Obama And McCain On Health Care

CBS Evening News: How The Candidates' Proposals Would Affect Your Community

(CBS)  To help you make an informed decision in the presidential election, CBS News is devoting a large part of our broadcasts until Nov. 4 to telling you where the candidates stand on major issues - from the war in Iraq to health insurance to education … and a lot more. Each piece will be an in-depth look at the issues facing the 44th president. In this installment, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports on how the proposed health care policies of Barack Obama and John McCain would affect you and your community. Click here to see Where They Stand on more of the issues.

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The Issue

It's the barbeque that draws customers to The Hickory House just outside Columbus, Ohio.

"Award-winning ribs, that's for sure!" said Randy Wolfe, the restaurant's general manager.

But the employees keep coming back, too. The staff has worked here an average of 15 years.

"Keeping these employees, keeping this consistency is important ... and health insurance is part of that?" Doane asked.

"Yes," Wolfe said.

But health-care benefits may soon be off the menu for Hickory House employees, and their boss.

In 1990, the restaurant picked up the check for the full cost of medical benefits for everyone. Now, the staff must pay half themselves, and only three of the 35 workers participate.

"What we do to make it affordable for us - is we keep raising our deductible," Wolfe said. "Which, again, means more out-of-pocket for the employees."

That's more out of 25-year-old bartender Lisa Martensen's pocket - when she's already feeling the pinch.

Making less than $17,000 a year, Martensen stretches to pay her $260 monthly premium. But she does it for one reason - so that her 3-year-old daughter, Madison, is covered.

Can she continue to pay for health care?

"Right now I'm saying yes … but if it continues to go up, then I say no," she said.

Lunchtime server Candy Cooper had to say no years ago.

She says she makes about $22,000 a year and can't afford the $400 a month the company health insurance would set her back.

"I've checked into this and I can't swing it - I can't do it," she said.

Doane asked: "Does that frustrate you? Does that worry you?"

"Very frustrating," she said.

Cooper is one of the 45 million Americans who simply go without insurance. When she recently got dizzy at work, an ambulance was called - but she didn't get in.

"I didn't want to go to the hospital due to the medical costs," she said.

And that worries her boss, who is counting on the next president to find a solution.

"I don't have the answers. That's why we're hoping they do," Wolfe said.

The Candidates

Both Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain agree that health care costs are out of control - but they have radically different ideas on how to fix them.

McCain's approach is all about driving down costs to make it more affordable.

Under his plan, individuals would pay taxes on the health insurance benefits they receive from their employer. To offset that new cost - or to encourage people to go buy insurance on their own, McCain would provide a tax credit that could only be used for health care: $2,500 for individuals - double that for families.

"I will give every family, every family in America, a $5,000 credit to buy their own health insurance policy and let them choose their own doctor," McCain said. "This will make insurance affordable to every American."

Though today, the average family plan is worth $12,000. But McCain thinks these tax credits would spur market competition - as insurance companies vie for their piece of the tax credit money, cheaper health insurance options would be created.

Obama's emphasis is on increasing access. He would give small businesses a tax credit to ease the burden of offering health insurance to their employees. And larger companies would be required to either provide insurance or pay into a national fund, called the "Health Insurance Exchange," which could offer more affordable options to those currently uninsured.

"I will finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American," Obama said. "You'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves."

The Impact

So, what's the potential impact of these proposals?

CBS News checked in with a healthcare consultant at Towers Perrin to see how Martensen, Cooper and the Hickory House would fare under these plans.

"I think Candy and Lisa are more alike than they are different - both of them are lower-wage employees who are currently finding health care unaffordable in its current state," the consultant, Ron Fontanetta, said.

Though each candidate tackles the problem in different ways, both would give each of them a number of cheaper options.

Under Obama's proposal, they would be able to choose from an array of plans through the National Exchange, and may qualify for subsidies as lower-income workers.

Under McCain's proposal, both women could use their tax credit to buy healthcare on the open market.

