Politifact Checks a Chain Email, I Check Politifact
Hi folks,
So Politifact.com has received emails from unidentified sources that changes what I said in my post “HC Monstrosity” . In fact, I’ll quote Politifact directly:
“Many of the e-mails we received have made changes to Fleckenstein’s original tweets, and the e-mail we’ve checked here has made changes as well.”
I’d also like to quote Jennifer Tolbert, an independent health care analyst at the Kaiser Family Foundation on what she had to say about the distorted and incorrect chain email that’s being sent around:
“It’s awful,” she said. “It’s flat-out, blatant lies. It’s unbelievable to me how they can claim to reference the legislation and then make claims that are blatantly false.”
The claim that the bill provides free health care for illegal immigrants is particularly egregious, Tolbert said. “No one’s provided with free health care. That’s ridiculous,” she said.
I posted my tweets about health care to get people involved in what our Government is doing and in the interest of fairness let’s take a look at what exactly Politifact said and I’ll try and clarify my position:
Politifact • Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure! False: Section 113 of the bill requires the Health Choices commissioner to conduct a study to make sure health reform does not unintentionally create incentives for businesses to self-insure or create adverse selection in the risk pools of insured plans. There is no mandated audit.
ME – Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!! So Politifact gives me a false but you actually have to read the page to understand – If you actually read the requirements for the report which is mandated by the government you will quickly realize that indeed the only way to give a complete report is for the Government to audit the books of employers. So I say to Politifact – TRUE!
Politifact • Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed! False: Section 122 outlines broad categories of benefits that must be included in an essential benefits package. It prohibits cost-sharing for preventive care and limits annual out-of-pocket spending to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a family, indexed for inflation. It says nothing about rationing or limiting treatment.
ME – Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill – YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!! So if the Government sets limits for annual out of pocket spending for an individual and for a family then the Government has to control costs for the health services delivered. How? Through rationing of those services. Politifact – I believe I’m owed a TRUE.
Politifact • Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process) Barely True: Section 123 establishes a Health Benefits Advisory Committee that makes recommendations on what types of health insurance coverage will be defined as basic, enhanced or premium. The committee will be chaired by the surgeon general, with members appointed by the president, the comptroller general, and representatives of federal agencies. This committee makes recommendations on insurance regulations, so in that sense it does set standards for benefits. But it does not make decisions about treatments for individuals.
ME – Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill – THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benes u get. Notice how the chain email that Politifact quotes adds things that I did not say. Now if you read the complete section, 123, starting on page 30 you will see that the committee in fact sets the standards for the basic, enhanced, and premium benefits package which are treatments and benefits that you would receive I think I’m owed an upgrade from barely true to TRUE on this one.
Politifact • Page 42: The “Health Choices Commissioner” will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None. Pants on Fire!: Section 142 outlines the duties of the Health Choices commissioner, who is charged with regulating insurers. The commissioner should seek insurers to offer different types of insurance, including basic, enhanced and premium. Individuals will be able to choose among competing insurers who are regulated via the exchange.
ME – Pg 42 of HC Bill – The Health Choices Commissioner will choose UR HC Benefits 4 you. U have no choice! Now I have to completely disagree with Politifact. So let’s look at the exact wording directly from the text of the bill:
“(1) QUALIFIED PLAN STANDARDS.—The establishment of qualified health benefits plan standards under this title, including the enforcement of such standards in coordination with State insurance regulators and the Secretaries of Labor and the Treasury.”
So we can see directly that indeed one of the duties of the Health Choices Commissioner is to establish qualified health benefits plan standards. So yes the HCC does choose your health care benefits for you. Politifact – you owe me a big TRUE.
Politifact • Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free health care services. Pants on Fire! Section 152 includes a generic non-discrimination clause, which says insurers may not discriminate with regard to “personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services.” It says nothing about “non-US citizens” or immigrants, legal or otherwise. In fact, the legislation specifically states that undocumented aliens will not be eligible for credits to help them buy health insurance, in Section 246 on page 143.
ME – PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill – HC will be provided 2 ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise. We can see that the chain email Politifact received completely misquotes me here. Now let me explain what I actually tweeted here -
“SEC. 152. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CARE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise explicitly permitted by this Act and by subsequent regulations consistent with this Act, all health care and related services (including insurance coverage and public health activities) covered by this Act shall be provided without regard to personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services.”
In particular the phrase “without regard to personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services.” For me, I interpret this to mean that regardless of the individual’s race, gender, age, religion or national origin health care will be provided. Equally important is the phrase “Except as otherwise explicitly PERMITTED by this Act”.
Additionally there is a specific reference to national origin on page 763 where it deals with non discrimination of Disproportionate Share Hospitals and Essential Access Hospitals and I quote:
‘‘(A) provides services to beneficiaries under this title without discrimination on the ground of race, color, national origin, creed, source of payment, status as a beneficiary under this title, or any other ground unrelated to such beneficiary’s need for the services or the availability of the needed services in the hospital;”
I interpret – “without discrimination on the ground of national origin” as a basis and an opening for non-U.S. citizens to be provided health care in the U.S.
