From the office of Del. Pat McDonough:
Big government and big brother took another giant leap forward with the passage of Obama Care. Against the wishes of an overwhelming majority of the American people, politicians in Washington executed a plan that will destroy our economy, seriously harm health care, and diminish our individual liberty.
The current war cry is, “Wait until November and the next election!” The outraged voters will take their revenge. Of course, it’s not only Obama Care. A whole series of dramatic and dangerous big government policies have been unfolding under President Obama. Control of private sector enterprise, unprecedented spending, Draconian debt, and reckless programs have convinced the American people that their way of life is at risk. Fear fills their futures. They are ready for change and desperate for a return to the patriotism and liberty of the past. Obama Care has so many defects, they are too numerous to mention, but I will try to put some bones on this Frankenstein’s monster without a brain:
1. It does allow abortions and provides services to illegal aliens.
2. The plan is controlled by the IRS and they can throw you in jail.
3. Your freedom is evaporated and you will pay for health care coverage or pay a fine.
4. Government intervention will be massive to the point of deciding who receives care and who does not. Already the quality of cancer care drugs has been immediately reduced under the law.
5. MRIs, other tests, and procedures will be limited and subject to the veto power of government harassed doctors. Remember the government’s mammogram memo?
6. The Congressional Budget Office claims that the total cost for the plan is $948B over a 10 year period. I will eat a bowling ball in the middle of Camden Yards if that is even 25% of the eventual cost.
7. Medicaid costs will become so large that even the Chinese won’t be able to help us.
8. Medicare costs will become so rationed and so reduced that even the Chinese won’t be able to help us.
9. Senior citizens will become targets and victims. They will be pushed to the back of the bus in favor of everyone else.
10. Health care professionals, including doctors, will leave the profession in large numbers just like they did in Canada and Massachusetts.
11. Tort reform will be euthanized.
I could go on, but the point is obvious. The greatest tragedy related to this entire ordeal is the fact that there actually are real solutions to our health care problems. Putting faith in free market principles, medical breakthroughs, multiple choices, and other innovative ideas would reform the system. The medical bottom line would be more access, better health care, and reduced rates. In November, the American people will decide.
Let’s start at the beginning. How exactly does this change the status quo on abortion or provide services to illegal aliens?
The bill has a funding mechinisim for abortions at will…funded through fees charged to ins co’s.
Go Dagger !
I find it tough to listen to Delegate McDonough talk about how bad ObamaCare is, when he voted for Martin O’Malley’s HUGE expansion of Medicare, costing taxpayers in Maryland an extra $600 million a year.
And now RedMaryland is reporting that McDonough and Impallaria and Donna Stifler all voted for a 2% Car Insurance tax and higher premiums for all.
Does this sound like the actions of “Fiscally Conservative” representatives? Or more Big Government Bafoons?
read the bill. its in there because they make it against the law to check their status in this country. Its in there..
Congratulations to Delegate McDonough. He successfully repeated the false and inflammatory talking points of the teabaggers. A tiny minority repeating lies will not succeed in destroying this country.
the tea party if for TEA= Taxed Enough Already. it is a bipartisan movement to end the high taxes imposed on us. Why should we pay for illegal aliens. $2 billion a year in md we spend on “illegal” aliens. ty omalley, miller and busch. Why should we pay for our congress to have jets and $1000 a day liquor bills and $400 lunches for 1. Governor omalley has 3 chef’s on duty around the clock in case he and katie want a midnight snack. How many cars does he have and chaufeurs for him and family. How many salon bills do we pay for? Why should I be fined $1000 for not having my pet on a leash? It’s never ending. If you enjoy your property taxes, highes utility tax on record, higher tolls, fines fees etc, then give our present governor
another 4 years.. Illegal aliens are working our state highways and maintenance and landscaping and collecting welfare with little or no id just for their vote. Yes.. They are voting.
Question: Does someone who is so incredibly misinformed and so eager to spread obvious lies and uses these as scare tactics, does this person deserve to hold a public office?
A fifth grader could win a debate against this man.
PS. Shame of The Dagger for printing such garbage.
Doug, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
We’re not in the business of making that determination for you.
An elected official of the state of Maryland sent a letter to us for publication. As we usually do with such requests, we complied.
If you are so inclined to write a rebuttal letter and send it to us for publication, we’ll give it the same treatment – and let the readers decide if it’s “garbage.”
It would be nice if at least the Dagger would request to those that make submission to no denigrate other public officials by saying such things as ‘Obama Care’ or referring to our government as “Frankenstein’s monster without a brain” (which apparently calls President Obama brainless).
It is shameless of course that any public official would say such things, but I do believe it is incumbent upon both online and print media to not allow such inappropriate content in an article unless qualified (I have never seen a by-line or adviso suggesting that these viewpoints do not necessarily reflect the views of the Dagger staff).
