Print
E-mail
Share
digg
Newsvine
Facebook
Stumble
Technorati
reddit
Fark
twitterDemonstrators rally for health care reform
Supporters spotlight efforts to pass reform that includes public health insurance program to compete with private plans
Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun
Agustino Mathos of Massachusetts chants Saturday during a Pushback Network and PLAN rally for quality, affordable health care.
Saturday, June 27, 2009 | 9:51 p.m.
More health stories
Supporters of a public option in health care reform legislation rallied in western Las Vegas on Saturday.
Demonstrators, who gathered at the intersection of Fort Apache and Russell roads, called on lawmakers to pass sweeping reforms of what they characterized as a broken and inefficient heath care system.
“Nevada has one of the highest rates of uninsured in the country and that affects every Nevadan. It’s a tremendous drain and its a tremendously inefficient waste of taxpayer dollars,” said Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce, D-Las Vegas. “Everyone should be insured and everyone should have access to health care.”
The rally spotlighted Democrat-backed efforts to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill. House Democrats this month introduced a bill that would establish a public health insurance program to compete with private plans, and Senate Democrats are considering similar proposals.
While a recent poll showed that 72 percent of Americans would support a public health insurance option, a public-option plan faces opposition from critics who say it is too costly and will lead to a nationalized health care system.
The rally was also meant to draw attention to efforts by some heath insurance providers to block draft legislation being considered in the House and Senate. It was held down the street from an office of WellPoint, a major critic of a government-run health insurance plan. The company spent $1.22 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2009.
“Wellpoint is spending millions of dollars in order to thwart the public option that we absolutely need. It is the critical plank if we are going to get real health care reform in this country” said Launce Rake, spokesmen for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, which helped organize the rally.
“If we don’t get the public health insurance option, we will not see real reform. There will be no restraints on their ability to just jack up their price of premiums and limit the quality of care,” Rake said.
Sally Vogler, a spokeswoman for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, a subsidiary of WellPoint, wrote in an e-mail that a new government plan is “unnecessary and would have devastating consequences.”
She said the company is concerned enacting a government-run plan would work against the goals of making coverage “available to those without it while improving the availability of health care for all Americans.”
“The current market for health insurance is competitive, and a government-run insurance plan would create problems in the marketplace, including...reducing consumer choice by driving insurers out of the market and hurting the ability of private plan initiatives to improve the quality and control costs in the delivery system,” she wrote.
Rake said the health care industry’s concerns about competition are not in the best interest of the consumer.
“I understand that they’re concerned about competition. If I was WellPoint, I would be concerned about competition as well,” he said. “The CEO of WellPoint has publicly said his concern is for the shareholders. My concern is for the health of Americans.”
The rally, which was also backed by the Nevada State Democratic Party and Pushback Network, a nationwide grassroots movement, attracted dozens of sign-bearing demonstrators from across the country, though organizers estimated that about three-fourths of attendees were Nevadans.
“We think it’s an issue that affects everybody in the United States,” said Maria Carrasco, who traveled from Massachusetts to attend a conference and the rally in Las Vegas, adding that if the proposed plan passes, health care “is going to be affordable for everybody.”
Demonstrators said they backed a grassroots effort to reform health care, and that despite health insurers’ promises to enact their own reforms, the current state of care is a sign that is it time to try new options.
“If you don’t bring down [the cost of] heath care, you are never going to fix the economy. We have to think long term,” said Kala Rehm, a Las Vegas resident who attended the rally. “This way is not working, so let’s give something else a chance.”
