Barack Obama v. Mitt Romney

[Obelix 11]

No he's not, your a proper American citizen, all he talks about is people getting blown up

 

Perhaps that's because he had the balls to stand in the way of nasty people who wished ill on his and your country...

[Harleyman 12]

So which is it? Are nurses being laid off because the money which would have paid them has been diverted into Obamacare or are they being laid off because people don't need to spend so much time in hospital? - You too (like Obama) have avoided the question:

 

How does reducing the funding to medicare by $800 million maintain or improve the standard of Medicare? (and as you said, the baby boomers are the biggest group in the US and the numbers won't start to decrease for some years yet.) The demand placed on Medicare is almost certainly going to increase for some years, yet Obama has taken $800 million from the Medicare budget and has declined to explain the effect that is likely to have on the programme.

 

Obama did not discover that there are problems with the US medical system. - That's been known for years.

 

Have you received any sort of explanation of what Obamacare means to you?

 

Has anybody?

 

As you say, many HMOs are increasing co-pays, but do you think Obamacare is going to reduce them?

 

I have a government-run Insurance plan. Tricare. (Used to be called CHAMPUS, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the US Government.)

 

Why did Obama not expand CHAMPUS, 'grandfather' those who are already in it and fund it through a Payroll tax for those joining?

 

That would've been expensive, but it would have been transparent. People would know what they were going to get and know how much it was going to cost them. (It would, in effect, have been very much like the German system - which seems to work pretty well.)

 

 

 

 

Why do you need 'Obamacare' to allow family members to stay on their parents' Insurance plan until they are 26?

 

Pre-existing conditions are a more difficult problem - but could that not have been solved by providing government-funding to pay the excess premium? Many years ago (in the UK) my life insurance premiums attracted a surcharge (for the first 5 years) because my job was deemed to be a 'high risk' one. The government (my employer) paid the surcharge for me.

 

 

 

What are the alternatives?

 

The Republican answer to shoring up the system is vouchers: giving seniors a cash grant to apply to the healthcare coverage of their choice, be it from private insurance companies or a government-run program. Partial funding. The argument accepts that there isn't going to be enough money to fund every treatment. That's a pragmatic view. - Healthcare is a 'scarce (not unlimited) resource'. All 'scarce resources' are subject to rationing; rationing by price or by waiting time.

 

The Democrats' answer is to cut payments to doctors, hospitals and insurance companies, and to intensify anti-fraud efforts, perhaps cut benefits for those wealthy enough to pay for their own care. 'Means-tested Medical Care for OAPS'. That should be a vote winner. By all means cut down on fraud.

 

Romney repeatedly stressed the voucher plan does not include current Medicare beneficiaries or those now in their late-50s. So the voucher plan is a medium-term attempt at curing the problem? - Everybody accepts that at present, there aren't enough people paying enough money into the scheme to maintain medicare. It is going to run out of money. - The question is, "When?"

 

Obama argued Medicare has lower administrative costs than private plans and no profit motive. Nor does it have any motive to be efficient. "It's only taxpayers' money. If we run out we can always get some more."

 

Obama would restrain Medicare cost growth through an Independent Payment Advisory Board, which would be unable to propose anything that smacks of rationed care, change benefits or reduce subsidies for drug coverage. Cost controls would be placed largely on providers, which senior fellow Robert Moffit of the conservative Heritage Foundation said inevitably will lead to cutbacks in care.

 

I wonder whether this 'Independent Payment Advisory Board' will be working for nothing? - It sounds like a UK Quango.

 

Romney seized on the advisory board ... saying it would lead to the government telling doctors and seniors what kind of care can be provided.

 

Obama said the board just would look at best practices and offer advice.

 

"It puts in place an unelected board that's going to tell people ultimately what kind of treatments they can have. I don't like that idea,"

Romney said.

 

If Romney's got it right, Obama's board is going to ration healthcare for Seniors.

 

If Obama is telling the truth, his board is merely going to be a (probably expensive) talking shop which costs the taxpayers money, but doesn't actually do anything.

 

I don't much like either plan, but given that Medicare probably isn't going to pay for everything, then either a detailed list of what it will pay for or a voucher scheme seem to be inevitable.

 

The election isn't going to be just about Obamacare.

 

"President Barack Obama issued an Executive Order on March 16 giving the White House absolute control over all the country’s natural resources in case of a natural disaster or during a time of war.

 

In the order, the National Defense Resources Preparedness Order, the President granted to himself the authority to approve the dispensing of all domestic energy, production, transportation, food, and water supplies as he deems necessary to protect national security.

 

Despite the national defense hurdle that ostensibly must be jumped in order for the order to take effect, the text of the document itself does not limit implementation to a time of war. In fact, the specific sections of the order make it clear that the President can take complete command and control of the country’s natural resources in peacetime, as well."

 

It seems that Obama feels that Congress can't be trusted to govern the country. It appears that he thinks he should be able to take control whenever he feels like.

 

'Obama is ignoring the U.S. Constitution'?

 

"House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says she is “very glad” and “proud” that President Barack Obama appointed a director to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and three members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) without putting them through Senate confirmations."