Delegate McDonough, as an elected official, should know better to print stuff that our children (or adults for that matter) could read and infer it is okay to refer to our leaders in such an inflammatory manner. I suppose it is a sign of the times that people cannot disagree without a modicum of decency in their words and deeds? I would hope that the Dagger prints letters such as this, yes, but does so without allowing such inflammatory and inaccurate statements without so much as a disclaimer.
Free speech…the beauty of the Dagger…untethered expression of ideas…and you would restrict that!
I find any limitation on free speech revolting. This isn’t the Aegis you know!
Truth is…if your gonna support those who make goofy decisions they admit are “bad”….dont restrict my response to it.
Go Dagger !
Russell…let me remind you of an Obama statement.
“THE ONLY THING THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND AN ANGRY MOB IS ME”…. referring to the furor over Bawny Fwank threatening to release the names and addresses of AIG executives to the public.
I didn’t see any comment from you at that time.
Go Dagger!
Russell-put on your big boy panties, push yourself away from your marxist feast of free cheese, and begin to think about the costs of entitlements. Even if you never want wages above the earned income credit level and are determined to have 2.3 children; some of us want to excel without having to carry you and your ilk on our backs financially. Where in the constitution does it state that I have to buy anything? And further, where does it say I have to buy it for you?
And it is the likes of Delegate McDonough and Impallaria that stop us from excelling. These folks that say one thing, but do another. Both McDonough and Impallaria voted for O’Malley’s expansion of Medicare costing us $600 million a year. And both voted for a car insurance tax and higher premiums. Yet McDonough wants to claim to be against Government run healthcare. When the Delegate steps up and actually puts his votes where his mouth his, maybe we’ll accomplish something. But RINOs like Delegate McDonough and Impallaria are the problem for our party , our State and our country.
My God no! We must be respectful of the great Messiah! Hail Barrack Husein Obama, and screw that back woods nobody from Texas. You know W. Grow up Russel. We on the correct side of the aisle know that post turtle for exactly what he is. I will show him absolutely not one wit of respect. He and Harry and Nancy stand to destroy 225 years of greatness in less than 18 months. Respectful? In a pig’s ass!
McDonough is right on the money honey!! I have yet to catch him in a lie and trust me, i check everything out from our leaders and if they lie, I blast them everywhere even Dagger!! Our leader obama is the worst ever. His spent more $$$$ than “all” our president put together. Nothing he has done has worked. He now controls our auto and banking industry, our health care and all the stimulus $$$ that went to the states for highway repair has mostly illegal aliens working these jobs. 85-88% are in this country illegally even after 10 years. They benefit greater by staying illegal..
Jay Leno said it best:
“Of course, a lot of right wingers are very upset about this because they believe this health care bill will cost a lot of money. You know what I think? Just pretend it’s another unnecessary war. You’ll feel better about it already.” -Jay Leno
Or massive Bank “recovery” from Bush. I don’t hear tea baggers complaining about that.
Only because you’re not listening.
apparently you haven’t listened to leno recently. He is blasting obama for his lies and obama care. Leno drank the koolaid but like many others, he woke up. hence obama ratings. As for me, this democrat is voting straight republican and independent until the left liberals get their act together. They enjoyed the bailouts also..
Dave, Rich & Doug –
Instead of cursing the darkness of McDonough’s points why don’t you light a candle by refuting them one-by-one?
Joe
Better yet Joe
How about McDonough substantiate his claims by referencing the language in the bill/law for each talking point? That was we can see how he reached his conclusions…and whether they are reasonable conclusions to make based on the actual verbiage.
Porter G –
According to Rich – “A fifth grader could win a debate against this man.”
I guess if Rich is correct he could refute McDonough’s comments himself or find a fifth greater to do it for him.
Joe
Let Pat tell you.. Ask him yourself? He knows his stuff this guy!
pat.mcdonough@house.state.md.us
pat mcdonough has been in politics many years and he keeps getting re-elected because he’s a great leader and truly knows his stuff especially on illegal aliens. $2billion last year went to illegal aliens in md. We can thank omalley, miller and busch for this..
As soon as health care passes, the American people will see immediate benefits. The legislation will:
• Prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions for children in all new plans;
• Provide immediate access to insurance for uninsured Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition through a temporary high-risk pool;
• Prohibit dropping people from coverage when they get sick in all individual plans;
• Lower seniors’ prescription drug prices by beginning to close the donut hole;
• Offer tax credits to small businesses to purchase coverage;
• Eliminate lifetime limits and restrictive annual limits on benefits in all plans;
• Require plans to cover an enrollee’s dependent children until age 26;
• Require new plans to cover preventive services and immunizations without cost-sharing;
• Ensure consumers have access to an effective internal and external appeals process to appeal new insurance plan decisions;
• Require premium rebates to enrollees from insurers with high administrative expenditures and require public disclosure of the percent of premiums applied to overhead costs.
