tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post1616731200429580041..comments2023-05-30T05:54:48.988-04:00Comments on kingston progressive: OBAMA AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH PLANMike Madsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14527557594630435730noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post-19813105532865043992009-06-05T18:56:56.855-04:002009-06-05T18:56:56.855-04:00CSEA has just agreed to a new tier for the retirem...CSEA has just agreed to a new tier for the retirement system. Tier V will work like 401k and cost the City and state less moneyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post-67477371876372607612009-06-05T16:26:13.864-04:002009-06-05T16:26:13.864-04:00Shelly,
In a recent post you argued that the city ...Shelly,<br />In a recent post you argued that the city must be run like a corporation. Which corporation? Enron or GM? There are some things that cannot be left to the whims of the marketplace. Decisions related to health care cannot be driven by greed, but need and compassion. Just as city services such as garbage collection and sewers are a public good. Am I arguing to throw money away, no way, but there are many public welfare items that are a shared responsibility that are better left to the government to administrate. That is why we elect them to office.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post-84811468302697811032009-06-05T15:16:39.754-04:002009-06-05T15:16:39.754-04:00Shelly
I am at a loss to understand how deregulat...Shelly<br /><br />I am at a loss to understand how deregulation has caused the huge pension and healthcare burdens GM faces with its unionized workers in the US and Canada. GM Mexico is doing well because its union is weak and its labor costs are low.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post-75578759976195177422009-06-05T13:24:55.429-04:002009-06-05T13:24:55.429-04:00Mike:
I have to agree with 8:35- would add the en...Mike: <br />I have to agree with 8:35- would add the entire financial and real estate corporate mold that created our current financial crises. Although joined at the hip with Big Pharma- it will be the pharmaceuticals that bring the market back along with the financial's. The health industry has much baggage and although it might be "feely good" to watch the Michael Moores' "Sicko" there is too much that will eventually determine the direction of the country as regards to this vital area to our economic growth. Obama has made many statements that have since been rescinded or amended as related to his overrall campaignl. As you know from the local races- there are promises and there are promises. <br />Reform is necessary, but what will be the price. The continued use of dergulation since Regans's election have brought the nation to areas that were once considered unthinkable. Could you ever imagine GM going bankrupt. In today's Freeman, it appears that the US and Canada are major inside stock holders of GM. One of the humorous aspects of this new world is that GM Mexico is going strong and healthy.<br /><br />Returning to the question of the Health Industry- remember the Hillary Plan, which caused a major drop in almost all health stocks. So at this time, we will have to wait and see as to the direcion that he actually goes forward.<br />take care,<br />Shelly ZAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post-50112236496533664192009-06-05T11:06:23.577-04:002009-06-05T11:06:23.577-04:00Your belief that the minority party is against cho...Your belief that the minority party is against choice is a poor attempt to link the abortion rights agrument with the idea of public health care. In many areas of our lives it is the Republicans who argue for more freedom and choices, while it is the Democrats who argue for freedom and choices in other areas.<br /><br />You are being a bit short sighted, maybe purposefully so. A public health care plan will in all probability, eventually, all but do away with private health care coverage. When that happens we will have fewer choices, not more. I suspect that is the ultimate goal. Monopolies always end up limiting choices and that is true whether it is through private enterprise or the government. The only people who will have choices then are the rich, who can pay for their own health care, and the very well connected, such as the political class, who will work very hard to exempt themselves from whatever plan they impose on the rest of us.<br /><br />There are many influential people in the west who believe that the USA and some other western democracies have suffered from an "excess of democracy". Please beware of those who peddle the ideas of freedom of want, freedom of need and freedom of responsibility, because what we trade away in return for those are the kinds of freedoms that made this country great.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24135583.post-76342437240014482912009-06-05T08:35:50.087-04:002009-06-05T08:35:50.087-04:00Insurance and pharmaceutical companies have been i...Insurance and pharmaceutical companies have been in bed with so many politicians for so long, that I don't think Obama can separate them. Too much money, too much history and the scary propaganda will chip away at the public perception of universal public healthcare.<br />What worries me, is the push to get Republicans on board will get in the way of churning out more of the needed reforms that Obama promised in his campaign. When the opposite was true and the GOP was in control, there were no compromises. Look what we ended up with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com