pudge's Journal: Obama and Wild Misrepresentations

I agree with President Obama. You should not believe wild misrepresentations.

The health care bill does not mandate end-of-life counseling. Don't believe it when people say it does. The bill only allows Medicare to cover the same sort of end-of-life counseling that most people get already in one form or another, and it's entirely voluntary.

But there are other misrepresentations, too ... mostly from Obama and the Democrats.

Even though Obama insists otherwise, the health care bill does give government control over many peoples' insurance. It gives the government total control -- through the health insurance exchange -- over what individual health insurance options are available, as well as control over any services provided by the new "public option."

The health care bill MAY, in fact, force people to give up insurance they like, despite Obama's claim to the contrary. It's true that no existing health insurance coverage is explicitly killed by the plan, but significant changes (other than adding dependents) cannot be made to existing individual plans, such as to keep the coverage current with modern practices and treatments. And, of course, the public option and the exchange may force existing plans -- maybe one that you like -- out of business.

Therefore, further, it is also a misrepresentation for him to say that the public option will "hold down rates." It can only do so if it forces companies to lower their services to compete, or lower their rates and keep the same services ... and probably go out of business. Either the public option will cost as much as (or more than) existing plans, or it will undercut those plans and hurt them. There's no other two possibilities.

It is also a misrepresentation that if this bill does not pass, we are "doing nothing." If that's true, it's only because the Democrats want it to be true, since they could pass bipartisan health care reform that includes modest insurance regulations (like ending rescission), cost-cutting measures, tort reform, and so on. But they refuse to do it if it is not part of a far-left liberal takeover of a huge part of the health insurance sector.

And don't even get me started on Obama's misrepresentations on the cost of the plan.

Cross-posted on <pudge/*>.

Misrepresentations is a nice word for lies

[multimed]

The health care bill MAY, in fact, force people to give up insurance they like, despite Obama's claim to the contrary.

And, of course, the public option and the exchange may force existing plans -- maybe one that you like -- out of business.

May is simply not the right word here. It WILL. For him to say WILL NOT is a lie. Will not means no one. There absolutely will be companies that choose to pay the 8% penalty rather than fund their existing programs. How can anyone argue otherwise? In 2005 the median emplo

Re:

[pudge]

May is simply not the right word here. It WILL. For him to say WILL NOT is a lie.

Well, let's imagine for a moment that through some crazy chance, no plans are eliminated.

It's still a lie to say they WILL NOT. He can't know they will not, and, of course, it is likely that they WILL, even if it is not a sure thing.

If I drop a cat five stories to the ground below, and I say, "it will not die," I am lying. It MIGHT possibly live, but I can't know that, and chances are, it will die.

The big lie that is repeated over & over again is, "nearly 50 million people are without healthcare." And Obama & supporters have no problem with that lie since it suits their purposes.

Even if it is true, it's irrelevant, since this plan DOES NOT cover people who are not insured, or make insur

Re:

[antirelic]

My favorite, most easily notable lie is when Obama says he is not for a single payer system. I heard him say that in the NH Town hall meeting. Here is him saying he does favorite it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-_SGGcJu_c [youtube.com]

I mean, if your going to lie, at least wait until your in the Oval Office so you can stamp a SECRET sticker on it and keep it from the public. Sheesh. This stuff is out there, and the media wont play it... outside of foxnews and alternative media. I'm no journalist and I can find this ea

Re:

[pudge]

Indeed.

Satan wants a sweater

[mcgrew]

Wow, first I sympathise with Microsoft over the stupid XML patent, and now you agree with Obama! I agree with you on the health care; I fear it will be a huge clusterfuck. I'd like for us to join the rest of the civilized world and have universal health care, but from what I've read that's not what we're relly going to get. What they're pushing for is mandatory insurance, which isn't going to lower health care costs one bit.

And I was so hopeful.

Re:

[pudge]

and now you agree with Obama!

I don't think HE would see it that way. :-)

I'd like for us to join the rest of the civilized world and have universal health care

Ugh. I would prefer we progress past such uncivilized things.

But I agree with you on the rest.