Organizing for America | Posts with the tag McConnell

Posts with the tag McConnell

By Taha from Katy, TX - Jul 6th, 2009 at 3:46 pm EDT

Also listed in: Katy, Tx for Obama '08

I was invited to the Town Hall held by Senator Cornyn of Texas. Senator McCain and Senator Mitch McConnell were in attendance. It was held July 30 2009 at 10AM CDT on the 8th Floor Conference Room at the main MD Anderson Campus building in Houston.
My thoughts and views:
1. The republican party seemed very opposed to the Democratic plan primarily based on the fact that government will run healthcare resulting in a decline in what we have today - "the worlds best healthcare". I do not believe we have the world's best healthcare simply because we are the only industrialized nation that does not provide full access to every citizen. In fact we leave over 10 percent of our population without any healthcare. So how can our healthcare be the world's best when we have 45 million Americans without coverage. It is a false notion to think that because we have the best technology that it somehow translates to the worlds best healthcare. There is a thought that maybe we are one of the worst - especially in primary care and preventive healthcare considering that we have the worst obesity and other industrialized nation diseases.

2. Many Doctors expressed their disgust over insurance companies. There was consensus that the Insurance Companies are colluding in the pricing of insurance and that regulations are causing unnecessary burdens. Plus insurance companies take over 25% of the premiums as profit - which sounds very high!
3. Senator McCain claimed that his proposal of widening the insurance pool by providing connectors for small businesses and tearing down state barriers where insurance companies have to operate within a state and that they cannot cross sell is one way to help reduce cost. I tend to agree that by nationalizing healthcare insurance rules (removing each states own insurance regulation industries) you can have a private carrier be one national company that can underwrite a group like small business association across multiple state lines and widening the risk pool. This would also allow for Federal regulations preventing insurance companies from creating biased smaller risk pools which creates sharp increases in premiums unnecessarily. As a small business owner for the past 20 years, I have spent most of my professional life getting healthcare by paying cash. Insurance has been prohibitive because as an individual I am unable to pool together using connectors to help diversify my risk across many others like me. This defeats the very meaning of insurance. Part of the culprit here is greed on the insurance companies side and partly it is caused by each state having its own regulation body.
4. Universal single payer Vs Multiple providers - I am unsure about this. Part of me wants healthcare to be like national defense. We only have one military so why not one healthcare provider. We all need to bite the bullet and say that healthcare is not an industry but rather a government service. But then part of looks at all the good things ourmedical system provides (and yes there are good things) and I do not see a reason to completely dismantle the machine. I believe a hybrid approach is necessary. I tend to think that allowing the government to be one of the providers where you can have a way to pool in or to drop barriers for pooling is one way.
I think that there is no one way to solve the issue. A comprehensive reform is what I think is necessary. Here is my wish list for what I feel would significantly change the way healthcare is delivered in our country. Only if all or most of the below is done, then I believe we will be on our way to controlling this spiraling beast.1. Drop the red tape and tangling of state by state regulations and create a national Federal Healthcare regulatory body. This will allow insurance companies to reduce their overhead. Aetna will not have to create 49 subsidiaries to serve each state, instead they will have one underwriter for the country - like the government.2. Significantly reform our liability and tort process around healthcare. Healthcare is not an exact science - it is an art form. Hence the practice itself is not perfect. Remove as much as possible the defensive medical aspect. Create a more cognitive consultative environment and allow doctors to practice medicine rather than order a battery of tests every time you complain of a headache. Are doctors test orderer or are they medical doctors?3. Provide the ability to pool into a large group via a government plan or other connectors for small business owners and individuals without insurers. Require everyone to get insurance one way or the other.4. Empower the consumer by bringing a level of responsbility and education and information to the consumer. Too many times consumers have absolutely no idea of what they are getting from the doctor. Part of it is because Doctors do not take the time to explain what they are doing, part of it is because insurance pays and consumer does not care as long as they pay $10 co-pay, and part of it is because the system wants to hide this information to bring the God Complex of medicine to themselves. Yes not all can use this information but just because some do not use it does not mean more should not be empowered to make this decisions. This country was built on personal responsibility and self empowerment, why is medicine not practicing this?5. Incentivize the consumer to practice preventive care and empower them to "shop around" to make this happen. Tax credits for preventive wellness care that is not tied to insurance but rather some kind of health savings would create a win win situation. Insurance should kick in after a certain amount every year to take care of catastrophic and major issues. But for the sniffles, for the annual checkup, for the child visits - I would love the ability to shop around to get the best care and value and I would love to see Medical Doctors offer packages that gives me the best care and advise. We should examine why the CVS, Wal-Mart and corner small clinics that only accept cash do well. I have visited them and I feel the care and advise they provide is perfect for primary care. More of that! They advertise on $45 visits, no lines and a doctor who actually takes the time to examine you and see what is going on. - Plus I get to shop for the best care. You combine this with portable electronic medical records and now you remove the dependecy into one doctor and truly create a competitive environment.6. Which brings me to the final point - national electronic medicalrecords standard. The consumer needs it, the doctors need it and all stakeholders need it. Liek your credit report, your healthcare records need to be standardized. This can be done - I do not know how, but my brother who lives and breathes this stuff (he is in this business), tells me it is a travesty how heathcare is light years behind here. Again part of it is because Doctors can't let go! They feel that these records is their power....let go people, stop holding on to this shit.
The time has come....the gravy train for those suckling at the tit of this cash cow has crippled this nation. 25 percent of our GDP!!! That is ridiculous. No wonder Starbucks spends more on healthcare than coffee - think about it! Let's end this crisis before it becomes another tsunami like the financial crisis.

