I'm sure you've heard by now if you are keeping track with this ObamaCare initiative, that the White House is leaning towards maybe allowing Congress to axe out the public option as part of these new health care/insurance reform bills that are going around Washington. Now if you don't know what the public option is, let's give you some details:
The public option is:
-a non-profit health insurance option that Americans will have to pay for healthcare that will be payed for by taxpayers depending on your income
-it is run and operated by the government
-many experts believe that it will be the least expensive option
-it is being established to provide competition so that insurance companies can lower their prices (the amount of health insurance that you would pay for health care) because if insurance companies are smart and know how to do business they would know that if their is an option that is being offered that is cheaper (the gov't/public option); their customers might want to switch over to that option, so in order to keep customers they would simply lower their prices
-the purpose is NOT to run insurance companies out of business!
THE ONLY THING THAT I DISAGREE WITH IS THIS: "The government would regulate the exchange so that insurance companies can't discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, or charge wildly different amounts for similar coverage."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/aug/13/health-care-reform-simple-explanation/
In my opinion a private-public independent hybrid bi-partisan non-profit non-gov't relations impartial commission should be placed in charge of regulating the insurance companies, because if you have the gov't regulating the insurance companies then claims of socialism and gov't takeover might actually make sense. It might not be the government's intention to give the private sector less power to make revenue but that's what it is going to look like in the public's eyes.
BUT..... now back to the main discussion point; Republicans argue that with a public option in place employers will tell their employees that they aren't paying for their health insurance anymore and that the employees should just switch to the public option; but if the insurance companies are lowering prices because of the potential competition factor that could be at stake then why would be necessary for employers to drop insurance for it's employees??
And let's be honest; WITHOUT the PUBLIC OPTION where is the CHANGE AND REFORM IN HEALTH CARE, it's basically more of the same! Mr. President, you yourself have said that change isn't easy and is hard to fathom and understand but it HAS to be DONE!! So why are'nt you and the Democrats doing all you can to push this bill through??? I know you promised change in Washington and more bi-partisanship but sir that IS NOT POSSIBLE when you're opposing party has most of it's base in the south and still thinks we are living in the 60's and determines things right or wrong through race and political party. If Obama was a republican all this would have gone through in about 2 months time; the Democrats would have had disagreements with the spending but they would'nt pull the race card or the socialist card or the political party card; if you could convince the Democrats in reasonable negociations things would be done in a jiffy. But the Republicans have such an extremist base that bipartisanship is IMPOSSIBLE!
Mr. President; no other President has ever had a majority in Congress with people in the same party as they are in for both of their terms in a long time; so while you have a majority Democratic congress you should be getting as much done as possible; you should'nt need to worry about what Republicans think right now! You can start doing that in 2010 when the seats will be more towards an equillibriam with Repubs and Dems, or majority Democratic.
I also think the disagreement with the healthcare bill as I've said before has totally been overblown by the media; Obama was in Phoenix the other day speaking; and the media was saying "Although the President arrived in Phoenix where there was a majority pro-reform crowd there is still mostly anger around the nation" That statement is inaccurate because despite what you see on TV, America is basically 50-50 on a reformation of healthcare, but Mr. President the longer this goes; the lower the approval ratings for it will be; the lower your health care approval is; that's a lower job approval; lower job approval = more steam for the Repubs in 2010 and 2012; this is the same party that every1 was saying was falling apart in January lol!! I know the media has been accussed of a love affair with Obama, but please also TELL THE TRUTH as I have said in the past.
IF you've read this far and still don't understand this healthcare crap lol, click here this will give you all the basic info; it's a great link:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/aug/13/health-care-reform-simple-explanation/
Also read my previous entries on this issue.
And check out this CNN Fact Check here: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/health-care-fact-check/
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
SOUNDOFF: Obama Health Care/Health Insurance Reform
Are you confused about Barack Obama's new healthcare/health insurance reform plan, yea, well I was too. Until I watched a town hall meeting that occured on Friday in Montana. First of all, for me too even be able to sit and be able to watch this town hall ment that their was definetley nothing to watch on TV and that I was bored LOL! But anyways, this healthcare/health insurance reform is pretty hard to understand, and I think 2 sides are at fault with that
-the Obama administration
-the media
The Obama administration over the summer have been scheduling all these online and TV press conferences and town halls about health care but they have'nt really answered some of the basic questions like HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR HEALTH CARE? Finally, I heard Obama loud and clear today at this town hall meeting:
Basically what Obama is saying there is that
-People who say that you should'nt have your taxes raised no matter how much you make are wrong, Americans are wrong for thinking you can get SOMETHING for NOTHING, that type of greediness is what got us into the financial disaster in the first place
-If we eliminate waste or political pork we can get 2/3'rds of health care paid off, the question is though Mr. President WHERE ARE THOSE CUTS GOING TO BE AT? WHAT PROGRAMS DO YOU CONSIDER WASTE?
