Home > Opinion > Peter Roff > Democrats Stuck on Healthcare While Jobs Issue Grows More Urgent

Democrats Stuck on Healthcare While Jobs Issue Grows More Urgent

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I do agree that the loopholes for healthcare providers should be closed. Also it would be helpful to know every Senator who has received funds from healthcare lobbyists. Speaking of conflict of interest; should not Senator Joe Lieberman recuse himself because of where his wife works?

Neal Mitchell of CA 9:31PM November 30, 2009

The citizens have had enough! Devastating unemployment, credit hard to find, taxes of all manner on the rise, drug related crime getting out of hand and a Congress and a White House that are making things worse with each new inatative.
There has been an enormous outpouring of angry sentiment from the citizens about the (Democrats’) Pay to Play Fraud. Specifically: health care scam, bailout scam, stimulus package scam, Cap and Trade, soft drink tax, additional cigarette taxes, take over of GM and Chrysler, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the trashing of the peoples’ retirement funds, the devastating losses in our colleges and universities endowment funds, the Diebold electronic vote machine fraudulent elections, the ethanol and wind turbine scams, the phony war on drugs, the phony wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the shipment of entire US manufacturing plants to China. (see what economist Robert Higgs and Congressman Ron Paul, MD have to say about these outrageous Chicago/Little Rock/Crawford Pay to Play Scams).
How do we as a nation get out of this fix? The answer is embarrassingly simple. Just do a 180! End the counterproductive war on drugs. That would set the cartels back on their heels. And would simultaneously defund Taliban and el-Qaeda. Who would finance these thugs, if they had to compete with legitimate markets for opiate sales?
And tell OPEC to take a hike by placing an adjustable import tax on their product. In a matter of months those arrogant, corrupt rag heads would be on their hands and knees, begging us to buy their oil at $20 a barrel! Remember fourteen of the nineteen 911 terrorists were Saudis. And many believe were these suicide pilots were funded, at least in part by the Saudi royal family.
And to reduce health care costs, simply provide current Medicare and Medicaid recipients with vouchers and let them buy with these vouchers, whatever health insurance seems to fit their needs. And end all Blue Cross/Blue Shield tax-exempt status. And issue a federal mandate that allows patients to cross state lines to buy whatever health insurance they wish. In other words, break up those cozy, lawyer dominated BC/BS in- state monopolies which drive up costs. Like the scam that Kathleen Sebelius ran with her attorney pals in Kansas for so many years.
George Meredith MD
Virginia Beach

George Meredith MD of VA 10:02PM November 21, 2009

Liberal will destroy the economy. Their constant threats to increase taxes against business has created a manufacturing exodus to Asia. Further, companies will divest themselves of ownership of their foreign assets into international corporations, more simply with Asia, US Corps now have a way out. Asia offers 4 billion excellent laborers, no unions, no health care or day care benefits.
In the old days US corps just had to suck it up and the gov called the shots. But those days are over. The emerging world, the conversion of the US to a third world welfare society, with 50% of all children now born out of wedlock, and pelosi reid styled socialism, will destroy us.
But the best part is that IRS, the thugs, will now be raiding your houses at night, killing your family pets because they bark, and pushing you around at gunpoint to jail you for not buying health insurance. Never in history have citizens been forced to buy something with a threat of jail time and huge IRS styled fines with penalties tied to your tax obligations.
Perhaps our tea parties ought not to be so tame. Perhaps the Boston Styled Tea party is the only type that oppressors understand.

Lordrobot of CA 8:33AM November 20, 2009

I see that Hairy Reed is bringing senate version for vote on Saturday, just like Peloosi did in the house. I thought the left wanted to ban "saturday night specials" I think what they are doing is saying to the American people: "Shut up! You'll take this and like it, or else" I hope I get called to sit on the treason tribunals as jury member. I will be very fair to all those who are seeking to destroy this country.

Warm Live Fingers 1:52AM November 20, 2009

Ten months into his presidency, President Obama hasn't turned around the 96 months G.W. Bush had to deep six our nation's reputation and its economy. (Shame on Obama.) And this isn't to mention what G.W. Bush didn't do--make terrorism a thing of the past, make K-12 education the marvel of the Western world, solve the Israeli/Palestinian problem, foresee that regulation of financial markets and oil futures would have been far better for America than blind faith in capitalism, and, well, a whole lot more.
Yes, Obama's ten months in office, when compared with G.W. Bush's ninety-six months in office, just haven't been what they could have been, that's for sure. Thanks again to Peter Roff for leading the chorus of boos from the Right to remind so many of us how bad Obama's ten months have been.
Hurry up, President Obama! We can't wait forever, you know.