By enacting these provisions right away, and others over time, we will be able to lower costs for everyone and give all Americans and small businesses more control over their health care choices.
US taxpayer –
How are all the wonderful things paid for after the upcoming $208 Billion Doctor’s Medicare Fix and if you account for the double counting of the $500 Billion Medicare savings?
How will the increases in State Medicaid expenses be paid for?
Joe
“By enacting these provisions right away, and others over time, we will be able to lower costs for everyone…”
Explain this part to me, please. How can I find a financial advisor who can help me save money by spending much, much more than I do today, like this program will.
US…those who refused to buy health ins will continue to do so until they need it. They are just mooches..and will continue to be mooches.
Go Dagger!
Eh, it’s a bit hard to refute vague things like “your freedom will be evaporated,” and “senior citizens will become targets and victims.”
I thought I’d start with the first claim in his list, since it’s a bit more concrete, but he really needs to clarify some things. It allows abortions? As in health care reform does not outlaw a procedure that is already law? Then yes, he would be correct. But no, public money will not pay for abortions for those getting subsidized care. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/mar/23/bart-stupak/stupak-says-there-no-federal-funding-abortion-sena/
Health care reform provides services for illegal aliens? Anyone can already purchase private insurance (including undocumented immigrants), but that doesn’t mean they’re going to suddenly receive free or subsidized health care. In fact, the bill explicitly states that credits/subsidies will not be provided to undocumented immigrants. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/21/chain-email/chain-e-mail-claims-health-care-bills-congress-wou/
Because McDonough has a track record that precludes one from wasting their valuable time rebuting his deranged rants.
And “dittos” to Dave, Rich, Doug and Kim!
To “Delegate” McDonough….the “war cry” should be “how much money AND how many lives have been wasted on “Bush’s Folly” in Iraq”!
It’s more than could ever be CLAIMED to be wasted on “Obamacare”.
This does not sound like an official statement from an delegate.
You might not be familiar with Del. McDonough…
You are correct sir!
On Wednesday, the republicans in the senate put forth some amendments to stop some of the more stupid parts of the democratic health care overhaul. Among them;
1. Prevent convicted child molesters and rapists from getting reimbursed for drugs to treat erectile dysfunction.
2. Require all members of Congress to enroll in Medicaid.
3. Certify no households earning less than $250,000 will see increased taxes.
4. Certify that Americans will not have to change their health insurance.
All these were voted down by the democrats, so sex offenders and rapists will get viagira paid for by tax dollars, all of congress and their senior staff are excluded from the public health care pool we will all end up in, we will see tax increases.
Within five years, there will be little to no private insurance companies because the 65/35 split that the companies had to maintain, is now mandated to be 85/15. The first number is a percentage that the company had to reserve for emergencies and the second is the percentage for claims and administration fees. No company can stay in business with these mandates and our present administration knows it.
Malpractice lawsuits and insurance is crippling our doctors and it was not addressed because the trial lawyers have a huge democratic PAC.
This is a first step on Obamas path to remake us into a clone of the european socialist states. Wealth redistribution; http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/03/25/dem_senator_health_legislation_will_address_the_mal-distribution_of_income_in_america.html
It’s gotta be good if a murdering communist gives you the thumbs up!; http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Cuban-leader-applauds-US-apf-124808403.html?x=0&.v=1
What about a “Public Option” now that were on a roll;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/25/byrd-rule-sends-health-care-back-to-house_n_512609.html
Pension prescription drug benefits, bye, bye;http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDBhNzJiZTlhMjEyM2M4N2ZmZDk2NWQ0MTAwNjJmZjg=
This bill/law is going to break us. It’s too big and to encompassing at a time we need fiscal restraint. I’m going to do everything within my power to get the right people into office to undo this sham of a law. There are many, many more, just like me, who have never been active in politics, who are burning to get out there and correct Americas mistake in electing an empty suit.
I swear, people should have to pass a test before they are allowed to vote. Otherwise, were going to keep ending up with these idiots who promise the world, but move us backward.
C’mon “John”, those of us informed citizens know that the Repubs had many chances to participate, but they continued to “just say no” throughout the process. Finally, when the Dems grew some collective balls and passed the damn watered down bill, the Repubs start to offer constructive input. Too bad they are a day late and integrity short!
Anyone want to buy a bridge?
“A Bridge”? To nowhere, of course! Sounds like a great Alaskan adventure to me. Sarah, you mavericky “witch”…..where are you?
“I swear, people should have to pass a test before they are allowed to vote. Otherwise, were going to keep ending up with these idiots who promise the world, but move us backward.”
They used to do that in the South to keep black people from voting! SCOTUS said that is UnConstitutional!
John Deere takes a 150 million dollar hit from the Democratic health care reform; http://www.cnbc.com/id/36032946/
Caterpillar, on the other hand, only takes a 100 million dollar hit.