"Does the idea of having a tax credit seem appealing to you, where you could go out and buy your own insurance?" Doane asked.

"It seems kind of scary, I think, really," Cooper said. "I just wouldn't know what I was choosing, what I was picking, whose policy I'm getting into."

But Martensen likes the idea of more choices.

"If you could have a scaled-down plan, which would cover you in case of emergency - but would cost a lot less each month, would you take that?" Doane asked.

"If there was a way I could pay less and have less coverage for me, but maybe pay a little more and have coverage for her, I would do it," she said.

But the biggest change may be for the Hickory House itself.

"Under either proposal it really begs the question - does the Hickory House need to provide coverage any more? Both proposals obviate the need for a small employer - like the Hickory House - to be in the health care business at all," Fontanetta said.

You'd think that'd be a relief to Wolfe.

"I would like to go ahead and to be able to help the employees through our business with health insurance," he said.

"Even though you spend a lot of time thinking, worrying about healthcare, you still want to be … part of offering it?" Doane asked.

"I would still like to - I would like to have that option," he said.

It's likely that larger employers, under both candidates' proposals, would stay in the health care game - to attract and retain good employees. But the only hope for the Hickory House is that a new president makes health care the first order of business.

[dawnpeterson]

Tonight''s story made it sound like Sen. Obama''s plan would not help small employers provide health insurance for their employees. That''s simply not true. The tax credit for small businesses is intended to help employers like Hickory House to do just that. It would help people like Mr. Wolfe, who would like to help provide health insurance to his employees, to use the tax credit to help with the payment of employee health care premiums.

[hallsy2008]

You forgot one key item to this story. What are the costs to the owner of each plan? This must be answered. If one plan cost much more guess what, prices of meals must increase.

second item. Where does Obama''s plan cut off small business and large business? I hear him and Biden throw around $250,000 a year That is very low and not realistic for many businesses. Do the math!!

I am cosidered a small business and for me to pick up the bill on 15 employees is going work and put a huge financial crunch on my small business.

Signed,
Fellow owner of a bar and grill

Joel in Minnesota

[p4nd1d]

Under the McCain plan what happens if you lose your job? You only get 5,000 which i think goes direct to an insurance company, but as you say insurance cost 12,000, so what good does that do anyone...Plus if you are employed how much tax will you have to pay for the insurance? So you pay and insurance premium and then a insurance tax on top of it.. and its a one time only 5000 credit right? Sounds like the only winner here is the insurance company...

[mairin27]

"I will give every family, every family in America, a $5,000 credit to buy their own health insurance policy and let them choose their own doctor," McCain said. "This will make insurance affordable to every American."

Though today, the average family plan is worth $12,000. But McCain thinks these tax credits would spur market competition - as insurance companies vie for their piece of the tax credit money, cheaper health insurance options would be created.

The problem is this under the McCain plan the tax credits are paid directly to the insurance companies not the individual or family. Under the McCain plan some employers will drop insurance coverage they offer employees and the issue of pre-existing conditions is not addressed. If you have a pre-existing condition it will be difficult to get quality health insurance and many people will be denied coverage. Also many companies already have out of state insurance; Cigna, United Healt Care etc. that cover thousand of people who do not reside in the state where the insurance company is based.

[relee42]

McCain''s healthcare plan is like dispatching a submarine to rescue somebody off the top of Mt. Everest. There is a clue why he didn''t try the admiral route.

[karenkapri]

Re McCain''s health plan: most families cannot come up with the $12,000,(@ $1000 per month) and wait out the year to get a $5k refund via their Federal taxes. Even if the price of the $12k is reduced by new competitive plans, it won''t be reduced enough for most to participate in. And if a company pays much of the $12k for their employee, this benefit is then taxed and comes off each paycheck, reducing income. This is a plan for those with much higher incomes or lots of savings, who can pay the monthly amt...of which most Americans don''t have and many more won''t have in the current economy. It surely doensn''t help someone who has lost a job, as most can''t afford the COBRA plan. Obama''s plan seems to offer more to people who have less. I now purchase an individual plan and would hope some market competition would help me, as mine premium went up 50% last year, about 100% over last 4 years. Soon, I won''t be able to afford it. States need to be involved in licensing insurers, as it''s an xtra level of protection I get without having to figure some things out about health care myself. National health care companies, such as Blue Cross/Shield are licensed in each state - a good thing - that is the level of protection I mentioned.