CORRECTION: The address in this story was clarified. | (June 29, 2009)
Discussion: 38 comments so far…
Post a comment
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Prostitutes on track to steal more than $2 million from clients this year
- The biggest stories in World Series of Poker
- Boulder City eyes cost-saving measures at golf courses
- Coroner IDs motorcyclist in crash that left two injured
- Sue Lowden says she never laughed about Harry Reid car bomb incident
- Jury convicts man in assault on 13-year-old girl
- Groundwork set in search for UNLV athletic director
- Players at poker’s Main Event final table bring diversity to big stage
- There’s political truth in what Limbaugh says
- Brett Rogers says he’s ready to shock Fedor Emelianenko
Blogs
The Kats Report
Got a question for Wayne Newton? Or a favorite story? Send it over (1 Comment)
Now and Then
Rollie's team beats Isiah's team (1 Comment)
The Kats Report
Latin Grammy Gift Lounge is a wealth of riches for the rich and talented
Now or Never
Gearing up for a final push
Politics: The Early Line
Berkley, Titus join Biden at dinner for Greek Orthodox Church leader (1 Comment)
Now and Then
101 years and counting ... (1 Comment)
The Kats Report
Bette Midler's residency at Caesars Palace to end Jan. 31
Calendar »
- 5 Thu
- 6 Fri
- 7 Sat
- 8 Sun
- 9 Mon
-
Latin Grammy Awards at Mandalay Bay Events Center
Mandalay Bay Events Center | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Bakersfield Condors
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
LeAnn Rimes at Treasure Island
Treasure Island Theatre
-
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers at Boulder Station
The Railhead | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Dennis Blair at the V Theater
V Theatre inside Miracle Mile Shops
-
Stealing Angels at The South Point Showroom
South Point Showroom
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
The day Sierra Healthcare Services executives (now DBA United Health in Nevada) and Blue Cross Blue Shield stand on a Nevada street corner and chant for the same cause, now THAT will be the day we can conclude both Houses of Congress in the nation's capitol are making real progress on healthcare reform.
Was it not Blue Cross Blue Shield that created a physicians' public firestorm in recent years when they dropped doctors' reimbursement rates dramatically to better compete with Sierra Healthcare's much lower rates, which were already "dumbing down" healthcare in Nevada, certainly in areas of specialty care such as pediatrics and neurology, you know, the less important stuff.
The average citizen on the surface thinks, oh, lower doctor reimbursement rates, that will save me money, as doctors are overpaid anyway.
No.....
PCPS simply have to take on more patient loads to make ends meet, and Internists with higher overheads simply state, gee, we can no longer work profitably at the lower contracted rates, as such we won't be seeing your patients anymore.
Or, the doctor simply moves his practice out of state, leaving more work for "some", not all, of those doctors remaining who enjoy Nevada's weather, golf courses, and stroke-toke industry culture, or simply enjoy the laissez faire regulation enforcement Nevada provides.
But, that didn't keep Sierra from big executive salaries during the boom, and making big bank before the end of the boom, by selling the Summerlin-based company to United Health.
Nevada, get rich or die trying.
Kinda like Lacey Thomas, former head of UMC. Was he ever prosecuted successfully for anything, as he was villified in the local media. He just left Nevada, simple cure for him.
There is a much better fix for health care for taxpayers, patients, businesses, and our national economy unfortunately the health care lobby sees it as a threat to their profits as I am sure everyone is well aware.
With government owned and operated hospitals and clinics as part of a new dual public private care system seniors or anyone else choosing to use public care would need no insurance nor be subjected to co pays to receive free care and medications, it would all be paid for by sales tax revenues and be free to patients period.
300 million Americans and every American business now have big problems with health care, how to obtain it, and how to pay for it.
The cheapest way to collect money to pay for health care is through a national sales tax, and not by forcing people and companies to purchase questionable insurance to pay excessive costs for services in a failed system.
Without government owned and operated hospitals and clinics substantial cost reductions are not possible.
Government needs to become the basic necessities no frills provider of health care.
People who prefer, and could afford to pay for private insurance and care could do so, but no public funding would be paid to private systems.
This is the most critical issue in controlling government costs and patient outcomes for mandated programs.
Businesses that choose public care for their employees would have no financial obligations or any other responsibilities concerning health care.
