Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Cmdr wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:52 AM:
Vicki, you forgot to have those malcontents return their Social Security checks and certainly they will want stop using any of those 100% socialist VA hospital services. Seriously, It‘s so sad to see a Republican party that was once a serious and valuable contributor to our country turn into Fox and Rush party with nothing positive to contribute.
Dragonman wrote on Sep 25, 2009 9:42 PM:
Kathleen; where are you getting these facts? Do you know who decided that taking the money from Social Security and using it to fund special interest was? Or do you restrict yourself to just the ABC's in life? I think that is over now. Tell your son to go ahead and change his profession. I am sure all future doctors will need food stamps and TANIF to survive. Are you kidding me? Do you really think he will not be able to make a living if everyone has insurance? You right wing thinkers need to get together and get your story straight. Half of you think there will be a shortage of Doctors, the other half think they will go broke. Neither one is true, but maybe the sky is falling. You better stay inside that little shell.
Dragonman wrote on Sep 25, 2009 9:28 PM:
GOP= Goofy old party
See this> madashelldoctors.com
sickforprofit.com
No one wants to do away with free speech. This letter does not even say that, it does say you are free to be wrong...again. LOL
See this> madashelldoctors.com
sickforprofit.com
No one wants to do away with free speech. This letter does not even say that, it does say you are free to be wrong...again. LOL
Gary wrote on Sep 25, 2009 3:57 PM:
To the other Gary, so what are you talking about? I said Vicki, "according to your letter title". It makes it appear the Gop should not have Free Speech because it gives them the license to rant. I feel much better now that you have explained what she said. She really does need an interpreter like most of our politicians to explain what they are us. Thanks.....
just saying wrote on Sep 24, 2009 11:30 PM:
Gary,
The latest right-wing mantra is that if someone disagrees with them then they are attempting to silence them. That's nonsense.
Actually, what Vicki is saying is that you have a right to free speech and a right to be wrong. Read the letter. Your comment being published only proves her point. Welcome to America and be thankful for other people who, like our liberal founding fathers, actually choose to promote and preserve freedom of speech.
The latest right-wing mantra is that if someone disagrees with them then they are attempting to silence them. That's nonsense.
Actually, what Vicki is saying is that you have a right to free speech and a right to be wrong. Read the letter. Your comment being published only proves her point. Welcome to America and be thankful for other people who, like our liberal founding fathers, actually choose to promote and preserve freedom of speech.
Gary wrote on Sep 24, 2009 6:05 PM:
Vicki, According to your letter title your for elimating free speech as long as it only affects those against what you are for. I guess that makes 'liberal' sense. Good luck.....
Barack Obama wrote on Sep 24, 2009 11:42 AM:
The problem with your logic in this article is that you lump everyone together. Is it hypocritical if I don't think abortion is right? Are you saying that if you are against abortion you are a Republican? I don't really understand your narrowsided liberal bull.
Kathleen wrote on Sep 24, 2009 8:15 AM:
I'm leaving town tomorrow so I'm done blogging. I guess we will all just have to agree to disagree!
Kathleen wrote on Sep 24, 2009 8:11 AM:
To Just Saying:
My husband is a physician too and my youngest son is in medical school. Neither of them agree with the public plan. You must not understand that Obama and Rangel say this is just the first step leading to Single Payer. Read and heard them say it myself. All of our physician friends agree with us so I still believe you are in the minority. My husband said "he doesn't trust any poll from the AMA, nor do many doctors even belong to the AMA." But, I really don't care about polls anyway. My personal poll is all I care about. And, I have a right to my opinion without having people imply that I'm stupid, brainwashed, or should turn in my medicare card.
I only wrote on this blog because Vicki said that people opposed to the plan should simply just opt out of it. That is not a smart financial option to anyone who is forced to pay into both medicare and social security. We do not believe in redistribution.
My husband is a physician too and my youngest son is in medical school. Neither of them agree with the public plan. You must not understand that Obama and Rangel say this is just the first step leading to Single Payer. Read and heard them say it myself. All of our physician friends agree with us so I still believe you are in the minority. My husband said "he doesn't trust any poll from the AMA, nor do many doctors even belong to the AMA." But, I really don't care about polls anyway. My personal poll is all I care about. And, I have a right to my opinion without having people imply that I'm stupid, brainwashed, or should turn in my medicare card.
