Health Care Summit (Live Thread)

[Olo401]

I don't think you understand. Right now it is like there is a STOP sign on the borders of states.

Yes, I do understand. And part of both the House and Senate bills is to remove that stop sign; the Republicans made this proposal when they first met with Obama early last year, and it was put in before a single floor vote was taken.

[Not not Mattaru]

Yes, I do understand. And part of both the House and Senate bills is to remove that stop sign; the Republicans made this proposal when they first met with Obama early last year, and it was put in before a single floor vote was taken.

I was joshing you.

(quoting blackburn after she explained it and used a completely superfluous analogy)

[Talint]

The point of adding young, healthy people to the pools (individual mandate) would make sense if there's actually some kind of cost control. Otherwise you're adding people to the pool who are paying while costs actually wind up staying the same for the older, less healthy.

I don't know if this kind of regulation is in either bill.

[Olo401]

I was joshing you.

(quoting blackburn after she explained it and used a completely superfluous analogy)

http://www.fourfreedomsblog.com/emoticons/Thud.gif didn't pick up on it lol

[Zhais]

wtf is up with the marching band playing in the background

[Not not Mattaru]

Anyone else hear the band playing in the background?

[Cantih]

They have means around filibusters, that has no argument in this specific case. Just get it done.

Depending on house/senate margins, the nuclear option will likely not be on the table until after the midterms.

[kuronosan]

I don't know how significant this guy is, but all he is doing is pissing me off.

[Not not Mattaru]

I don't know how significant this guy is, but all he is doing is pissing me off.

I would take him a lot more seriously if everything he has said was not prefaced by:

I think the CBO is great, they are professional and do a great job, but I think they have been duped. I know better, here are some numbers and I will give you no sources.

And here is some rhetoric. Let's start over.

[Not Kuno]

This guy is a fucking idiot. He says how bad the plan + change is, then says we need change, then says you should listen to our stuff, but then refuses to say what needs to be done.

[Not Kuno]

So its the typical GOP stance.

[Zhais]

OH HAY LET'S START OVER

[Olo401]

I don't know how significant this guy is, but all he is doing is pissing me off.

Obama's sitting there looking like a jaguar about to pounce on this guy... should be a good rebuttal coming up.

[kuronosan]

What he said pretty much translated to me as "We don't want to face facts and do something so here's a different set of irrelevant and probably false information that will get the American people on our side because most of them are too stupid to research these things for themselves. We need to forget about this and continue letting things get worse instead of coming to an agreement now, because delaying it so that we can do it our way is the only way to get it done."

[kuronosan]

Why the fuck is McCain still talking?

[Not Kuno]

McCain: stuff
Obama: I think you make a legitimate point
McCain: But... uh... uhhhh...

[Zhais]

lol...

Obama: "You made a legitimate point!"
McCain(?): "I.. uh... I ... yes, yes I did."

[Talint]

McCain: ARGUE ARGUE ARGUE!

Obama: That's a good point.

McCain: ARGUE ARGUE... WHAT? I'M ARGUING!

I really love Obama's zen-like way of cutting down McCain at every possible turn. It's quite amusing.

[Not not Mattaru]

I really really hope Daily Show is going to cover this tonight.

EDIT: LOL, Obama's face when the two representatives were arguing.

[Olo401]

Ah ok this is the deal.. Rep. Ryan claims that the reform bill would pull billions out of funding for Medicare, adding to the operating deficit it already has and causing it to go bankrupt even faster. He's also claiming that the CBO is partisan, which is bullshit. But anyways the big point he was making..

What would actually happen is that Medicare Part C (which is essentially private for-profit insurance that is subsidized) would revert to a standard private plan (i.e. the subsidies would be cut and used to fund actual Medicare coverage). This ends up reducing the money needed to fund Medicare's operation, which naturally would result in a smaller budget. Those people who had subsidized plans would see a premium increase as a result, but that would be offset by the savings created by the creation of the exchange and the increased size of the risk pool.