Bush is not hostile to government. He runs it for God's sake.

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"I am in favor of Free Trade"

--Karl Marx

No, I think that Medicare fraud is a problem. But it is a problem which has solution. There is no solution to the overall U.S. healthcare meltdown other than to look for alternatives.

Unfortunately, these debates always deteriorate to Government/good, Government/ bad. I don't think either statement is true and I.M.O. they are not a helpful way to approach the healthcare debate. The status quo is unsustainable. REALLY. What are we going to do about it?

Is Obama's plan workable? If not, why not? What is a better plan? Assuming that the U.S. won't adopt a health care program like Canada's, what would be an acceptable fit for this country that would provide health coverage for all citizens?.

Some of Obama's plan:


# National Health Insurance Exchange: The Obama plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible. Insurers would have to issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums that will not depend upon health status. The Exchange will require that all the plans offered are at least as generous as the new public plan and have the same standards for quality and efficiency. The Exchange would evaluate plans and make the differences among the plans, including cost of services, public.
# Employer Contribution: Employers that do not offer or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the national plan. Small employers that meet certain revenue thresholds will be exempt.

Yep Like a termite hired to build a house.

Last time I checked, termites didn't make houses bigger.

Bush has done just that. He has increased the size of government in nearly every way possible. One just has to look at the budget or the national debt, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, NCLB, the Patriot Act.......

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"I am in favor of Free Trade"

--Karl Marx

If the generalities your speaking of relate to the one that I made about government not being able to run a program effeciently I can cite several examples that should make my point clear. TSA, DMV and if you've ever served in the armed forces you've seen the grotesque amount of waste that occurs there.
Ok so to what other postal service are we comparing and last I checked we're the only super power left so the fact that a program we run happens to be better than other countries doesn't really prove all that much. However I'd assert that UPS and FedEx could handle the same functionality at a lower cost to consumer since competition would be present. Looked at the price of stamps lately? They're prices seems to be rising much more rapidly than inflation.

Last time I checked the news no major private insurer was facing the issue of running out of funding, but your going to tell me it's running just fine huh...
(that quote was from NPR btw)
I know private plans also deny coverage for certain things, but if what we're changing to isn't better than what we got, then why bother changing?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Correct sir, but I do this voluntarily. Consent is the keystone here.

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Wait a minute...wasn't it the democrats who are whining about expanded government?? What do you call this?? Oh, hey...I also like the little "who wish to purchase" quip. Those who don't will STILL PAY FOR IT THROUGH INCREASED TAXES!! Suckers!

Yes komrade. "Big Brother" is alive and well in Amerika. More rules! More standards! More government control!!!! MUHAHAHAHA!!!!


It's cute that they call it "the Exchange." I guess "The Gestapo" was already taken.

Yes Komrade! DOWN with Freedom! Let them bend to the will of the mighty Mother Government! If those sniveling little start-up businesses won't cough up the extortio...err...contribution payment, then goddam it, TAKE IT BY FORCE! Long live socialism!!! For the Motherland! Hooahh! Hooahh! Hooahh!

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Member action dictates Moderator REaction.

Sorry, should have said "repair". Termites destroy a building from within. Suddenly, it falls down. The Bush administration has done just that. He packed the civil service with political hacks rather than competent professionals. The deficit spending which has made a handful of people wealthy will tie the hands of future presidents. From the neocon point of view, he has been a highly effective, successful President. He has expanded the military and made rubbish of everything else.