harsh, and weak GOP talking points:
[snip] "... reforming medical malpractice litigation, selling health insurance across state lines and changing the employer-based health insurance system, perhaps phasing it out."
1. Tort reform (anti-trial lawyer move): Okay, but what if your wrong organ or limb is removed during surgery. Do we just toss a malpractice suit and hope for a new organ or new limb. FYI: this has happened in the past, Mr. Doheny. As I said, it is harsh GOP mumbo jumbo. No one likes or wants or advocates for more and more law suits, but when you are impacted, a good tort lawyer can come in handy, right, Mr. Doheny?
2. Change or phase out employer-based health: Excuse me, but sir, that is part of the problem now. Low-wage workers with no care or coverage. The ACA changes that ... and it does, BTW: give a 35% tax break to small business who offer plans for their employees. That is a good deal.
3. Selling health care insurance across state lines: Again, the ACA has that provision for that with exchanges which also allows one to carry their coverage from NY to say, TX for example ... many states right now cannot or will not offer a variety of insurance, yes, even in NYS. The bottom of insurance policy offers usually shows something like this at the bottom: This offer not good in NY, IL, OH, FL, TX, etc.
I wonder, though, Mr. Doheny: do you think health care is a right or a privilege?
A simple question and a simple answer is all I want to hear from you. — Dan Francis
That's not a simple question Danny.
Here is a simple question: Is there anything you don't think should be free Danny? Here is another one: Who is going to pay for all your free stuff Danny?
Here is a more complicated question Danny: Medicaid already pays so low that most doctors will not take it. Automatic increases have been the norm in the 11th hour of every budget forever. Yet your Nancycare robs over a half billion dollars of these increases in order to give birth control to elite college whores. Who is going to make up this money so that the people least able to take care of themselves will be able to get treatment? Is this the death panel you want?
The same people that want caps put on executive salaries want a cap of infinity dollars put on lawsuit awards. Why is that Danny? Do you think they cut off the wrong leg on purpose? I'll tell you what...I am fine with a $10MM cap for the wrong leg getting cut off your straw man. The rest of the lawsuits are against OBGYNs that did the right thing but had the wrong outcome.
A plattsburgh office would solve the health care crisis in one day.
Dannie doesn't care who pays for anything, as long as its not him. And it never is. He's a brave, hero type motor pool general who is entitled to any and all benefits he can dream up. And if you don't think he should get more FreeStuff, then you don't appreciate him.
Jeff, if you believe Fox and MSNBC cancel each other out, then you are playing into the hands of the fruitcake element. The Dannie types will be proud.
Breaking News: GOP proposes new Health Care Plan:
It’s called... The OhWellCare® Plan:
Don't have any healthcare insurance?
"Oh, Well..."
From the WDT:
“Every Republican in the House of Representatives voted recently to repeal President Barack Obama’s 2010 health-care overhaul, and if Matthew A. Doheny had been in office, he would have joined them.” […]
That Matt Doheny would join those self serving members of Congress and vote lock step with his would be owner Boehner comes as no surprise...
BACKGROUND :
From The Hill:
“Repealing President Obama’s healthcare law would let members of Congress keep their government-subsidized insurance coverage after they retire — a benefit they lost under the health law.
The Affordable Care Act — specifically, a Republican amendment to the Affordable Care Act — kicked members of Congress and their aides out of the healthcare program for federal employees.
Instead, lawmakers and staff have to get coverage through the insurance exchanges created by the healthcare law. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), who championed that provision, said it ensures that lawmakers live under the same rules as their constituents.
Now, as the House prepares to vote on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, some Democrats are arguing that repeal would reinstate a two-tiered system that gives lawmakers a leg up.
‘“Repeal looks like it’s worse than anyone would have thought,” a Democratic official said. “Not only are Republicans helping their insurance company donors, they’re also trying to help themselves. House Republicans are set to repeal the promise that members of Congress have health care just like everyone else and to restart the perk of lifetime government health care for themselves.”’
‘“The message to grassroots America is that health care reform is good enough for you, but not for us,”’Grassley said last year. [The Hill, 7/9/12]
Repealing health law would mean more benefits for members of Congress:
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/politics-elections/236823-repealing-health-law-would-mean-more-benefits-for-members-of-congress
Geesh 11:40...a 2500 page health care bill passes and each page gives infinite power to the federal government, yet you focus one of the few things in the bill that make sense. That's pretty dumb.
