Facebook: No one should die because they cannot afford health care

[mook]

I wouldn't say that, but I will say that I saw at least 5 of my "friends" post the exact same comment. It seems a bit coincidental that they would all have the same message, doesn't it?

Well, given that's what the comment tells you to do, it's not exactly a secret conspiracy.

No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree, join us in posting this as your status for the rest of the day.

Anyway, the actual issue (health care) isn't the real point to me. The interesting thing is that it created a conversation among a lot of people who were friends of friends. It was a weird cross between discussing politics here and talking about it with a few friends over a beer.

I wasn't really following Facebook during the last elections. It'll be interesting to see how much of an impact it has on the next one.

 

[BenDavis503]

Yeah I have seen it on FB today. Fucking hippies and their bongs...

 

[yakbladder]

Well, given that's what the comment tells you to do, it's not exactly a secret conspiracy.

Has no one here ever used Twitter or heard of flash mobs or anything like that?

If this is part of the "grand Obama conspiracy" then I believe calling Obama a Nazi is part of a "grand GOP conspiracy" to distract us while they form the new Nazi party and enslave all of us!!!!

Good grief, some of you people bring paranoia to a whole new level.

 

[THE HCP]

I just wish it wasn't so expensive. I went 11 years without insurance until I met my wife and had little HCP Jr.

 

[PapaG]

Well, given that's what the comment tells you to do, it's not exactly a secret conspiracy.

Anyway, the actual issue (health care) isn't the real point to me. The interesting thing is that it created a conversation among a lot of people who were friends of friends. It was a weird cross between discussing politics here and talking about it with a few friends over a beer.

I wasn't really following Facebook during the last elections. It'll be interesting to see how much of an impact it has on the next one.

So you do admit the FB thing is astroturfing. Hardly an unprovoked outcry of support.

 

[PapaG]

I just wish it wasn't so expensive. I went 11 years without insurance until I met my wife and had little HCP Jr.

Well, the gov't in Oregon doesn't allow people to just have catastrophic insurance. Blame the state regulators on high costs as well.

 

[barfo]

So you do admit the FB thing is astroturfing. Hardly an unprovoked outcry of support.

It would be astroturfing if the people who posted that were urged to do so by an organization of some sort - as opposed to doing so because they saw other friends of theirs posting it.

barfo

 

[mook]

So you do admit the FB thing is astroturfing. Hardly an unprovoked outcry of support.

Not at all.

None of my friends who supported this idea were urged to do so by anybody but other friends.

None of my friends who opposed this idea were urged to do so by anybody but other friends.

Are you "astroturfing" right now? I don't think so. Neither were they.

 

[PapaG]

Not at all.

None of my friends who supported this idea were urged to do so by anybody but other friends.

None of my friends who opposed this idea were urged to do so by anybody but other friends.

Are you "astroturfing" right now? I don't think so. Neither were they.

I'm not cut/pasting right now. I am expressing my own thoughts. I'm also more in tune with the current political climate than 99% of my Facebook friends posting this cut/paste.

 

[mook]

So your friends copy and paste a thought because they are too vapid to think for themselves.

Yikes. If I thought that way about my friends, I'd go find some new friends.

 

[PapaG]

So your friends copy and paste a thought because they are too vapid to think for themselves.

Yikes. If I thought that way about my friends, I'd go find some new friends.

I didn't say that at all. I said they cut/pasted something. Way to jump to conclusions. There is no need to insult my friends just because they aren't political junkies.

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

No one should be frozen in carbonite, or be slowly digested for a thousand years in the bowels of a Sarlaac, just because they couldn't pay Jabba the Hutt what they owe him. If you agree, post this as your status for the rest of the day.

 

[mook]

No one should be frozen in carbonite, or be slowly digested for a thousand years in the bowels of a Sarlaac, just because they couldn't pay Jabba the Hutt what they owe him. If you agree, post this as your status for the rest of the day.

That's pure gold. Did you actually see that as somebody's status?

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

yeah, I did...then set it as mine. keep the chain going!

 

[hasoos]

so...if you don't pay that $900, then who does?

Insurance companies currrently make approximately 30% on the money you pay them for your health insurance. Insurance companies now also don't have to deal with anti-monopoly and anti-competition laws that other companies have because they got special legislation passed that allows them to circumvent laws which regulate every other type of business in this country. That is half the reason health insurance costs are so high. The reason that they want to include public option is because of those laws in place which protect the health insurance companies from regulation, is that the public option would provide people an cheaper alternative which would then force competition on to the insurance industry.

What I don't get, is why is it so many conservative republicans who seem to be concerned mostly about watching their pocketbook rather than the general welfare of the country, wouldn't want this. Health care costs would drop with this plan for everybody.

The other thing that cracks me up is that all the conservatives who most the time like to act like they are morally superior, or christians, go out of their way to flat out lie in order to fight against the bill. It just shows was hypocrites they are. Morally superior my ass. If you are going to argue against a bill because of legitimate reasons such as you don't want government in the health care business then that is great. But quit with all the bullshit like the death panels, illegal aliens getting health free health care and all that. Bring a valid argument, or step out of the arena.

 

[elcap15]

What I don't get, is why is it so many conservative republicans who seem to be concerned mostly about watching their pocketbook rather than the general welfare of the country, wouldn't want this. Health care costs would drop with this plan for everybody.

Every governement run program has had major inefficiencies. Costs are always above what are forseen, as well as the unintended consequences. Add this to the fact that government run programs are inherintly unfair and not capitalistic, given that the regulatory bodies have a vested interest to keep the government agencies going, as well as an unlimited pocketbook.