50 million uninsured people along with everyone else who wanted to drop private care and receive free public care could do so and the annual costs would still be hundreds of billions of dollars less than the $2.5 trillion spent last year for health care.
Why wouldn't everyone want this to happen?
Oh but Bill, we can't fix it now it's only been 50 years since we recognized we had a problem. We need another 50 years of corporate america squeezing billions of profit out of the system for America's one tenth of one percent that hold the wealth for us and create the jobs we all seek. Another 50 years for Fox News to tell us we have the best health care in the world and we don't want what they have in Canada. Another 50 years of 12 to 25% premium increases for employers to deal with each year.
Now is not the time, maybe after a few more decades of profit for the few and pain and worry for the many.
People like Sally Vogler and the CEO/Lobbyists for insurance companies alike, are quite simply, the scum of the earth. They USE sick people as a profit center. They say things like "my concern is for my shareholders", completely oblivious to the fact that their goal should be helping sick people get well. Fact - they care more about their profits and shareholders than they do their members-patients' health.
Health care is NOT a privilege, it is a fundamental RIGHT. Health care does not exist to make insurance companies and doctors rich. Methinks the AMA needs to go back and review the Hippocratic Oath and reflect for a bit. The entire premise of becoming a doctor and getting into the field of medicine is to HELP sick people, not get rich off of sick people.
This system is so broken it's a joke. Even more pathetic are the neocons running around supporting the status quo which has lead to our broken system. Leech off sick people. Profits over care. Shareholders over patients. Sad, pathetic...but oh-so-typical of the right-wing party.
Again the Sun wants to use its paper to promote its policitics instead of being a professional paper....I guess they can do it. It is free speech.
"While a recent poll showed that 72 percent of Americans would support a public health insurance option, a public-option plan faces opposition from critics who say it is too costly and will lead to a nationalized health care system."
There are polls that say that over 80% of Americans are happy with their health insurance now.
There are polls that say more Americans want to delay health insurance reform to later because they want to focus on economy first.
Obama want his goons in DC to decide what test and procedures you get.
On top of that, he wants to tax you to get that coverage.
You get less and pay more....the Obama way.
again we have the rock telling us everything is aok. sarge , i think you live under a rock.
"There are polls that say that over 80% of Americans are happy with their health insurance now."
What about those of us who have no (or inadequate) insurance? Do we not count?
Don't tell me to buy insurance on the individual market - I can't get it because of pre-existing conditions.
"Obama want his goons in DC to decide what test and procedures you get."
As opposed to insurance companies making that choice based on whether it would cost them too much money?
"You get less and pay more....the Obama way."
No that's the insurance company way. Pay more, get less...and if they feel like it they can and will terminate your coverage. Did you not listen to the testimony on Capitol Hill last week?
Why is Russell and Ft Apache Northwest instead of Southwest?
Worker's compensation has a "Government" carrier in most states and private WC insurance companies have not been driven out.
Rock has a preexisting lobotomy condition and is insurable.
SgtRock - if you are one of the lucky "80%" you quote who are happy with their insurance, then consider yourself blessed. I think your 80% figure is an uneducated guess on your part. I have insurance, but I won't be able to afford it for much longer. Each year, the insurance company raises the rate $75 because "Nevada has the highest incidents of claims," which is indisputable according to them. However, the rate increase isn't due to my claims. I have NONE!!!!! I am 47, healthy, self-employed, single, and they charge me $675 a month WITH a $1500 deductible!!!!!! Years ago, I had skin cancer, and now no one will ever cover me again. So I can't EVER switch companies. So unless I keep paying the $675, which will be $750 next year, I will be uninsured, but at this rate, I am going to be uninsured very soon because I will never be able to continue making these astronomical monthly payments!!! So before you spout figures for all of us who are supposedly happy...talk to some of us who are not blessed like you!
As a small business owner, employing 22 people, and required (by the insurance company) to pay 50% of all employee health premiums, the insurance companies have been bleeding us for the past 12 years, with rate increases that sent the cost of the insurance for both employees and the business from $25k a year to over $80k a year, for basic coverage with high deductibles.