 

Obama Repeals the 5th Amendment

Glen Greenwald said it: “That is the mindset of the U.S. Government and its followers expressed as vividly as can be: we can spy on, imprison, or even kill anyone we want – including citizens – without any due process or any evidence shown, simply because we will tell you they are Bad People, and you will trust us and believe us.”

 

So aside from all the above what do you think as a Republican that Romney and Ryan have to offer?

 

I havent heard a thing about how Romney plans to create "millions of jobs", what his foreign policy is or much else for that matter.

 

Romney is the archtypical Republican who thinks that slashing taxes for the wealthy will somehow lead to a "trickle down' benefit to the middle class.

 

They never give up on that the Republicans. Never learn that it didnt work before nor will it again.

 

We did find out during the debate that he will cancel out Obama care as soon as he's in the White House (God forbid). That will be good news for some poor buggers who will then revert to the status of being refused by any Health Maintenance Organistaion because of a pre-exisiting medical condition

 

He's also going to cut funding to the Public Broadcasting System TV Network so bye bye Big Bird and all the good cultural, quality entertainment we get from Britain.

Perhaps we'll get a Moron.. er sorry Mormon Channel as a replacement channel on our TV package line up with frequent commercial breaks to advertise Magic Pants and bingo evenings at the local church of the LDS... Garrrggghhh!

Edited October 7, 2012 by Harleyman

[southcoast 10]

Got to give Romney credit for the way he debated with Obama,didnt think he had it in him to be honest.

 

PS,I didnt change the title and dont know why its been changed?

Edited October 7, 2012 by southcoast

[Sierra 22]

Surely, a simple (and short!) law requiring Insurance companies to extend the ability of younger people to stay on their parents' policies to the age of 26 would have done the same thing?

 

It surely would have, but insurance companies have resisted this for years. Of course now they're being forced into providing coverage anyway. Generally, barring some accident or rare illness, this is an age group that is usually pretty healthy, but it's still costing the insurance companies money and they don't like that.

 

After all, I read (2 or 3 times a day) e-mails telling me that Obama has introduced a new law which means that my auto insurance premiums could be as low as $3 a week. - He didn't pass some huge law detailing how cars should be built, how they should be maintained and what safety features they should have.

 

(BTW: 'Could be as low as' = 'In your dreams!') - It costs me $5 a week.

 

God knows I love a bargain but there are some things you just don't skimp on. Diapers, tires and auto insurance come to mind.

 

About a year ago, my husband's car was totalled when it was T-boned at an intersection. AAA gave us more than what we paid for it and gave him the use of a spiffy rental car until we replaced his vehicle.

 

They've been beyond helpful when we needed a tow or ran out of gas. I think about that when we pay the premiums every year.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Sierra
too many words

[Harleyman 12]

It surely would have, but insurance companies have resisted this for years. Of course now they're being forced into providing coverage anyway. Generally, barring some accident or rare illness, this is an age group that is usually pretty healthy, but it's still costing the insurance companies money and they don't like that.

 

 

 

God knows I love a bargain but there are just some things you just don't skimp on. Diapers, tires and auto insurance come to mind.

 

About a year ago, my husband's car was totalled when it was T-boned in an intersection. AAA gave us more than what we paid for it and gave him the use of a spiffy rental car until we replaced his vehicle.

 

They've been beyond helpful when we needed a tow or ran out of gas. I think about that when we pay the premiums every year.

 

 

I swear by the AAA. Even have my home insured through them. They are the best when it comes to planning tours. Last year we did an east coast tour with a company called Trafalgar who the AAA work with and this year a cruise to Alaska in July with Celebrity Cruise Lines which was also arranged through AAA

 

Good people and very motivated to help in any way.

[Sierra 22]

I swear by the AAA. Even have my home insured through them. They are the best when it comes to planning tours. Last year we did an east coast tour with a company called Trafalgar who the AAA work with and this year a cruise to Alaska in July with Celebrity Cruise Lines which was also arranged through AAA

 

Good people and very motivated to help in any way.

 

We also have our homeowner's bundled with our auto and you get a nice discount, as well as some businesses offer additional discounts for AAA members.

 

One Christmas, we purchased a gift membership for my inlaws just so they could use the travel services and they liked it so much, they renewed it every year after that until my mother in law died. They do have some great deals.

[Harleyman 12]

Got to give Romney credit for the way he debated with Obama,didnt think he had it in him to be honest.

 

PS,I didnt change the title and dont know why its been changed?

 

I predict Obama will win the next two debates and win the election. Not by a big majority. They never do these days.

 

I hope Hillary Clinton will run for the Democrats in 2016. She'll be 68 then but Reagan was 70 when he came into office.

 

Governor Christie of New Jersey or Paul Ryan will get the Republican nomination in 2016 if Romney loses this time

[Drone 10]

Let's hope he goes to prison then

[Longcol 604]

Let's hope he goes to prison then

 

Who? What for?

[Drone 10]

Because he is a criminal, hes responsible for over a thousand deaths on civilians in Pakistan alone

[Drone 10]

It's like the beginning scene of the terminator there

[vResistance 10]

Doesn't matter who wins.

same excrement, different bum hole.