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"Let Them Eat Cake": As 22k Die Annually, Denver Post Asks "What's the Rush On Health Care?"

by: davidsirota

Wed Jul 22, 2009 at 10:09:38 AM MDT


( - promoted by Colorado Pols)

22,000 Americans die every year because they lack adequate health care coverage. That's a basic, verifiable fact. That's about 60 Americans every day, or six 9/11's every year. Broken down to a Colorado estimate, that's about 365 Coloradoans every year, or one Coloradoan every day - a rate of death that's double the Colorado murder rate. (h/t Tom Russell and Danny the Red). And yet, the Denver Post editorial board has the nerve to ask with a dead-straight face this morning "What's the rush on health care?" I shit you not.

I'm guessing the writers of the editorial all have great health care coverage. And I'm also guessing that dot-com millionaire Jared Polis, who the Post touts for opposing Obama's health care bill, also has pretty good health care coverage. So, I guess it's not that hard to understand how both the Post editorialists and Polis might wonder "what the rush" is. Shit, there's no rush for them at all! Out of their individual sight, out of their minds, right?

For the Rest of Us, though, there's clearly a rush. In fact, the reason for a rush is so obvious that anyone asking the question ends up making themselves look like Marie Antoinette happily saying, "Let Them Eat Cake."

But then, here's my question: Are we really "rushing?" Health care has quite literally been debated and discussed as a matter of public policy since Harry Truman in 1945. You can look it up right here - again, it's a matter of verifiable public record. That's right, we've been debating this for 64 fucking years.

So my question again: How is debating something for more than six decades a "rush?"
davidsirota :: "Let Them Eat Cake": As 22k Die Annually, Denver Post Asks "What's the Rush On Health Care?"
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"Let Them Eat Cake": As 22k Die Annually, Denver Post Asks "What's the Rush On Health Care?" | 48 comments
Your first line seems to be lacking a verb.

Fixed now. Thanks.

[ Parent ]
PLEASE take your time!
I am un-employed and pay my own health care.  My health insurance has gone up 75% in the last year (although I have no pre-existing conditions or have had any claims).  It is, by far, the fastest growing part of my budget and it is eating a big hole.

That said, I support the insurance companies.  THEY should have my money- not me.  I shouldn't put that in my pocket, or spend it in the market- it SHOULD go to the insurance companies (so they can turn and spend it on lobbying the various legislatures that might take some of their profits).

Dear Mr. Polis.  PLEASE kill this bill!  You are SO rich and you can afford to pay out of your pocket and someday I want to be like you.  If we keep the insurance industries wealthy then I'm just that much closer to you!  

Okay, let's get serious.  What the FUCK people???  It is time NOW to get this done!!!

"...Somewhere between left and right is the middle..."

You slug
You're unemployed because you're lazy and shiftless.

You don't deserve health insurance.  If you got sick and died, you'd improve the gene pool.

:)

Oh, that's right, wingnuts don't believe in natural selection, so I guess that was a pretty poor imitation.

I feel your pain.  There's a whole class out there that a public option would really benefit. Old enough to retire, too young for Medicare, and the private insurance companies really don't really want insure people our age.  I don't want free health insurance at the expense of someone else's taxes, I just want to buy into Medicare.

Today, you're either going to get better or you're going to get worse, but you're never going to be the same.  Which one will it be?  --Joseph V. Paterno

[ Parent ]
Be specific, I'm a banana slug! ;)
Ralphie,
I appreciate your light touch.  It is just tough right now.  I'm a healthy dude and I'm trying to play by the rules, but the insurance companies want no part of it.

As for those who wonder what is the rush?  The first year of the first term is where you get the big stuff done.  This is HUGE!  The time is now!  

"...Somewhere between left and right is the middle..."

[ Parent ]
Better fast than right
I always say. A complete lack of discourse/review on a MAJOR piece of legislation is definitely the way to go here.

Didn't Obama promise open discourse and public review during his campaign? Has that happened even once?

Doesn't the fact that there are MANY Democrats that don't support this bill speaking out against it worry you at all? Wouldn't the better approach be to compromise on the issues they've raised to avoid unnecessary complications once the program is implemented?