Ron W. Smith of UT 10:46PM November 19, 2009

Why dont we go back to the year 1992 and reverse the change that Bubba Clinton made to the way unemployment is calculated. Go to shadowstats.com to see the number. I suggest you take a deep breath before you do. To give you an idea, the number of 10.2% would be less than half of what the number would be.
Those of us living in reality (anywhere beyond the beltway of DC) are pissed. Democrats are clueless because of their agenda and RINOs only want to get re-elected.
Be prepared for a surprise in the 2010 elections.
So Bubba and fellow democrats, Thank you for signing NAFTA and GATT into law. It is what caused you to lose in 1994 and you can look forward to it again. Hopefully there will be enough responsible people elected to reverse this mess.
Here is a thought to end on. Maybe we should put into law a way to have judges elected to the supreme court by a popular vote of the citizens of this nation instead of as*Ho#%s who think "party" is what is important!

Jeff of WI 8:58PM November 19, 2009

"Case in point, the stimulus. Where are the millions of jobs that the billions of dollars were supposed to create?"
They're saving the money to spend in an election year. They don't have to buy ALL the votes, after all; just enough to tip the scales.
Congress doesn't care if we go hungry and homeless right now - as long as we're appropriately grateful for their generosity come election time. People will be so happy to have jobs (even temporarily) that they'll fall for it.
Welcome to democracy in action.

Rich of CO 5:58PM November 19, 2009

This so called "debate" is a colossal waste of government time and resources. There are more families suffering from the effects of the economy then folks who are uninsured. The US economy has never been worse since Obama took office.
And now we have our President ignoring the financial plight of millions by doing what, shaking hands with the Chinese?! What an ostentatious display of arrogance and ego. Why is Barry out playing with the neighbors when his chores aren't done?
Recent polls show that less than 35% of the people support universal health care. So why are we wasting time to pass legislation that only 35% of the people actually want rather than create jobs that virtually everybody demands? Seems like a no brainer, yet why the stupidity on the part of our leaders?
The stupidity is Democrat policy. Plain and simple, Democrats do not know how to create jobs. Their problem solving approach has always been to throw money at the problem and hope it goes away. Case in point, the stimulus. Where are the millions of jobs that the billions of dollars were supposed to create?
Historically, there are more people unemployed and underemployed today then ever in the history of our country. Assuming that the health care bill becomes law (BIG Assumption) who, exactly will be paying for it? Who has money if no one is working or former high salary executives now flip burgers at McDonalds for minimum wage? Who exactly will shoulder that tax burden? Why is America, collectively, tightening our financial belts and yet Democrats are on the biggest spending spree in the history of the world?
Where is the common sense on both sides of the aisle? Why are we attempting to create another massive, trillion dollar entitlement program? Is Barack so convicted that his re-election will hinge on this monstrosity that he and his minions, Reid/Pelosi, are taking the "damn the torpedo" approach? Is this the "change" he promised?
Do Obama/Reid/Pelosi really care? I submit that they don't give an iota. I believe they would accept any bill . . . even if the bill stunk to high heaven. Which begs the question, Why? Why the rush? How can they possibly expect every senator to read a 2000+ page bill, digest it, disseminate the bill to constiuents, solicit input, and then prepare to vote on it two days later? It's preposterous!
I applaud Republican, Democrat, and Independents who stonewall this legislation. It's not to say, that health care is not important or that something should not be done. It should. But, in terms of priority, it falls well below America's current economic crisis.

david of ID 12:31PM November 19, 2009

Part of the plan to pay for this sickening bill is to take revenue from the estate tax. Now, keep in mind, the Estate Tax does two things: it lines the pockets of life insurance companies to the tune of $12 Billion a year, and it forces small family businesses to either close or scale back operations - either of which costs jobs. America needs jobs now. On top of all that, the tax has never brought in more and %1.5 percent of the federal budget, and in 2009 it will bring in less than 1%. (for more about this tax, visit www.estatetaxtruth.org)
The fact that the democrats in Congress want to keep this tax highlights yet again how their class warfare ideology is isolating them from reality.

michael of NV 12:08PM November 19, 2009

for those looking for employment right now, Salary For.com http://www.salaryfor.com/ has career advice, job listings and a huge database of real salaries that companies are paying for any position. you can post your own salary or view others for free.

Karen of WA 11:15AM November 19, 2009