Source?

“and the wars would be paid for by oil revenue”

Source? If we wanted to pay for it with oil revenue, we certainly could, but we didn’t, and not because we don’t like revenues.

“and these are the same folks who told us there would be “Death Panels” if Health Care Reform passed”

So, Sarah Palin promised we would be out of the Middle East in six months, oil profits in hand?

Obama initially promised that federal oversight would reduce costs. His promises have changed substantially since Palin leveled the death panels charge. Now, this is more or less being sold as a prescription drug bill, which is about all it has going for it.

In a release sent out by his staff to reporters today, Grassley says the bill will “hold tax-exempt hospitals accountable for the federal tax benefits they receive” thanks to his work.”

It’s the stimulus all over again: Republicans fighting for all their worth to prevent governance, and then claiming credit for it when it passes despite their steadfast, and screaming, opposition.

” The problem is, the system we are getting is nothing at all like the Germans have in place. I would support a German style system in one of any of my remaining heartbeats.”

……Well that you see would be because we’re not starting from the same point that Bismark was in the 1880’s when he introduced universal healthcare and SS in Germany as a bulwark against the social democrats. Maybe if we’d had universal healthcare since the 1880’s, or even the thirties, or even the forties, or even the seventies, or even the nineties we might not have quite such a complicated system on our hands…..it’s really amazing how obtuse apparently intelligent Republicans can prove when they are endeavoring to make entirely specious points.

LFC, ottovbvs,

“As I keep saying, Bush is gone. The deficit that his administration left behind is what it is. The annual deficit more than tripled in Obama’s first year.”

……Gone but “the evil that men do lives on”……the deficit tripled from $1.3 trillion the amount spent in Bush’s last year in office?…..I don’t think so…..as someone once said(C. P. Scott I think)……you’re entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts which you appear to be making up as you go along

“you’ve answered that already: it was 30% less than it was now. which means you have added to the deficit. good going!”

…..Well that you see would be because when he left office Bush bequeathed the worst financial crisis and recession since the big one left by that other Republican Herbert Hoover……I know economic “experts” like yourself wanted it to turn into a full blown Hoover style depression but that’s not how Democrats govern….they are competent not incompetent like the Republicans proved to be in 2001-2008 and I love your 44…..it’s so exquisitely reasoned

The problem is, the system we are getting is nothing at all like the Germans have in place. I would support a German style system in one of any of my remaining heartbeats.

Unfortunately, none of the geniuses who assembled Obama’s monstrosity seemed interested in incorporating in their system any “best of breed” features from other systems. The mess we have seems to have been drafted by ignorant activists and whichever lobbyists could get the ear of legislators.

In an automotive analogy, the German system is an Audi A4 and we are getting an ox-propelled, cement-tired Edsel.

Hence my dissatisfaction.

Then it’s wait wait wait wait wait… just like the USSR, Canada, the UK, etc.

Socialism results in shortages. You can spread shortage and achieve “shortage equality,” just like you can spread unemployment by mandating a 4 day work week and reducing wages…

The question is, obviously, why?

And if you want more bang for your buck, then the Pharma industry has to play with and not just make its billions and billions in profits.

Further, he is right: improving health, which means pre-care, is the way. It reduces costs and saves individuals a hell of a lot of sorrow. Obama has already took a step in this direction.

I will remind you that Germany has single payer, based on the so-called “Generation contract”. Their system was first created in the 1880’s, it is the oldest comprehensive Health Care System in the world, and it works. And Germany is now a fully functional Republic, based on representative democracy, just like the USA.