President Obama is the Individual Mandate good or bad??

@crossbones27 (53005)

• Mojave, California

4 Apr 12

Truthfully I think he was for the single payer type plan. He knew he could not get that passed, so get settled for his current plan. That is why I think so many people do not like this current plan because they knew it could be better. Sometimes people compromise to much. Maybe the best thing that can happen is the supreme court does overturn his bill and congress will see that is the only way to go. Lets face it the current system will bankrupt us.

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@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

4 Apr 12

From what I've read, this plan will eventually lead to a single payer plan. The insurance companies will be driven out of the market place.

@crossbones27 (53005)

• Mojave, California

4 Apr 12

Actually it is not going to break my heart if they are driven out of the market place. Everyone seems to think that is anti-capitalist. The problem is they are getting fat and rich off of people being sick. There are some things that should not be about profit and peoples quality of life is one of them. Let me be clear about this, that does not mean we have to bankrupt our county to make sure everyone has decent and affordable healthcare. It just means there is a more honest and fair way of taking of our own.

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@crossbones27 (53005)

• Mojave, California

4 Apr 12

That last line should be taking care of our own.

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thegreatdebater

@thegreatdebater (7316)

• United States

4 Apr 12

This has actually been explained many times. It comes down the using private insurance companies, and they will not honor this agreement unless the mandate id put in. I do personally believe that it is needed, and if you look at the economics of the situation you would agree. The problem is that the uninsured people in this country are causing the cost to go up dramatically (Now, this is what the health insurance, and hospitals will tell, if they are lying that is another thing). If you have a choice than the people that hurt the system the most will not participate. What would happen if you had a choice to opt out of paying your taxes, but would lose services that those taxes pay for? What would happen if someone broke into your house and called 911 and no one showed up? This is the same basic logic.

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thegreatdebater

@thegreatdebater (7316)

• United States

7 Apr 12

Deb, I can show you hospitals in my area that have built ENORMOUS locations spending hundreds of millions of dollars to create art work that doubles as a hospital. These hospitals buy up all of the other hospitals in the area to create a monopoly. They charge $4,000 a night and make so much money that they have to add on to these hospitals because they are not for profit. Some have even talked about leaving their tax exempt statue because they can't build their hospitals any bigger, they are running out of room!!!! I understand your small hospital would lose money by this law going into effect. But, the question you should ask the people in charge is where that money that they are not getting is going to? When it comes to doctors I will tell you the same thing I tell everyone about them: I will feel sorry for them when I drive by a doctors only parking lot and see more Buicks than BMW's!!!!

@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

5 Apr 12

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/medicine-and-politics-america/2012/jan/21/flying-obamacare-in-coach-is-there-a-provider/ http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/227553/obamacare-come/michael-tanner http://thedebtweowe.com/obamacare-nightmare-40-percent-of-all-u-s-doctors-plan-to-bail-out-of-the-profession-over-the-next-three-years I work in healthcare. For twenty years as a direct care employee, and now in Medical Records. I recently attended a staff 'forum' in which it was explained how our little 114 bed facility would loose over a million dollars in payments from the government under obamacare. And we would incure just about as much in costs due to the 'details' of the law governing what can be charged and what cannot. If we are not 'careful' we could go out of business. I have spoken to some of our doctors (I assist them closely with their handling of pts. charts) and most of them are against this law. Why? It hobbles them in what they can and cannot do for their patients, and it increases their costs of maintaining their practices. Two of them recently 'hired on' with the hospital rather than keep open their private practices. One has been in private practice in our community for over twenty years. The above link (last one) tells of four out of ten doctors plan on leaving medicine altogether over this. Nursing too, is experiencing a decline in new enterants to the profession. I chose NOT to go to nursing school due to paperwork being more important than actual patient care, and that was before Obamacare, it is worse now according to friends in the profession.

anniepa

@anniepa (27955)

• United States

4 Apr 12

So, Bob, can I assume you won't be voting for Romney since he was very much for it before he was against it? Or is changing one's mind acceptable as long as one ultimately reaches the "right" conclusion? Remember, President Obama didn't get the health care plan he'd originally wanted but he basically had to take what he could get with the Congress he had. I'd have definitely much preferred a single-payer system or at least one with a very strong public option, but because of lobbyists, corporate money and the GOP's abuse of the Senate filibuster we got what we got. As has already been pointed out, with the bill as it ended up not having a mandate would make no sense. For what it's worth, I'm not thrilled with the idea of the insurance companies "winning" this issue since they're a big part of the total problem. I'd love to see the medical insurance industry just disappear. For anyone who truly believes we don't need universal health care, here's my personal story. My husband had his first colonoscopy a few years ago and several precancerous polyps were found and removed. The doctor then recommended he have another test in a year then again in three years and if they came back clean he'd be good to go for five years. He just had one a few weeks ago and now he doesn't have to go back for five but we just got the itemized statement from the hospital, which THANK GOD we're covered for since we're among the fortunate ones who have good insurance; it was nearly $10,000. Had we not been so lucky there's a good chance my husband would have ended up with colon cancer at some point and maybe I'd have lost him and my daughter and grandkids would have lost their father and pop by now. Annie

bobmnu

@bobmnu (8157)