$80k a year for a small company is DIFFICULT to say the least, and has caused major hardships for growth and other employee benefits. All of you people (and I use the term loosely in SgtRock's case) don't have a clue what small businesses must go through to stay afloat as the insurance companies bend us over.
As for the doctors, after 20 years in the medical profession, and as an aging consumer, I remember when doctors were doctors and paid substantially for their services. Now, doctors are the employees of the insurance companies. Premiums go up, but the doctor's and hospital's reimbursements go down. Where is the money going? To the insurance companies. Period.
I would rather have a well-paid doctor and a well-paid hospital as then most put the money back into improvements and continued education and research. With OVERPAID insurance companies, we all get screwed...over and over and over again.
I want the same GOVERNMENT-FUNDED healthcare as the politicians have! Every American deserves nothing less.
And, as sgt(dumb as a)rock uses his (government funded)Medicare benefits, he has the audacity to get on a soapbox about government-funded healthcare. What a hypocrite...oh, wait, he's a republican, so that's a pre-requisite.
Not every person should be receiving Medicare either....especially those like dumbasarock that can and want to pay the insurance companies. In fact, if we all had the same healthcare as the politicians, then Medicare would be defunct!
I hope Congress uses its Democratic majority to pass a bill that makes THEIR insurance OUR insurance. We should settle for nothing less.
See
http://bgladd.blogspot.com/2009/05/us-he...
for a detailed examination of the myriad issues.
AHRQ has reported that perhaps half of the population spends little to nothing on health care (I discuss these findings in my post). There's your major stumbling block right there. While it's not clear how they define "half," it suffices to observe that such a large proportion of an electorate is going to be an extremely tough sell when it come to arguing that everyone should pay something in order that all might be covered for the long-term clinical and economic good of everyone -- including those who now ostensibly pay little to nothing. The for-profit corporate "health care" entities (e.g., big insurance and big Rx) skillfully manipulate this demographic to make certain no substantive changes detrimental to their bottom lines happen.
When (if they are this dumb) force the bulk of the nation to pay higher taxes for less health coverage, then the outrage will be so great.
Go ahead and be my guest and ride in that car over the cliff.
When sister Sue or daughter Mary or wife Maggie go into a coma or die because some DC goon decided that a procedure or test was not necessary then your recourse will be NOTHING.
You can't sue the government.
"When sister Sue or daughter Mary or wife Maggie go into a coma or die because some DC goon decided that a procedure or test was not necessary then your recourse will be NOTHING."
And when the insurance company cancels Sue's, Mary's or Maggie's policy and they die from lack of treatment, all the money in the world won't change the fact that they're dead.
But what do you know about that? Do you have a pre-existing condition? Have you ever worried about paying for the medicines you need to stay alive? Have you ever been afraid of going broke because the insurance company won't cover a treatment since they think it's not necessary?
Of course not. If you had, you wouldn't be saying stuff that feels straight out of Dickens.
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
And I'll tell you what - show me a quote saying that some "DC Goon" will be making medical decisions. Not your opinion, not some paraphrase or spin from a Republican congressman. AN ACTUAL, WORD-FOR-WORD QUOTE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS WRITING THE BILL.
So, if a health care reform rally happens in the valley, and neither the R-J nor any other media beyond the Sun report on it, did it really happen?
BTW, DouglasDemocrat, no point arguing with simplistic people like LikeaRockOnly________.
Honestly, how much is each person paying for healthcare each month? Even the healthy ones with insurance "just in case" are probably paying at least $200 for their premiums. With a universal healthplan, how much would our taxes go up? You guys can use it too.
Years ago, the fire department wasn't socialized. If you wanted fire coverage, you bought a policy and put a plaque on the front of your house. If your house caught on fire and you had the plaque, the fire department would put it out.