-If rich people did not get as many tax breaks from for example donating money to non-profits, more revenue would be coming in
So that basically makes sense, if thats what is going to be done then it should be done, it makes sense and was explained very well in the YouTube video above; the question is though, why are so many Americans misinformed about how we are going to pay for health care/insurance reform? Why did'nt Obama break down the financial means of paying for health care/insurance in the press conferences or in the many interviews he has done over the past couple of months? If we would have broken it done like this so many more Americans would have been informed of these measures?
Maybe we would'nt have so many people like this....
Another group that is at fault here, as seen above, is the MEDIA. The media has failed 110% at explaining what this health care reform is, how we would pay for it etc. The left wing partisan news shows like "Countdown" and "Rachel Maddow" have only focused on how these town hall protests could be organized which some are but not all. Right wingers like "The Factor" and "Hannity" have only focused on Fox News' ratings going up because they supposedley provide both sides of the spectrum and they also focused on how happy they are that the Democrats have failed at something.
Do you call this impartial news coverage?
First of all, I'm not even going to address Glenn Beck he's in a whole 'nother galaxy, he used to make sense when he was on CNN, now he just WEIRD! But Sean Hannity, you can't compare the "ObamaCare" to "CanadaCare" and call it socialized medicine because Obama has clearly said many times that:
-This is NOT A GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTHCARE!!!!
-A Public Option or a Gov't Option provides a cheaper option for consumers of health insurance to go to
-it is a cheaper version/option because it does'nt exist to profit like the other insurance companies, the gov't is not a company, this option would be non-profit.
-So check this out, if the gov't is offering an option that is cheaper; if your a good businessman then you are going to want to offer insurance that is cheaper or on par with what the gov't option is, this gov't option is there to provide competition so that the other health insurance companies can LOWER THEIR PRICES NOT TO RUN THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES OUT OF BUSINESS!!!
MY OPINION: The media has been critized in the past for having a love affair with Barack Obama, so maybe they are trying to make a change and be looked at more seriously IDK; but when we are talking about people's lives like this you can't be bullsh*tting people like that. If you're going to go on the airwaves and either not provide an accurate description of questions people want to know or your going to LIE in front of millions of peoples faces, then maybe you should'nt be on the airwaves in the first place. If you want to have a talk show and share your opinions that is fine, but you need to tell people THE FACTS first before you tell them your opinion because your viewers will then think that your opinion is a fact and then they will be MISINFORMED. These people yelling at townhalls they watch FOX 24/7 and they think Bill-O and Hannity and Greta are NEWS SHOWS!!! Which is why so many people get into hissy fights and they say the wrong things! The media is there to inform not for personal opinions but if wanna give your opinion you must inform with FACTS first before opinion. THE MEDIA SHOULD BE GIVING BOTH SIDES TO THIS STORY BUT ALL THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE INNOCENT PROTESTERS WHOSE OPINIONS DONT EVEN MAKE UP MAJORITY OF AMERICA
Americans appear split over President Barack Obama's health care proposals, according to a new national poll.
Sen. Harry Reid, center, talks about health care flanked by Sens. Christopher Dodd, left, and Charles Schumer.
Fifty percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday morning say they support the president's plans, with 45 percent opposed.
The results indicate a generational divide.
"Obama's plan is most popular among younger Americans and least popular among senior citizens," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "A majority of Americans over the age of 50 oppose Obama's plan; a majority of those under 50 support it."
This is as of August 5th 2009 so it's pretty recent: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/05/health.care.poll/index.html
LETS FACE IT AMERICA: America, if you want to keep the same health care you have right now you can keep it, that means if you like:
-your doctor
-your dentist
-your pets veterinarian
-your hospital etc.
KEEP IT!!!
And if you like the rate that you are paying for your insurance KEEP IT!
But if you believe that you are paying too much with this new reform bill you can switch providers and change your insurance, and it is easier than it was before now with this new reform to change your health care as well.
America, we can't give every person in this country access to the health care they desire or even health care period without giving them a health insurance option that is affordable for them and we can't provide insurance that is affordable without financing and how are we going to finance it (LOOK ABOVE) America, please do your research before you start yelling at your congressmen or congresswomen DONT ALWAYS TRUST THE MEDIA, and Mr. President you are a very articulate speaker; you should'nt be waiting until August which CNN marks as the "Make or Break Month" before you explain yourself in a way everyone can understand.
And by the way to all the Republicans who like spreading wrong information like saying that Obama is going to set up "death panels" and kill all the old people I have a question for you, you guys continue to disagree with the Prez but WHERE IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE PLAN??? Get a new plan in place before you start disputing others and Mr. President maybe you need to start listening to Bill Maher and forget this bipartisan BS.....:
-the Obama administration
-the media
The Obama administration over the summer have been scheduling all these online and TV press conferences and town halls about health care but they have'nt really answered some of the basic questions like HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR HEALTH CARE? Finally, I heard Obama loud and clear today at this town hall meeting:
Basically what Obama is saying there is that
-People who say that you should'nt have your taxes raised no matter how much you make are wrong, Americans are wrong for thinking you can get SOMETHING for NOTHING, that type of greediness is what got us into the financial disaster in the first place
-If we eliminate waste or political pork we can get 2/3'rds of health care paid off, the question is though Mr. President WHERE ARE THOSE CUTS GOING TO BE AT? WHAT PROGRAMS DO YOU CONSIDER WASTE?