Now we have but to look at California to see how illegals are not allowed health care right? Yeah riiight. So Politifact I’ll take a Mostly True on this one.
Politifact • Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard. Barely True: Section 163 sets out goals for electronic health records. It says one goal should be real-time confirmation of which services a person qualifies for and how much they will have to pay. That could be achieved by machine-readable beneficiary cards, according to the legislative language. But the legislation does not require the cards.
ME – Pg 58HC Bill – Govt will have real-time access 2 individs finances & a National ID Healthcard will b issued! Let’s go directly to the text of the health care bill -
“which may include utilization of a machine-readable health plan beneficiary identification card”
Now come on folks, we all know that a Govt Run Health Care Exchange and Plan will require this National ID Health Card. I think I should get at least a Mostly TRUE.
Politifact • Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer. Barely True: Section 163 sets out goals for electronic health records. One of the goals is to include features that “enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation” between payment and billing. The legislative summary says the intent in the section is “to adopt standards for typical transactions” between insurance companies and health care providers. The legislation generically describes typical electronic banking transactions and does not outline any special access privileges.
ME – Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access 2 ur banks accts 4 elect. funds transfer! Read the exact text that I referenced folks. Indeed the Government will have direct access to your bank accounts as they must have access to electronically withdraw funds. Come on now, you want the Government accessing your bank accounts at all? So Politifact, you owe me a full TRUE on this one.
Politifact • Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (read: SEIU, UAW and ACORN). Pants on Fire! Section 164 creates a temporary reinsurance program to help employers or employee associations pay for coverage for workers ages 55 to 64. It does not mention labor unions or community organizer groups, though presumably they could qualify for subsidies like any other employee association that previously offered health insurance. The section’s point, however, is to offer subsidies to employer-based insurance programs, not unions or community organizers.
ME – PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan 4 retirees and their families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN). Again I have to completely disagree with Politifact. I believe that GM’s employer based insurance program is for their UAW employees. I believe that SEIU’s union members have employer based insurance programs as well. I also believe that ACORN is covered as well too as a vlountary association. But let’s take a look again directly at the text in this section -
“The term ‘‘eligible employment-based plan’’ means a group health benefits plan that—is maintained by one or more employers, former employers or employee associations, or a voluntary employees’ beneficiary association, or a committee or board of individuals appointed to administer such plan”
So it’s very clear that what I am saying is the exact opposite of what Politifact says – It’s A TRUE!
Politifact • Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange. True. Private health care plans must conform to government rules to participate in the exchange, and this page begins an explanation of exchange rules. However, the requirement that insurance companies must conform to is also presented much earlier in the bill. We spotted an earlier reference on page 15, Section 101.
ME – Here is my original tweet: “Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange 2 bring priv HC plans under Govt control.” So we can see that the email completely misquotes what I sd but Politifact confirms it to be true.
Politifact • Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans). Mostly True. Section 203 sets rules saying that plans must offer basic plans before they can offer plans with extra benefits. These extra benefits are defined as enhanced plans and premium plans. (The unstated assumption here is that enhanced and premium plans will be more profitable for the insurance companies.) But this isn’t the page number that requires health plans to participate in the exchange. Technically speaking, private insurance plans are not required to participate. Rather, only insurance sold on the exchange will satisfy the mandate that people have health insurance. In effect, private health plans that want to sell to individuals will have to sell through the exchange, under the terms of the bill.
ME – PG 84 Sec 203 HC bill – Govt mandates ALL benefit pkgs 4 priv. HC plans in the Exchange. So again the email completely misquotes me and when you look at what I actually said then Politifact’s “Mostly True” becomes true.
Politifact • Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens. Half True. Section 204 outlines more regulations for health insurance plans in the exchange. One of the requirements is that they provide “culturally and linguistically appropriate communication and health services.” Another part of the bill mentions that this includes “effective methods for communicating in plain language.” There is no mention of citizenship status.
ME – I don’t even list Page 91. So the email has something I never said.
Politifact • Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan. False. Section 205 says the Health Choices commissioner is charged with publicizing the options on the health care exchange. The legislation says the commissioner “may work with other appropriate entities to facilitate the dissemination of information.” The bill does not mention ACORN or Americorps. The bill also says that the commissioner must publicize the “Exchange-participating health benefits plan options,” which would include private insurance plans.
ME – Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps 2 sign up indiv. for Govt HC plan. Again the email completely misquotes what I actually sd. I also have to disagree with Politifact on this and here’s why -
Now within those lines it references Paragraph 4 of such subsection – specifically I am pointing to page 100 lines 15 through 18:
“USE OF OTHER ENTITIES.—In carrying out this subsection, the Commissioner may work with other appropriate entities to facilitate the dissemination of information under this subsection”
As you can see the door is ambiguously left wide open for the Commissioner to work with other appropriate entities, for exampleACORN or AmeriCorp. So I leave it up to you to decide – I think what I sd is true. With this administration and their relationship with ACORN it is very well within the realm of possibility.
Politifact • Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter. False. This page describes people who would qualify for Medicaid, a government insurance program for people with very low incomes. It says that individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid only if they have “not elected to enroll in an Exchange-participating health benefits plan.” So the auto-enrollment only happens if they have not chosen another plan.
