Breathing : It\’s Your Choice
November 24th, 2009 by 
Kevin
Earlier this month, President Obama tried to put aside concerns that those that choose not to participate in the government\’s take over of health care would be subjected to fines and possibly prison terms. It\’s a very real concern, as under the House bill you very well could do jail time for refusing to participate in the government\’s so-called \”public option\”. President\’s Obama explanation for this? Well, about as competent as you\’d expect.
“What I think is appropriate is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance and if you don\’t, you\’re subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it\’s affordable and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there\’s a thousand dollar hidden tax that families all across America are — are burdened by because of the fact that people don\’t have health insurance, you know, there\’s nothing wrong with a penalty.”
It\’s a comparison that\’s easy to make, and it\’s easy because it\’s intellectually lazy (I thought only Bush did that) and ignores a not-so-subtle difference between the two.
With auto insurance you are required to have it if you own an automobile and intend to drive it on public roads. If you only use public transportation, there is no requirement to buy auto insurance. Or if you intend to only drive on private roads, say a dirt track in your backyard, you are similarly not required. These all present a basic choice, if you want use public roads you have to agree to certain conditions. Conditions such as speed limits, traffic laws and auto insurance.
Whereas health insurance is required if…well if you are breathing. And while I suppose one has a choice on whether they do that, it\’s not much of a choice, what with death being the consequence. Wow, when you really look at it, this whole public health insurance thing is just full of \”death panels\” isn\’t it?
For a President that is supposedly supposed to be super intelligent and certainly nothing like the supposed simpleton like Bush, making such a lazy and easily refuted justification for criminalizing your simple existence is just plain stupid. Particularly when you consider that apparently the simple act of existing is more worthy of criminal prosecution than illegal aliens violating actual laws.
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November 24th, 2009 at 7:02 am
The dirty little secret is that, of the supposedly 48 million uninsured, 12 million of them aren’t US citizens, and about 30 million are uninsured BY CHOICE. About half are people that could afford it and don’t purchase it, and the other half are already eligible for government-run health insurance (Medicaid) but don’t apply for it. Get government out of the health insurance business and directly subsidize the poor with “health stamps” similar to food stamps, and the problem goes away for WAY less money than government now spends, let alone with this monstrosity added.
Wasn’t it Reagan who quipped about the scariest words, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
November 24th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Urgent!! Robert Reich on your healthcare http://bit.ly/SAQ7a
Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential – By jacksmith – Working Class
Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/dDYSJ
Hollywood Supports The Public Option 🙂 http://bit.ly/3XLwPi
Beautiful HEATHER GRAHAM http://bit.ly/12sRYD 🙂
It’s not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
It’s not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan, available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!!
It’s not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
It’s not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
It’s not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don’t work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER!
It’s not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It’s professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL.
THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL:
The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.
At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE!
But the PUBLIC OPTION will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH.
This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run MEDICARE like public option. We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong MEDICARE like public option on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time…is…UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op’s! No Triggers! NO INDIVIDUAL MANDATES! without a Strong MEDICARE like public option on day one.
Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS.
BUT WE MUST ACT!
I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone.
SPREAD THE WORD!
I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious.
Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings
jacksmith – Working Class
ATTENTION!! Congress Has The Votes Needed To Pass A Public Option – TODAY http://bit.ly/TCq7O
Things You Can Do To Help NOW! http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/09/tired_of_watching_people_die_n.html
A majority of voters would rather have a Democrats only bill with a Public Option. Than a bipartisan bill without a Public Option.
A state based insurance plan is NOT!! a Public Option. Nor is it a Strong, National, Medicare like Public Option.
No Triggers! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenbaum/a-trigger-for-the-public_b_277910.html
Triggers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/weve-seen-these-triggers_b_283583.html
Krugman on heathcare (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)
Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)
John Garamendi on the Public Option and the Grassroots: http://bit.ly/TJMty
Howard Dean on the Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKfW2dUnow&feature=player_embedded
We’re Number 37! in quality of health care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4&feature=player_embedded
Twitter search (#welovethenhs #NHS #hc09 #hcr #healthcar #obama #p2 #topprog #) Check it out.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
jacksmith is a professional comic and satirist, right? He has to be, I laughed all the way through at the outrageous language, links and looniness.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Heh, I thought he was a little humorous too. I started giggling at the part about two-thirds of the American public wanting single payer health care.
I’ve heard that repeated over and over by libs. And then I see it refuted over and over by public opinion polls.
I keep wondering where they are getting their delusional information.
But that rest of jacksmiths comment reads like a late night informercial, which is probably about as trustworthy as it is.