hell, you shoulda asked him for his working definition of socialism, i'd have loved to hear his "answer".

Where is the exchange of ideas our President says he is in favor off

As the health reform fight shifts this month from a vacationing Washington to congressional districts and local airwaves around the country, much more of the battle than most people realize is already over. The likely victors are insurance giants such as UnitedHealth Group (UNH), Aetna (AET), and WellPoint (WLP). The carriers have succeeded in redefining the terms of the reform debate to such a degree that no matter what specifics emerge in the voluminous bill Congress may send to President Obama this fall, the insurance industry will emerge more profitable. Health reform could come with a $1 trillion price tag over the next decade, and it may complicate matters for some large employers. But insurance CEOs ought to be smiling.

Their stock seems to rise with every announcement from Baucus that there is no real action in his committee. Think they feel they're control the outcome of any reconciiation?

We can't afford to subsidize high premiums for the for-profit Big Insurance Parasites (BIPs)--the system will collapse. But the execs will be grinning big sh$t-eating grins....

Obama wants to try to cut the increase in health care costs over the next 10 years. He's told the public that without doing "something" BIP premiums will increase 100%*. BUT.......with his "plan"...something will cut costs...and premiums will increase only 50-70% (!!!).

Consider me unimpressed. The BIPs have achieved what they wanted: Obama is not really pushing a genuine public plan; what's being hinted at, somewhat fleshed out is Romney Care for the nation. Mandated purchase of BIP offerings; subsidies which won't help many; and little cost containment.

Is that why Obama is eyeing Medicare and Medicaid for cuts and "controls"?

Now, Medicare for All, even with a robust private option, as a single payer plan would save $350-$400 Billion each year, meaning $350-$400 Trillion in savings over 10 years. Per Dr. David Himmelstein of Harvard and PNHP.org, who has done the studies on health care costs used by both sides of the debate. With those savings, everyone could be covered, comprehensively, from day one, dollar one--no co-pays, no deductibles.

But Obama kept that off the table, even out of the debate, leaving the BIPs able to achieve their goals of increasing their market with mandates (from the president who as candidate said he was against them).

Single payer would affect the BIPs--and their profitability apparently must be preserved at great cost to the public and the government. Subsidies to pay for the high cost of BIPs' premiums is a cost borne by both the public, as individual payers, and the government, which is again the public, paying taxes. Obama does seem to come donw on the side of corporatists.

There's one small chance for rational health care provisioning in this country: Rep. Weiner's Medicare for All single payer type bill, based closely on HR 676, to be voted on in September in the House.

Of course, the NYTimes and WaPo aren't covering this--that might stir up enthusiasm among the little people who are supposed to just take whatever their betters give them.

Not sure about you, but I'm feeling like a mushroom. Guess that happens when you're thrown under the bus and it's not going anywhere. All this rain, cool growing weather, kept in the dark: Perfect for treating the public like mushrooms.

A once in a generation opportunity for real health care reform is a terrible thing to waste.

Rep. Bill Pascrell, a D(???) from NJ, said on WNYC this past Tuesday that maybe in 50 years single payer might be implemented in the US--FIFTY YEARS, people. I'll be long gone, but the younger generations may be messed over for another half century? FSM help us all.

*My Parasite has increased premiums between 17 and 20% each year, so in 10 years the increase could be astronomical, and the Parasite will kill the host. (I had to stop adding 18% after 4 years, it was just too scary. The Big Insurance Parasites will eat the nation alive.)