But what if you, who paid for the policy and had your plaque, had a neighbor without one? What happens when their house catches on fire? The fire department would stand by and watch it burn and wait until your house started smoking to put yours out. Still gonna have a little damage... Maybe a lot of damage.
That system proved to be a bad system. Now the fire department is paid for through taxes. I'm sure there was a bit of an uproar when it was first socialized, but now we all rest comfortably knowing the fire department will put out any fires we are unfortunate enough to experience... Even if they are caused by a neighbor who set the turkey on fire.
Those of us without insurance are not lowlife scum. We are working and for whatever reason cannot get insurance. I've been with my company for 2 years. A lot of employees at my company have insurance, but a lot don't. We all work 40+ hours per week, but some of us are not considered "full-time." There are plans for the poor and the rich can afford to pay $600+ per month for "just in case" insurance. Where does that leave the working stiffs?
in my opinion, the lazy bums are all for free health care and can rationalize that they need a freebie. most can pay for cable, cell phones, eating out so I don't have sympathy when you ask for freebie health care from doctors or for taxpayers to pay for it.
"most can pay for cable, cell phones, eating out so I don't have sympathy when you ask for freebie health care from doctors or for taxpayers to pay for it."
Um, you do realize that you're still paying for the uninsured when they need health care? Why do you think ER bills are through the roof? The cost gets passed on from the uninsured (because hospitals by law cannot turn away someone who needs care) to those with insurance.
I want to pay my own way. But guess what? I'm not a profit generator for the insurance companies. I'm a loss because I can never pay enough in premiums to cover the costs of the maintenance treatments I need every day. So no insurer anywhere will touch me, even if I could find one to cover pre-existing conditions, unless I want to surrender over half of my monthly salary just to pay the premium (never mind co-pays or deductibles).
Just tell me, what gives you the right to stand there and say "well, you're just a lazy bum who wants a handout"? You don't know me. You've never met me. And yet, you can make a snap judgment about me?
@nevadaappleslices-
You can, of course, point us to all of the policymakers arguing to make health care "free"?
No? Didn't think so.
So, maybe you should quit asking the taxpayers to pay for your police, fire, and military protection. And food and transportation product safety, etc. And, while we're at it, given that ALL lawsuits are "frivolous" (just ask GW Bush), let's close off the courts to such irritations.
Let's have a Wild West Society wherein each of us fends totally for ourselves, with lethal consequences for anyone getting in our way.
I know; it's probably pointless to engage people like you.
"So, if a health care reform rally happens in the valley, and neither the R-J nor any other media beyond the Sun report on it, did it really happen?"
Did ya notice that they did not list how many were there?
I think there were about 8 people there and at least one was out of state.
It was not a rally in sense of the word.
Rock sez:
"Did ya notice that they did not list how many were there?
I think there were about 8 people there and at least one was out of state."
The article sez:
"The rally, which was also backed by the Nevada State Democratic Party and Pushback Network, a nationwide grassroots movement, attracted dozens of sign-bearing demonstrators from across the country"
Conclusion: Rock fails reading comprehension
LikeaRockOnlyDumber
SgtRock- Read the photo captions on the slide show. There were 150 people there, and in about three photos, you can see alllllllll of the people. Does that justify a rally? I think so!
how many more broken promises from Obama will be broken by the time he passes his "health reform"?
Japan: has companies and businesses that are the envy of the world, a no debt nation, high personal savings rate, long life expectancy, low crime rate, higher survival rate for most illness and diseases than the U.S., and they spend about 60% of what the U.S. spends per individual on health-care. THEY HAVE HAD A FORM OF NATIONAL HEALTHCARE FOR DECADES.
Sgt Dumb as a Rock posts right wing neocon crap all over the place. Ignore him. He's brainwashed. Probably has a Man-crush on Olly North.