Obama said that Cats bottom line is reflective of Americas bottom line, when he first got elected.
This means jobs lost. Many, many jobs lost.
Thanks Obama voters !!!
When one is second or third generation great society…this all looks perfectly normal.
Go Dagger !
Obama tied with….. anyone, who runs against him in 2012. One term.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/03/obama-2012-republican-poll.html
There are so many lies and exaggerations here! I notice he doesn’t bother to talk about the good things: like the fact that that the pre-existing condition exemptions will come to an end. Children are covered immediately. Adult children to the age of 26 can still be covered by their parents’ policies. NOTHING has changed regarding abortion. The President signed an executive order which restates that abortion coverage will NOT be provided. I’m sure the Delegate would like it if a woman could not write a separate check and purchase an abortion, but that’s the LAW OF THE LAND!!!! The only complaint I have is that it doesn’t go FAR ENOUGH! This will HELP our economy in the long run. When employers can find the best deals for their employees, you’ll see a big improvement. What’s NOT to love about something that provides health care to more people. And NO, it does NOT cover illegal aliens. Although, hospitals still are mandated by law to cover emergencies. Or should we just let people die because they happen to be illegal aliens, Delegate?
Larraine, from Abingdon –
How will taxpayers survive the Heath Care Bill increases in taxes and to the deficit?
Joe
Joe
You and I, both over the 250K limit, will bear some of the burden by increased taxes. I don’t have a problem with that. It may mean the difference between driving a Honda Fit instead of a BMW. No problem. It is the morally correct decision and we will all bear some costs.
The thing that annoys me is that there seems to be no reward for working hard…or that’s at least the direction the country is going. My husband started his own company, was successful, even had a good friend working there who made a nice salary. The friend decided to leave the company to start his own in the remodeling/handyman field. This perfectly able-bodied friend soon discovered that it was easier to not take on as many remodeling jobs to keep his salary down, and instead apply for WIC, free insurance, food stamps, you name it. They get so much since they have a big family, they don’t even use all the food they get from WIC, they get all kinds of meds for free (well, free for them at least!), assistance from BGE, you name it. Miraculously though, he can eat at McDonald’s several times a week and play golf when the weather gets warmer. Of course, not everyone works the system like this, but when you see it before your eyes, it’s incredibly frustrating. Why should our taxes be increased by people that are going to milk the system like this?…(stepping off soap box now)
And it is hard to make a case to the next generation (my kids) to work hard and go to college when they see this type of thing going on and people who don’t work or “work the system” living as good as or better life style than our family with two hard working educated parents.
I mean if I were a young adult these days I might question the use of pursing an education and working hard when if I don’t I can get much more “assistance” and have a lot more free time and no student loan debt to boot!
Of course I instill the value of working hard and being self sufficient in my children (or try to) because it is the right thing to do. But I am certain there are many families who don’t take the time to discuss these issues and I fear the generation coming behind us will be a much less motivated and productive group.
Hope I am wrong.
The sad reality is that there are people who work the system like this. In my opinion, however, it becomes nearly impossible to legislate a method to decide who is working the system and who is in genuine need of help. If we fail to offer any assistance, there are thousands or millions of honest people who are going through a rough spell and could really use the assistance but would never receive it.
We can all debate who “deserves” what some call “entitlements,” but I find it hard to believe we could come up with a system that would only help those who “deserve” it. Are you going to sit there and hear each person’s case individually to decide whether they deserve unemployment benefits, health care subsidies, etc.? Your decisions would be different from the next person’s, which would be different from the next person’s, and on and on.
I think the choice we always face is whether to offer assistance rather broadly, even knowing that some people who we don’t think actually “deserve” the assistance will receive it, or to offer none at all. I don’t think that offering no assistance at all is a moral choice for a country as great as America.
Ummm, let’s see, partly by not having to file bankruptcy because of medical bills. Also, mmm, having more disposable income that is not going to cover outrageously increasing insurance premiums that DO NOT go to pay doctors but instead to pay the insurance executives.
Kim and Billy Jack –
There aren’t enough folks making over $250K to cover all the new taxes to pay for this plan and Obama will have to increase taxes on the middle class.
People primarily file bankruptcy because of job loss not health care costs and all that money you think we will save is going to go to pay for an even more inefficient government bureaucracy. You can’t add 30 million people to an insurance scheme, which is a whole new entitlement, and save money it just isn’t going to happen.
Joe
The wealthest 400 people in this country are worth more than 181,000,000 of the poorest. Tax them at least at the rate of George Bush the elder.
Pre existing conditions….. people will pay the fine, rather than buy the mandated insurance, then if they get sick, pick up the insurance because they cant be denied. It’s sort of like running out and buying fire insurance when you come home and see your house is on fire.
If hospitals are already mandated to cover illegal aliens, and those without health insurance, tell me why we had to completly overhaul health insurance.
