They attacked him indirectly through his family. Most of what the right was saying about the Frost family was simply untrue. They were distorting the facts to suit their purposes. And the 25 year age was for college students living at home. Since states bring people into the program from the bottom up, there is very little chance that any 25 year old would ever get insured much less a family making 83,000 a year (which only applies to states like New York and New Jersey with very high cost of living). Also, you make it sound like any 25 year old who makes 3 times the poverty level would qualify and that’s a lie. It is the family that is supporting the 25 year old student who’s income is judged, not the student.

Comment by bilbobaggins — October 16, 2007 @ 6:52 pm

bilbobaggins, I agree with you, and here’s why: the key controlling element in the free market is consumer choice. The market is free to purchase one product or a similar product from a competing provider. The portability of the consumer’s ability to choose is theoretically what keeps goods providers sriving to produce the best product at the most appealing price.

This dynamic completely falls apart when it comes to insuring health care. An insurance company sees more profit when they provide less service. The force that would otherwise hold this dynamic in check — customer choice — does not exist. One cannot simply drop one insurance provider and pick up another if the first is unsatisfactory. For one thing, it takes months for new coverage to be activated. For another, if the first company has failed to cover an illness or ailment, then getting replacement coverage is likely to be very difficult and very expensive due to the “pre-existing conditions” concept.

Add to that the incentive for pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs and of clinics and hospitals to bill for services, and there is virtually no incentive for insurance companies to keep costs down, except for when it comes to paying out benefits.

It’s a rigged game.

Comment by Southern Man — October 16, 2007 @ 5:41 pm

No, you cannot spell because you were too lazy to learn how.

And, we are the last of the Industrialized nations without some sort of universal program in place.

Profits should not be allowed in the equation when it comes to health care for anyone. Health care should be a right and not a privilege. It does not speak well of our country that we think it is OK for people to not have health care coverage.

Comment by Southern Man — October 16, 2007 @ 5:41 pm

As with all righties, it’s always someone else’s fault.

My sentiments exactly! I have a few Repug friends and when ANY political discussion comes up, they just circle their wagons tighter and spew a few of the latest talking points but will never look me in the eye and tell me what it is they are still defending in the Codpiece Commander guy.

Southern Man must be in the same stage of denial.

All on Bush’ head.

You are following a fool. and it shows.

Liar. It wasn’t Clinton who received an August 6, 2001 memo entitled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” which mentioned OBL’s desire and capability to strike the US using hijacked airplanes, and cavalierly dismissed his briefer with the words “All right, you’ve covered your ass now.”

No, you make things up. Curveball was not being paid for by Clinton. He was Bush’s personal liar. And much of what the Bushies used to justify going to war came from the lying drunk Curveball.