I only wrote on this blog because Vicki said that people opposed to the plan should simply just opt out of it. That is not a smart financial option to anyone who is forced to pay into both medicare and social security. We do not believe in redistribution.
rianza wrote on Sep 23, 2009 7:52 PM:
Dear Justice For All,
Your ability to ignore the implications of 1 TRILLION dollars of debt - whether it's spread over one month or over a millenium - is downright comical. You speak of a trillion dollars like it's actually manageable! Not only is it not manageable, but like the size of our universe it is simply impossible for the human brain to grasp how much money that is! PLEEEASEe...spare us the tribble about how Obama is going to make healthcare "affordable" for the masses. It appears that Obama's legacy will be to accomplish what Milton Friedman predicted years ago - the total and absolute destruction of the once-almighty dollar.
Your ability to ignore the implications of 1 TRILLION dollars of debt - whether it's spread over one month or over a millenium - is downright comical. You speak of a trillion dollars like it's actually manageable! Not only is it not manageable, but like the size of our universe it is simply impossible for the human brain to grasp how much money that is! PLEEEASEe...spare us the tribble about how Obama is going to make healthcare "affordable" for the masses. It appears that Obama's legacy will be to accomplish what Milton Friedman predicted years ago - the total and absolute destruction of the once-almighty dollar.
Kathleen wrote on Sep 23, 2009 5:18 PM:
I'm not sure one of my comments registered so I will repeat it.
To Justice For All: Yes, the $1,000,000,000,000 plus estimate from the CBO was for the house bill, but that's all we have had for some time now. Please give me a computer site where you can show me Obama's actual plan. He talks about a plan, but I have never seen it.
The healthcare plan does not begin until 2013. (It must take 4 years to set up the bureaucracy for the public plan.) So, the cost is for 6 years, not 10 years, and it will be $1,000,000,000,000 plus. After 10 years the cost gets even higher and so does the deficit. That's what the CBO says. Not me, the CBO!
To Justice For All: Yes, the $1,000,000,000,000 plus estimate from the CBO was for the house bill, but that's all we have had for some time now. Please give me a computer site where you can show me Obama's actual plan. He talks about a plan, but I have never seen it.
The healthcare plan does not begin until 2013. (It must take 4 years to set up the bureaucracy for the public plan.) So, the cost is for 6 years, not 10 years, and it will be $1,000,000,000,000 plus. After 10 years the cost gets even higher and so does the deficit. That's what the CBO says. Not me, the CBO!
Kathleen wrote on Sep 23, 2009 4:46 PM:
I looked up your survey. The physicians' survey in The New England Journal of Medicine only included physicians that belong to the AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. The problem with using that group as the sample is that they are not representative of most actual practicing physicians. Only about 20% of practicing physicians belong to the AMA, so 80% OF THE PRACTICING PHYSICIANS IN OUR COUNTRY HAD NO VOICE IN THIS SURVEY. That is also why it is misleading to believe Obama when he says that physicians support the public plan. He is only speaking of the AMA.
Besides, this survey only says that 62.9% support a public plan if it is in CONJUNCTION with private insurance. And, the public plan will eventually lead to single payer with no private insurance.
Besides, this survey only says that 62.9% support a public plan if it is in CONJUNCTION with private insurance. And, the public plan will eventually lead to single payer with no private insurance.
just saying wrote on Sep 23, 2009 4:41 PM:
Kathleen - yes, the IBD survey is the one I was referring to, also. And it refers to certain plans only. Doctors, overall favor by over two-thirds the concept of a public option, not necessarily any bill that has been presented to date so far. I also oppose most of them, though I, like most doctors, believe that an effective and cost efficient public option is not only possible, but is necessary (which would include heavy regulatory legislation like you say that you support) to keep insurance companies honest.
Vicki was merely saying that, if you oppose government health care, you are free to not participate.
Vicki was merely saying that, if you oppose government health care, you are free to not participate.
Justice for All wrote on Sep 23, 2009 2:27 PM:
Kathleen, the IBD poll you cited was not-scientific. Perhaps you should look in to the scientific study published in the New England Journal of Medicine which determines that 73% of U.S. physicians support health care reform that includes a public health insurance option.