There will be no great deals for employers because the insurance companies are going to go out of business.
I never really understood the whole abortion thing anyway. We give millions every year to planned parenthood, who have wiped out an entire generation.
How many of Obamas campaign promises has he kept? Was the entire health care debate transparent? Was the entire thing televised on C-Span? How many back room deals took place and why were they necessary if this is such a good deal?
Your head is in the sand.
Lorrain..you are 100 percent correct…preexisting exemptions will disappear…and the same people who wouldn’t buy insurance will be coupled with those who bought it although they didn’t want to, because they were aware and scared of being denied if they should become ill. The uninsured will skyrocket as they all will know that they cannot be denied insurance once they become ill. This will collapse the insurance Co’s. It defies sense.
The simple fact is many see a handout…a freebie here…and no matter what the facts are they will try to say 6 and 6 is 4 to justify it. In your own comments you state the advertising as fact when you state what it WILL do. It seems many are trying to convince themselves.
I ask you Lorraine…do you believe everything your told by a salesman? Even when the product fine print says the salesman is wrong?
Richie…..The HdeG elections are comming on fast ond you have some real charcters running……lets hear some Dirt….you are always one to speak your mind…..dig a little and I am sure it will get interesting REAL fast…..thanks
Nestle
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/illinois-is-40th-state-to-defend-health-care-choice-oklahoma-health-freedom-bill-poised-for-ballot-89273297.html
40 States filing lawsuits against the mandate. I think I smell a Constitutional Convention coming! An amendment to the constitution that prohibits the government from mandating that any American buy anything, would be the end of Obamacare, and a vary good thing for America. Maybe then, we could actually get started fixing health care with input from everyone.
Mandatory auto insurance is only mandatory for those who drive. You can forego it by not driving. Not so with health insurance.
The fact that lawmakers have introduced legislation in 40 states certainly does not mean that legislation will pass in all 40 of those states and that all 40 states will file a lawsuit. You’ve misread or misrepresented the article you referenced.
I absolutely agree…unless we wish to embrace the “european-ization” of America and march blindly into socialism, we must maintain medicine as a “free market” entity. To hand over life saving (or not) decisions to the government puts us too much at risk and at the mercy of “Big Brother” decision makers as to the value of our “quality of life.” We’ve already seen what happens when social programs become “entitlements” and are driven into bankruptcy by corruption and greed: it takes the entire country down with it.
Of course, allow for-profit insurance companies make all the rules. There is not a chance in hell that this law will be repealed as none of the people who live in these states will forgo the benefits we now have.
We are 37th or 39th in the world in healthcare. As for me, I want the healthcare France has (#1 in the world.)
Simple fact even if a convention was called you could not get the requisite 2/3rds to agree on the solution and approve it by their legislatures!
This is very scarey. This statement came from one of the Delegates that voters in Harford County sent to represent us to the rest of the State? How embarrassing. No wonder Harford County is the laughing stock in Annapolis. It’s a shame that our citizens are so easily misinformed about who they vote into office. And he (and they) are so completely unaware of how IGNORANT this blather really sounds.
It’s a sad and pathetical situation we’re in.
Elise:
This is the same delegate, that in the land of immigrants, campaigns with a “Speak English” sign. You comment was very good. He is very ignorant.
Kim
Elsie, Embarrassing…..Yes!
Kim, Ignorant….Maybe. Assinine….Absolutely!
This is the same delegate, that in the land of immigrants, campaigns with a “Speak English” sign. Your comment was very good. He is very ignorant.
The Obama care bill does exactly two things aside from cursory and ill conceived health care ins reforms that will break insurance Co’s. 1.It allows tax dollar funding of abortion on demand as a form of birth control. and 2.It takes funding from senior citizens in the form of medicare advantage being slashed 500 billion dollars.
I ask a simple question….would anyone have supported these things as bills if they were proposed on their own?
Go Dagger!
RichieC,
STOP IT! You keep putting your thoughts on “paper”. Now I ask you a simple question….”Is it your intent to make yourself appear stupid?” (Or just maybe you really are!)
Your statement is absolutely false on both of your “Rush Limbaugh approved” talking points! ‘Nuff said.
ok…lol…I see you invoked all the standard lines including the Rush Limbo one. Young man, I havnt listened to ol rushy boy since he did 2 hours New York local and 1 hour syndicated during the clinton years on WABC Mew York. Nice try.
Now I ask you to take a look at propoganda tactics of Goebbles and Sol Alinski…as you have just attacked me…not what Ive said.
Try Again Kid.
Go Dagger !
Rush Limbo has the propoganda tactics of Goebbles down pat.
Wrong kiddo. Fact is….your propaganda is 100% factually incorrect.
I ask again…exactly what is wrong…besides “it”?
GD
Here is a history lesson for you son: Propaganda Strategies
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana
• Propaganda must always address itself to the broad masses of the people.