[obbcbs]

the McCain plan is designed to help insurance companies take advantage of individuals after they leave a group plan. In a group plan, they get a lower cost and can be insured with existing issues. As an individual, they will have to hunt for a plan that will even take them. Insurance companies will be moving to states with less rigorous oversight, and the coverages will be reduced. The McCain plan is written by lobbyists for insurance companies.
It makes no sense for the working person. VOTE OBAMA in 08

[mairin27]

So you pay and insurance premium and then a insurance tax on top of it.. and its a one time only 5000 credit right? Sounds like the only winner here is the insurance company...


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Posted by thatone1 at 07:55 PM : Oct 09, 2008

Bingo!! And the Insurance companies will try and impose restrictions, they will put many clauses for non-covered conditions, treatments and medications. Group plans can negotiate and guard against some unethical insurance pratices and mediate when claims are denied. If you have to go buy your own insurance good luck you are on your own and you better make sure you look at the fine print.

[obbcbs]

The impact of the McCain plan will be borne by states and local hospitals, as fewer people will have insurance and will have to go to hospitals for ordinary care. The McCain health care plan is a disaster for the lower-middle class.

[obbcbs]

The trolls are not on this site. No raving about terrorists in 1965. Just a real consideration of the flaws in the McCain rip-off, that he calls a health care plan. 20 million people will lose their employer coverage. That''s the plan, because all those people will be on their own, no one to read the fine print for them, no one to negotiate, and G-d help them if they have an existing issue when they lose their group plan.

[relee42]

The McCain family hasn''t paid for healthcare insurance, since before there were motorcars. We have paid for the McCain''s healthcare all that time. How would he have a clue about life outside government?

[karenkapri]

When CBS or other media compare plans, I wish they would use the average family $12k health plan (if that''s correct info) and do the math in their examples...have not seen that yet. They could easily present pros and cons of candidates'' plans, including some the things discussed here.

[benighse]

Mccain = deregulation really works = OOOPPPSSSS, NOPE!

mccain = economy failure is his plan

mccain = erratic

mccain = 73, ol'' coot, angry, senile = MR. GRUMPY

mccain = arrogant and out of touch

mccain = oblivious to 99 % of the country%u2019s citizens and their problems

mccain = NO HEALTHCARE = or in his words = trade $12,000 for his $5,000 = SAY WHAT????

[mairin27]

The impact of the McCain plan will be borne by states and local hospitals, as fewer people will have insurance and will have to go to hospitals for ordinary care. The McCain health care plan is a disaster for the lower-middle class.

Posted by obbcbs at 08:14 PM : Oct 09, 2008

Yes very correct. What will happen is this. More uninsured people because many will be dropped from employer plans. Pre-existing conditions for manuy so millions more with real health issues that will not be able to afford quality health insurance. Because frankly $5000 for a family is absurd, go find a insurance policy for a family of 4 for $5000. You have to pay and that $5000 goes to the insurance company and you pay the rest. So millions without insurance-some of who will be sick. They will forgo treatment on conditions until it is critical. They will go the the hospital, that has to treat them. They will not be able to afford the bills, many will have to declare bankrupcy. The hospital won''t be able to collect the money. Then this burden is shifted to those with insurance. Meaning higher bills, higher premiums, deductibles and out of pocket expenses. Thus making it more expensive for those middle class people who have insurance.

Most of my physician friends are appalled by this plan.

Have you ever had to deal with an insurance company that does not want to pay a bill. Good luck!