Additionally, the $1 trillion you referenced was from one House Bill, and does not have anything to do with what President Obama wants. Oh, and something that you and everyone always forgets to acknowledge, the $1 trillion is for over 10 years. It's funny that those who oppose health care reform always leave that part out. I guess it may have to do with them all having the same sources for their information.
Additionally, the $1 trillion you referenced was from one House Bill, and does not have anything to do with what President Obama wants. Oh, and something that you and everyone always forgets to acknowledge, the $1 trillion is for over 10 years. It's funny that those who oppose health care reform always leave that part out. I guess it may have to do with them all having the same sources for their information.
Kathleen wrote on Sep 23, 2009 2:14 PM:
Just Saying:
The poll that I quoted was not the one that you are apparently talking about. The one I quoted was from Investors Business Daily. It says, "doctor opposition to healthcare overhaul proposals is broad and deep." It goes on to say that 65% of practicing physicians opposed health care plans that have emerged from the adminsistration and Congress. It goes on to say "Perhaps the most shocking result: 45% of these professionals said they would consider closing their practices or retiring early if the reforms now under consideration were enacted."
Of course, I realize I will not get a refund from medicare. I was joking! Read Vicki's letter, she says that if I oppose the public plan, that I should turn in my medicare card. My point is that we have paid in big money and want to retrieve some of it. As I said we were forced to pay in. Do you really believe that we should just cheerfully donate it? That would be redistribution at its best!
The poll that I quoted was not the one that you are apparently talking about. The one I quoted was from Investors Business Daily. It says, "doctor opposition to healthcare overhaul proposals is broad and deep." It goes on to say that 65% of practicing physicians opposed health care plans that have emerged from the adminsistration and Congress. It goes on to say "Perhaps the most shocking result: 45% of these professionals said they would consider closing their practices or retiring early if the reforms now under consideration were enacted."
Of course, I realize I will not get a refund from medicare. I was joking! Read Vicki's letter, she says that if I oppose the public plan, that I should turn in my medicare card. My point is that we have paid in big money and want to retrieve some of it. As I said we were forced to pay in. Do you really believe that we should just cheerfully donate it? That would be redistribution at its best!
Kathleen wrote on Sep 23, 2009 1:12 PM:
Here's more to make you laugh. My mother would be dead without her private insurance. This is a fact known to me, not you. And, yes, my husband and I were forced to pay into social security and medicare. Entitlements that are near bankruptcy!
Finally, France is a small country that does not compare to a country of over 300,000,000. I believe that the bigger a bureaucracy, the bigger the incompetence. And, I am not French, nor do I want to be! I suggest you ask your French doctor why he/she is practicing medicine in the United States instead of in wonderful France where the healthcare is so great! My own doctor is from Romania and says that freedom is slipping away in America. My physician says Americans better wakeup before its too late!
Finally, France is a small country that does not compare to a country of over 300,000,000. I believe that the bigger a bureaucracy, the bigger the incompetence. And, I am not French, nor do I want to be! I suggest you ask your French doctor why he/she is practicing medicine in the United States instead of in wonderful France where the healthcare is so great! My own doctor is from Romania and says that freedom is slipping away in America. My physician says Americans better wakeup before its too late!
Kathleen wrote on Sep 23, 2009 1:07 PM:
Mindtwisted: Here's some more information to make you laugh. My facts are from the neutral Congressional Budget Office and from research done by Investor's Business Daily. I did not make my facts up. I had a source.
The uninsured 46,000,000 does include illegal immigrants. Obama just reduced the number to 30,000,000 uninsured in his speech to Congress. Obama took out the 16,000,000 because they indeed were illegal immigrants.
Some of my letter was my opinion, I don't believe the post office, the DMV, medicare, social security, Veteran's hospitals, or the IRS are efficiently run. So, I repeat in my opinion, no government bureaucracy is run efficiently. Healthcare would be no different.
The uninsured 46,000,000 does include illegal immigrants. Obama just reduced the number to 30,000,000 uninsured in his speech to Congress. Obama took out the 16,000,000 because they indeed were illegal immigrants.