ME – PG 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill – Medicaid Eligible Indiv. will b automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice. Well we have one that’s close to what I said. Again though I have to disagree with Politifact. So let’s go specifically to the actual text of the bill:
“AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF MEDICAID ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS INTO MEDICAID.—The Commissioner shall provide for a process under which an individual who is described in section 202(d)(3) and has not elected to enroll in an Exchange-participating health benefits plan is automatically enrolled under Medicaid.”
Well it’s pretty clear to me that the Govt is telling you that if you don’t elect to enroll in a Government Exchange participating health benefits plan then you will be automatically enrolled under Medicaid. So you don’t really have a choice. If you don’t enroll in one Government program you’ll have to enroll in another Government Program. So Politifact – sorry it is TRUE.
Politifact • Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No “judicial review” is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed. Barely True. Section 223 discusses how the government will pay doctors under the public option health insurance; they will pay 5 percent more than Medicare pays. It’s true that this section does not set out any sort of judicial review, but it specifically states that health care providers do not have to accept patients under the public option. The bill also says that the Health Choices commissioner has the authority “to correct for payments that are excessive or deficient,” taking into account “amounts paid for similar health care providers and services under other Exchange-participating health benefits plans.” There may be a broader case to be made that the government can out-compete private insurers through the public option, but this section of the plan doesn’t have to do with lawsuits or judicial review.
ME - pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt Monop. So again you can see how the email misquoted me. Now Politifact gave me a Barely True. So let’s see directly from the text of the bill.
(f) LIMITATIONS ON REVIEW.—There shall be no administrative or judicial review of a payment rate or methodology established under this section or under section 224.
Well I think that “judicial review” means courts and since the Government states there cannot be a review of a payment rate then that leaves the door wide open for the Government to fix prices. Politifact – I think you owe me a TRUE.
Politifact • Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages. Barely True. Section 225 discusses payments for physicians who choose to accept the public option insurance. Again, there may be a broader case to be made that the government can out-compete private insurers through the public option, but this section of the plan only applies to payments to doctors for patients who are part of the public option. The government does not set wages for doctors because doctors are free to decline to see the patients.
ME – pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill – Doctors – The Govt will tell YOU what u can make. Once again the chain email completely misquotes me. Again I have to give this a TRUE. If you read the actual lines that I referenced then indeed, the Government is telling Doctors what they can make and yes it happens to be in the Public Option Plan.
Folks, The list I provided in my HC Monstrosity post are references. It is every one’s duty in America, to read the Health Care bill in it’s entirety – Politifact included, especially if you want to comment specifically on it.
I want to thank Politifact for continuing to bring the monstrosities of this Health Care bill to light so that every one can discuss. I also want to thank them for bringing to light emails which purposely distort what I have said. I urge them to read the bill in it’s entirety so they can continue to check facts check facts.
Here’s the link to the article on Politifact – E-mail Analysis of HC Bill
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Comments are closed.
about 1 year ago
These politicians voted Against the Nathan Deal Amendment, that would Prevent Health Care Benefits to Illegal Aliens. Simply put–it's not their BLOODY MONEY! So what! Do they care if taxpayers have to foot the behemoth bill, for anybody who snubs our laws and enters a sovereign country called America? The nationwide parasites are –CHEAP LABOR–businesses who could care less, because they pile up enormous profits. The corporate hierarchy have been having a field day–FOR DECADES. A foreign national gets hurt, their service manager or whoever the underling is, drives the maimed person and relinquishes any responsibility by dumping them on the emergency hospital entranceway. BINGO! nothing to pay!
Perhaps Americans should find some old shoddy clothes, no shave, no haircut and enter every emergency room in our country in the millions? Speak a lot of gibberish and carry no identification with a small splinter in their finger, a touch of a fever or any minor condition. By federal law the hospital will have an emergency on a–EMERGENCY. I am afraid Americans have been Lemmings going over a proverbial cliff, since who knows when? We just keep paying and paying even more to the IRS, to support–ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Try getting free health care in any other country, other than societies in the European Union? A FAT CHANCE! We are literary being taxed to death, to give welfare to the business overlords.
Even our Democrats who are trying to engineer health care for every American—INCLUDED 20 PLUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR LARGE FAMILIES. Here are 29 Judas Iscariot's, who sold the American people out–for a lot more than 13 pieces of silver? HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR. Capps (D-CA), Eshoo (D-CA), Harman (D-CA), Matsui (D-CA), McNerney (D-CA), Waxman (D-CA), DeGette (D-CO), Murphy (D-CT), Castor (D-FL), Rush (D-IL), Schakowsky (D-IL), Braley (D-IA), Sarbanes (D-MD), Markey (D-MA), Dingell (D-MI), Stupak (D-MI), Pallone (D-NJ), Weiner (D-NY), Butterfield (D-NC), Space (D-OH), Sutton (D-OH), Doyle (D-PA), Gordon (D-TN), Gonzalez (D-TX), Green (D-TX),Welch (D-VT), Christensen (D-VI), Inslee (D-WA) and Baldwin (D-WI). I'm afraid I would be banned if I used the right epithet, when leaving a comment for these so called lawmakers?