Health care is a right of all individuals, a RIGHT NOT A RESPONSIBILITY.

[musethalia]

You forgot one key item to this story. What are the costs to the owner of each plan? This must be answered. If one plan cost much more guess what, prices of meals must increase.

second item. Where does Obama''''s plan cut off small business and large business? I hear him and Biden throw around $250,000 a year That is very low and not realistic for many businesses. Do the math!!

I am cosidered a small business and for me to pick up the bill on 15 employees is going work and put a huge financial crunch on my small business.

Signed,
Fellow owner of a bar and grill

Joel in Minnesota

Posted by hallsy2008

right - and I still want to know ow BO is gonna fund everyone who can''t afford it? Because dems never raise taxes or take your money to pay for abused programs...right?

[mairin27]

Mccain = deregulation really works = OOOPPPSSSS, NOPE!
Posted by benighse at 08:35 PM : Oct 09, 2008

Yes- you hit the nail on the head. McCain''s plan is basically deregulation of health insurance.

God help us all.

Many employer based plans are from companies already outside of the state; Cigna, United Health Care etc. these companies corporate offices are not in the states that the insured employer is located.

[misha128-2009]

McCain tries again to bailout the banks and protect CEO salaries and their golden parachutes by making the banks whole. This is the second step of a process to have the taxpayers fully bail out his Wall Street buddies - an even less honorable and more blatant repeat of his intervention in the Keating Five.

[misha128-2009]

So you pay and insurance premium and then a insurance tax on top of it.. and its a one time only 5000 credit right? Sounds like the only winner here is the insurance company...

Posted by thatone1 at 07:55 PM : Oct 09, 2008

The real win for insurance companies is being able to relocate to states with the least regulation and reduce your coverage or deny your critical health care needs while being protected under the laws of another state less stringent than the one you may live in. This out of state protection would probably require you to hire an out of state lawyer with the associated delays at times of critical need.

[misha128-2009]

Many employer based plans are from companies already outside of the state; Cigna, United Health Care etc. these companies corporate offices are not in the states that the insured employer is located.


Posted by mairin27 at 08:49 PM

But they must at this time operate in accordance with and under the regulation of the state in which the policy is ISSUED -- meaning the state of the INSURED. McCain shifts the regulatory control to the state of the company and not the insured.

I don''t think McCain''s plan will help the the poorer folks. In his plan, he''ll start taxing health premiums but this will be offset by a tax credit back to us. Which means if I''m making 15k a year and have a med insurance of 12k, I''ll get taxed on the 12k but after applying the tax credit, I only need to pay out 8200. now 8200 out of 15k is still a whopping ridiculous 55% of your income going to service the premiums. McCain''s plans is too simplistic certainly does not address the poor and those who can''t afford. It also will not drive down premiums as the main problem for the high premiums lies with the insurance companies. Now Obama''s approach is more comprehensive as it tackles the problem on all fronts. Make sure the poor is taken care of and businesses bear less of a burden and also going after the drug & insurance companies to lower costs. But the problem is it''s the opposite of McCain''s proposals, it addresses the issues but vague on specifics.

I don''t think McCain''s plan will help the the poorer folks. In his plan, he''ll start taxing health premiums but this will be offset by a tax credit back to us. Which means if I''m making 15k a year and have a med insurance of 12k, I''ll get taxed on the 12k but after applying the tax credit, I only need to pay out 8200. now 8200 out of 15k is still a whopping ridiculous 55% of your income going to service the premiums. McCain''s plans is too simplistic certainly does not address the poor and those who can''t afford. It also will not drive down premiums as the main problem for the high premiums lies with the insurance companies. Now Obama''s approach is more comprehensive as it tackles the problem on all fronts. Make sure the poor is taken care of and businesses bear less of a burden and also going after the drug & insurance companies to lower costs. But the problem is it''s the opposite of McCain''s proposals, it addresses the issues but vague on specifics. Well, we just have to believe :)