• All propaganda must be presented in a popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed.
• The art of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of the national masses.
• The great majority of a nation’s thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning.
• This sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood.
• Do not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favorable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favorable to its own side.
• The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward.
• Every change that is made in the subject of a propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula.
• In Germany (America) the propaganda which helped convince the people of the efficiency of the National Socialist (Republican) solution for the country’s political and economic problems was reinforced by an army of storm troops (Tea Party members) that weakened opposition through terrorism. Such methods made difficult and dangerous the promulgation of competing propagandas. The power of the Nazi (Republican) propaganda was increased further by the financial support of certain business men (wall street, big banks, for profit insurance companies) and by the political intrigues of Colonel Franz von Papen (Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh) and other officials of the Weimar Republic (Fox News).
A man I know started a auto shop in 1993 without health insurance. He hurt his back in 2008. The operation cost 63,000 dollars. He had to wate 6 mos after getting insurance for the surgury. He was forced to pay 300 dollars total for his mri…all else was covered. He supports obammas plan because he was forced to pay for the MRI.
Lets do the math……
15 years of savings while not paying 450 a month avg…81,000 dollars.
$300 deducted for the mri leaves $80,700.
$80,700 in his pocket…and hes complaining about the $300.
SOMONE PINCH ME !
Go Dagger !!!!!!!
For all those who are so excited about this bill remember the old saying about no such thing as a free lunch is as true as ever. Sure some of the heavily promoted benefits such as pre-existing condition coverage, unlimitted lifetime benefits, covering “children” until they are 26, etc sound wonderful.
But if you think there won’t be a cost paid by ALL you are wrong but I don’t expect you to believe me. If you think it will only be the wealthy and the evil insurance companies that bear the cost you are wrong. Those evil insurance companies employ lots and lots of people and as these mandates make doing business unprofitable, just watch the unemployment rate rise. Same thing for the ‘wealthy’ who also employ lots of people.
Thats not to mention the basic undebatable mathematical problem of same number of doctors and medical service providers + millions of new patients taking advantage of “free” or low-copay services causes a basic supply and demand scenario that absolutely must lead to higher costs or reduced quality. Your 30 minute doctor’s appointments may have to become 15. Just as a shortage of gas leads to rationing or skyrocketing prices, an increased demand for a fixed pool of resources will do the same. And they couldn’t possibly train nearly enough qualified professionals to do the job to prevent that, assuming there would be a high number of people wanting to go into medicine under these highly regulated, red tape laden circumstances.
But even if you don’t believe all of that, one really big red flag should spark the intellectual curiosity of even the most ardent supporter of this legislation…..if it is so great, why did congress specifically exclude themselves from the mandate to participate? If you were selling a wonderful product or program, wouldn’t you use your own product or service? Hmmm…
I fully expect to get flamed now. But hopefully I have made at least one person think a little deeper to at least do a little more research into the DETAILS of the legislation and some thinking into the logical outcome of it.
I am all for real reform. Costs can only be reduced by eliminating waste and introducing innovation and efficiency. NOT by artificial constraints and mandates put in place by government. That only increases costs by introducing more overhead and shifts that cost from one part of the population to another.
Allowing people to be guaranteed health care on preexisting conditions via mandate will increase the number of uninsured who opt for the fine over paying the premium. “hello I want to purchase health insurance …I have been told I need an angioplasty and its scheduled for next week”.
….6 weeks later…”I want to cancel my health insurance policy.”
I’m sure this will cut costs…lol…is this any different from people showing up at the emergency room?
Go Dagger!
Using your logic we should deny health insurance to undeserving people. Allow insurance companies to exclude anyone with pre-existing conditions: those who smoke, are overweight, have high blood pressure, have had an illness or are old. Moreover, allow insurance companies deny coverage to anyone who gets sick. The republican tea bagger solution is so much better than “Obamacare.” Insurance companies only want to cover young, healthy people who have NO problems. How else will they be able to maximize profits? Why are you for this?
Twisting what I say (mabye you realy didnt understand it…mabye you did and are trying to obfuscate it) doesnt change a thing.
Go Dagger !
I think one of the basic flaws in the entire argument is that folks that think we have an obligation to pay for someone else’ coverage is that they were taught, years ago, to believe in “from each according to his abilities to each according to his needs.” That just sounds and feels so “Christian” how could you not want it. On paper it does sound good, but the problem is it breaks all of down into two groups, the handy and the needy. It leaves out what has become a huge part of our society; the parasites! If a group produces nothing and just takes from the productive the entire theory goes up in smoke. There goes your entire great society. The same will be true with this monstrosity of a federal jobs creation bill referred to as Obamacare. I prefer to call it the Mikulsky/Cardin/Ruppersberger bill however. Go work hard all. Drive your truck all over hell’s creation, sell as much as you can because the parasites will need the wealth you produce. If I have to feed and provide healthcare for someone wouldn’t it make sense if I could go sleep with her as well?
