Poligraphy on Healthcare reform

Ever wanted to see on a graph what the presidential candidates thought about the issues.

Click here to find out. Are there any other issues?

Maybe. A poll came out at the end of the 2007 that listed important issues in the following order of importance.

IRAQ - 35%

HEATHCARE - 30%

ECONOMY - 21%

IMMIGRATION - 17%

This Poll came from a Health Care Organization. Want to see poll, look here.

Heathcare Cost.... mandates and regulations

Here are two opinions that are worth the cut-and-paste.

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Gary Andres, Washington Times: Improvement of the U.S. health care system "requires several significant steps -- maybe not taken all at once -- and it demands more citizen education, consumer transparency, cost containment and personal responsibility, not just bigger government programs," Andres, vice chair of research and policy for Dutko Worldwide and a former White House senior lobbyist, writes in a Times opinion piece. According to Andres, presidential candidates "need to debate a broader menu of health care reforms beyond just how to cover the uninsured." He adds, "The real problem is health care costs -- a dimension of the issue" that likely Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "emphasizes a lot more than do Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton." However, the "media's preoccupation with the universal coverage fight limits the dialogue," Andres writes (Andres, Washington Times, 2/28).

Deroy Murdock, Washington Times: "Before American voters embrace" health care proposals by Clinton or Obama, "they should consider the avoidable deaths that plague the mother of all state-run medical programs: Great Britain's big-government National Health Service," Murdock, a Scripps Howard columnist and a media fellow with the Hoover Institution, writes in a Times opinion piece. According to Murdock, the number of preventable deaths that occur in Britain "rebuff the notion that America's imperfect health care industry needs a booster shot of mandates and regulations." He concludes that "McCain's ideas -- among them, expanded health savings accounts; individually owned, portable health insurance policies available across state lines; and medical lawsuit reform -- are the antidote to the 'health care with a British accent' that Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama would import, unless American voters stop them" (Murdock, Washington Times, 2/28).
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I love it when anyone bring us the words "media preoccupation", bacause they decide what is more important for us to know. I don't know anything about Great Britian's National Health Service - but it doesn't sound good so far. Any new thoughts?

Healthcare Reform . . Reform What?

I like opinions. But it you want to argue about issues please have some facts to support them. Your opinion is just that, an opinion, not a fact. Opinions cannot be argued and true facts can't be argued either. Opinions are touchy feely, play to your heart string stuff. Facts are cold, hard, difficult to change - unless your running for political office. ;)

Here are the healthcare plans for 3 of the presidential candidates. They are in order of length. Shortest to longest.

Sen. John McCain

Sen. Barack Obama Click here for a summary of the 15 page plan.

Sen. Hillary Clinton Click here or here for a summary of the 16 page plan.

Do these plans seem to be missing something?

I don't know if I want Government in my healthcare. If you have any doubts, go down to DES (department of economic security) and grab a number - OH, be sure to have all day planned for this. There is no customer service - no reason to get to the next person (I dare not call you a customer) - If they didn't get to you, come back tomorrow, 'cause you need them more than they need you - they work for the government not for us.

Evere been there? Had a different experience?

Premiums would start low...... just like the Gov't Budget

Let's say there would be a minimum benefits package for Mandated Health Insurance. What would be excluded - Not Covered - under this new Universal Healthcare?

Would it include Dental benefits? Chiropractic? Holistic? Hair Restoration? Restless Leg Syndrome? Erectile Dysfunction? If it didn't cover what you wanted would you still have to have purchase insurance if it was mandated? What about my choice? Could I lobby the Government to get my condition or medical specialty added to the minimum benefit package? Probably not.... I don't have enough money to lobby for myself or to pay for a professional lobbyist.

BUT drug companies and each medical specialty, from acupuncture to urology, will pressure the legislature to include their services in the minimum package. Now as the benefits package grows, so will the premiums. I've got to change careers!!

Wage garnishment - automatic enrollment

Have you heard how they are going to MAKE US have healthcare. What happened to my choice!! I am in America right? I can't drive without a seatbelt, without a driver’s license or proof of car insurance and registration, my kids loose in the back of my pickup with a six-pack on the seat next to me. Now, I can't go without health insurance!!! Let's have the government take care of us, how they want us to live. Hell, I'd move to Korea if I wanted that. Too strong - probably.

Below: By CHARLES BABINGTON - ASSOCIATED PRESS on Feb 3, 2008

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to have workers' wages garnisheed if they refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed during a television interview, she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."

Clinton said such measures would apply only to workers who can afford health coverage but refuse to buy it, which puts undue pressure on hospitals and emergency rooms. Under her plan, she said, health care "will be affordable for everyone" because she would limit premium payments "to a low percent of your income."

Superbowl commercials (Last Half)

Superbowl ads I like for the 2nd half of the game.

Careerbuilder: Spider

wall-E

Makeajacksandwich - This a great site!!!

E*Trade: Baby

Gatorade: Thirsty DOG - This was an inexpensive commericial to make - Loved IT!

AMP: Jumpstart

Not as many good commercials here. They only had 52 national commericials - 30 were in the first half, and they only had 5 or 6 in the 4th quarter.

I'm not a HUGE football fan - the first quarter and the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter were all I needed to see. :}

Who did you want to win and why?

Good Commercials (First Half)

These were a few of my favorite superbowl commericals for the first half. Go here to see all the commericals.

Which is your favorite for the first half?

BudLight: Breathing Fire

BudLight: Wine & Cheese Party

Tide Talking Stain

Cars: Death Match

Planters: Unibrow

Other Holorable mentions are:

Doritos: Mouse Trap

Pepsi: Justin Timberlake - 'cause they hit him with so many thing!