Dying For Insurance: "We can walk and chew gum" - "[noun du jour] is Socialism"

Dying For Insurance Blog

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Dying For Insurance: "We can walk and chew gum" - "[noun du jour] is Socialism" - "The GOP is the party of No"

"We can walk and chew gum" - "[noun du jour] is Socialism" - "The GOP is the party of No"

According to politicians, at some time in the last 20 years, we must have become a nation of idiots. We obviously are too stupid to know what to think until the "talking points" for each day are spewed out upon the airways by politicians of both parties. It is so apparent to anyone watching the news that each day is planned down to the phrases used.
No matter what my personal politics are, it is time to address both parties. There are many Republicans and Democrats who are more moderate that are beginning to get very nervous. Democrats have become intoxicated with the ability to pass laws and throw money at everything the Republicans have just now decided to return to their roots of less spending and don't really "get it."

To the extreme left-wing Democrats: Too much, too soon? OK, I get the walking and chewing gum analogy, but some clarity would be nice. It may be because I am one of those idiots, but doesn't it make sense to get some support personnel hired before the President builds up the great things that you will be doing to handle the banking problems and then put an ill-prepared Timothy Geithner in front of the cameras; and we still don't have the details? Also, good luck explaining the Housing, Automotive and Bank bailouts. Don't forget Renewable energy, Education, Social Programs, building Infrastructure, eliminating private Union voting and Health Care. We probably shouldn't neglect that pesky war thing either. You are doing a really great job with the "gum chewing," "Rush is leader," and "party of no" comments. Right now, some "no's" seem to be in order. I am not sure how long you can put the phrase "that we inherited" after every problem, but it should be good for a few more weeks. Put whoever spends the time on coming up with those phrases on the clock and have them come up with a plan. They, at least, know how to communicate to the masses.

To the extreme right-wing Republicans: Not all things Government are Socialist. There are, and should be controls and laws on Banking, Interstate Commerce, Public Education, Anti-Trust Laws and many other areas. It is more to build confidence in the Capitalist system than destroy it. Without it, there would have been a lot more Madoff's and one (so far) was too many. It is best to have the least Government interference as possible, but some underpinning of our social fabric is needed. Also, if you do understand the problems that average people are dealing with, you are not conveying it. Phil Gramm's comments about "a nation of whiners" last year, and Rush Limbaugh's statements are not helping, as entertaining as they may be. On Health Care, John McCain's idea of giving each family $5,000 toward purchasing their medical insurance in the free market would have a cost, but not solve many issues. He obviously does not understand the problems an individual has even getting insurance if they have any health issues.

For the rest of us: Since this blog focuses on Health Care, I will address only that issue. The Government is already covering over 50% of health care costs. I don't know what we as a nation are willing to pay for medical coverage, but we should be able to discuss the problem intelligently.without the political hyperbole that we now have. It is too early to start the next election and we need good options. I know that throwing money at a problem without changing the culture will only cost more, but that is the reason for a meeting of the minds on this issue. Although the figure of 86,000,000 without insurance at some time over the last 2 years was considered political, it still was a stressful situation for those people. Any one of them who developed a serious disease during that time would have been financially destroyed and unable to get insurance later. We should decide what we are willing to do soon, but with much more planning than I have seen from the leaders in Washington.
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