I mean, the majority is there in both houses. The legislation will pass in the next year with minor adjustments.

And Pelosi wants it NOW for political reasons, not to save lives.

[ Parent ]
Yeah.
Why are you blaming Republicans?  The Dems have a supermajority.  Don't get mad at us if some of your guys don't want to put their names on this piece of junk.

Reform is needed.  This bill isn't reform.

[ Parent ]
No offense
but Republican input to this bill is completely irrelevant. Every Republican who's been asked has already assured us they don't want the bill to pass and will do anything they can to stop it. Great. Thanks for playing.

Nobody's blaming Republicans for not helping with the bill in the same way that nobody blamed the Rockies for trying to score runs against the Phillies.

We're mad at Polis, not Republicans, at least until Polis finally makes the jump to the other side official.

"Have a Bobby bar! My dad made them." --Jon Huntsman Jr.

[ Parent ]
A guy's laid off,
paying his own healthcare costs,
and you spout talking points.

What's your solution, dude?

More "free market" that has increased his costs by more than 75 percent in one year, while United Healthcare has increased its profits by 155 percent?

Today, you're either going to get better or you're going to get worse, but you're never going to be the same.  Which one will it be?  --Joseph V. Paterno

[ Parent ]
60+ years
If you think having this national debate since WWII is hurrying this debate then you are different than most.  The time is NOW!!!

"...Somewhere between left and right is the middle..."
[ Parent ]
For exactly what? n/t

[ Parent ]
22,000
In 2008, the Urban Institute updated the figure to 22,000 deaths per year due to lack of health insurance.  See http://www.urban.org/UploadedP...

Colorado has rouhgly 1/60th of the US population, so I always like to divide national numbers by 60 to get a rough idea of how many Coloradans die:  367.

I guess the Post would say that one death per day in Colorado is not so bad.

Since about half that number were murdered in Colorado last year
I guess murder isn't a problem either.
[ Parent ]
Not to the Post
The Denver Post "reporters" don't care about murder or average citizens or much else, just keeping their jobs at this point and kissing the publisher's behind. That's painfully as obvious as the fact that Polis doesn't care if health care reform passes or not, as long as you don't ask him to eat out one meal less per week to pay for it.

I used to have some small measure of respect for Polis, but after the "oh well another newspaper is gone" comment and then this flipping the bird to voters, my eyes are open to his true values - or lack thereof.  

[ Parent ]
Nice to have less to worry about
Great comparison, Danny.
[ Parent ]
The bill doesn't even go into effect until 2013, David
Why do we have to pass it by August, or even December for that matter?  If it's such a great remedy (reality is it will reduce quality and won't cut costs at all), why not put it into effect before he's up for reelection?

It's all about Obama and Pelosi trying to force a bad bill down our throats before they lose the rest of their political capital (well, in the case of Pelosi, she has none anyhow).

65 Years...
65 Years. 'Nuff said.
[ Parent ]
The default
for Congress is inertia. Without imposing deadlines, major legislation is never passed.

Beep-Beep!
[ Parent ]
It's BECAUSE it takes so long to implement, genius
If there is no reform this year, then full implementation wouldn't come until 2014. There's no magic button to make health care reform suddenly "go into effect." You think you can enroll hundreds of millions of people in a new health care plan in a couple of weeks?
[ Parent ]
Because
What you're saying is a valid point, but you've also heard the expression "striking while the iron is hot." If the reform is not at least put into law relatively soon, it will not get done. Period. There needs to be a sense of immediacy on the issue in order to motivate the action needed.

It's not about enrolling everyone overnight. It's about setting up the parameters for the reform while there's still interest and Obama is still at least still relatively popular in the polls.  

[ Parent ]
Reality is?
According to KK:
(reality is it will reduce quality and won't cut costs at all)

Give me a break. YOU don't know what reality is. Period.

No one knows what the "reality" is of any piece of legislation. It's not until something is implemented that we learn this.

We do, however, know the reality of our current health care "policy."  