I retired from Bechtel at 58 due to a degenerative neck condition. Couldn't hold my head up for 10 hours a day at a computer anymore. So I moved here, and started paying stinking Aetna the full load for coverage. How much? How about $48,000 total until I made Medicare, thank you, Jesus. Barely used the coverage at all, but when I did for things like aches and pain, I would get these bills for $150-200 even with insurance.. But what's amazing is that I still receive bills for coverage from Aetna. How much was the last one? How about $897-a month! WTF? We have the most screwed up system in the developed world, and I hope Obama can change things. I'm in the Medicare safety zone now, but I really feel bad about people in their 40's or 50's who get laid off, with kids. They are screwed.
Yep...12 (wayyyyy bigger than 8) makes a dozen but not a rally.
LOL, look at the people protesting. Obama recipients holding the signs. Illegal's and Obama free loaders. You people holding the signs you're either illegal or you choose not to provide healthcare for your family. Stop blaming and accept personal responsibility for your choices in life. You have time to hold signs in protest, yet you can't pay your bills, get a job, and get two jobs. Put your husband or wife to work. It is not our job to take of your lazy ways.
Wakeup people, Obama is going to enable his voting pool to get whatever they want, affirmative action working at its best. Speak up and let it be known, we're not standing for this anymore. Obama and clan it is time you do your job for all of America not just the voting pool. Tax us more; wait and see; you will be impeached along with the rest of the criminals you've employed.
Obama, you have opted to spend billions on a select few and now you want to tax us to death to pay for you're screw-up, not going to happen. I don't care about your skin color, I do care that you're not taking responsibility for your choices. I do care that you are spending my family's money without any regard to us.
To ensure you and the rest of your lunatic followers don't suck me dry I've done what you all do; I put 99% of my assets in trust account. I love this aspect of the tax loop holes and the knowledge that the trust accounts can never be taken or used by Democrats lol they're off limits.. This applies to real estate and all other assets, separate trust accounts for varying assets so youo and your free loaders can't take and give to your voting pool.
I really can't stand you loud-mouthed bigoted idiots spouting your hatred and worrying about YOUR money as though everyone is out to get it. Keep your damn money in your mattress for all I care. You don't have a CLUE about the cost of healthcare insurance and what has been happening to most of American citizens and small businesses like mine. Your lack of education is a disgrace.
You really need to just shut the fup and move to Texas to be nearer to your hero gw(hore)bush and other backwoods, uneducated sh_t-stomping cowbums who want to continually drag this country down to their level. You all have done enough damage.
"Stop blaming and accept personal responsibility for your choices in life."
I CAN'T GET HEALTH INSURANCE! What is SO HARD about that sentence for you to comprehend? I have a pre-existing genetic condition.
I didn't choose to get it - I DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE!
And because of that, I will NEVER qualify for individual insurance. And most jobs now are cutting health benefits, so it isn't like I can just get a second job to cover the bills. The bills are $3,000 a month without insurance.
yes..free health care for everyone...
yes..free food for everyone..
yes..free new car for everyone..
yes..free new big screen tv for everyone...
did i miss anything that everyone wants free...
and nothing is free...someone has to pay for it.
77aarcuda, your point is meaningless.
You can live without a car or a big screen TV. If you're sick, you can't survive without health care.
Yeesh, can we at least try NOT to veer into the absurd?
once again...nothing is free..someone has to pay for it...
I'm willing to pay for it...but I can't get it.
That's the crux of the problem - for some people it is unaffordable or impossible to get health insurance.
There, now that I've been more specific, would you like to try again?
what makes you think obama's plan will help you afford it? I read an article that it would maybe save the average family of 4 a $100-$200 a month? so instead of paying $800+, you are spending $600 a month.
is that really helping the masses?
and then obama is entertaining the idea of mandating it for everyone? (broken promise if he goes through with it). I would hope those subsidies really make it much much cheaper than that!
and then he is also open to the idea of taxing benefits (another broken promise if he goes through with it).
Obama's plan is just a bandaid fix.
"what makes you think obama's plan will help you afford it? I read an article that it would maybe save the average family of 4 a $100-$200 a month?"
