Health Care "Reform," NOT!

We shall see what comes out of the negotiations that will take place on the final bill. While there are some good provisions in the Senate bill, the fact that US healthcare would remain still a fully private, for-profit enterprise means that profits will come before quality health care for all, and cost containment. That is the primary objection that progressives have. When news of the Senate compromise hit, stocks of health care providers (Aetna, etc.) vaulted to 52 week highs. They know that the Senate bill will be good for their businesses.

Another Reason The Senate Health Care Bill Sucks!

From Pam's House Blend Blog:

The discriminatory "gay tax" on employer-provided health benefits for same-sex spouses or partners would continue under the version of health care legislation formulated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and accepted by all 60 Senate Democrats over the weekend.

Great Analysis Of The Failed Obama

A MUST READ by Emory Professor Drew Westen.

I did not vote for Obama( he opposes gay marriage) but my refusal to vote for him is of little comfort to me now. There is a lot of truth to the argument that people saw in him what they wanted to see and voted for that, rather than carefuly examining his positions and his record and basing their vote on who he really is. Professor Westen's essay is spot on. Obama has angered and disappointed both the liberal base and the moderates/independents. I see a devastating loss next election time...one or both houses of congress will return to Republican control, and Obama may well be a one term president. Should this come to pass he has no one to blame but himself.

Health Care Reform Joke

From FireDogLake:

How bad is the bill?

Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations -- whether you want to or not
If you refuse to buy the insurance, you'll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS
After being forced to pay thousands in premiums for junk insurance, you can still be on the hook for up to $11,900 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Massive restriction on a woman's right to choose, designed to trigger a challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court
Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them to cut back benefits and increase co-ays

Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now, but most Americans won't see any benefits -- like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions -- until 2014 when the program begins.

Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others
Grants monopolies to to drug companies that will keep generic versions of expensive biotech drugs from ever coming to market.
No reimportation of prescription drugs, which would save consumers $100 billion over 10 years
The cost of medical care will continue to rise, and insurance premiums for a family of 4 will rise an average of $1000 a year -- meaning in 10 years, you family's insurance premium will be $10,000 more annually than it is right now.

Many progressives are working to kill this monstrosity.

Sign the petition: the Senate health care bill must be killed. http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/killthisbill?source=email&subsource=122109

Record Philly Snowfall!

We got 22.9 inches of snow. That's the highest December snowfall in 100 years.

Snow Storm December 19th

I haven't felt much like blogging lately. I'm disgusted with Obama and the Democrats over Afghanistan, health care "reform," their total lack of action on gay rights, their being in bed with Wall Street, etc., etc. Progressives may have finally learned that the Democratic Party is not their political home, much like the far right "Teabaggers" feel about the Republican Party. If we see the emergence of a progressive political party, that would make me happy. I'm done with Democrats, although I was done with them before the past year of betrayals of most of what they promised. I didn't vote for Obama, but that's little comfort now.

Bonusmas

Go out and take a look at Mark Fiore's new cartoon, Bonusmas. It's so fitting. Without going into too much detail, I have some experience with all of the companies he's mentioned and he couldn't be more spot on.

http://www.markfiore.com/

Some people's holidays will be "merrier" than most everyone else's.

OBAMA: Afghanistan 2 + 2 = 5

Analyst Richard Bremmer over at Huffington on Obama's Afghanistan speech:

As for the speech itself, there is no point is dissecting further this exercise in sophistry. If Americans are so disengaged from reality and so credulous that they're ready to believe that 2 + 2 = 5, that war is peace, that the very essence of America is at stake in the Hindu Kush, then no commentary can change things.

Barak Bush...what more is there to say?