• United States

4 Apr 12

How did the GOP abuse the Filibuster? It takes 60 votes to get closier. It seems to me the President had 60 Democrat Senators. The bill passed the house with no problems. It is just like now the President is demanding action from Congress and saying he is willing to compromise. The House (R) voted for a one year tax plan just like the President wanted (they added the Keystone pipeline which is what they wanted - compromise) and Senator Reid would not let it come to a vote. The Republicans are accused by the President as a do nothing Congress. The House has passed a budget that Senator Reid will not let come up for a vote. There are several other bills passed by the House that are waiting for a vote in the US Senate that Senator Reid will not let come to the floor for a vote. The problem seems to be Senator Reid What about all the money and influence by the Unions to get the law passed then they are given exemptions. If it is good for us then it is good for them. Don't forget the President comment to a reporter about his (the reporters) elderly mother to take a pill and learn to live with the pain because it is more cost effective based on her age and treatment plan.

anniepa

@anniepa (27955)

• United States

4 Apr 12

Actually, it takes 51 votes for a majority or 50 plus the Vice President. It's only when the opposing party refuses to let a bill come up for debate and a vote that 60 are needed and this was rarely used until recent years. The House passed a budget that could never (Thank God!) pass the Senate and would never be signed by the President so I'd say the problem seems to be the budget or maybe it's Paul Ryan, a.k.a. Eddie Munster...lol! I know you're opposed to unions so I won't attempt to change your mind and, as a supporter of the right of workers to organize, I know I'm not going to change mine. I also won't revisit the out of context quote about taking a pill and living with the pain except to say giving a hip replacement to a person in her late 80s with cancer makes little sense. If someone is already terminally ill, why would anyone want him or her to go through the pain and suffering of very major surgery and the kind of rehab that's difficult for someone half her age instead of enjoying whatever good time is left? Annie

@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

5 Apr 12

I've taken care of people for twenty years in nursing homes. What you describe here annie, is rationing of healthcare, non-medically trained bureaucrats deciding who gets what care instead of medical professionals making that very personal decision WITH their patients. I've long spoken against even the medicare system when my patients would benefit from a treatment or procedure and were unable to get it because medicare would NOT cover it. I've had nurses say to me that calling the doctor over an elderly persons bad cough would be pointless because the doctor was constrained in what he could do for it because of medicare payments or lack of payments. I've seen it up close and personal. When the government manages things there are major problems. People with PRIVATE Pay status get the best care available. People with insurance next, and those on government programs the least. Has been that way and healthcare providers have known this since I began working in healthcare.

sierras236

@sierras236 (2739)

• United States

4 Apr 12

Ooh, I was going to start a discussion but you beat me to it. He made a huge MISTAKE with his speech in the Rose garden. That speech has confirmed all fears that he clearly hasn't read the Constitution. He basically stated that the Supreme Court could not overturn Federal law and that if the Supreme Court went against him that they were an Activist Court. Now, a little reminder, he has appointed 2 of the Supreme Court Judges. Because of these remarks, the Federal Judges in the Appellate Court have requested a very detailed letter from the Justice Department. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504564_162-57408827-504564/appeals-court-fires-back-at-obamas-comments-on-health-care-case/

bobmnu

@bobmnu (8157)

• United States

4 Apr 12

Thanks for the great link. I wonder what he taught his law students about the constitution? From my very earliest study of the US in in 4th or 5th grade the main function of the court was to overturn unconstitutional laws. That was their Check over the Congress and the President, just as those two branches have check over the court.

@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

4 Apr 12

Ijust finished reading an account of the confirmation hearings on Judge Bork during Reagan's administration, written by Judge Bork. I took from that the liberals really 'liked' activist judges? I also took away the understanding that Supreme Court Justices cannot, must not be swayed by political threats. I also learned that they may not even speak of current cases before them, nor must they even speak on social or legal issues that MAY come up before them. In other words they must be apolitical. Obama proves he has nothing but disdain for our Constitution, our legal system or courts, and for two centuries of a clear separation of powers.

bobmnu

@bobmnu (8157)

• United States

4 Apr 12

In recent years difference justices have suggested such things as looking to other countries and base the decisions on their rulings if the justice can't find US Law to back up their idea of what the decision should be. As the 9th Circuit rued the first time on Gay Marriage they said that the lack of a constitutional provision denying the rights of gays to marry means that they can. I am sure that many liberal judges believe that they know what is best for the country even if the Constitution does not give them the power to do it.

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

4 Apr 12

I remember that Obama scoffed at Hillary's health care ideas, including the mandate and I also remember that Hillary is the one who started the 'birther' controversy. Interesting how they now blame the other party for not supporting the mandate and for the birther movement. Politics. It has to be the most corrupting career on the planet. I would rather someone told me the truth about what they believe even if I hate it, then at least you know where you stand.

@crossbones27 (53005)

• Mojave, California

4 Apr 12

"Politics, the most corrupting career on the planet" You hit the nail on the head with that.

@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

3 Apr 12

The man would not know the truth if it sat on his lap and said hello. He does what ever he thinks is right and cares little for what people think or go through as a result. http://obamalies.net/

@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

4 Apr 12

HA! the 5th circuit essentially said, go write 500 times 'I will not deny the power of the Court' to Obama!!

@debrakcarey (19887)

• United States

4 Apr 12

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504564_162-57408827-504564/appeals-court-fires-back-at-obamas-comments-on-health-care-case/ Got so tickled I forgot to post the link.

thegreatdebater

@thegreatdebater (7316)

• United States

4 Apr 12

Deb, president say a lot of things when they are running for office, and then realize that they can't do that. Here are some more famous ones: READ MY LIPS: NO NEW TAXES, We will not nation build if I am president.

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