You want a CRISIS.. Well you are going to get one.. A Very BIG one..

S. Lindsey's picture

We have been debating.. ok ranting about the proposed Nationalization of 1/6 of our Economy called the Universal Healthcare Bill.
I have listened to President Obama state over and over that it will be revenue neutral that it will not increase the deficit..
I find it very hard to believe this is true..
Let’s take a look at some other Government Sponsored Programs:
United States Post Office:
The service reported a $2.4 billion loss in the quarter ending June 30, and by some estimates is on track to lose about $7 billion this fiscal year.
Recently President Obama compared the USPO to Fedex and UPS..
”UPS and Fedex are doing just fine… It’s the Post Office that’s always having problems” (President Obama)
The USPS is a Government run entity and Progressive wish to turn over Healthcare to these guys?
Medicaid:
“Medicaid is a study in contradiction. Thanks to it,
America’s neediest get health care paid for by
taxpayers. Often they get better health care than
taxpayers can afford for themselves. The program is
both “free” and break-the-bank expensive. It lets poor
people look rich and rich people look poor, and it
rewards lawyers and druggists with real wealth.
Medicaid works so well it’s going broke.”
‘Medicaid famously could pay $5,336 for a prescription
that cost the pharmacist $88. The Department of Health and Human Services inspector
general found in 2002 that Medicaid reimbursements exceeded pharmacists’ true costs by
$1.5 billion.” By Joe Barton
This is a fine example of Socialism in action..

Medicare:
“The current and future financial status of the separate trust funds is the focus of the annual reports of the Medicare and Social Security Boards of Trustees, a focus necessitated by law that may appropriately be referred to as the “trust fund perspective.” The latest reports show that while in the near term the trust funds are in surplus, in the long run the funds will have substantial deficits due to impending demographic shifts and projected growth in per capita health care costs.” (This paper is an expanded version of Appendix E of the 2004 Medicare Trustees’ Report that treats the same topic in a more abbreviated form. Contact James E. Duggan (james.duggan@do.treas.gov) for questions or comments.)
Another Governmental Program scheduled to go BROKE..
Social Security:
“The way Social Security works, taxes from current workers go straight to paying for the benefits of current retirees. Your money is not being “saved” anywhere to be withdrawn later. In 1950, there were 7.3 working-age people for each person over 65; now, the ratio is 4.7 to 1, and it is scheduled to drop to 2.7 to 1 by 2035. That’s a lot less people paying in.” (My money.com)
“The trustees predict that in 2018, the amount being paid out for benefits will begin to exceed the amount being paid in. There is enough money to keep paying full benefits until 2041. The CBO predicts the system will fall apart about 10 years later.”( Social Security Trustees and Congressional Budget Office)
If you are 40 or under do you really expect to draw a dime of Social Security?
Veterans Administration:
“As clinicians at an urban public hospital, we
often care for uninsured patients. Recently,
we noted that several patients without coverage
were combat veterans. We were surprised.
We, and most colleagues we spoke
with, assumed that all veterans qualify for
care at Veterans Health Administration (VA)
hospitals and clinics.
In fact, only a minority of veterans—those
disabled by military service—are automatically
eligible for VA care.”( David U. Himmelstein, MD, FACP, Karen E. Lasser, MD, MPH, Danny McCormick, MD, MPH, David H. Bor, MD, J. Wesley Boyd, MD, PhD,
and Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, FACP)
“Many US veterans are uninsured and lack adequate access to health
care.” (Am J Public Health. 2007;97:XXX–XXX. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.106302)
“VHA operates the nation’s largest integrated health care system. Unlike other
federal health programs, VHA is a direct service provider rather than a health insurer
or payer for health care. VA health care services are generally available to all
honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who are enrolled in VA’s
health care system. VA has a priority enrollment system that places veterans in
priority groups based on various criteria.
Under the priority system VA decides each
year whether its appropriations are adequate to serve all enrolled veterans. If not, VA
could stop enrolling those in the lowest-priority groups.”( Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress)
You want Nationalized Healthcare.. ask a VET how their care is going… I believe it was just a few years ago that a certain President was getting railroaded over the state of the VA.. and now it is held as a shining example of Government Healthcare Reform.. I ask you “What has changed”? The answer.. NOTHING.

I used a few of the “Government” programs all dealing with either budgets and/or Healthcare. The information is directly from the sources and no alterations where made.. All quoted sources where referenced..

So now.. Since I have shown what a fantastic job our Government does with managing its programs why would we want the Government to take over our Healthcare.. The fact is we don’t at least according to a majority of Americans we don’t. So why are they attempting to do so?
We have some obvious problems in our Medical System. This is expected when our Government accounts for half of all the spending and can twist the system through manipulation of out tax system.
Predictably however the American People are satisfied with their Healthcare despite all the propaganda
for solving a Healthcare Crisis which does not exist. The majority sees no crisis to warrant a government takeover.

Rasmussen Poll:
Forty-eight percent (48%) of U.S. voters now rate the U.S. health care system as good or excellent. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 19% rate it as poor.
These figures reflect a significant increase in support for the health care system over the past few months. In May, just 35% of adults nationwide rated the system as good or excellent. A year ago, just 29% of Likely Voters rated the system in such positive terms.
The new polling also shows that 80% of those with insurance rate their own coverage as good or excellent. That's up from 70% in May.