[mbaugher85]

With Obama''s plan I''m not paying for the "poorer" to get even more of a discount off their insurance than I get. I want to put money in that helps me. If this senario was switched around and the poor were paying for the middle and higher working class to have insurance, the so called "poorer" class would argue it''s not fair. That''s what I''m saying under Obama, that''s not fair to the one''s who have worked hard to be where they are. Simply put, if your making 250,000 a year, biden says it''s patriotic to pay higher taxes, because the current roughly 18% which would equal 45,000 annual income taxes aren''t enough, we should raise them to 28.5% to help the poor. Thats obsurd, what was the point of me working hard to get here...to help the poor, the uninsured, and the unqualified. Call me heartless, thats not fair.

McCain calls for what our government stands for, democracy and equality, not helping those that don''t help themselves. Socialism anyone? Why go to school for that many years to become a doctor if your gonna make the same as the burger flipper?

[sweepmeoffmyfeetnow]

I was employed at a multi national billion dollar corporation. They provided health care, the only plan they provided was a re-imbursement plan, and it was cheep. The maximum payout was a thousand dollars. Don%u2019t get hurt if your young and don%u2019t get sick, pray the kids don''t break bones. I am sure the McCain plan would spur on competition if the tax was to much to aford from decent employer paid insurance, this is what they will end out with especially if they have a pre-existing condition. Huge companies wanting to get out of health care will start offering horrible insurances like this. If you have any pre-existing conditions lower income will cost-drive you to this kind of plan. The insurance was Starbridge and the company was Tesoro

[boycot-china]

Obama''''s proposed tax changes: Single making 30K - tax $8,400, Single making 50K - tax $14,000, Single making 75K - tax $23,250, Married making 60K - tax $16,800, Married making 75K - tax $21,000, Married making 125K - tax $38,750 Under Obama your taxes will more than double! How does this affect you? No explanation needed. This is pretty straight forward.

OBAMA will restore the inheritance tax. How does this affect you? Before the tax was repealed many families have lost businesses, farms and ranches, and homes that have been in their families for generations because they could not afford the inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will not only lose them to these taxes....read on...

NEW TAXES BEING PROPOSED BY OBAMA: * New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square ft. *New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren''''t high enough already!) *New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity). *New taxes on retirement accounts and last but not least....*New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level of medical care as other third-world countries!!! Change . . . What will be left in your pocket after Obama is finished with you! So, go right ahead and vote for Obama and don;t come whinning to me because you will have to wait in line for handouts...

[weone1]

With the 5000.00 tax cut that McCain is proposing who is that going to help. What family can afford health insurance out of their pocket? If they don''t buy the health insurance no tax cut for that family. A family health insurance plan is going to cost a lot more than $5000.00 a year. I think McCain should really explain how he is going to help with the health insurance crisis America is facing. I am making 25000.00 gross a year; my health insurance for next year has a 3000.00 deductible which means that I have to pay that $3000.00 deductible before my health insurance company pays the 80%. That brings my income down to 23000.00. My premium through my work is $400.00 month. That brings my income down lower yet. Not much to live on here compared to what those CEO%u2019s of those failed banks are getting. I don%u2019t call my health insurance affordable. We need health insurance that isn%u2019t going to break us and I really hope that Obama can help get health insurance under control and affordable. The republicans have done nothing these last years to help. Everything has gotten so much worse for us.

[the74blaster]

So, go right ahead and vote for Obama and don;t come whinning to me because you will have to wait in line for handouts...

Posted by boycot-china,

Interesting name for someone who is supporting McCain. If we elect McCain its going to be tough boycotting China since thats where McCain will let all bigshots export our jobs with a tax credit to boot!

Also, your numbers are totally out of line. I suggest you go to Obamas website and read his plan. If you make less than 250K like I do, we will pay less taxes under Obamas plan.

If you do not beleive me, check it out at factcheck.

