Comments on: Clinton, Obama Debate, But Play Nice

Cordial, One-On-One Exchange Comes Five Days Before Super Tuesday Contests

[spinster2]

Obama Pastor UnGodly Remark: Natalee Holloway "Gets Drunk....Gives It Up"

http://www.gambling911.com/Obama-Pastor-Natalee-Holloway-Gives-It-Up-012808.html

[samthetvcat]

"Even companies like the big automakers, appliance makers, etc are not offering benefits to new employees or are drastically reducing the benefits they are offering. The older union employees ratify the new contracts reducing the benefits for new employees, under the threat that their benefits might be reduced or cut."
Posted by hungry1968

Why are costs skyrocketing - everybody blames big insurance and greedy doctors, but my really smart cousin just graduated from medical school and is thinking about getting into medical research because malpractice insurance is so high.

It seems like the whole system is in bad need of a complete overhaul from top to bottom, and I really don''t see how forcing the lower class to buy medical insurance helps without taking a closer look at the system.

What are Barack and Hillary''s positions on tort reform? I know Romney''s for it . . . the Supreme Court has put a cap on punitive damages, but still - tort suits don''t seem to have the effect of making the system more effective, so in the big picture I don''t feel like they''re cost-effective . . .

[hungry1968]

Like the only guarantee that comes with mandates are that big pharma and big insurance are going to have a windfall - now I''''m thinking big business are going to win big too if they are ''''off the hook'''' for providing health insurance . . . grrr!

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 06:24 PM : Feb 01, 2008




But you see - that''s part of the problem that companies are having nowadays - the sky rocketing cost of health insurance.

Way back in the day, it wasn''t a big deal for a company like GM to pay a few hundred thousand dollars for health insurance for ALL of their employees. Now those figures are approaching the BILLIONS of dollars for big companies - they just can''t afford it anymore.

Even companies like the big automakers, appliance makers, etc are not offering benefits to new employees or are drastically reducing the benefits they are offering. The older union employees ratify the new contracts reducing the benefits for new employees, under the threat that their benefits might be reduced or cut.

That is why the number of uninsured employees just keeps climbing every year.

[sierra20071]

American people need to understand that with Obama''''s, I''m the first to say, me, me, me -that was just what a stance that may have been wrong or right, either way, it doesn''''t make him a leader of war!Mr. Obama didn''t come to the rescue of those who dared to speak publicly regarding the Iraq war - Whoopie, Natalie Maines, etc..! He wasn''t there leading a charge, he had opportunity. He knew people were being villainized for speaking up about what they believed in but did he a so called Wonder Boy come to their rescue - NO! He laid low until it was safe to come out and say "na, na, na, now elect me Prez!! Also, the Rezko thing, pahleeze, Mr. Obama, you don''''t thinks the Republicans dont'' know about all of your dirty duties & deals. Oh and where did you do your drug rehabbing? Or are you just a social blower? You are sweet and you really know how to read a well written scripts, try your hat at acting, - your really good at that and your hot looking.

[samthetvcat]

hungry1968, good find with the numbers - you have to wonder too whether companies will have the ''out'' they''ve been looking for to stop covering employees anymore. They could use the lowball numbers of the crappier coverage to give their employees a ''transition'' reimbursement when in reality that payout would represent a huge windfall for them. Because if there''s no longer the moral imperative, then big business can make the argument that they need to focus all their energy on staying competitive with China.

It''s so hard to prove, but if people are forced to buy their own coverage and they don''t have the purchasing power of the group the way a big corporation does, it''s totally conceivable that as a whole we''ll all be paying more and getting less . . .

Like the only guarantee that comes with mandates are that big pharma and big insurance are going to have a windfall - now I''m thinking big business are going to win big too if they are ''off the hook'' for providing health insurance . . . grrr!

[sierra20071]

Regarding last nights debate,it is now apparant that the boyish, stuttering,African Prince is what he is a Junior Senator still learning the ropes. Mr. Obama still needs to learn and one day he will be great at something. Mr. McCain will make mincemeat out of this so called boy wonder. I can hear it now "Mr. Obama, when you were playing with your GI Joe doll and calling the shots on your play war, I was serving my country, I paid my dues, I have seen war!"Mr. Obama you need to go home and play with your GI joe again, because you obviously don''''t understand anything about war or the military. Yes, you were the lone ranger to say no to Iraq albeit from your couch,it happened - Iraq happened! What the American people want to know from you is what now! Mr. Obama did you not see the twin towers come down, action was necesary albeit not with Iraq!

[hungry1968]

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 05:57 PM : Feb 01, 2008


I found this on: http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml



Employer and Employee Health Insurance Costs

Premiums for employer-based health insurance rose by 7.7 percent in 2006. Small employers saw their premiums, on average, increase 8.8 percent. Firms with less than 24 workers, experienced an increase of 10.5 percent.


The annual premium that a health insurer charges an employer for a health plan covering a family of four averaged $11,500 in 2006. Workers contributed nearly $3,000, or 10 percent more than they did in 2005. The annual premiums for family coverage significantly eclipsed the gross earnings for a full-time, minimum-wage worker ($10,712). Workers are now paying $1,094 more in premiums annually for family coverage than they did in 2000.


Since 2000, employment-based health insurance premiums have increased 87 percent, compared to cumulative inflation of 18 percent and cumulative wage growth of 20 percent during the same period.


Health insurance expenses are the fastest growing cost component for employers. Unless something changes dramatically, health insurance costs will overtake profits by 2008.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 05:48 PM : Feb 01, 2008

This is totally stupid. Nobody in this world expect to get free health care. And frankly I think if some of those that are getting it free now had to pay for it then there would be a national hue and cry for a health care trust where everyone can share in lower cost universal health care and get rid of the *** insurance companies raping people.

[eacarlson3]

While Obama raised an unbeliable $32 million last month, he goes into Super Tuesday the underdog. The Wall Street Journal says Obama trails Clinton by large margins in polls in most of the big states.
But as history shows, no amount of polls can predict what voters will do once they enter the voting booth. And both canidates seem very unlikely to give up the fight anytime soon.
http://emilyannecarlson.tblog.com/
http://emilyacarlson.wordpress.com/
http://www.zimbio.com/Emily+Carlson''s All Things Political
http://eacarlson3.bravejournal.com/
http://emily-carlson.com
http://emilycarlson.org
http://emilycarlson.info

[thirdstus41]

I have been around a long time. I am a woman well over 40. I have watched Hillary over the yers and I have to tell you I would love to see a woman in the White House but not THAT WOMAN!! I was an executive for many years and she is no executive.