Dave…exactly.
GD!
Dave…everything this bill does is contingent on somone paying or supporting the entitlements….and that ability is the very thing thats being eroded. Its self defeating.
Go Dagger!
Exactly…that is why the had to put in the mandate.
If you took all the supporters of the bill, including the real doctors (not the political machine called the AMA) and insurance providers and put them on one side of the country and let them have all the goodies (and bear all the cost…??) And took those who didn’t support including the real doctors and medical professionals (again not the AMA) and insurance providers it and put them on another side of the country, the side with Obamacare would certainly die off because there aren’t nearly enough producers in that group to support the disaster that was just passed. Heck I doubt they would have enough real qualified doctors to provide services.
And this is not lack of compassion or greed in this assessment. From my experience, the vast majority of Americans who have means are very generous and would surely assist those in true need who demonstrated that need but stop short of demanding assistance at the bequest of government mandates.
Tax…you go to the extremes with your assumptions. That’s a sign that you know in you heart of hearts that you are wrong…I implore you to help return the government to the people and stop your political pissing contest. Take the stand…that you know is true…that you were duped and come to the side of America and forgo this obamanation of an attempt to push the nation towards an ill conceived quasi-welfare state.
Go Dagger!
A disturbing and even more ominous development in this train wreck…is the inappropriate by Obama of an executive order to legislate from the oval office and grant himself the line item veto..
Clearly a power grab and very unconstitutional.
Go Dagger !
I read Del. McDonough’s post with interest. He speaks and writes with the same picturesque language and makes his points loudly and with drama. He has not stated any falsehoods, and I resent the comments that imply that his colorful language is not “succinct or factual”. The bill is poorly written. It is overtly prejudicial towards small business owners, self-employed or non-union workers, by imposing huge taxes, fines or fees on non-insured individuals. I also believe that the bill violates the 10th amendment, of states rights, by mandating coverage. If I drive a car, I must have insurance, if I exist, I must buy health insurance or the IRS takes, fines or arrests me. I do think that is a violation of my individual freedoms.
If the bill is such a benefit, why the rush to pass it? Why not take the time to fine tune it to clarify, explain details and impact and to listen to the feedback of the citizens? Why on Christmas Eve and on a Sunday night at almost midnight did they vote for such a controversial and major financial deficit inducing/ cost bearing bill?
Why did not one Republican vote for it? Assuming that at least one of the Republican senators or delegates have the brains to be elected, why did they oppose it so vehemently? There are major problems with this bill.
Tony…very good comment…
Once the issue was on the table it should have been thought through but instead partisan desire to WIN health care overwhelmed it. Even the Democrats all say its a bad bill. The president says it’s a bad bill. In the subsequent vote to send it back to the senate where just 1 change would have opened it up to repair…the Dem’s, who just a day earlier promised that it would be repaired, didn’t allow that to happen.
Go Dagger !
“Even the Democrats say it is a bad bill.” Don’t think so. And, as for the idea of health care reform has been around since FDR. It has not been rushed. If anything, it was too slow in coming.
That’s become the standard excuse for the this bill having been slammed together. The fact is the bill is completely unsustainable and is not designed to correct much of anything. This albatross will take us under if not overturned. FDR was a pure socialist who wanted total control in DC just like Barry the post turtle.
The way I understand the big picture of this bill, it rights a lot of “moral” wrongs in America’s health care situation. Another 30 million or so people will get coverage, no more denials for pre-existing conditions, and all the other stuff you’ve heard over and over.
I believe that the cost controls and reforms built into the bill will save enough to cover the added burden of covering the above while slightly slowing the pace of health care spending, or at the very least not causing the pace to increase. I think it will be up to future Congresses to again address the cost issue, which may require more drastic changes to our system (public option? more Medicare reform?). It is a good and necessary thing to have the reforms of the recent bill, but I don’t know how anyone will be able to truly change the spending outlook in our health care system as it exists (fee for service, health care through the employer, etc.).
Health care reform started with a Roosevelt, but not Franklin it was Teddy!
Tax-Payer
Rush limbo is an entertainer….case closed.
Now we can get back on subject…the health care bill.
Go Dagger !
Rush Limbo is the head of the GOP…case closed
Dont be scared tax…we will survive.
Go Dagger !
I thought Mike Steal was the head of the GOP…
Go Dagger !
At leaszt know how to spell his name correctly, Steele!
God is good….he shows your idiocy by making you misspell least, (you spelled it leaszt)…in citing my typo….a message to you? I guess God doesn’t like Goebbels ether!
Go Dagger !
Goebbels made ether? 0-2
• Propaganda must always address itself to the broad masses of the people.
[“YES WE CAN!”
• All propaganda must be presented in a popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed.
{“CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN”]
• The art of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of the national masses.