[mairin27]

Under McCains plan there will be many stipulations that most people will be unaware of, thus allowing the insurance companies to collect your premiums and denied coverage for a variety of reasons.

It is bad enough now that people with NO, ZERO, NIL, medical training, pencil pushers- make medical decisions on your coverage-who look at nothing but the bottom line and not the human life. Many of you will know of a family member, friend etc. who has been denied coverage of medical care or life saving care for one lame reason after another.

Deregulating Health care will make this worse. Physicians are feed up dealing with insurance companies who care more about the bottom line than the human life.

You think deregulation of health care will make this better or worse? Airlines were deregulated and the consumer complaints have what, gone up or down?

Under deregulation you will be a commodity. Choices that should be made between you and your physician
will be regulated by non-physician pencil pushers.

McCain has no worries, he has the best health care coverage our money can buy. We, you and me pay for his and his families health care coverage for the rest of their lives.

Under McCain''s own plan with his history of melanoma if he were dropped from an employer based insurance plan and he was a middle class citizen he would be hard pressed to find affordable coverage.

[hoovwho]

mbaugher85

I understand you completely. You worked hard, you got blessed and somehow you landed on a 250k salary job. Unfortunately, some of us work hard and still get stuck with 30k. You see, even if you are taxed a bit more, you still can afford certain luxuries many of us cannot afford. Even after taxes, you make thrice the money compared to the majority of the country. While you enjoy your wealth, we are in NEED of certain commodities, such as HEALTH INSURANCE, MORTAGE PAYMENTS, GASOLINE and so on.

No, Obama''s approach is not socialism, at the least. He is helping the issues the MAJORITY of America is facing. If you still have your 250k job, I doubt you will feel a dent during Great Depression Two while the MAJORITY of us will.

[misha128-2009]

...

Under deregulation you will be a commodity. Choices that should be made between you and your physician
will be regulated by non-physician pencil pushers.

...

Posted by mairin27 at 11:03 PM

One significant adjustment please

...regulated by OUT OF STATE non-physician pencil pushers AND OUT OF STATE REGULATIONS ADMINISTERED BY OUT OF STATE REGULATORS

[misha128-2009]

Posted by boycot-china at 10:22 PM

Do you know McCain will borrow the money from China to pay for his tax cuts?

[sparks224]

Nov 4th 2008
High Noon for Democracy

Millions of people will attempt to vote for Barack Obama,
thousands of Republican lawyers will attempt to stop them.

Your portrayal was incredibly misleading. Senator McCain''s "deregulate and then the competition of the free market will lower costs" health care plan is Mortgage crisis redux. I have no doubt that if McCain were to implement his plan there would be a deluge of new insurance companies to fill the need of starry eyed customers new to the market. and just like those victimized by the predatory lending practices, I have no doubt hat they would spend their McCain stipend only to find their belongings left on the curbside and their children without that *** Appendectomy.

Your portrayal was incredibly misleading. Senator McCain''s "deregulate and then the competition of the free market will lower costs" health care plan is Mortgage crisis redux. I have no doubt that if McCain were to implement his plan there would be a deluge of new insurance companies to fill the need of starry eyed customers new to the market. and just like those victimized by the predatory lending practices, I have no doubt hat they would spend their McCain stipend only to find their belongings left on the curbside and their children without that *** Appendectomy.

Your portrayal was incredibly misleading. Senator McCain''s "deregulate and then the competition of the free market will lower costs" health care plan is Mortgage crisis redux. I have no doubt that if McCain were to implement his plan there would be a deluge of new insurance companies to fill the need of starry eyed customers new to the market. and just like those victimized by the predatory lending practices, I have no doubt hat they would spend their McCain stipend only to find their belongings left on the curbside and their children without that *** Appendectomy. We''ve done this already.