These are the betrayers of–ALL–taxpayers. These 29 traitors gave illegal immigrants the right to pilfer your billfold and purse, while they sit in their Washington office collecting their 6 figure salaries. REMEMBER THEM AND THROW THEM OUT! DEMAND NO AMNESTY! NO FAMILY UNIFICATION KNOWN AS CHAIN MIGRATION! BUILD THE ORIGINAL FENCE! NO MORE HEALTH CARE OR ANY OTHER KIND OF BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. CLOSE THE BORDER AND STATION THE NATIONAL GUARD. $2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS, JUST IN RETIREMENT BENEFITS? Learn uncorrupted facts at NUMBERSUSA.
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about 1 year ago
lol, you got your stupid know-nothing ass handed to you. Your “interpretation” of the bill is so laughable it's amazing you'd actually be willing to put it in text form. Please never express your opinions again. They are always wrong.
about 1 year ago
I didn't know that pathological liar Betsy McCaughey is a common man!
about 1 year ago
“Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.”
You know that the government can get into your bank accounts right now for any reason they want. If they say you owe them money for anything they can take it w/o asking you or getting an approval from you.
Also…Did you know some states let hospitals and Doctors file against your tax returns if you owe them money? It just gets taken from your refund if you had one, you know nothing till you get the letter and no check.
They are already in our bank accounts. Scary huh?
about 1 year ago
It is not surprising that different readers of this bill come up with different interpretations. This bill was of course drafted with deliberate ambiguities in order that those that administer it can bend it to their own wills. This is so with all laws and legislations. In order to understand this—it is necessary to come to terms with the fact that the bill was drafted by lawyers.
For the second time we have placed a husband and wife lawyer team in the white house. What were we thinking??? The next time you go to the polls, do not vote for any politician for any office that has a law degree.
Having worked for a state legislature and a state Senator; having been married once to a lawyer, I came to the realization that lawyers don’t make their living from solutions—they get rich off problems. Second, it must be realized that lawyers check their sense of justice at the door when they leave law school. They lose their moral gyroscope. There is no right and wrong to most lawyers—only the view of the one who pays (and sometimes the side that pays the most!) I know a couple of people who stopped the practice of law because they could not reconcile their sense of morality with what was demanded of them.
I angered my husband by asking once why with all the litigation that goes on—all issues had not been settled definitively. The answer of course is that cannot be allowed to happen.
A bill has already been introduced into congress removing the two term limit on presidential terms so that Obama can stay on and on and on. Not only do we need to keep the bill—we must similarly limit the terms of the House and Senate. At least the crooks will have to work fast to get their graft before they must leave office.
about 1 year ago
Wow… Obamabots? Sounds like Republibots to me… You people have no open mindedness left in your right-wing brains do you?
about 1 year ago
I took your message, downloaded all the referenced pages and marked the lines, then had to go back and read many more pages, since what you referenced weren't actually on the pages you referenced, some were pages in front, some in back.
My comment about your “analysis” is that it was done by either a dirt stupid person who couldn't read and understand the bill OR (more likely) by an evil person who is intentionally riling up the far right (most of whom don't seem to read on their own, but take right-wing bloggers for fact.)
The part where you said it was for giving healthcare to “illegal aliens” was actually about foreign NON-residents (undocumented workers ARE residents.) It was about folks who are visiting the US and get sick. I had a friend who fell and broke her arm in England a couple of years ago. She immediately went to the hospital, was x-rayed, had the arm set, given pain medication and then she sat there, waiting for a bit. Someone finally asked her why she was still there, and she said she was waiting on a bill. They got a pretty good laugh out of that! They told her there was no charge to her. Barb told them she was an American (as if they couldn't hear her Texas accent.) They said it didn't matter; NO ONE paid out of pocket expenses in England. THAT is what this part of the bill refers to.
It is sad to me that you won't fight this on your ideology, which I happen to think is wrong, but if you want to fight it on you don't believe that we should have healthcare as a right, that it isn't part of the “common welfare” and that everyone is on their own, then fight it on there. Don't sink to lying about what is actually in the bill to stir up your minions.
about 1 year ago
Kathi,
Thanks for giving us ur agenda. Please Inform on Me using the left hand side
of my blog. I made it easy for people like you. Additionally please check
out this post – Game On Liberals, Obama,
Congress<http://blog.flecksoflife.com/2009/08/02/game-on-liberals-obama-congress/>,
because it's quite evident you've been punkd by the Left.
about 1 year ago
You are doing nothing but restating your original claims. Epic fail on the response.
Your claim that you, or anyone else, are the targets of a link which is actually made just to gather false arguments for rebuttal is infantile in the extreme. lol
about 1 year ago
My original claims are not those of the mass/chain/spam email that Politifact published. I think the Epic fail is that you haven't taken the time to understand what was written.