And I am not republican, I just hate the government

 

[maxiep]

Insurance companies currrently make approximately 30% on the money you pay them for your health insurance. Insurance companies now also don't have to deal with anti-monopoly and anti-competition laws that other companies have because they got special legislation passed that allows them to circumvent laws which regulate every other type of business in this country. That is half the reason health insurance costs are so high. The reason that they want to include public option is because of those laws in place which protect the health insurance companies from regulation, is that the public option would provide people an cheaper alternative which would then force competition on to the insurance industry.

What I don't get, is why is it so many conservative republicans who seem to be concerned mostly about watching their pocketbook rather than the general welfare of the country, wouldn't want this. Health care costs would drop with this plan for everybody.

The other thing that cracks me up is that all the conservatives who most the time like to act like they are morally superior, or christians, go out of their way to flat out lie in order to fight against the bill. It just shows was hypocrites they are. Morally superior my ass. If you are going to argue against a bill because of legitimate reasons such as you don't want government in the health care business then that is great. But quit with all the bullshit like the death panels, illegal aliens getting health free health care and all that. Bring a valid argument, or step out of the arena.

There is simply no way insurance companies are making 30% on their premiums. The Democrats acknowledge that if you used all the profits from health insurance, it would pay for four days of health insurance. 4/365 isn't 30%.

 

[barfo]

I believe the 30% number is the amount not spent on healthcare. Some of that is profit, much of it is administrative costs.

barfo

 

[blazerboy30]

What I don't get, is why is it so many conservative republicans who seem to be concerned mostly about watching their pocketbook rather than the general welfare of the country, wouldn't want this. Health care costs would drop with this plan for everybody.

This is always the Democrats' talking point. However, the bipartisan studies (CBO in particular) have shown that with the current proposals, overall healthcare spending in this country would go UP. Sure, maybe some preople's premiums would go down, but taxes will go up, and overall costs across the country would be higher (according to the CBO data).

 

[maxiep]

I believe the 30% number is the amount not spent on healthcare. Some of that is profit, much of it is administrative costs.

barfo

And the idea is that the government would be more efficient?

BTW, the numbers I've seen have been between 16-20% admin costs.

 

[rocketeer]

Health care costs would drop with this plan for everybody.

that simply isn't true.

 

[rocketeer]

I wasn't really following Facebook during the last elections. It'll be interesting to see how much of an impact it has on the next one.

facebook isn't going to have any actual impact on elections other than being incredibly annoying and exposing a lot of people completely ignorant of what is actually going on and who can't think for themselves(on both sides).

 

[The_Lillard_King]

facebook isn't going to have any actual impact on elections other than being incredibly annoying and exposing a lot of people completely ignorant of what is actually going on and who can't think for themselves(on both sides).

Sounds like it has the same effect as a democratic or republican campaign.

 

[barfo]

And the idea is that the government would be more efficient?

I wasn't trying to make that point at all, but I'll go ahead and do so.
Administrative costs per capita in the US are roughly twice what Canada spends.
So yes, it is possible that government can do it more efficiently.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

I wasn't trying to make that point at all, but I'll go ahead and do so.
Administrative costs per capita in the US are roughly twice what Canada spends.
So yes, it is possible that government can do it more efficiently.

barfo

I like fun and games with accounting.

 

[Eastoff]

i came across this on facebook

No one should be frozen in carbonite or be slowly digested for a thousand years in the bowels of a sarlaac just because they couldn't pay Jabba the Hutt what they owe him.... If you agree post this as your status for the rest of the day.

 

[Eastoff]

The reputable organizations (CBO for example) predict that overall healthcare spending across the nation will go UP with the proposed plans.

I assume that their models are trying to capture the benefits you are referring to of trying to bring down costs with regulation.

And yet AARP has been making commercials saying that people blocking health care reform are trying to stop people from getting healthcare. That Health care reform is necessary and they endorse it. Clearly AARP must not be reputable

 

[maxiep]

And yet AARP has been making commercials saying that people blocking health care reform are trying to stop people from getting healthcare. That Health care reform is necessary and they endorse it. Clearly AARP must not be reputable

AARP is no longer reputable when it comes to their membership. I've never seen an organization turn its back on its own members to further a political agenda. If you want to see the first people who are going to be hurt, look no further than our seniors.

In every plan presented by the Democrats and the Obama Administration, a large part of the "savings" will come from an over half TRILLION dollar reduction in Medicare, including the elimination of Medicare Advantage. This isn't a reduction in the growth rate, it's an actual reduction in funds. Mind you, there is a demographic explosion about to occur as the Baby Boomers retire, but overall Medicare funding will be reduced. Hello, rationing. The seniors will be the first to meet limits on their health care.

When you poll seniors, they are overwhelmingly against the health care reform presented by the Democrats and the Obama Administration. Why? They have time. They read. They listen to analysis. 60,000 people have left AARP specificially because of their stance on health care. They're not stupid. They know AARP has made a backroom deal with the Administration. Their public stance is that they're not coming down one way or another on the bill, but President Obama slipped and admitted he had agreement with AARP. Furthermore, AARP is funding commericials supporting health care reform. It's duplicity at its worst.

IMO, AARP is no longer a reputable association. At least other associations actually promote the interests of their members.

 

[barfo]

60,000 people have left AARP specificially because of their stance on health care.

Sounds like a lot, but it is only one tenth of one percent of their membership.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

Sounds like a lot, but it is only one tenth of one percent of their membership.

barfo

It is a lot. I understand how to make and counter arguments with statistics, and bringing up the percentage of their membership that cancelled is Chapter 1. These aren't people who just didn't renew their membership; these are people who actively cancelled them. Any way you look at it, 60,000 people is a hell of a statement.