Some of my letter was my opinion, I don't believe the post office, the DMV, medicare, social security, Veteran's hospitals, or the IRS are efficiently run. So, I repeat in my opinion, no government bureaucracy is run efficiently. Healthcare would be no different.
just saying wrote on Sep 23, 2009 11:51 AM:
Kathleen -
Of your several comments, we agree on some things; there needs to be regulation preventing pre-existing conditions from determining availability of coverage, no caps on coverage, and the concept of healthcare reform that might be serviced entirely by private companies such as in Denamark and Switzerland.
Other comments are either misleading or just wrong.
The poll you cite asks doctors if they support a particular congressional plan, not the concept of a "public option" in general, which over two-thirds of doctors support in other polls.
Your Medicare is not funded by your taxes. Your taxes fund current recipients, just as your Medicare would be funded by taxpaters in your later years. Sorry, there's no justification for you getting a refund, there.
There are plans such as S 676 (Conyer's single payer plan) that spell out how it would be paid for reasonably and would save businesses a lot of money. Public options can also be structured reasonably when combined with insurance regulation.
Of your several comments, we agree on some things; there needs to be regulation preventing pre-existing conditions from determining availability of coverage, no caps on coverage, and the concept of healthcare reform that might be serviced entirely by private companies such as in Denamark and Switzerland.
Other comments are either misleading or just wrong.
The poll you cite asks doctors if they support a particular congressional plan, not the concept of a "public option" in general, which over two-thirds of doctors support in other polls.
Your Medicare is not funded by your taxes. Your taxes fund current recipients, just as your Medicare would be funded by taxpaters in your later years. Sorry, there's no justification for you getting a refund, there.
There are plans such as S 676 (Conyer's single payer plan) that spell out how it would be paid for reasonably and would save businesses a lot of money. Public options can also be structured reasonably when combined with insurance regulation.
MindTwisted wrote on Sep 22, 2009 7:51 AM:
Kathleen, everything you've written is hilarious. Every fact wrong, every statistic incorrect, and in general it's obvious you have no idea what you're talking about. You say you're a teacher?
Here's something you might like...c/p
It's apparently a huge controversy. My Parisian doctor was telling me about it the other day. You see, this is the land of "socialized medicine," and it's gotten so expensive for the government to support that whole single-payer thing that the French govt. is now having to raise the prices for consumers. And boy are people hopping mad. They're talking about raising the price you have to pay for a one night hospital stay by 25%.
Yup.
A night in a French hospital is going to go up from $23.50 a night to $29.40 a night.
Yeah, socialized medicine sure sounds evil, and a public option would raise Satan from the depths of Hell. Thank God that all the teabaggers and insurance companies are here to save us all from universal healthcare.
Here's something you might like...c/p
It's apparently a huge controversy. My Parisian doctor was telling me about it the other day. You see, this is the land of "socialized medicine," and it's gotten so expensive for the government to support that whole single-payer thing that the French govt. is now having to raise the prices for consumers. And boy are people hopping mad. They're talking about raising the price you have to pay for a one night hospital stay by 25%.
Yup.
A night in a French hospital is going to go up from $23.50 a night to $29.40 a night.
Yeah, socialized medicine sure sounds evil, and a public option would raise Satan from the depths of Hell. Thank God that all the teabaggers and insurance companies are here to save us all from universal healthcare.
Carl wrote on Sep 22, 2009 7:15 AM:
My attitude is that the current health care proposals seem to be more an example of corporate subsidism then government socialism. No one seems to be addressing that! What is needed is a universal medicaid program. We are getting taxed double for the current medicaid and s-chip programs so why not allow everyone a chance to sign up?
Kathleen wrote on Sep 21, 2009 6:51 PM:
And one more thing! I didn't like the deficit under Bush either. However, Obama has tripled the deficit in about 8 months. The Congressional Budget Office says the house healthcare plan is not, I repeat not, deficit neutral. It does not matter what Obama says, the CBO says the plan is not deficit neutral. In fact, it will add over $1,000,000,000,000!
Healthcare does need to be less expensive. Healthcare does need to be reformed. However, the public plan is not the way to fix it. We should start with tort reform to stop defensive medicine and high malpractice insurance. People should be able to buy their insurance across state lines, own their policy so they don't lose it with a job change, should not be shut out by a pre-existing condition, and insurance payments should not be capped. None of those things need to coexist with a public plan. A public plan is just another entitlement program on the way to bankruptcy! I have a right to disagree without having to forfeit the money we were forced to pay into medicare!