[incog-nito]

The problem with McCain''s plan is that it does nothing to protect individuals from the vagaries of private insurers. People buying individual policies do NOT get the same savings and protection as those in a group plan. That means insurers can raise premiums anytime, deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, discontinue coverage at any time, etc. I know many self-employed people who have to do this, and their experience has been nightmarish. I have a friend who had his individual policy premium increase twice in six months for no apparent reason whatsoever. Also, the danger in McCain''s plan is that insurers will just raise their premiums to offset any savings from the tax credit. As bad as the current system is, McCain''s plan has the potential of making things a lot worse, not better.

[incog-nito]

"I will give every family, every family in America, a $5,000 credit to buy their own health insurance policy and let them choose their own doctor," McCain said. "This will make insurance affordable to every American."

Sounds great, except that it WON''T make insurance more affordable. Anybody who has to buy individual health plan knows that it''s much, much more expensive than a group plan. The whole idea of a group plan is to use the economies of scale to lower cost for everyone in the plan. Buying individual plans defeats that purpose. You''re basically throwing taxpayer money at something that''s already more expensive. That''s not to mention the real possibility that insurers will just raise premiums to pick up the slack.

[harbinger09]

This is funny--McCain made Republicans embrace a former mistress as potential first lady, illegitimate teen pregnancy, an Airhead for a VP and now they must embrace socialism and helping out the poor with a 300+ billion dollar mortgage bailout--before its over, the Republican party will seem more liberal than the Democrats and the Republicans have to swallow it--because he is all that they have.

Paying for a public bailout,ignoring subpoenas, then supporting airhead females for VP and championing pregger teens indeed--what were those conservative values again? Hypocrites.

[rmonroe401]

I heard many groups say McCain''s healthcare plan will be a bad thing for Americans, but now that Towers Perrin, LOL, says it won''t, well heck, they must be right. I would guarantee they are far right.

[kesac4650]

Obama promised at the last debate, to take money from those companies still prosperous enough to have health care benefits and give benefits to the less prosperous companies. Kind of makes you wonder why you should work smarter and try harder, if the President will just take it away from you to give to someone less motivated.

[kesac4650]

Link to one black man''s opinion.
www.YouTube - BTW I''m Voting For Mccain / Palin

[harbinger09]

This is funny--McCain made Republicans embrace a former mistress as potential first lady, illegitimate teen pregnancy, an Airhead for a VP and now they must embrace socialism and helping out the poor with a 300+ billion dollar mortgage bailout--before its over, the Republican party will seem more liberal than the Democrats and the Republicans have to swallow it--because he is all that they have.

Paying for a public bailout,ignoring subpoenas, obstructing investigations, then supporting airhead females for VP with secessionist party spouses and championing pregger teens indeed--what were those conservative values again? Hypocrites.

[misha128-2009]

Posted by kesac4650 at 06:12 AM

Respectfully -- McCain said he would take money directly from one taxpayer to subsidize another. Obama on the other hand to me indicated an employer contribution to healthcare would be required -- and it could be provided to the employee by the employer or the government to assist people to get health insurance.

[misha128-2009]

Posted by harbinger09 at 08:41 AM

Reminder as constructed McCain''s Mortgage bailout will provide banks that use the Republican Insurance option that McCain got inserted into the original bailout in combination with his new plan to make the banks whole in their transactions regardless of misconduct. Assuring the high flying CxOs their salaries and golden parachutes they would have to give up under the other bailout bill. It is clearly a Republican attempt to recreate the worst bailout bill possible sticking the taxpayers with all the losses from the misconduct in the financial markets and protecting their CxO buddies just like McCain''s actions in the Keating Five but on a significantly larger scale for considerably more money.

[hologram5]

Giving tax credit will do NOTHING if the cost keeps rising, you moron. Where do these people get these stupid ideas. The whole cost of health care cannot be open to "free market" and not get out of control just like the mortgage problem. Let''s think about it, greed is everywhere and rampant, there is no stopping the "love of money"

[hologram5]

The only folks who will be voting for this 50%-Amerifrican NObama are neo-Marxist hyphenated-Americans.

