While watching two Republican Senators on the floor of the Senate I just shake my head.
They are holding what is called a colloquy on the health care issues. A colloquy is a discussion. In the Senate, one Senator has the floor and is holding it, another Senator asks for a colloquy with the first and away they go. A colloquy is used while waiting on someone else to come to the floor or when the two involved have a scripted conversation and one has the floor time assigned to him or her.
These two just brought up a "fact". Seniors are against the health care bill thus far by 2 to 1 because they will lose some coverage under Medicare. These two, Republicans remember, are for the Seniors. Isn't the Republican party the one that not too many years ago was yelling about Seniors cannibalizing their children and grandchildren? Wasn't this the party that was wanting to do away with, fought against forever, Medicare? Isn't this the party that has had Medicare on their hit list since its inception?
But then there is this: These two are saying because the bill and the President want to cut the government subsidies to Medicare Advantage companies that is cutting Medicare. HUH? Please read this article from the Washington Posthere We, the taxpayers are subsidizing these companies.
Free enterprise? Capitalism at its finest? I think not? Government helping big business? I think.
My take on other articles I could find along with a little history of the Medicare Advantage program is that it started off saving then as with all these ideas to promote "outsourcing" the government to private contractors it now costs more than the government version. That too, is one of my concerns about a so-called "trigger" option for health care. The private sector insurers will keep costs down only as long as they have to do so.
Yes, and the two Senators want to put the bill up on the internet for 72 hours for the public to review and then 2 or so weeks for the public to comment back to them.
Isn't this the party that for the last 8 years did away with most of the Sunshine Law? Besides that little "fact", I really hope you will think about trying to read one of these bills. I often say I don't know how the Congresspeople do it. How does the staff for them do it? How does anyone do it? Well in the case of the Congresspeople they expect the staff to do it for them and fill them in on the fine print. The staff knows what the Congressperson, or the Party, wants to find or not find so that is what they get in their reports. Well, maybe not all staffers do it but my guess is most do-if they want the job for long.
More later, I must go check out the Senate,Circus Maximus, so-called debate now.
Later today I believe they will be debating Defense Spending.
Just found this
These bills are amazing things to try to read. I have not tried to read the stuff you are talking about, but I have tried to read bills and other legislation in the past and end up scanning and skipping then just reading the parts that tell me what I want to hear. I am very skeptical when I hear someone say that they have read one of these in question and claim to understand it. Their staff probably has split the thing up amongst themselves and they as a group understand what it says.
ReplyDeleteRemember Jon Stewart interviewing Betsy Mccaughey ?
Thanks Thomas.
ReplyDeleteI went to the link. Oh that was a good one.
As a group the staff may understand it but they feed the Congressperson whatever viewpoint to use as a floor speech. Right and Left does it.
Do you think most of the public would be able to follow it in 72 hours and then make valid comments? I am not so sure.
Humor (laughter)
ReplyDeleteMost of the public would not even try, but even if they did depending on whether right or left would determine the opinion formed. Most people are incapable of considering something that is outside of their ideology even if it is the right thing to do or the best thing for the country or even if it might not be best, but if followed will result in better times for all. I was thinking today after reading about the stimulus and how it should have been over 1 trillion dollars, if we had gone into it with all of our resources with one mind; we would have seen so much more recovery and less unemployment. If we would go into healthcare reform with less bickering; we would see a better economy and less unemployment and a happier nation. Or, if only our leaders would face up to the task of prosecuting those who have screwed us over or those who have tortured people for their own gain... We as a nation would be reassured that our leadership has values and ethics and morals, and we would feel secure. Or, if they would reform or totally delete the Patriot Act, so that we can feel like we are free (strange that those who preach freedom are the ones who support the Patriot Act). If only one of these things could be tackled by our leadership team....
Lots of ifs Thomas.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. As I have written to various columnists. It is trust that is missing-especially after the last 8 years.
Hopefully, the administration will get its footing soon. I know what I read and heard that Pres. Obama really wants single-payor health care but knows there is no way. So here is hoping he doesn't stay too pragmatic.
By the way, Lockheed M. is going great guns with military contracts. They just won one to explore and find a way to use ocean current heat differences as renewable power under the auspices of the Navy.
How things change.
Thanks for the comments.
No I don't think most people could read one of the bills. Remember our educational system has been failing for quite a while.
Later,
Kanna