Hey check out my latest post.
about 1 year ago
When I see the disrespectful poster on this site and the term “socialist” it seems to me that I cannot trust anything on your site as being fact based. Propaganda, slurs, race baiting, whatever attacks you are using detract from the logic of your argument. I have spent 40 years in education and we have been using “evidence based practices” from research to improve curriculum and programs. When they tell me they will be doing this in health care I congratulate them. Why does the “party of No” turn this all around to scare people? You have scared the elderly people. I am a Medicare recipient and I am grateful for it. I live in Massachusetts and I see that the children in our schools and the homeless center where I volunteer are now covered by health care plans that pays for essential needs. I will be willing to debate this (a) health care for children in poverty (b) using evidence based practices with anyone…. but the “party of no” is not interested in rational thinking or logic. They have a political agenda to destroy anything that might be helpful for these children living in poverty.
about 1 year ago
Have you checked how bankrupt the Massachusetts health care system is now?
When your done with your agenda, then perhaps we can talk.
If your so set on evidence based then feel free to debate any specific item
with me in the current health care monstrosity bill.
about 1 year ago
In a message dated 8/7/2009 8:29:38 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
writes:
When your done with your agenda, then perhaps we can talk.
I don't have an agenda. I am retired….I have 3 degenerative diseases.
Bill Cosby says “the young people will have to do the policy” because us old
folks are too ill with …. and then he names the diseases.
I vote with Bill Cosby…. I do not belong to any “agenda” type groups….
I guess when I taught elementary school I was a union member…. So you
can't get me on that one.
I have four college degrees; when I took my course in evaluation of
research I got the highest ranking (it was a high pass ) at the doctoral level.
I worked in research and administration for 30 years after teaching for 10.
I don't want to waste my time debating anyone on the internet; instead I
am going to the local congresswoman's “town hall” forum which she is
holding at the grocery store today. Trying to debate with someone like Sarah
Palin who screams about “death panels” is idiocy. But this unintelligent
woman was chosen by McCain even wen he couldn't support an intelligent woman
with years of experience to be a Supreme Court Justice.
Again, I will stop because it is a waste of my time to write this on the
internet. My time is better spent with the local representative to Congres
s.
Also, I know full well about the budget in Massachusetts and how our
Governor is handling it so don't sling that stuff at me. You are trying to
bully me. I am over 70 but I am educated, intelligent, experienced in the
working world and you don't need to intimidate me or bully me .
Jean Sanders, Ed.D.
about 1 year ago
Jean,
I applaud you on your academic achievement. I also have to clearly state
that in no uncertain terms am I bullying you. You chose to feel that way.
You have a clear agenda. You mention Mass. health care and I point out how
it's failing miserably but you seem to ignore it.
As for your 3 degenerative diseases? I'm truly sorry that you are afflicted
with those. I do know one person who isn't sorry or doesn't feel bad for
you though. His name is Dr. Zeke Emmanuel who happens to be Obama's health
care policy advisor.
To him your life-years are simply non-productive at this stage of your
life. He believes that your health care is not important. Don't take my
word though, hear it directly from the good doctor:
http://blog.jonolan.net/politics/complete-lives...
about 1 year ago
My Thought's exactly Peter.3 degenerative diseases,this person will not receive the needed care and then there's that end of your life counseling…Jeana?You pray this bill does not pass.
about 1 year ago
Peter, I've completely debunked your list, and it wasn't this chail e-mail list that Politifact got their hands on. I debunked your actual, approved list of tweets, and yet you commented on my blog that the list wasn't yours, and that it had been “manipulated”. Did you not even look at it?
http://www.reasic.org/2009/08/debunking-health-...
about 1 year ago
Well at least you got the list right. However, as I said, if you were to
actually go and look at the link on the bottom of the post I linked to, you
would see that in fact you didn't debunk anything of mine.
Here – I'll point you directly to the link that shows how you haven't
debunked anything – http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhnczxvf_31fcvc58dx
about 1 year ago
No, I looked at this document, and it's just as full of crap as this list is. You make wild assumptions in order to “prove” your points, and it basically amounts to digging a deeper hole. There are even conservatives who are claiming this list is bunk, and asking others not to reference it. It's embarrassing.
about 1 year ago
LOL. Shhh – you can try to discredit me all day long. It won't work. The
American people are on to the sham of Obamacare. What's embarrassing is
your feeble attempts and those of others on the left. Have fun with that.
about 1 year ago
Read your original post and checked all references. While many appear to be of minor impact, most are open to abuse and, the overall plan points down the road to elimination of employer and private plans by a single payer system. Additionally, the mention of a means check suggests that future income related copays are in the wind.
about 1 year ago
But wait, there's more….. according to Obama's Blueprint for Change that he issued during the campaign, he wants to:
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that
millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama will ensure that the IRS
uses the information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Experts estimate that the Obama proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Do you want this administration or any administration for that matter doing your taxes for you?
about 1 year ago
“A bill has already been introduced into congress removing the two term limit on presidential terms so that Obama can stay on and on and on.”
wow, this is really scary. What is the bill number?… I'll wait. You do know it's really really hard to amend the constitution, don't you?
about 1 year ago
Of course it is hard to amend; look how long it took to get the limit.
This blogger has more information you can check out:
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/01/13/hope-and-...