Reckon there exists sufficient numbers of these hyphenated-Americans to get this neo-Marxist elected to the White House??

Is America really ready for a ride on NObama''''s new age pinko train??



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Posted by NObama_SWD at 09:25 AM : Oct 10, 2008

________________________________________________
It is this mentality that is what is making this "once great" country harder to run and maintain. Racist remarks have no place in our time.

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To: NObama_SWD

Your comments are offensive and unrelated to the original content of the article. Presenting a thoughtful, logical argument about an issue is one thing. It''s unacceptable and UNNECESSARY to slander an individual in the ignorant, racist fashion you are using. Why don''t you rejoin the conversation when you are capable of participating in an INTELLIGENT manner?

[aewill94]

I am single mother of 3, I have a college degree, I work two jobs to support my kids. I pay $185 month in insurance premiums. But i also have a $4000 out of pocket expence each year before the insurance company the 80%. So i pray my kids don''t get hurt, or too sick that have to take them to the hospital. Those of you who are blessed to have great insurance coverage or jobs with very high salaries, cannot understand what it is like being the middle class or the poor. Everyone has to pay taxes, that''s just the way of life. There will be no way to get around not paying it, how do you think they are paying for the bailout, how do you think the war is being funded. By everyone paying higher taxes. It just seems fair that those who make alot more should pay more in taxes. If your making over $250,000 a year your not going to miss anything, your way of life will still be the same. But for those who''s income is less than, $50,000 higher taxes, increase in gas, increase in price of food and clothing, just makes it harder to make ends meet. Who can afford to go get their own insurance coverage with only a $5000 tax credit your giving to the insurance company anyway.

[maakahill]

Obama will include the 12-25 million illegal immigrants in the United States in his health care plans, which would encourage more foreigners with illnesses to enter the country %u2013 both legally and illegally. Obama estimates that his national health plan would cost $65 billion per year. Hillary Clinton estimated her plan would cost about $110 billion. Obama says he will cover everyone, while Clinton''s plan would not. Obama thus is promising more for about half the cost, suggesting he is at least twice as smart as Hillary Clinton. There is no possible way Obama can satisfy his promise of health insurance for every American (and every illegal immigrant, if you use Obama%u2019s own numbers) with only $65 billion per year. No one outside of the Obama campaign will support his claim.

[maakahill]

FURTHERMORE, Note that while Obama states on the campaign trail that he is not seeking to establish a single-payer, universal health care plan for the United States, he repeatedly proposed just such a plan for Illinois while in its State Senate.
A nation health plan will most assuredly result in a shortage of physicians. If Americans who currently have no insurance are suddenly given free or low-cost insurance (subsidized by the taxpayer), they will certainly seek medical care %u2013 and there will not be enough doctors to go around. To control medical costs, the federal government will impose limits on fees for service. Reducing physician incomes is, of course, a good way to discourage young people from choosing the medical profession. After a few years of additional cost-cutting, a fair number of students will switch from pre-med to pre-law. There will also be a shortage of hospitals, and few new ones will be built because of reduced payments made necessary by the federal government%u2019s need to slow down escalating costs.

[maakahill]

Finally, To save costs on prescription drugs, the federal government will impose profit limits on the drug companies. (Look for a %u201Cwindfall profits%u201D tax.) Those limits will cause more drug companies to go out of business or flee to other countries.
Lastly, under a national health plan like Obama proposes, it is a guaranteed certainty that a substantial number of Americans who are working %u201Conly for insurance%u201D will quit their jobs and go on public aid. This group includes the people who are currently too young for Medicare, but who go to work only because their employers provide group health insurance. They may be eligible for early retirement pensions, but their pensions may not include health care. Many people in that category will quit their jobs or retire as soon as they know they have health coverage from an %u201CObama plan.%u201D That will place an even greater burden on a national plan, as those people move from high-paid group insurance to the federal plan. Worse yet, those people will tend to have health problems, all of which will be added to Obama%u2019s tax-subsidized national health care system.