Pass the Healthcare Bill – NOW! March 14, 2010

OK – here is my post about why I think healthcare reform should pass.

1.) This bill contains many good measures.  From a pure moral perspective, we cannot continue to have 40+ million people to be without health insurance.  While I very much want to see health care cost reform in the future (and this bill does some things on this front), I don’t see how we can know what costs to control until more people are accessing the system.

2.) This bill ends many of the insurance company practices that are deplorable, namely pre-existing conditions and lifetime maximums.  Individually, these reforms are very popular.  If the Democrats sell these benefits appropriately, they have a winning package.

3.) As the current bill stands, it is deficit reducing.  Also, it is not the government taking over healthcare.  This takeover already happened with Medicare and Medicaid.     

Finally, here are some political realities:

1.) This bill is not about abortion – no matter how hard some people are trying.  In fact, the Catholic Health Group accepts the language in the healthcare reform bill. 

2.) Obama is not using “funny” legislative procedures to pass this bill.  He is attempting to have a simple majority to pass the bill (not 60+).  We have passed several bills in this country (Bush’s tax cuts, welfare reform – BOTH REPUBLICAN INITIATIVES) through reconciliation.  So, don’t believe this hyperbole.  If every law in this country required 60+ votes, we would have not had welfare reform or tax reform in the last few years.

Recent NY Theatre Trip March 14, 2010

I recently went to New York and I saw several plays as well as Betty Buckley in a terrific cabaret act.  Here are some highlights from the trip:

1.) Time Stands Still: This play starred Laura Linney.  She is one of my favorite screen actresses and she did not disappoint in this production.  Overall, I would give this production an A+.  In addition to Linney, it also starred Alicia Silverstone of Clueless fame as well as Brian D’arcy James and Eric Bogosian.  Silverstone was quite a capable stage actress and she is an excellent foil to Linney.  The plot concerns how Linney (a war photographer) and D’arcy James (her boyfriend of eight years) reassemble their lives as Linney recovers from a tragic accident.  Bogosian’s is Linney’s editor and Silverstone is Bogosian’s girlfriend.  The play essentially deals with how couples work to make one another happy in trying circumstances.  IT IS AMAZING! 

2.) A View from the Bridge: This play starred Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber.  Overall, I would give this play a solid B+.  Scarleett Johansson proved herself to be a very effective stage actress.  She blended into the ensemble of the show adeptly.  The play closes April 4th due to Scarlett’s schedule so if you want to see it, obtain tickets soon!  See the NY Times review for a good overview. 

3.) A Behanding in Spokane: This play is a dark comedy starring Christopher Walken.  Essentially, this play is a politically incorrect, black comedy that depicts the desperateness of humanity.  The play received mixed reviews, but I give it a solid A-.  This review in the Wall Street Journal gets it right.

Oh – and you might be saying – who is Betty Buckley (the woman I mentioned in my first sentence I above)?  Well, her cabaret is closed, but you can enjoy this clip below that illustrates her majesty:

Is Obama Keeping His Promises With Healthcare Reform? YES! March 14, 2010

Some people are saying that Obama is not keeping his promises with healthcare reform.  Well, I think some of these people may need to refamiliarize themselves with his campaign white paper regarding healthcare reform.  As Esra Klein argues, Obama’s current plan is aligned with his initial campaign promises.  Here is the punchline:

The basic structure of the proposal is remarkably similar. Here’s how it was described in the campaign’s white paper.  The Obama-Biden plan provides new affordable health insurance options by: (1) guaranteeing eligibility for all health insurance plans; (2) creating a National Health Insurance Exchange to help Americans and businesses purchase private health insurance; (3) providing new tax credits to families who can’t afford health insurance and to small businesses with a new Small Business Health Tax Credit; (4) requiring all large employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan; (5) requiring all children have health care coverage; (5) expanding eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs; and (6) allowing flexibility for state health reform plans.

 

Republicans and Health Care Reform March 14, 2010

Given that the Republicans are making a lot noise about the proposed health care reform, I felt it was important to document a few key items related to the Republicans participation in this debate.

1.) The current health care reform legislation has many Republican ideas.  First, it does not contain a public option and it is a private market plan.  Second, it also allows states the tools to create their own innovative reforms to lower costs.  See the rest of the linked article for more. 

