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Thanks Max for listening.
He should call it: Max Baucus' "I'll listen to you if you don't mention Single Payer, and you are a health care industry lobbyist that contributed to me" Tour.
"I Can't Hear You!"
Yes, because so many of them live in Montana.
JC, please excuse the sarcasm. But we've all read for weeks how Max will betray us, and sell us out and steal our cookies and we need to hurt him and ruin his legacy and PUNISH HIM! Great, except that guy can't take time off of work, and it's such a bother to go and who cares, he won't listen anyway.
Enough with the Eeyore crap. This is the opportunity for Montana to say "No" to the Max plan. We want single payer, or we want public option. We will accept no less. He can't kick people out of a public meeting as long as they don't disrupt other's rights to speak, or threaten. This is the chance we've been waiting for to be heard. Max may nopt listen, but if you want to be heard, now's the time.
I've already drafted out some testimony to him, and also in response to Obama's call for help with reform. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get the time off from work to actually go to the hearing and present it in person, but I'll get some more thoughts to Baucus--again.
Wulfgar, you know that Max is just a politician. And he's been one for 35 years. If he didn't expect us to treat him like one, he would have been washed out of the game hears ago. NOthing we can do will hurt him or punish him. What may happen is that his fellows in Congress will lead him down a path that just isn't going to be good for health care in this country, and that will ultimately take time to discern. As far as his legacy--well, there's that history thing.
But I'm not going to apologize for being incredibly skeptical and cynical about Baucus, given all of the things he has said and done recently--and for the things he hasn't said and hasn't done.
And if you don't like the Eeyore crap, I'm glad I didn't post the SpongeBob SquarePants version of "I can't hear you!" It was even more hilarious.
I'm pretty confident that they'll be happy to hear from single-payer advocates.
Maybe Max will say, "Yeah, the people want single payer, but I won't give it to them."
That I'd like to see.
2. 60% of people support single payer in polls that offer it up as the only alternative to the current system. I'm pretty sure 60% prefer being punched in the face if it's the only alternative to being shot in the face. Find some reputable polling with multiple alternatives, anything else is deceptive at best.
3. What "shenanigans" did Baucus pull? Whether you agree with Baucus' process or not, the protesters were disrupting the business of US Senate. What is every self-righteous person held up every committee hearing they didn't agree with? I'll bet the Supreme Court couldn't hear a single case over the crowd decrying Roe v. Wade.
In fact, Missoula, which I'm going to guess will have the largest crowd of single payer advocates, is the only town with a Baucus office that also has a hearing.
Buck up, Larry.
If you look at every 'plan' that's been promoted, all of them are basically an expansion of Government control through FICA, EMTALA, Medicaid, or Medicare.
The Canadian system isn't politically, or financially possible, especially with Max, who's biggest contributors are from the medical industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the trial lawyers. Do you think the trial lawyers want to get rid of their lucrative malpractice lawsuits? After all, you cannot sue the US Government for damages.
The European system, which is essentially a two-tiered system, provides basic health care to everybody, but relies and encourages private hospitals for specialized care, with no waiting lists for those who have their own insurance or money, kind of like Benefis Hospital in Great Falls where they do a lucrative business with Canadians looking for health care with no rationing or waiting.
After all, in Europe, dying while you're on a waiting list is very cost-effective for the Government.
So go listen to Max - and before you go, read through his 'Final White Paper' and the other smoke he's put out.
And go back through the list of companies who funnelled money into his campaigns, and decide for yourselves if he's willing to turn his back on that kind of money.
Maybe send an email to your Messiah, President Obama, although being divine I'm sure he can hear your prayers - LOL
The Great Falls situation - there is no factual support for the contention that Canadians come to the U.S. for health care - studees I have seen of border hospitals indicate that it is simply not true.
Canada's health care systm is feasible, viable, popular and successful. It's troubled by rising costs, they bicker about it, but why is that different than anywhere else? The system enjoys wide public support. They kicked the insurance companies out, and don't want them back.
European health care varies from country to country, some better than others, most public, some supplemented private insurance for those who can afford it - private rooms, cosmetic and elective surgery and the like. Coverage is mandated, insurance companies, where they exist, are regulated.
Your contention that people here treat Obama as a Messiah is mere parrot talk - you would never come up with something like that on your own. (I'll bet you criticize him for using a teleprompter too - isn't that the latest meme?)
You are right on Max's support, though you are merely parroting corporate talking points when you condemn trial lawyers (who would expect you to think for yourself?)
All in all, this is a Coobsian comment. That, in case you don't know, is a pejorative. Sorry - big word - insult.
I spend considerable time in Great Falls, since SLETTEN Construction was my biggest customer for years, and I stayed in the same Hotels with some of the Canadians, and I had several discussions about this subject.
I also made a living off of the expansions up there, so I guess the Canadian system is good for business down here.
If you have a stroke in Canada, you'll probably get right in to the hospital. But if you break a bone in your foot, and want corrective surgery you'll go on a waiting list, since it's non-life threatening, or you can go get it operated on in the States if you can afford it.
I recommend you do a little research, not just let this site do your thinking for you on this subject.
And, yes, Obama is the liberals Messiah. There were a lot of chowderheads that voted for him because they figured they'd get 'free' health care, that nobody has to pay for, and I actually work with a couple of them, that are still waiting for it so they can drop their health insurance, and have more spending money. For some reason though, after our company closed 39 stores last month, they aren't as thrilled anymore. Change we can Believe In!
Most Canadians are advised, before they travel to the U.S., to take out a trip insurance policy, as if something happens or if they get sick down here, they could be wiped out financially.
Your statement regarding a broken bone in the foot appears to have been pulled right fresh out of your ass. Please wipe. Here's a Cottenelle.
We ration. We do so based on ability to pay for insurance. We devote 16% of our GDP to health care (Canada 10%), and spend twice as much as most other countries for worse outcomes.
There are wait times for procedures here in the U.S. My wife had to wait six months for a new knee. Emergency rooms here will take up your whole day. And, as Paul Krugman pointed out, the most common wait-time procedure in Canada is hip replacement, and the U.S. does a much better job with hip replacements. But most hip replacements in this country are paid for by Medicare. In other words, our public care system does a better job than theirs regarding hips.
Finally, regarding Canadian use of American facilities, I suggest, Mr. Anecdote, that you read this:
http://content.healthaffairs.o...
and then find a similar study that has reported different results.
http://pieceofmind.wordpress.c...
