Congratulations!

[sekhmet]

You're one step closer to being a modern nation in which the medical needs of the population are taken care of on a needs basis rather than a profit basis.

Looking forward to seeing this pass the Senate as well!

[HarmonEyes]

Amen to that!

[RickW]

Still lots of time for making a mess of things.

Actually, it's all a plot to take over the hearts and minds of the US with creeping Canuckistani socialism. We're comin' for you, boys.... (and girls.)

[SteveO]

Nov 8, 2009 16:08:24 GMT -5 RickW said:

Still lots of time for making a mess of things.

Actually, it's all a plot to take over the hearts and minds of the US with creeping Canuckistani socialism. We're comin' for you, boys.... (and girls.)

;D ;D ;D ;D

[sekhmet]

Interesting however, the silence. 3 Canucks and 1 Merican, and the vote to like 3 pro and 1 scared.

[omaha]

The problem, Kate, is that the House passed a bill that is a non-starter in the Senate.

Big question mark: Fate of health care in Senate

WASHINGTON – The glow from a health care triumph faded quickly for President Barack Obama on Sunday as Democrats realized the bill they fought so hard to pass in the House has nowhere to go in the Senate.

Speaking from the Rose Garden about 14 hours after the late Saturday vote, Obama urged senators to be like runners on a relay team and "take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people."

The problem is that the Senate won't run with it. The government health insurance plan included in the House bill is unacceptable to a few Democratic moderates who hold the balance of power in the Senate.
If a government plan is part of the deal, "as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent whose vote Democrats need to overcome GOP filibusters.

"The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said dismissively.

So, what happened yesterday is that Speaker Pelosi, with all sorts of 11th hour arm-twisting and back-room deal making, barely eeked out a "win" despite having an overwhelming numerical advantage. In fact, with 39 Democratic house members voting "no", the "nay's" yesterday represented the most bi-partisan voting block so far in this debate.

[sekhmet]

Well, not so long ago people thought that it wouldn't pass the House. I hope for the sake of all you guys that it does pass. Perhaps the fellow who doesn't like the bill might ask the people who sent him to Washington what they think.

It seems to me that Barack is doing what he said he would do and a whole lotta people thought liked it a year ago.

I guess that was before they heard about death squads?

[millring]

Nov 8, 2009 16:39:58 GMT -5 sekhmet said:

It seems to me that Barack is doing what he said he would do and a whole lotta people thought liked it a year ago.

I guess that was before they heard about death squads?

Actually, that's back when it could still almost be believed that they would at least attempt to pass something "deficit neutral". Now that all that pretense is exposed, it's just not likely. Evan Bayh is one of those who will find it very hard to vote us into debt-oblivion.

[SteveO]

Nov 8, 2009 16:20:37 GMT -5 sekhmet said:

Interesting however, the silence. 3 Canucks and 1 Merican, and the vote to like 3 pro and 1 scared.

Just Cautious......... ;D

[sekhmet]

I wonder if they shouldn't just raise taxes a bit and clamp down on medical expenses. That is - set fees for medical services rendered and impose equal billing. I can see your 'merican hearts shriveling up as I type We did that here. The doctors went on strike. They lost. Didn't take long.

Doctors in Canada are among the most highly paid persons in the country, but they aren't rich as sin.

But I can see how so-called socialist that must sound to you guys, and I understand.

Too bad though. I think there is going to be some sort of bill passed, and I think an entire generation will thank you and people will look back on the bad old days when they couldn't afford to take their kids to the doctor. Like we do here.

I was pretty sick for a number of years around the age of 12 to 14. I never saw a doctor. The money in our house went elsewhere (and there was plenty of it - we just had a big self-indulgent baby for a head of the family). Not so rare a circumstance. I suffered agonies. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Universal health care made life in Canada much better.

[gbacklin]

I believe that the system is broken, for example I have to pay my own insurance and it has been running me $800 per month, with a whole list of pre-existing conditions that they wont cover, (Zac has been prone to sinus infections and has asthma, so UniCare will not cover ANYTHING related to Respiratory system, allergy doctor visits and medicine)

Well I just got a letter from UniCare, that they are no longer going to cover individuals anymore, so see ya ! They did say that Blue-Cross Blue Shield will offer a policy, so I get a letter from BCBS saying that it will cover us for about $1000 a month, with certain pre existing conditions on Zac, tonsils and adenoids.

So, I agree this is nuts....however, I do not like the fact if I do not have insurance that will be "acceptable health insurance", I will be fined, taxed and possible jail.

Something should be done, but I do not like the current approach.

source

[dradtke]

Thank you, Kate. Some of us are very pleased.

[Cornflake]

Thanks for the congratulations. It will be good if we can get something passed, even if that something takes a lot of fixing down the line. The critics have found something dreadfully wrong with every proposal since Nixon's days. They always will. I'm not a fan of the alternative their victories have brought us.

[Dub]

Well I'm pleased. Pleased as punch.

Of course I think we should have single payer national health care and obviate the entire medical insurance industry. I think anyone who needs medical attention ought to get it without regard to their economic, educational or citizenship status. Think how much more competitive our manufacturers would be if they didn't have to worry about health care. Oh, wait. We don't really have manufacturers any more do we? But man have we got service. And investment bankers.

I also don't think there is any reason for people, children especially, to be hungry in this country.

I actually don't care about my tax rate as much as my standard of living. If taxes are 100% but everybody's living well, buys the things they need and want and has the opportunity to become well educated and productive, why do I care what the tax rate is?

- Dub             ;D    ;D

[bamfiles]

I didn't know they had season tickets to Fantasy Land.

[Dub]

Yup. I have a lifetime membership.

[sidheguitarmichael]

I'll just leave this at a hearty "Thanks Kate!"...

[sekhmet]

We do up here in Fantasia Bamfiles. Last time I checked it all works pretty well.

We make cars cheaper here than in the states. Because the car companies aren't paying for health costs for eleventy million retirees and their families. We're more competitive.

[omaha]

Nov 8, 2009 16:59:53 GMT -5 sekhmet said:

I think an entire generation will thank you and people will look back on the bad old days when they couldn't afford to take their kids to the doctor. Like we do here.

Here in the US, we had those same "bad old days" at about the same time as Canada. And we don't have them anymore either.

The fact that Western societies have gotten wealthier and can afford to spend more on health care is what has changed. The specific societal mechanism for how doctors are paid is of no importance, in comparison. Here's a thought experiment: Would the health care outcomes in Somalia be appreciably different under a US style vs a Canadian style system?

Listening to some people talk, you'd think Cuba has a better health care system than the US! Wait a minute...people really do say that.

Its nonsense.

[bamfiles]

Maybe Canada can change it's laws so the unemployed U.S. citizens can work up there. Do you know if the Canadian auto plants are unionized? Trust me, our car companies didn't start paying all those health benefits because they wanted to. Of course, if the current bill is kept and it still taxes union health care plans and Health Savings Accounts, there will be some union opposition. I think the part that exempted the unions got pulled but I haven't read last nights bill. I'm waiting for the Cliff Notes after the Senate gets through with it. Pretty soon we'll all be equal, no jobs no benefits, I'm retired anyway so what do I care. Then they can tax at 100% since there won't be anybody with enough money to pay taxes and then the Canadians can come in and save us all. A? Maybe Canada can loan us a few trillion dollars when the Chinese stop buying our IOUs, A? We won't be able to pay the interest though if it's much over 0%. Would you folks be interested in buying Alaska? To be fair, I did enjoy "The Windsor Ballet", and Molsons.