2.) The Republican party believes that its future viability as a party rests on the healthcare legislation failing.  Therefore, it has been the party of NO when it comes this legislation.  Here is a money quote from Andrew Pavelyev:

“The only thing I can think of that does not violate any conservative principles articulated by various conservative spokesmen over the past couple of years is to do nothing (as far as the government is concerned) and hope that some private charity will pick up the tab. This approach might actually work (and in an ideal world I would in fact prefer it). But the inconvenient (for the purists) fact is that in the here and now we have to sell this (or any other) approach to the majority of voters. I’m afraid that as the number of people struggling with expensive chronic conditions grows, the “let them beg” answer is not only going to be unacceptable to a significant number of independents, but also even to significant segments of the Republican base, such as many evangelicals who are primarily motivated by social conservatism but are not very keen on free markets and are in fact quite sympathetic to “compassionate conservatism” (Exhibit A: Mike Huckabee). And, of course, if Republicans don’t offer convincing answers, the voters will turn to the Democrats.”

The BEST Website Ever – Old Jews Telling Jokes March 14, 2010

I had a friend share this website with me and it gives me so many good memories of being with his Jewish family.  Anyway, here is one of my favorite videos from the website.

Why Does It Seem Like We Have So Many Problems to Solve? March 14, 2010

Doesn’t it seem that ever news story about Obama’s agenda says something to the effect of “doesn’t he have too much on his plate?”  Well, he does have a lot to do, but I think it’s important to remember that we didn’t solve a lot of problems in 2000′s that we should have solved.  Here is an article by David Frum, a conservative writer, that simply states we have a lot of unpaid bills from the 2000′s.  Essentially, we ignored terrorism, health care, and immigration.  Now, we are paying the price for not dealing with them.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell May Be Coming to An End February 23, 2010

Earlier this month, Robert Gates (Secretary of Defense) and Michael Mullen (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) announced their intent to prepare the military for the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell.  Obviously, I find this move very positive.  Here are few other interesting items surrounding this story:

 - General Colin Powell (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the don’t ask don’t tell bill was passed) supports lifting the ban

 - A newly released study of gays in the military in other countries shows that inclusion of gays soldiers is not disruptive

One other interesting note . . .  John McCain always said that he would support the lifting of the ban if the top military official, (i.e., the Joint Chiefs of Staff) supported the repeal.  So, what did John McCain say when this event actually happened earlier this month?  He changed his mind.  This man’s integrity is mind-boggling. 

And while we are discussing integrity, let’s reflect upon one of the core values of the army – integrity.  The Army website states that integrity “requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others.”  Well, isn’t don’t ask don’t tell asking military personnel to deceive one another?

Last point here – read my election blog to see why repealing this ban is so important.

Democrats and Republicans Can Collaborate February 23, 2010

Five Senate Republicans (including newly elected Senator Brown from Massachusetts) joined Democrats in moving through a new jobs bill in the Senate.  Here are few key highlights of the bill:

-       Exempts employers from Social Security payroll taxes on new hires who were unemployed;

-       Extends a tax break for business that spend money on capital investments like equipment purchases

-       Expands the use of the Build America Bonds program, which helps states and municipalities fund capital construction projects

Does Health Reform Do Anything About Costs? December 7, 2009

See this article for the latest about what Obama is doing to push the healthcare legislation. 

Also, as many of you know, I have criticized the legislation for not doing enough with costs.  However, this article made me realize a few items about the legislation that I had not read.  This article is a great read about how the current legislation could curtail costs.  Here are a few key points:

 - The Senate bill “maintains the two powerful institutions the Finance legislation proposed to promote these reforms and develop new ones. The one that’s attracted the most attention is an independent “Medicare Advisory Board.” Under the Senate bill, that board would be required to offer cost-saving proposals when Medicare spending rises too fast; Congress could not reject its proposals without substituting equivalent savings. Since the board would be prohibited from offering changes that raise taxes or “ration care,” and since the legislation initially exempts hospitals from its recommendations, it could choose to promote the sort of payment reforms the bill establishes. (More prosaically it might also clear away some of the expensive coverage mandates that Congress imposes on Medicare under pressure from different elements of the medical industry).

 - The bill also creates “a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation in the Health and Human Services Department. Though this center has received much less attention than the Medicare Commission, it could have a comparable effect. It would receive $1 billion annually to test payment reforms; in a little known provision, the bill authorizes the HHS Secretary to implement nationwide, without any congressional action, any reform that department actuaries certify will reduce long-term spending. While the House bill omitted the Medicare Commission (a top priority for Obama) it included the innovation center.”

Chicago Theatre: GO SEE JACKIE HOFFMAN!!!! December 7, 2009

This past Monday night I saw a HILARIOUS cabaret show by Jackie Hoffman: Whining in the Windy City.  Imagine it being the type of show Joan Rivers would give if she could also sing.  Anyway, here is a review that summarizes the show quite well.  She has three more shows (Dec. 7, Dec., 14, and Dec. 21).  Go see it!!!! (BTW – Here is an idea of what she does, it’s unique and irreverent.  Go to minute 3:50 to see what she does.  It’s a bit about how actors are always asked to do benefits, even though they do not always have lots of money, especially theatre actors)