With one party in control of so many seats in the legislative branch; when
the same party controls the executive branch; the other party has been
rendered virtually meaningless. The prospect of bringing the judicial under
the same tent is beyond scary. I never believed I would ever see the things
that have transpired since January. You know the saying about power
corrupting…we are now seeing what absolute power can really bring out in
politicians. Not a pretty picture.
about 1 year ago
That bill has been introducted every time since Reagan's administration………………. do…… research before spouting emotional fodder.
about 1 year ago
They don't CARE about the Constitution. It shoudl be quite obvious now that the only reason Obama got a degree in Constitutional Law is so that he could figure out how to manipulate, supercede, or supplant it. WHat the previous poster refers to is H.J.4, which was followed by H.J 5 giving Congress a permanent seat as well. Neither will ever pass of course, so Obama has figured out another angle..
For the 2010 Census, he is ILLEGALLY including a count of all illegals immigrants, and creating electoral districts accordingly. For example, California will, as a result, gain 9 additional Congressional Districts. That equate to 9 more Democrat electoral votes. This is just one State. Now add in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida…etc etc…(LARGE states with LARGE illegal immigrant problems). Hell, any Democrat candidate would win just by showing up!
This shoudl have people out in the street rioting, imho. Here is the article in regards to this from the Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240529702...
about 1 year ago
Hi Pete,
You raise some excellent points but to be honest in the end you are merely sharing your opinion about what this proposed legislation will or won't do. No one knows what the final legislation will look like because there are still four versions in committee. Congress hasn't voted on any of them.
According to your bio on Linkedin (http://unhub.com/aDuu) you have no experience in health care, law, economics or government. Perhaps your bio is incomplete but you also appear to have only worked in IT and had no experience in human resources, corporate management or economic leadership. You currently list your position as CEO of Flecks for Life but there appears to be nothing on your corporate website – http://unhub.com/DiV8 – and I can find nothing else about your company.
Your only previous employer listed on your LinkedIn profile, Namwest, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the real estate market in Arizona collapsed (http://unhub.com/D5kg). As the Chief Information Officer, I realize you had no real authority in the economic decision making of the company and are not liable for any of the failings of your former employer. We all make mistakes – I've made my share too.
On your Twitter account you list yourself as a former Marine. As an honorably discharged member of the Marine Corp you will never have to worry about your health care – your government run VA benefits will provide for you as you grow older if you ever choose to use them.
I'm not saying this to crap on you or your life. But as I always told my eight grade science students – don't just check the facts on a website but check the expertise of the person providing content for the website. For example, if an economist is writing about global warming he is probably not the best resource.
I'm not really clear how your background makes you an expert on the complicated and difficult issues that intersect in health care reform – medical, economics, legal, social or political. But that is the beauty of the internet – you don't have to be an expert – or even knowledgeable – to share an perspective.
Although, I'm sure you could write authoritatively on the impact of technology as a tool to reduce administrative costs associated with medical recording keeping and streamlining of services.
That would be worth reading.
I'd like to know if the savings proposed by our President and Commander and Chief are real.
You write well – which is more than many extremist bloggers on the left or right do – making your perspective seem more plausible. However, in the end the result is simply conspiracy theory gone amuck. You believe the left is in some giant conspiracy to strip you of your rights and force you into some type of re-education camp. That is as outrageous as Hillary Clinton's claim of a great right wing conspiracy against her and Bill.
I've read your site and there are entirely too many factual misrepresentations and chicken little statements to spend rebutting them all. Clearly, from the tone and images you've chosen to take on this issue you are more interested in your audience than in the issue. Which is fine – it makes organizations and individuals like FOX, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck great sums of money. Which is one of the key components of being a best selling author, a political pundit or snake-oil salesman – know your audience and tell them what they want to hear.
For your audience:
Please make the time to become better informed and don't rely on an echo chamber in forming your opinion about health care reform.
The majority of U.S. citizens believe the current health care system is broken. Medicare/Medicare are teetering on bankruptcy. As the population ages few and fewer people will be paying into a system to support more and more people. A greater number of companies are no longer providing health care insurance because of the rising costs. Because of the way health care is currently paid for in this country we all are paying through higher premiums to cover those without insurance.
Those are facts.
You may not agree with the Obama Administration about the solution (and I don't agree with everything either) but to not listen and simply parrot other parrots is foolhardy. Learn the backgrounds and experience of the people and organizations making the recommendations and talking about the issue.
All of the opinions penned by Pete are simply that – opinions. I have no doubt he means well and believes in what he writes.
The benefit of a real news organization such as Politifact.com (http://unhub.com/XRSW) reviewing the statements of politicians, pundits and sophists is a third part evaluation of statements. The press has historically been called the 4th branch of governement because when it is functioning properly as a watchdog you end up with world changing investigative journalism as opposed to simply paid cheerleaders or smug arrogance.
Valuable investigative journalism brought about the end of Enron, brought down Madoff, revealed the lies of the Nigerian yellow-cake story, broke the Monica Lewinsky scandal, exposed the dishonor of Oliver North's lies about the Iran-Contra Affair, ended the Nixon's Presidency, ended the fascist McCarthyism trials, revealed the truth behind the bribery of the Teapot Dome Scandal, and ended the horrors of child labor in the meatpacking industry.