When people can not even consider changing jobs or pursuing a dream of starting their own business, because of a pre-existing health issue, we have a system that costs more than its advertised benefits.

It's time to force change. If not now, when?

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge." --ChuckieD, 1871

[ Parent ]
Yup
Good point.
[ Parent ]
Look at that David
We finally agree on something.
Sirota Comment
As usual, David, you do a fine job pissing me off but little else. Thanks for getting my blood pressure up when I have no health insurance coverage like the filthy rich, I-could-give-a-rat's-ass-about-you Polis and all the other "Dems" who have been bought and sold many times over by the lobbyists.

Here's the real point, Sirota: What are we going to do about it? What are you going to do about it? Who's going to counter the all too effective messaging against health care reform and the paid-off politicos who don't give a damn about the voters who got them in the door?

I think...
You guys should all band together and find someone to primary Polis and give them lots of money.
[ Parent ]
If nominated, I shall not run
If elected, I shall not serve.

I'm not as sweet as I used to be.
[ Parent ]
If asked,
will you at least move to the 2nd District?
[ Parent ]
Not if I have to live in..
...the so-called blue collar cities that allegedly dominate the district!  

I'm not as sweet as I used to be.
[ Parent ]
They probably prefer to be called "exurbs" or something like that...

[ Parent ]
Louisville and Lafayette maybe
but Westminster and Thornton are old-line suburbs, whatever they prefer.
[ Parent ]
inner-ring slums?
kidding!!  Nobody beats the big boxes of Westy!

I'm not as sweet as I used to be.
[ Parent ]
some of us in Thornton
voted NO to Walmart! (twice)
[ Parent ]
Be nice
Be nice Jambalaya. I graduated from Westy and live in Thornton.


[ Parent ]
Movin' on up!
Does that mean you move to Northglenn next?
[ Parent ]
No
I think I'll stay here in Thornton. Westminster, Northglenn and Thornton are all nice communities.

Maybe I will move to Denver and pretend there are no big boxes there.

[ Parent ]
Stay away from Colorado Boulevard
and Stapleton, and you could probably avoid them!
[ Parent ]
too bad
our tax structure in this state seems to force cities to compete for big boxes. We need more revenue sharing and IGA's between municipalities so that we are not competing for sales tax revenue.
[ Parent ]
Glendale has blue street signs
...Denver has green.  And that makes all the difference.

And don't get me started about Stapleton!

(I hope people know I'm kidding; I need a SuperTarget as much as the next person.  I would stomp puppies for a downtown location, properly urbanized of course)

I'm not as sweet as I used to be.

[ Parent ]
Well...
Well, I'll be on the radio all next week. Tune in - I'll be doing my part to beat the drum.
[ Parent ]
The Denver Post? That was the "liberal" paper, right?
The one that endorsed GW in 2000?

So today in the parking lot some guy makes a comment on an old bumper sticker, it became obvious that he leans right. He said, "Well, just wait until they hold of your Medicare!"

"WHAT MEDICARE?  I DON'T HAVE ANY CARE!  I DON'T HAVE ANY HEALTH INSURANCE."

And all this asshole Republican living off of FDR's Social Security and Johnson's Medicare, can say is "Well, that's tough."

God, thank you for reinforcing why I hate Republicans so much, again!*

*Joke. Have two in my family and I know there are decent ones out there.  Far too rare in the last 30 years.  

"Politics determines who has the power, not who has the truth." Paul Krugman, 9/2010

Excellent rant
I think that every Senator and Representative who wants to stall on health care reform should give up government coverage for themselves and their families until something is passed.  But of course that wouldn't inconvenience Polis any.
Even better
Maybe they should live with the same health care they will inflict on us.
[ Parent ]
Even better - make them use the VA healthcare system....
....AFTER they wait the average of 1.5 years for their application to be approved.

"The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten." Calvin Coolidge
[ Parent ]
That will work too.