-If rich people did not get as many tax breaks from for example donating money to non-profits, more revenue would be coming in
So that basically makes sense, if thats what is going to be done then it should be done, it makes sense and was explained very well in the YouTube video above; the question is though, why are so many Americans misinformed about how we are going to pay for health care/insurance reform? Why did'nt Obama break down the financial means of paying for health care/insurance in the press conferences or in the many interviews he has done over the past couple of months? If we would have broken it done like this so many more Americans would have been informed of these measures?
Maybe we would'nt have so many people like this....
Another group that is at fault here, as seen above, is the MEDIA. The media has failed 110% at explaining what this health care reform is, how we would pay for it etc. The left wing partisan news shows like "Countdown" and "Rachel Maddow" have only focused on how these town hall protests could be organized which some are but not all. Right wingers like "The Factor" and "Hannity" have only focused on Fox News' ratings going up because they supposedley provide both sides of the spectrum and they also focused on how happy they are that the Democrats have failed at something.
Do you call this impartial news coverage?
First of all, I'm not even going to address Glenn Beck he's in a whole 'nother galaxy, he used to make sense when he was on CNN, now he just WEIRD! But Sean Hannity, you can't compare the "ObamaCare" to "CanadaCare" and call it socialized medicine because Obama has clearly said many times that:
-This is NOT A GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTHCARE!!!!
-A Public Option or a Gov't Option provides a cheaper option for consumers of health insurance to go to
-it is a cheaper version/option because it does'nt exist to profit like the other insurance companies, the gov't is not a company, this option would be non-profit.
-So check this out, if the gov't is offering an option that is cheaper; if your a good businessman then you are going to want to offer insurance that is cheaper or on par with what the gov't option is, this gov't option is there to provide competition so that the other health insurance companies can LOWER THEIR PRICES NOT TO RUN THE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES OUT OF BUSINESS!!!
MY OPINION: The media has been critized in the past for having a love affair with Barack Obama, so maybe they are trying to make a change and be looked at more seriously IDK; but when we are talking about people's lives like this you can't be bullsh*tting people like that. If you're going to go on the airwaves and either not provide an accurate description of questions people want to know or your going to LIE in front of millions of peoples faces, then maybe you should'nt be on the airwaves in the first place. If you want to have a talk show and share your opinions that is fine, but you need to tell people THE FACTS first before you tell them your opinion because your viewers will then think that your opinion is a fact and then they will be MISINFORMED. These people yelling at townhalls they watch FOX 24/7 and they think Bill-O and Hannity and Greta are NEWS SHOWS!!! Which is why so many people get into hissy fights and they say the wrong things! The media is there to inform not for personal opinions but if wanna give your opinion you must inform with FACTS first before opinion. THE MEDIA SHOULD BE GIVING BOTH SIDES TO THIS STORY BUT ALL THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE INNOCENT PROTESTERS WHOSE OPINIONS DONT EVEN MAKE UP MAJORITY OF AMERICA
Americans appear split over President Barack Obama's health care proposals, according to a new national poll.
Sen. Harry Reid, center, talks about health care flanked by Sens. Christopher Dodd, left, and Charles Schumer.
Fifty percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday morning say they support the president's plans, with 45 percent opposed.
The results indicate a generational divide.
"Obama's plan is most popular among younger Americans and least popular among senior citizens," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "A majority of Americans over the age of 50 oppose Obama's plan; a majority of those under 50 support it."
This is as of August 5th 2009 so it's pretty recent: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/05/health.care.poll/index.html
LETS FACE IT AMERICA: America, if you want to keep the same health care you have right now you can keep it, that means if you like:
-your doctor
-your dentist
-your pets veterinarian
-your hospital etc.
KEEP IT!!!
And if you like the rate that you are paying for your insurance KEEP IT!
But if you believe that you are paying too much with this new reform bill you can switch providers and change your insurance, and it is easier than it was before now with this new reform to change your health care as well.
America, we can't give every person in this country access to the health care they desire or even health care period without giving them a health insurance option that is affordable for them and we can't provide insurance that is affordable without financing and how are we going to finance it (LOOK ABOVE) America, please do your research before you start yelling at your congressmen or congresswomen DONT ALWAYS TRUST THE MEDIA, and Mr. President you are a very articulate speaker; you should'nt be waiting until August which CNN marks as the "Make or Break Month" before you explain yourself in a way everyone can understand.
And by the way to all the Republicans who like spreading wrong information like saying that Obama is going to set up "death panels" and kill all the old people I have a question for you, you guys continue to disagree with the Prez but WHERE IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE PLAN??? Get a new plan in place before you start disputing others and Mr. President maybe you need to start listening to Bill Maher and forget this bipartisan BS.....:
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Social Media in Sports Today
Thanks Fang's Bites for the apologies, not needed though lol everyone forgets lol, anyways did a show about social media and it's influence on sports and the new Twitter policy @ESPN
-Robert Littal of Black Sports Online
-Kathleen Hessert and Hannah Patrick of Sports Media Challenge
-John Ourand of Sports Business Journal
Listen to the show here 1 HOUR:
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