Investigative journalism brought the intellectual honesty and clarity of William F. Buckley, Jr. (http://unhub.com/GFBl), Edward R. Murrow (http://unhub.com/sc2R), Upton Sinclair (http://unhub.com/qzz2), Walter Cronkite (http://unhub.com/ojLF) and even Jon Stewart.
I believe something needs changed in regards to how we distribute health care – 47 million fellow Americans need some help. A number that will increase. Providing appropriate health care to all people is the Christian thing to do, it is morally right and it is fiscally responsible.
What would be more helpful than one more blog about the “Evils of Obama” and the Chicken Little Hysteria of conservative wingnuts is a concrete proposal from moderate conservatives. Give me an option and not simply an opinion.
Tell me what will work – not won't what.
To quote my USMC Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Pyle “Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.”
about 1 year ago
Hi Pete,
One more thing – someone sent me a link to the New England Journal of Medicine's website on the health care reform movement – http://unhub.com/vsIi. Some of your readers may find their expertise and perspective of value.
Thanks,
Sean
about 1 year ago
(Part 1)
You raise some excellent points but to be honest in the end you are merely sharing your opinion about what this proposed legislation will or won't do. No one knows what the final legislation will look like because there are still four versions in committee. Congress hasn't voted on any of them.
According to your bio on Linkedin (http://unhub.com/aDuu) you have no experience in health care, law, economics or government. Perhaps your bio is incomplete but you also appear to have only worked in IT and had no experience in human resources, corporate management or economic leadership. You currently list your position as CEO of Flecks for Life but there appears to be nothing on your corporate website – http://unhub.com/DiV8 – and I can find nothing else about your company.
Your only previous employer listed on your LinkedIn profile, Namwest, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the real estate market in Arizona collapsed (http://unhub.com/D5kg). As the Chief Information Officer, I realize you had no real authority in the economic decision making of the company and are not liable for any of the failings of your former employer. We all make mistakes – I've made my share too.
On your Twitter account you list yourself as a former Marine. As an honorably discharged member of the Marine Corp you will never have to worry about your health care – your government run VA benefits will provide for you as you grow older if you ever choose to use them.
I'm not saying this to crap on you or your life. But as I always told my eight grade science students – don't just check the facts on a website but check the expertise of the person providing content for the website. For example, if an economist is writing about global warming he is probably not the best resource.
I'm not really clear how your background makes you an expert on the complicated and difficult issues that intersect in health care reform – medical, economics, legal, social or political. But that is the beauty of the internet – you don't have to be an expert – or even knowledgeable – to share an perspective.
Although, I'm sure you could write authoritatively on the impact of technology as a tool to reduce administrative costs associated with medical recording keeping and streamlining of services.
That would be worth reading.
I'd like to know if the savings proposed by our President and Commander and Chief are real.
You write well – which is more than many extremist bloggers on the left or right do – making your perspective seem more plausible. However, in the end the result is simply conspiracy theory gone amuck. You believe the left is in some giant conspiracy to strip you of your rights and force you into some type of re-education camp. That is as outrageous as Hillary Clinton's claim of a great right wing conspiracy against her and Bill.
I've read your site and there are entirely too many factual misrepresentations and chicken little statements to spend rebutting them all. Clearly, from the tone and images you've chosen to take on this issue you are more interested in your audience than in the issue. Which is fine – it makes organizations and individuals like FOX, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck great sums of money. Which is one of the key components of being a best selling author, a political pundit or snake-oil salesman – know your audience and tell them what they want to hear.
(con't)
about 1 year ago
Part II
For your audience – please make the time to become better informed and don't rely on an echo chamber in forming your opinion about health care reform.
The majority of U.S. citizens believe the current health care system is broken. Medicare/Medicare are teetering on bankruptcy. As the population ages few and fewer people will be paying into a system to support more and more people. A greater number of companies are no longer providing health care insurance because of the rising costs. Because of the way health care is currently paid for in this country we all are paying through higher premiums to cover those without insurance.
Those are facts.
You may not agree with the Obama Administration about the solution (and I don't agree with everything either) but to not listen and simply parrot other parrots is foolhardy. Learn the backgrounds and experience of the people and organizations making the recommendations and talking about the issue.
All of the opinions penned by Pete are simply that – opinions. I have no doubt he means well and believes in what he writes.
The benefit of a real news organization such as Politifact.com (http://unhub.com/XRSW) reviewing the statements of politicians, pundits and sophists is a third part evaluation of statements. The press has historically been called the 4th branch of government because when it is functioning properly as a watchdog you end up with world changing investigative journalism as opposed to simply paid cheerleaders or smug arrogance.
Valuable investigative journalism brought about the end of Enron, brought down Madoff, revealed the lies of the Nigerian yellow-cake story, broke the Monica Lewinsky scandal, exposed the dishonor of Oliver North's lies about the Iran-Contra Affair, ended the Nixon's Presidency, ended the fascist McCarthyism trials, and revealed the truth behind the bribery of the Teapot Dome Scandal.
Investigative journalism brought the intellectual honesty and clarity of William F. Buckley, Jr. (http://unhub.com/GFBl), Edward R. Murrow (http://unhub.com/sc2R), Upton Sinclair (http://unhub.com/qzz2), Walter Cronkite (http://unhub.com/ojLF) and even Jon Stewart.