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Independent Democrat Senators

By Don - May 8th, 2009 at 2:09 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Soon as we got a Democrat in the White House, a bunch of Senators claiming to be Democrats rushed to show how independent they are, declaring they won’t necessarily vote in support of the President’s agenda that he was elected to enact. As a Hoosier, I’ll put Indiana’s Evan Bayh (pronounced “Bye” or “Buy”) at the top of the list.

Mr. Obama is right to allow politicians to vote their “consciences” (oxymoron is obvious). Where he’s wrong is in promising to raise money for them. I won’t give one penny to support ANY Senator who fails to toe the line and earnestly help the President do what he promised. Many promises were made. If they’re not kept because Democrats in the Senate support powerful banks and other lobbies against the people who support Mr. Obama’s agenda, then Bayh-Bayh to them come the primary.

If self-described Democrats in the Senate refuse to push through the President’s agenda, then it’s up to us to FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL. I won’t give money to or raise money for Evan Bayh or Arlen Spector or any of the approximately eight others who have declared themselves “independent” of this cause.

They want our money and votes only to betray us to the powerful lobbyists who own them. We need to start work right now finding better people to run against them in the primaries and start raising the money they’ll need to win.

We kept McCain and Palin out of the White House. We certain can put Bayh, Specter and those other eight “independent” Democrats OUT of the Senate. CHANGE is coming to America.

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Kentucky Online Forum: State of the Union Address

By J. Lowe - Feb 20th, 2009 at 9:38 pm EST

Also listed in: Camp Obama | Louisville For Obama | NAACP Supporters & Members for Barack Obama

On 2/24 at 9pm EST, watch the CNN.com live State of the Nation Address and join in the online forum here to discuss issues with fellow Kentucky Voters. All political affiliations are invited to join in the discussion.

RULES OF PLAY:
1. Pretend your 8 year old grand daughter is reading everything you type
2. Treat those who disagree with respect
3. Click 'report' on troll comments and ignore them. If you reply all attached conversations will be deleted by the system along with the offending comment.

Click on "COMMENT" at the top of the post to say something.

Clickon "REPLY" next to the person's post to say something about something someone said.

Sounds good? Enjoy, and thank you for participating in this creative volunteer project.

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Why i love Mitch McConnell

By J. Lowe - Feb 6th, 2009 at 2:44 am EST

Also listed in: 4 groups

I love Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell because of our common thread: we both fell in love with someone from outside our culture.

Here in rural and racist Kentucky, the Klan is relevant to a small percentage and has the weight of sympathy and mild agreement to a larger percentage of our population. In some counties in Kentucky, there are less than 10 black people -- not 10% but 10 total -- in an entire county.

It is with a reassuring sigh that Mitch McConnell an elected official to not have the heart of the racist. When he fell in love with his wife, he was forced to ask his inner self the ultimate racist question: is it wrong to mix the races? He has also an arranged marriage with her culture, and to understand deeply the value of other cultures & religions as well.

So, although I disagree with Senator McConnell on many issues (including the Economic Recovery Bill), I hold him in high regard and respect, and kinda like him a little. Although I liked him more on election night when he almost lost to an unknown Democrat.