[ Parent ]
Just be thankful the government isn't running health care.
It's so much better for the poor and ememployed to do without health care.  It builds their character.   Plus, by denying preventive care, screenings and cost-effective early treatment, the current non-system ensures the poor and ememployed will enter the system with hugely expensive problems that Medicaid and other programs can then pay for.  It's too late to help the patients at that point, of course, but the hospitals can then reap billions in end-of-life care.  
Government health care, bad.
Letting the poor sleep under railway bridges, Good.
   
Obama's deception on display tonight
FACT CHECK: Obama's Health Care Claims Adrift?

The Associated Press

Calvin Woodward and Jim Kuhnhenn

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's assertion Wednesday that government will stay out of health care decisions in an overhauled system is hard to square with the proposals coming out of Congress and with his own rhetoric.

Even now, nearly half the costs of health care in the U.S. are paid for by government at all levels. Federal authority would only grow under any proposal in play.

A look at some of Obama's claims in his prime-time news conference:

OBAMA: "We already have rough agreement" on some aspects of what a health care overhaul should involve, and one is: "It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you're happy with it."

THE FACTS: In House legislation, a commission appointed by the government would determine what is and isn't covered by insurance plans offered in a new purchasing pool, including a plan sponsored by the government. The bill also holds out the possibility that, over time, those standards could be imposed on all private insurance plans, not just the ones in the pool.

Indeed, Obama went on to lay out other principles of reform that plainly show the government making key decisions in health care. He said insurance companies would be barred from dropping coverage when someone gets too sick, limits would be set on out-of-pocket expenses, and preventive care such as checkups and mammograms would be covered.

It's true that people would not be forced to give up a private plan and go with a public one. The question is whether all of those private plans would still be in place if the government entered the marketplace in a bigger way.

___

OBAMA: "I have also pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade, and I mean it."

THE FACTS: The president has said repeatedly that he wants "deficit-neutral" health care legislation, meaning that every dollar increase in cost is met with a dollar of new revenue or a dollar of savings. But some things are more neutral than others. White House Budget Director Peter Orszag told reporters this week that the promise does not apply to proposed spending of about $245 billion over the next decade to increase fees for doctors serving Medicare patients. Democrats and the Obama administration argue that the extra payment, designed to prevent a scheduled cut of about 21 percent in doctor fees, already was part of the administration's policy, with or without a health care overhaul.

Beyond that, budget experts have warned about various accounting gimmicks that can mask true burdens on the deficit. The bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget lists a variety of them, including back-loading the heaviest costs at the end of the 10-year period and beyond.

___

OBAMA: "You haven't seen me out there blaming the Republicans."

THE FACTS: Obama did so in his opening statement, saying, "I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it's better politics to 'go for the kill.' Another Republican senator said that defeating health reform is about 'breaking' me."

 

WHo buys your insurance, KK?
It's a lead-pipe cinch that you don't buy your own.

Today, you're either going to get better or you're going to get worse, but you're never going to be the same.  Which one will it be?  --Joseph V. Paterno
[ Parent ]
What's happened to the AP lately?
If I didn't know better, I'd think it had become a branch office of UPI.

FACT: The advisory board would set the base coverage for plans in the exchange.  Supplemental insurance is not outlawed or otherwise restricted.

The rules governing required coverage, rescission, and pre-conditions are regulations on a private insurance industry that has become more and more adept at squeezing profit out of their customers' misery.  They're also designed to prevent any government plan from becoming the dumping grounds for anyone who's not healthy at some point in their life.

FACT:  The most expensive part of this reform is going to come toward the end of this 10-year period, once all parts of the plan have been implemented and have entered the mainstream.  We could front-load the revenue stream, but last I checked we were trying to work our way out of a very deep recession and excessive government spending.

And, finally, FACT:  Obama isn't blaming Republicans for not getting the job done - he knows Democrats will have to carry this, with a little Republican support.  As sxp says above, it's pointless to blame Republicans for playing the game and trying to "beat the other team" - but we might as well make it obvious that even Republicans admit that it's about "beating the other team" to them, and not about health care reform.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

[ Parent ]
"Let Them Eat Cake": As 22k Die Annually, Denver Post Asks "What's the Rush On Health Care?" | 48 comments
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