I believe something needs changed in regards to how we distribute health care – 47 million fellow Americans need some help. A number that will increase. Providing appropriate health care to all people is the Christian thing to do, it is morally right and it is fiscally responsible.
What would be more helpful than one more blog about the “Evils of Obama” and the Chicken Little Hysteria of conservative wingnuts is a concrete proposal from moderate conservatives. Give me an option and not simply an opinion.
Tell me what will work – not won't what.
To quote my USMC Drill Instructor Staff Seargent Pyle “Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.”
about 1 year ago
1. Regardless of the four versions in the bill. Everyone of them have the underlying theme of Big Government taking over the freedoms and liberties of Americans. This bill isn't about Health Care reform and it's not about Health Insurance Reform.
2. If you had actually taken the time to read the bill page by page and line by line as I have you would see that my opinion actually is statement of fact. You see in order to read the bill properly, two things must occur. You have to read the actual words of the bill and you have to understand the intent within those words. Something you have failed to comprehend.
3. You might want to refrain from making comments about things you have absolutely no understanding of. I have over twenty years experience across multiple industries and government. I have experience in healthcare, law, contract writing, sales, marketing, operations, technology, management, multi million dollar profit & loss responsibility, manufacturing, distribution, business process reengineering and other areas. I've also consulted companies ranging from Fortune 10, Fortune 500, Fortune 1000 and small 7 mid sized companies in all these areas.
Funny how 99.99999% of Congress has no experience running a business or no experience in health care whatsoever, yet we allow them to write laws about those issues. It's not just Congress either – President Obama has ZERO experience in either of those issues. You conveniently forget to point that out.
As for my company, Flecks of Life, you seem to not comprehend what a start-up company is. Let me help you with your lack of knowledge – There's no information on my company because I am in start-up mode. That means I want to keep a competitive edge and not alert anyone to what I am doing and building. Get it? Yet?
4. You sure like to make a lot of assumptions which, as we can all see, makes a complete ass out of you. Namwest went out of business because of the economy and because founders didn't understand that debt does not equal wealth. You know, much like Obama doesn't understand.
5. As an honorably discharged Marine, I've earned those health care benefits, just like millions of other service men and women who have sacrificed and served this country and the citizens within. Additionally, I have never used the VA Health Services. Why? Because the private health care coverage that I chose and paid for is exponentially better. See that? I could get free health care from the government but I chose to go private. Hmmmm….
6. You're not crapping on my life by bringing things up in my life that you have absolutely no understanding of? LMAO! Could you be any more transparently dishonest? No. You're so in love with how you write that you're blind to what you write.
7. I feel bad for your science class. In science, you go and check facts to validate theories or ideas. Does it make an difference if someone is an expert in something? Not as much if that expert is consistently wrong. A perfect example is Paul Krugman, a Nobel prize winning economist. Sadly, we've seen just how wrong Krugman is on Keynesian economics, health care and various other issues, including global warming.
8. What is lost on many people is the assumption that technology is a tool that reduces costs. See that's outcomes thinking. That's why this Administration and Congress have already failed us miserably. The big part many people miss is that you first have to focus on the processes and practices. Before any successful technology implementation, one must go through and map existing processes including people, organizational structures, existing technology, legal ramifications, etc. Then they look at potential outcomes that they wish to achieve. The gap or delta that is between the two is where technology could produce efficiencies and reduced costs. I can tell you unequivocally that this administration has not done any of this required work in regards to electronic medical records. Why can I tell you that? I understand EMRs because I was part of one of the first companies who wrote electronic medical records software in the early 90s.
9. Here, enlighten yourself as to if the savings proposed by Obama are real – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrnucDxnFy0
10. Your feeble attempts at trying to put me into the conspiracy theory crowd are just that – feeble. I'm not part of any extremist group.
Perhaps someday you'll take the time to read the health care bill page by page and line by line like I have and actually be able to discuss it with me. Until that happens then all we'll see from you is how in love you are with your own writing rather than being consistent and factual in the content.
about 1 year ago
Time to cut the crap Peter:
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/decons...
about 1 year ago
Maybe you can get Timmy Geither to do your taxes personally. I am sure he can get it right this time.
about 1 year ago
Maybe you can get Timmy Geither to do your taxes personally. I am sure he can get it right this time.
about 9 months ago
“29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill – YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!! So if the Government sets limits for annual out of pocket spending for an individual and for a family then the Government has to control costs for the health services delivered. How? Through rationing of those services. Politifact – I believe I’m owed a TRUE.”
How can y0u twist an Out of Pocket limit as rationing??? Most good insurance right now has an out of pocket cap. If you cap is 1000 and you spend 1000, insurance covers the rest without you paying any more. The only thing rationed is how much you pay and I for one am fine with that. The bill does not say or even elude to the possibility that any coverage will be reduced when your out of pocket cap is reached…you are an idiot sir!!!
about 1 month ago
Be honest with your bankruptcy attorney about all the income you have been able to earn over the past 6 months, even if from a source other than chapter 7 bankruptcy your regular job and paycheck. This is another form of information that the law requires you include when filing for bankruptcy, so disclose all finances fully.