You are right that they are self serving. they have a self serving interest in not destroying our economy and our healthcare system.
The lockstep is completely a democrat attribute here. Democrats that voted against the bill when it illegally passed, chose not to vote to repeal it in lockstep with democrat leadership. Owens knows it is a bad bill and still voted to keep it.
"Geesh 11:40...a 2500 page health care bill passes and each page gives infinite power to the federal government, yet you focus one of the few things in the bill that make sense."
Please, explain how it makes sense.
If members of congress were in the same boat as other tax payers, wouldn't that help focus their attention a little more on the health care coverage problems for the rest of us? Is it any wonder that they don't see a problem given that we pay for their gold-plated care? What incentive do they have to take this seriously?
Owens only did what Pelosi told him to do. That's the way he lives. That's why I will never vote for him. I will not vote for Nancie Pelosi to be my Congressman. She and her type is what has put us in this mess. That's why the American people put the House back in the hands of the opposition. Had she still been there, you would have lost everything. And Owen's little head would still be workin' the same ol' same ol'. He is not one of us. He lives under a desk in California.
Yep, there was the perfect chance to lead by example and make a stand for this country's financial future, but far too many anti-ACA legislators are too selfish to sacrifice their own taxpayer-subsidized congressional perks for the country they claim to love & revere.
Amazing how "big govt., nanny state" health care works so well for hypocritical anti-ACA legislators.
Proof positive – they ‘talk the talk’ but don’t ‘walk the walk’.
Excellent post 11:40pm. I suppose if you’re a self serving Republican partisan hack wannabe like 8:55pm then it would make sense to disregard it as inconsequential. Who else in their right mind would attempt to defend such barefaced hypocrisy?
The hypocrites in Congress railing against the ACA sure aren't getting rid of THEIR taxpayer-subsidized health insurance premiums and health care costs, even as they insist such overly-generous congressional perks are too financially ruinous to offer the taxpayers. I don’t have any doubts Doheny would do the same.
Rating: 4 Maggots (out of four)
I find it entertaining how quickly liberals dismiss any ideas Republicans offer, yet when a Republican goes against a Democratic idea, it is because the Republicans are so partisan and blind. Gotta love the hypocrisy.
Ideas 2:29pm? Here are some Republican ideas for you.
Conservatives ran on "Jobs and the Economy" in 2010, and they won. They control the agenda in the House.
So far, the Republicans in the House have introduced
• 46 bills on abortion
• 113 bills on religion
• 73 bills on family relationship
• 36 bills on marriage
• 72 bills on firearms
• 604 bills on taxation
• 437 bills on government investigation
Not one Jobs Bill let alone a viable healthcare option. The President has a Jobs Bill; Conservatives refuse to work on it.
You were saying?
Anon 8:05 ... interesting chart. BTW: I posted it and another off-shore job movement story here atMy Blog.
Maybe you saw it there? Interesting point nevertheless, isn't it?
Conservative ran on defeating Obamacare in 2010 and won. Then Obama and the democrats pulled an illegible parliamentary trick to pass his terrible healthcare bill anyway. But regardless, the best jobs bill would be to not have any democrat bills pass.
Meanwhile the democrat senate will not even vote On Obama's budget nor present an alternative one.
You're right, if it was our legislators who went bankrupt and homeless due to unforeseen medical & health issues, or accidents-such as getting hit by a drunk driver-the health care problem would be solved immediately. Selfish bas***ds!
It is a really weird mind that would argue that the general public should be entitled to the same taxpayer funded healthcare as congress is. Congress is an employee of the taxpayer and their healthcare is part of the compensation package.
The only dumber idea would be to argue that it takes a 2800 page bill to fix that problem if you are dumb enough to THINK it is a problem.
SIXTY MILLION Americans have no health care:
http://www.nytimes.com/interac...,
…but the Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's response to
this crisis is that it's "not the issue."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/....
As ALWAYS the GOP has NO solutions for Americans because all Republicans know how to do any more is to repeal, filibuster, screech, grandstand,
carp, whine, bray, posture and snivel.
I agree, everything cannot be free. There would be much chaos. But we must prepare for what is to come, that is why we try our best to avail of health care insurance.
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