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McConnell/Boehner Threaten Economic Stimulus Package

By Obama-Mamas.com - Jan 3rd, 2009 at 1:26 am EST

Also listed in: Coastal Obama supporters | Eugene for Obama-Biden '08 | Oregon Action Team

Senate Minority Leader McConnell and House Republican Leader Boehner released near duplicate statements today that sent a clear signal to President-elect Obama and Congressional Democrats that Republican leadership has no inclination to be honest partners with the new administration. Despite all the right words, like “bipartisan” and working “across the aisle”, they quickly dissolved into just another round of talking points, filled with veiled slurs and innuendo. Read More »

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Torture aficionados at the White House and CIA have conned key congressional leaders into insisting not only that torture-lite would be a swell idea, but advocating also that the overseers of torture be kept on.

By John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta - Dec 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pm EST

Also listed in: 10 groups

Back to the Future Will Obama Buy Torture-Lite?

By RAY McGOVERN

You've got to hand it to them. Torture aficionados at the White House and CIA have conned key congressional leaders into insisting not only that torture-lite would be a swell idea, but advocating also that the overseers of torture be kept on.

From change-you-can-believe-in we seem to be slipping back to fear-you-can-trade-on. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, has publicly warned those in charge of the administration transition that "continuity is going to be pivotal in keeping us safe and secure." Thus, he argues, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell and CIA Director Michael Hayden should stay in their posts.......

ENTIRE POST - http://www.counterpunch.org/mcgovern12112008.html

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From John Kerry: Take the Fight to the GOP!

By Henry M - Jun 30th, 2008 at 2:34 pm EDT

Also listed in: 7 groups

The cynics can't wait for November because they think they can tell you the old rules still apply -- that no matter what Barack Obama says, no matter what Howard Dean fights for with his 50 state strategy, there really are red states where Democrats can't win.

Show the cynics they're dead wrong and turn these red states blue by electing Democratic Senators.

These are once in a lifetime races - incredible Democratic candidates in red states where voters are ready to punish the Roadblock Republicans for record gas prices, our planet in peril, our foreign policy in shambles, government corruption, corporate abuse and an economy that's unfair.

Elect these candidates and we get to 60 Democrats in the Senate -- and bury the politics of Bush, Cheney, Rove, and McCain and make a fresh start for our country.

So let's expand the map and play offense. It's time we go deep into Republican territory and aim for some Senate seats in states that Washington purveyors of conventional wisdom thought we wouldn't contest.

Follow this link to take the fight to them:

http://www.actblue.com/page/expandthemap

You know who I want to take on? The chief of the Roadblock Republicans himself, the Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in red-state Kentucky. Bruce Lunsford, a veteran of the Army Reserves, is running a strong race for universal access to affordable health care and a new course in Iraq, two of the many things Mitch McConnell has been instrumental in blocking progress on as Minority Leader. Defeating Senator McConnell would send the strongest message possible that we are done with the Republican policies and want a new direction.

Even deeper in the South in North Carolina, Elizabeth Dole has a big battle on her hands from Democrat Kay Hagan. Kay Hagan, a State Senator in North Carolina, was part of the effort to push North Carolina into a leadership role on using renewable energy sources, and she would fight to restore some fiscal sanity to Washington. With an energized Democratic Party in North Carolina, we can turn this seat and maybe even win this state for Barack Obama.

Colorado was a state that just a few years ago, everyone thought was turning red, but we have a chance, with Mark Udall, to turn it blue and set up a Mountain West base for the Democratic Party. Mark's been a great environmentalist in the House, and I know we can count on him as Senator to help us tackle the incredibly difficult challenge of energy and climate change.

And, in a state where no one thought a Democratic victory was possible, there's real hope for the candidacy of Scott Kleeb in Nebraska. Scott's a fourth-generation Nebraskan who nearly won an election in 2006 in one of the most conservative districts in the country, and he ran as a proud progressive. He's running against a Bush Administration Cabinet Member, trying to help stamp out Bush Republicanism in the heartland.

We can win these races and profoundly change the political course of our country, but only if you help. To win in these red areas, we need help from across the country. We need to work twice as hard to win here, but we can do it.

So please do what you can to help:

http://www.actblue.com/page/expandthemap

Let's keep on working to changing our country.

Thanks,
John Kerry

Like the man said, Take the Fight to the GOP!

Henry M

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