[“YES WE CAN”, “GREEDY CORPORATIIONS”, “SPREAD THE WEALTH AROUND”
• The great majority of a nation’s thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning.
[“YES WE CAN”, “TRANSFORM AMERICA”, “HELP NEEDY AMERICANS”, “PEOPLE ARE DYING BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE”]
• This sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood.
[“Millions more will be covered”, “Children will get health care”, “Without this bill many more will die due to lack of health care coverage”]
• Do not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favorable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favorable to its own side.
[Liberal talking points that highlight the BENEFITS of the bill but rarely if EVER address the costs, both financial and consequential]
• The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward.
[“HEALTH CARE FOR ALL”, “YES WE CAN”, “CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN”]
• Every change that is made in the subject of a propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula.
[See all above it all applies]
• In Germany (America) the propaganda which helped convince the people of the efficiency of the National Socialist (Republican) solution for the country’s political and economic problems was reinforced by an army of storm troops (Tea Party members) that weakened opposition through terrorism. Such methods made difficult and dangerous the promulgation of competing propagandas. The power of the Nazi (Republican) propaganda was increased further by the financial support of certain business men (wall street, big banks, for profit insurance companies) and by the political intrigues of Colonel Franz von Papen (Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh) and other officials of the Weimar Republic (Fox News).
[Replace Replicans with Democrats, Tea Party members with democrat activists and Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh with Keith Olberman, Alan Combs, Rachel Madow, and the entire main stream media and this entire post just described the actions of the current administration to a “T”]
HMMMMM….lol…I made this little talk your doing now…at the time of the election…(for those of you who don’t know me).
Thanks for the refresher.
Go Dagger!
Oh yes, the entire main stream media is propaganda. Have you ever seen the signs that tea baggers use? You can not equate democrates with tea baggers. Be seriuos!
serious
Yes…you are serious…
Go Dagger !
This is quite a rant whatever side you may be on. Between this and the “Speak English” campaign, I’m really not sure what this Delegate does for Harford County residents.
Some of what delegate McDonough states is based off of assumptions of the extreme, but much of it is very possible. The bill does in fact increase the medicaid to anyone making less than 133% of the federal poverty level, which will add 12 million people to federal entitlements. Its no doubt this will be disasterous to many states. Its also a fact that if you refuse to purchase healthcare insurance you will be penalized and if you refuse to pay the penalty you will be charged with the same penalties that go with tax evasion and that penalty is jail. If you make more than 40K a year and dont have employer provided insurance, you truely should be worried about this legislation, because it will cost you. Insurance pooling is estimated by the CBO to save participants a whopping 1-4% off their current rates and with a salary of $40K you are out of range for any federal subsidies. enjoy!
This bill was basically spearheaded by members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, an organization that up until 1999 had open participation with the Social Party of America. The healthcare plan is just a part of their greater scheme to transform America. You dont have to take my word for it. See for yourself. Just listen to Pelosi after reading this and you will see her in a whole new light. http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6497
States and Doctors (AMA) LIMIT the number of medical facilities and students. The “great evil Obamacare” plan you TEA-hadists insist is mostly the entire Republican plan put into effect in Mass by Mr. Romney. TORT reform is great, unless YOU are the one affected by a medical injury.
More money per person is spent on health care in the United States than in any other nation in the world, and a greater percentage of total income in the nation is spent on health care in the U.S. than in any United Nations member state except for a very small number. Why not readjust and include the uninsured — we are paying for them in the Emergency room with more expensive procedures when they go there at a late stage of illness!
Little word here from Towers/Perrin Actuarial firm for this beloved tea-hadi talking point of TORT Reform:
Tom Baker UofP School of Law Interview:
Q: But critics of the current system say that 10 to 15 percent of medical costs are due to medical malpractice.
A: (TB)That’s wildly exaggerated. According to the actuarial consulting firm Towers Perrin, medical malpractice tort costs were $30.4 billion in 2007, the last year for which data are available. We have a more than a $2 trillion health care system. That puts litigation costs and malpractice insurance at 1 to 1.5 percent of total medical costs. That’s a rounding error. Liability isn’t even the tail on the cost dog. It’s the hair on the end of the tail.
churchville joe, first consider the source. Lawyers. Of course they will try to make there case so that they can continue to rake in their huge commissions. I cant confirm or deny the numbers that this research claims, but as a healthcare admin I can tell you this. Doctors dont make the payouts from lawsuits, insurance companies do. Doctors and hospitals are required to carry malpractice insurance. Due to the risk and coverage that doctors are required to carry to cover outrageously high priced lawsuits the premiums are very high and continuously increasing. Depending on several factors those insurance premiums that doctors face are 10%, 15% and in some cases upwards to 25% of doctors overhead. Those costs are passed on to the consumer or patient in this case. It is the highest overhead that most doctors, specialists and hospitals face and that is why it is such an important issue.