How Tom Daschle Might Kill Conservatism

Landslide?

52.8% to be more precise. Which most would round to 53%. It isn't just Obama, Democrats got popular vote majorities in the House and Senate votes too. Republicans have not recieved a majority of the vote in all three since 1928. Democrats hit the triple crown, for their first time since 1964. This is a rare election any way you want to slice it.

I don't know where "landslide" begins, but I don't see how anyone can argue the country did not give Democrats a mandate to enact policy. Most people voted for Democrats at all levels. And they did so in 2006 as well. Consecutive sweeps has to mean something.

Dan D @ Nov 24, 2008 17:35:35 PM

Shorter Pethokoukis

The Republicans must stop the Democrats from increasing government involvement in the provision of health care. If they don't, the citizens will be pleased and vote for more Democrats.

of PA @ Nov 24, 2008 16:06:34 PM

Got it!

So, to sum up your point number 1:

a. Working class people in Britain were given national health care, liked it, and so supported the party that gave it to them.

b. If the same thing were to happen under an Obama administration, that would be bad for Republicans (leaving aside how actually "conservative" the GOP has been for eight years).

c. Therefore, Republicans should work tirelessly to prevent working class people from getting something they might want and like, in order to keep as many of them in the (collapsing) GOP tent as possible.

Or, as Michael Cannon puts it succinctly, "Blocking Obama's health plan is key to the GOP's survival."

Very clear. Thx!

Mr. Wonderful of CA @ Nov 24, 2008 14:11:20 PM

Daschle Healthcare

It never ceases to amaze me how all this talk about health care continually focuses only on the insurance end. The real problem with health care, and anyone who has to pay even a portion of it can tell you, is the cost! Until some measures are taken to limit the ridiculous cost of drugs and procedures there will be no economical solution to this problem. Insurance companies get it on both ends, through premium costs as well as through malpractice insurance costs which health care professionals use as the reason for continually rising prices. Perhaps the government should focus on things like making health care education more affordable with loan paybacks tied to overall pricing structures, and tort reforms that would drive down the costs of malpractice insurance. Research and development of new drugs and procedures could also be supported by the government with stipulations that prices would remain low or constant when the private sector takes over. The overall costs of every aspect involved in health care is what has led to the health care crisis in America, and until we get to the roots of this problem we will be doing no more than putting billion dollar bandaids on a problem that will bankrupt the nation.

Paul Wiersma of ID @ Nov 24, 2008 09:55:23 AM

Tom of NY said:

"A near-landslide presidential election victory"? 52% of the vote is NOT a landslide, you dolt. Pick up a calculator once in your life.

Tom,

I suggest that you educate yourself to the extent necessary to understand that the author is obviously referring to the electoral vote here.

If you cannot afford a calculator of your own, that would be understandable--as would be your eagerness to engage in childish name-calling.

By your lights, Al Gore certainly won the 2000 election.

Mike Kiraly

P.S.

I'm not going to call you a dolt. You probably already know what you are, so there's no real need to pile on. But please, get over it. And by all means, have the courage to use a real name in future posts--it would add some weight to an otherwise vacuous argument.

Mike Kiraly of OH @ Nov 24, 2008 00:48:07 AM

class war

The story throughout human history has been more or less the same: the most aggressively amoral specimens seize control but are forced to ultimately bequeath it to their heirs who grow complacent and incompetent over the generations. Then the more aggressive and/or competent specimens amongst the rabble will become upwardly-socially-mobile working for The Man whilst biding their time until they can themselves seize the reins. In order to enlist the masses in their power-play they will promise them a slice of the pie, some shiny baubles, it doesn't matter what as long it expedites overthrow of the pharoah's idiot grandchildren. When the dust clears they may or may not make good on some of those promises as it suits them in order to maintain their newfound power. If the robber barons' illegitimate heirs hadn't grown quite so complacent and incompetent perhaps they might have forestalled facing this guillotine for a bit longer...

bugjackblue of FL @ Nov 23, 2008 22:20:59 PM

Emergency room leeches? I don't think so

..And the uninsured who go the emergency room? (everyone who is insured through higher prices)....

Even if you go to a religious "Charity" hospital you might get minimum care to to the point of being stable, but nothing more without a wallet biopsy. If you have a house, or any other sort of wealth, kiss it good-bye, if not, even bankruptcy will not save you, if you survive well enough to keep a job a large part will continue to go for those few hours of desperation.

And the bill will not be less than insured folk pay. Since you could not negotiate, your bill will be ten times what is paid by the insured insurance policy. And the percentage of folk who die of a disease are only measuring the folk who are treated, the vast majority of the uninsured or insufficiently insured will never be reported and included in the data.

Worse it would appear that a very high percentage end up arrested as a result of homelessness and die in jails or prisons out of sight and beyond a story anyone will care about. This is not supposition but the result of doing the research. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=9VIvJHiKhekC&dq=Uninsured+in+America:+Life+and+Death+in+the+Land+of+Opportunity,&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=zX3wteGQYL&sig=twfmRVa4uo1slm8rD9YMDFJX23g&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result

Freedem of FL @ Nov 23, 2008 21:39:14 PM

Socialized Medicine?

I think much of medicine in the US is already "socialized".....who do you think pays for those over 65? (medicare)...the poor? (medicaid)...governement employees of all types? (tax payers)..And the uninsured who go the emergency room? (everyone who is insured through higher prices).....I think all Congressmen, Senators, and other policy makers should have their taxpayer funded insurance plans revoked and given an allowance to procure private insurance on their own (as as small sole proprieter such as me does).....Boy I bet that would open up their eyes!!!...

Paul of NY @ Nov 23, 2008 20:32:53 PM