I'll start with the bad news: When we get through the economic time that we're in right now, we're going to be confronted with an even bigger problem. The first of the Baby Boomers started signing up for early retirement under Social Security last year. Two years from now they will start signing up for Medicare. All told, 78 million people are going to stop working, stop paying taxes, stop paying into retirement programs, and start drawing benefits. The problem is, neither Social Security nor Medicare is ready for them. The federal government has made explicit and implicit promises to millions of people, but has put no money aside in order to keep those promises. Some of you may wonder where Bernie Madoff got the idea for his Ponzi scheme. Clearly he was studying federal entitlement policy.”( JOHN C. GOODMAN is the president, CEO, and Kellye Wright Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis.)
A Prescription for American Health Care
This should be required reading for all.. Step back from the politics of it all for just a second and ask yourself.. “Can we really afford all that the Government wants to do?” The inevitable answer you must come to is.. NO.. we cannot.
This Administration cannot even run a “Cash for Clunkers” program.. and you really want them to manage a 1.84 Trillion dollar program and run it as efficient as the programs I listed.. Really?!?
Has any Government run program ever come in on budget much less under one… ?
JOHN C. GOODMAN is the president, CEO, and Kellye Wright Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Columbia University, and has taught and done research at Columbia University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Southern Methodist University and the University of Dallas. He writes regularly for such newspapers as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Investor's Business Daily and the Los Angeles Times, and is the author of nine books, including Patient Power: Solving America's Health Care Crisis and Lives at Risk: Single-Payer National Health Insurance Around the World.

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Submitted by ATLtoPTC on Wed, 08/19/2009 - 10:05am.

With everyone focused on the issue of healthcare reform and the bailouts of the banking & auto industries, there are other hugely important issues flying under the radar. Social Security could go cash flow negative as early as THIS year or next, NOT 2018! (there's an interesting read at http://www.globalaging.org/pension/us/socialsec/2009/bailout.htm).

And there has been virtually no news in the media about the scary things Congress is doing in regards to the FDA, food oversight/safety, etc. Sure "food safety" makes a great soundbite, but what they are really doing is giving the FDA and big agribusiness more power with less accountability, and they are going to wipe out small farmers and our freedom to make food choices. Do you know which groups have the greatest numbers of lobbyists in Washington or who spends the most money on lobbying? Big pharma and big agribusiness, that's who - and if you think our good health is what they want.... hahaha - no, it's all about profit. By the way, big pharma thinks Obama's healthcare reform is a good idea - that alone scares me to death!

Do a little research on NAIS, HR2749, who's heading up the FDA these days (great idea - let's get some people from Monsanto into the FDA - surely that's not a conflict of interest, huh??), etc. and see if you don't get a little worried, too.

secret squirrel's picture
Submitted by secret squirrel on Wed, 08/19/2009 - 6:14am.

For every faltering government program you cite, there are five or six government programs which not only work well but which you rely upon so confidently you don't even realize it. There is no doubt there are problems with government programs. However they are generally outgrowths of an exigent situation which because of the magnitude and severity cannot be or is not being sufficiently answered anywhere else. Let's be honest: no private sector entity can mobilize on the scale the US government can. No one ever said these programs were perfect and as times change, these programs should absolutely be re-assessed in terms of their current efficacy. But when it comes to consumer and civic protections, people who rail against the government in these popular bumper-sticker rhetoric rants frequently do overlook the benefits they are afforded by the government.


S. Lindsey's picture
Submitted by S. Lindsey on Wed, 08/19/2009 - 7:09am.

List all those wonderful programs that the Goverment runs so well and at or under budget.. I would really like to see them.. So take your time and give us a list.. and please attach their acomplishments..

The problem here squirrel is.. MONEY.. Almost every program you are likely to site is loaded with fraud and abuse.. No oversite and little control..
So I am still waiting for that list... because I feel confident that I can show abuse, overbudget expenditures and/or mis-mangement of that program.
The Government does one thing REALLY, REALLY well.. SPEND OUR TAXDOLLARS... I wonder have they figured out why Pig Poop Stinks.. They spent Millions to find out.. I guess it will be money well spent..

Oh BTW.. speaking of IGNORANCE.. YOU REALLY NEED TO READ MY TAG LINE.. BELOW..

"Any People who expect to be both IGNORANT and FREE, in a state of CIVILIZATION, expects what NEVER was and NEVER will be."
THOMAS JEFFERSON


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 7:27pm.

Did you get writers cramp on this one? Smiling
-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


S. Lindsey's picture
Submitted by S. Lindsey on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 7:39pm.

naw.. but I did vapor lock a time or two on the research...

"Any People who expect to be both IGNORANT and FREE, in a state of CIVILIZATION, expects what NEVER was and NEVER will be."
THOMAS JEFFERSON


Submitted by kingswood48 on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 8:37pm.

Thanks for the effort to put all of the examples of government incompetance together. I sit in total amazement that there are so many people that believe that government can do anything to control the cost and increase access to health care. Everyone is so preoccupied with where the $1.6 Trillion to fund this health care program will come from that lost in the shuffle is the $10 T in unfunded liabilities to cover Social Security and $39T for Medicare. Go to usdebtclock.org for a little shock. What will happen to the tax burden on the American People when the 78 million do as you said, quit work, stop paying in into the system and start collecting? It is criminal that no one in Washington has addressed this issue before we try to take on another government program! Obviously this is a power grab for more control over our lives. I am scared to death for the future of this country

S. Lindsey's picture
Submitted by S. Lindsey on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 8:39pm.

at this rate.. at least not the Future I dreamed of about Life in America..

"Any People who expect to be both IGNORANT and FREE, in a state of CIVILIZATION, expects what NEVER was and NEVER will be."
THOMAS JEFFERSON


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