Which plan are you referring to? There are about 5 different ones meandering their way around. And none of them are "Obama's" plan - they were written by the 5 congressional committees who oversee parts of the health care system.
I would prefer that one thing they do is repeal the ridiculous time limit for certain individuals on Medicare (usually those who are transplant recipients) - I can pay my Medicare premium, and I'm happy with the coverage. But I still have that coverage terminated at a date certain (despite the fact that the maintenance treatments are for the rest of my life).
It's the ones caught in the middle like this who need help too.
Health care must exist for everybody, not just for the few as it is now. Commercial insurance--FINE! But let their be a government health care system similar to Europe. Choose your own doctor and do away with corrupt PPO and other wasteful plans. Do away with co-pays, premiums and deductibles, because in a nationwide pool everybody can afford it. Our car-makers will be on an equal footing with foreign imports. Lose your job and you are unlikely to afford what is called health care. Only the wealthy families, and relatively stable employees don't want to upset the apple cart. As usual the status quo are trying to undermine any new plan for the whole legal population. No options, no exception--we all pay our share into a Universal government health care plan.
With the arrival of the Obama administration we have two issues that are going to be a lightening rods, and in my way of thinking should be placed before the AMERICAN VOTER AS A NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM. HEALTH CARE AND IMMIGRATION REFORM. Of all the current issues in the chambers of Washington, these are the capstone problems facing this nation of Hurricane force. If our elected public servants try to pass immigration reform or a massive health care plan without the general publics voice, their could be massive ramifications on a grand scale. Both overwhelming problems caused by years of neglect, must be resolved. Already special interest groups are spending millions of dollars, filling the airways of propaganda and corrupt info-commercials, to frighten people.
Instead being mouth pieces for the special interest lobbyists, they had better take note that their whole careers representing supposedly the will of the people is in jeopardy. Because of these enormous cost attributed to ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION and HEALTH CARE--the AMERICAN PEOPLE'S INPUT SHOULD BE MANDATORY? Forget the University professors, economists, think take tank scientists and the Chamber of Commerce, ACLU, Unions, big church and business entities--THE PEOPLE--should--HAVE THE LAST WORD? Both have their own cataclysmic cost problems to the American taxpayer. THE ONLY WAY TO SATISFY THE LIBERALS, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, ATHEISTS, EXTREMISTS, PROTECTIONISTS, OPEN BORDER AND FREE TRADERS--IS BY A STATE TO STATE FEDERAL REFERENDUM.
CALL YOUR SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE THE ONLY THING POLITICIANS UNDERSTAND IS PRESSURE FROM---ALL---OF US?
It should be remembered that the way these polling companies, word the polling questions can be questionably be intentionally manipulated? Just like the way the pro-illegal alien worker forces engineer the questions in their polls? I personally don't believe for one minute 80 percent of households are happy with the corrupt and fraud in the health care industry--much of it perpetrated by the wealthy for-profit insurance companies. As an old retired professor my family has exceptional health care, but my dead step daughter also had good supposedly medical care. But before she succumbed to Cancer and the expensive treatments, they tried to cut here off. So much for the understanding, good hearted, bean counters and greedy stockholders at a very prestigious health insurer. We need a alternative plan, such as the ones in Europe. I received very good services in England and Australia. However, these services went downhill, when illegal and legal immigration into these nations started to cause major problems. Low income immigrants hadn't paid a cent into the system, but still received health care from hospitals. Much the same as the mandated federal arrangement here? Nor does the US government reimburse the full amount, that's why in California over 80 hospitals had to close or file for bankruptcy?
"With the arrival of the Obama administration we have two issues that are going to be a lightening rods, and in my way of thinking should be placed before the AMERICAN VOTER AS A NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM."
Yeah, let's wait another 2 years before the next federal election. I mean, only 15,000 or so people will die in the meantime due to lack of affordable health insurance. Small price to pay.