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Today's Poll: Do you think Congress can pass meaningful health care reform?

By Howard B. Owens
bud prevost

Do you think Congress can pass any kind of meaningful health care reform? If they set aside all of the outside influences, and truly did what is right for their constituents, of course they can.
Do you think Congress WILL pass any kind of meaningful health care reform? Hell no, because the insurance industry, the big pharmas, and the lawyers won't let it happen. And the personality clashes in DC don't help.
The fact that BOTH McCain and Obama were less than civil at the health summit, just goes to show partisan BS is alive and well.
President Obama talks a good game, but action speaks louder than words, and he came across as arrogant and condescending.

Feb 26, 2010, 7:59am Permalink
Bob Harker

Misusing the process of budget reconciliation, the dems will push through their plan. And yes, it will be meaningful. That doesn't mean it's going to be good.

Even former Klansman Senator Robert Byrd, who sponsored the bill that created reconciliation years ago, says this will be a serious violation of the spirit of that legislation.

Feb 26, 2010, 9:37am Permalink
George Richardson

Bud, it's a shame that it looked that way to you. What I saw was an adult dealing firmly with whiney children well past their naptimes. The only thing they brought to the table was demands for a do-over so they could stall until November and keep their fingers crossed that the public will have forgotten everything from the past in just two short years. They are basing their future on a stratagem of running out the clock. It doesn't work in football but maybe it will be different for them, or maybe not.

Feb 26, 2010, 10:05am Permalink
Karen Miconi

McCain acted like a Horses A**. His conduct was embarrassing. What a clown he is. His disfunction,and that of his buddies, is exactly what the American People are trying to get away from. Im so glad he didnt win the presidency. Man, we dodged a bullet with him. His disrespect was just rediculious. I think his actions, were just a play for re-election, and a failed attempt to tick off the Prez. But guess what Johnny, it didnt work! Take your sideshow somewhere else. Hang in there Barrock Obama, your doing the best job you can.

Feb 26, 2010, 11:47am Permalink
Dennis Jay

Even the weakest reform plan is better than the current system that's bankrupting some 700,000 families a year, and ultimately will bankrupt Medicare, Medicaid and make health insurance exclusively for the wealthy.

Just having provisions to ban the restrictions on pre-existing conditions and policy rescissions (along with extending dependent children to age 26 on their parents' policies) would be meaningful.

Add to that, programs that would get poor people out of expensive ERs and into clinics would be a huge cost saver.

Plus, the anti-fraud features of Obama's plan could save billions more.

It's all meaningful.

Feb 26, 2010, 12:37pm Permalink
Mike Weaver

Health care reform efforts are going to continue to be meaningless as long as the president and lawmakers continue to focus on the health insurance industry.

There needs to be fundamental changes in the price/cost of health care services, not health insurance. Cost and availability of insurance is a symptom, not the problem.

Feb 26, 2010, 12:47pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Does anyone with health insurance now believe that this will cause you to pay less a year or more a year...What is the real number of uninsured,,Does the number included illegal immigrants..How about talking about those that don't want insurance...It is a state issue not a federal one..The health care debate yesterday was a farce on both sides..Obama knew before he staged the whole thing..He got called out on this last month on why it wasn't debated on cspan from the start..That was all he called for when he was running for President..So this was a way to act like he is doing just that..A whole 6 hrs worth..2700 pages in size ,the bill is. The US Constitution is 4,543 words and takes up about 15 pages...Just think how big it would be, if it was to be written by these clowns representing us now..The health care bill needs to be redone..

Feb 26, 2010, 1:19pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

We really, really need to just get to the point of admitting health care is broken, it needs fixed. Cut out the partisan bullshit and sit down and make the legislative process work the way it should. Stop pointing fingers, casting blame, trying to score political points, accusing one side of being fascist and the other socialist, and just get busy and get to work.

Feb 26, 2010, 2:14pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

You're right Howard, but to go back to the first comment by Bud; they won't. Too many Senators and Congressmen are in the pocket of big pharma and other special interests. This is a trillion dollar industry and it has permeated our government process. In the video you posted it showed it on a smaller scale with the hospitals. The giant isn't going to like Jack stealing the goose that lays the golden eggs. It sucks, because I know I feel like I'm getting screwed and so do a lot of other folks.

Feb 26, 2010, 2:42pm Permalink
Deborah Pappalardo

Mr. Prevost is right on the money. The only way to reform healthcare is to curtail the actions of the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. Without major changes there, nothing will work. Socialized medicine IS NOT the answer but continuing on the way we have been isn't either. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have truly addressed the real problem so it's not the fault of one or the other but the fault of both. The American people need to stand together on the matter. That very important quote: "United We Stand" is pretty powerful but what about the last part: "Divided we FALL"? Our country has never been more divided than we are today. Some are too busy trying to make the "other side" look bad. Or, they think they have more important things to do. I have been in the position of trying to get people involved in community action and I gotta tell ya, it's not easy. They'd rather sit and whine about the problem than get up and try and do something to change it to make it better. This country is in the shape it's in because of the people being complacent. How many times do you think I've heard people say, "I don't watch the news. I don't want to know what's going on. I don't understand politics. It doesn't matter what I think anyway." Well, as a result...here we are.

Feb 26, 2010, 6:25pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

I'm to the point of not being too concerned about what the solution is -- just fix it.

Several years ago, Matt Welch was a freelance writer in Los Angeles and I was a Web developer in Ventura and publishing my own blog, as he was. We had a mutual friend whom I knew from my days as a reporter in San Diego. That's how Matt and I met. We became fast friends. He's now editor of the leading libertarian magazine, Reason. Here's <a href="http://reason.com/archives/2009/12/07/why-prefer-french-health-care">wh… he says about health care in France</a>. It's a fascinating piece. It pissed off a lot of Reason supporters.

Feb 26, 2010, 9:50pm Permalink

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