Healthcare does need to be less expensive. Healthcare does need to be reformed. However, the public plan is not the way to fix it. We should start with tort reform to stop defensive medicine and high malpractice insurance. People should be able to buy their insurance across state lines, own their policy so they don't lose it with a job change, should not be shut out by a pre-existing condition, and insurance payments should not be capped. None of those things need to coexist with a public plan. A public plan is just another entitlement program on the way to bankruptcy! I have a right to disagree without having to forfeit the money we were forced to pay into medicare!
Kathleen wrote on Sep 21, 2009 6:30 PM:
Here are a couple more things that I wanted to say.
My mother is on medicare. There is no doubt in my mind that she would be dead if not for the private insurance provided by her retirement package. The private policy pays for all her medications and her doctors receive full payment instead of just the medicare payment. It is no wonder many doctors refuse to take medicare patients.
In a recent poll of doctors, 65% said they were opposed to the public plan. And 45%, said they would retire early if the public plan passes. My own son is in medical school right now and is questioning his own vocation choice. Vicki, where do you think all the physicians will come from to provide the wonderful unrationed healthcare to all of us and the 46,000,000 more. By the way, that number does include illegal immigrants!
My mother is on medicare. There is no doubt in my mind that she would be dead if not for the private insurance provided by her retirement package. The private policy pays for all her medications and her doctors receive full payment instead of just the medicare payment. It is no wonder many doctors refuse to take medicare patients.
In a recent poll of doctors, 65% said they were opposed to the public plan. And 45%, said they would retire early if the public plan passes. My own son is in medical school right now and is questioning his own vocation choice. Vicki, where do you think all the physicians will come from to provide the wonderful unrationed healthcare to all of us and the 46,000,000 more. By the way, that number does include illegal immigrants!
Kathleen wrote on Sep 21, 2009 5:32 PM:
Just so you know who I am Vicki, I taught your son in kindergarten.
I am one of those pesky citizens who are "deadset against universal healthcare." I believe that until the entitlements of social security and medicare are on stable ground--not on the verge of bankruptcy, that it is ridiculous to initiate another expensive entitlement program that citizens like us will be forced to fund with our tax dollars. I also believe there are no government bureaucracies that run efficiently. Absolutely none!
And, in addition, my husband and I would be happy to turn in our medicare cards as soon as the federal government returns all the hard earned money (with interest) that we paid into medicare. Vicki, we were forced to pay into social security and medicare at the maximum deduction. We had no choice in the matter. I assure you it is not a choice we would have willingly made. So, when the time comes, we will use social security and medicare because it is the only way to get our money. Hopefully we live long enough to get every dime back!
I am one of those pesky citizens who are "deadset against universal healthcare." I believe that until the entitlements of social security and medicare are on stable ground--not on the verge of bankruptcy, that it is ridiculous to initiate another expensive entitlement program that citizens like us will be forced to fund with our tax dollars. I also believe there are no government bureaucracies that run efficiently. Absolutely none!
And, in addition, my husband and I would be happy to turn in our medicare cards as soon as the federal government returns all the hard earned money (with interest) that we paid into medicare. Vicki, we were forced to pay into social security and medicare at the maximum deduction. We had no choice in the matter. I assure you it is not a choice we would have willingly made. So, when the time comes, we will use social security and medicare because it is the only way to get our money. Hopefully we live long enough to get every dime back!
Justice for All wrote on Sep 21, 2009 2:41 PM:
Nice letter Vicki. I find it funny that instead of making any thoughtful comments about your letter people like Hiram would rather misrepresent you (I read and reread your letter and you never said health care was a right) and come up with some ridiculous analogy about the 2nd Amendment, which says nothing about a right to a free gun purchased by the U.S. Government.
rcflyer wrote on Sep 20, 2009 8:14 PM:
free speech is to be for all,or is it only if you think as we do. hmmmmm.
1313 wrote on Sep 20, 2009 11:58 AM:
"Party of hypocrisy" huh ? ? ? ?
Thats a good one ! ! !
Real funny too ! ! !
Thats a good one ! ! !
Real funny too ! ! !
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines