watch this:

http://www.cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/08/14/HP/R/22161/Pres+Obama+Lays+Out+Consumer+Protections+in+Town+Hall.aspx

Now I watched the one in New Hampshire as well - all I can say is WOW!!  Dang am I glad I voted for this guy.  He did a wonderful job of addressing questions and being honest as to what is hard to fix and not belittling anyone for the questions they asked being respectful.  

You can watch ALL the complete town halls from the page above and I really think everyone should watch them.  The press keeps focusing on the sensationalism and the  yelling but these were respectful but with hard questions - he did not claim to it would be easy but I thought the answers are very good.  And I really appreciated when he says admits that certain questions/concerns are very legitimate but reflect a different point of view than he has.  

This issue has me very concerned - I really want something in there to help make health insurance affordable and fair - and though my preference is for a single payer - I'm fine with coop plan - from what Obama says that is pretty much one and the same as the wonderful heath care congress has that everyone keeps hollarin about.... If that's true and I really have no reason ot doubt him - well I'm ok with being expected to pay something for my health insurance - I just don't want to have to pay a second house payment or rent monthy for health insurance...

I'm going to watch the Colorado one now.

Sue

Also,  I support Obama so much right now that I've been thinking of putting my sign but in my yard .... And actually I would have except I'm afraid it will get stolen and I want to keep it!!  Cause it's history. 

Sue

Also, spend the money on council chamber broadcast equipment improvements! 
Put plug-ins around the council chamber (and the big desk) so the members can bring their notebooks and refer to them!
Fix the flippin sound system, and let's join the 21st century!!!

As for salaries, I'm thinking Mayor: $36K, and Council members $18K each. 

I agree with you on upping the salaries for mayor and council and the sound system did it's thing tonight - was kinda funny... Everyone smiled when they had trouble started the meeting due it malfunctioning.

back to health care:

I found this interesting - it is guy who is a conservative who is saying the worst thing conservatives can do for their own cause is stop health care reform.   He lays out an interesing argument from a different point of view.   Personally I've always wanted single payer system.  Personally I trust government a thousand times more than I trust big corporations....  Not claiming government doesn't have it problems, big problems but its job is to respond to me - where as a corporations job is to make profits...  anyway

But I was interested in this guys points as well. 

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08142009/watch2.html

Like to  hear comments on this....

Sue

ps.  I think I'll take u up on one of those signs.

I wonder if I should put up my John McCain sign: "John McCain 2008:  If Republicans don't like him, he can't be that bad!"   You Obama supporters.  Ay Yi Yi. 

Sarah Palin Rocks My World!  /:-)

hehehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUHtJJ1Fgjs

I guess I don't get it, Kris...

To me putting up the Obama sign says: "I helped elect you to do a job - now do it!"  So putting up a McCain (or even better - Palin sign) says what?..."My pick didn't win, so obstruct progress and obfuscate the facts as much as possible"? 

lol - If that's the message you really want to send, then go for it!!!! 

Actually, I'd rather have the "Single payer option is a must" sign (no kidding, I'll look in to having some printed up if there's interest)...It's focused on this specific issue, and it clearly communicates the message.

Matthew,

It was supposed to be my lame attempt at a joke.  You were supposed to laugh.  :-)  I'm for health care reform and a serious dialouge.  I'm not  too in favor of a single payer option but I'd like to discuss how it would work - the pros and cons and all that good stuff.  I'd rather reform private insurance such as:  not denying people coverage for pre-existing conditions and not raising their rates to unaffordable levels.  I'm for cutting taxes, reforming trade agreements, cracking down on companies who hire illegal immigrants and getting some serious job growth going in this country so people don't have to be so reliant on the government for their every need - which is the road we seem to be traveling on.

Fast Impressions makes good signs.  I used to work there a long time ago.  You might be able to get them made up cheaper on the Internet from somewhere else though.

Kris

Whew!  I must still be a liitle foggy from the flu... I thought for a second there you were going down the "You're a blind follower in the cult of Obama" road - and that's certinaly not the case...

Fast impressions...Are they union?  If I recall there's one place in town that does the signs for most of the Democrats that is a union shop.  I prefer, speed, quality, local, union, and cheap...Surely that's not too much to ask!  ;-)

Anyone who's interested in signs but prefers not to post here, feel free to hit me with an email at matthew4657@yahoo.com  I'll send out a tweet, too... 

You mean Obamabots?  ;-) 

I don't think Fast Impressions is union.  I didn't know there was a union print shop in Decatur. 

Speaking of the flu, how am I supposed to keep my kids from getting H1N1 when they go back to school - especially my preschool son?  I wonder what steps Decatur Public Schools are taking?  I guess I'll find out tonight when I speak to my son's preschool teacher at Pershing.  My daughter, who's in 6th grade can take precautions but a preschooler?  They're always touching all over everything and passing germs to eachother.  My son got sick at least four or five times last school year and he passed it on to me a couple times.  Ugh!  I'm not freaking out about it like Chicken Little, but I am a little worried about outbreaks, when school starts again.  Luckily the swine flu hasn't been that severe for most people who catch it but my son has had pneumonia twice already.  He's very susceptible to respiratory illnesses.  He got that from his mom.  I've had pneumonia more than once too.  Come to think of it, that's probably why I can't buy private health insurance!  Only healthy people can go to the doctor.

Kris

Kris - You are too BAD!!!    I call myself an Obama-mama... :-)  

Personally, my PREFERENCE is Single Payer because I trust government more than I trust corporate America BUT it is just a preference not a necessity and  I do not believe it is politically possible.   I'd also like to see us keep the public option in the choices but it is not a deal killer for me either.....  My belief was best expressed by Mick and Keith - you can't always get what you want but ....you just might find - you get what you need....

I do not believe it is ever true that there is ONLY 1 WAY to accomplish something and I am open to ideas from all points of view. 

If the Democrats want to retain a majority in the house we need to remember that we have a majority ONLY due to some conservative blue dogs who were able to win in states that are traditionally Republican and we need to listen to center of our party not the left.

I would completely support ANYTHING we come up with that addresses the problems in the current system and that sounds likely to help.  In fact I'll be upset if we turn this into a my way or the highway argument on the Democrat side as well.

I don't think I'd put up a single-payer sign - my support is more for Obama and for working through the issues and for however we find we can get enough to support to solve them.  I have believed all along that we can come up with something that works and that can pass.

Sue

Sue, aka Obama-mama, I saw your letter to the editor and it was right on the mark!  Very well written too.  I hope both sides will come up with something that benefits the American people and not just one particular political party or the other.  It's too important to let fall by the wayside again. 

Kris

Thanks Kris!!   Here are the reforms the Obama administration wants included in any Health care reform bill 

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.
5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

 

All that's good Sue, but without a public option to keep the rest of the industry honest it's not got teeth, and we'll end up no better than we are now. Take an honest look at the German system. Look at Canada, and England, and France. Look at our own Medicare and Veteran's Health Care systems...This is not radical, and it is not untried. We need a major reform to remain competitive in the world market.

 

Now is not the time to buckle in to the people still spending $1,500,000 a day to prevent honest-to-goodness health care reform from happening (and cutting in to their profits). They know we're close to getting something really important accomplished, and they're throwing everything got at it to stop it...Now is absolutely not the time to back down!!!

 

I had dinner with an English friend at Doherty's tonight. He can't believe we're having such a debate on this. “The NHS isn't perfect, but it's sure a lot better than what you've got here!”. And before anyone beats their chest and pronounces “Yeah, but we've got the best medical treatment in the world” Sorry! For anything short of an ER visit he flies his family home for medical treatments (and sees his relatives instead of paying premiums), and says the waiting periods for seeing specialists there are no worse than they are here. He also shared that the in Britain, the quickest way for any political party to be banished from the political scene is to be opposed to the National Health Service.

 

I saw on Rachel Maddow tonight that something like 15% self-identifying Republicans in don't think Medicare is a government-run program. That's the kind of un(and mis)-informed opposition we're up against. In order for compromise to work, both sides have to be willing to work together. I'm all for the majority offering an olive branch to the minority once (which has been done), but once refused, well, they are the minority.

 

Doing half this job isn't good enough. President Obama is a very smart guy, but he's not going to get anything done without us reaffirming – constantly – that we elected him, and all the Democrats in Congress (even the Blue Dogs) to get the whole job done.

 

I think meaningful (with a public option) health care reform will do OK in the House. The Senate is where the squeaker is. 51 votes is enough to pass the bill, and if the opponents want to filibuster and shut down the Senate, then so be it...1/3 of the seats will be up for election in 2010. We'll be happy to make this the centerpiece of every campaign! Really, what better way to highlight the Republicans as the party of “No” than to show them, night after night, reading the Washington DC Telephone book for months on end. (Democrats can't shrink from the “threat” of filibuster, either...Either filibuster-for-real or vote!).

 

 

Oh yeah, HR-676 is the bill I'd like to see used as the starting point...

 

Matthew -

you don't have to convince me regarding government run health care as I've said many many times that is my 1st choice too- but NOT everyone who wants the system to stay private is a dumbo luney tune.   We won ONLY because we attracted the independents, and many of them are AFRAID of big expensive government programs - that is what the "reasonable opposition" is afraid of.   In the town halls Obama is doing (watch on Cspan) he as acknowledged realist fears some reasonable people have.  I've talked to a number of smart reasonable folks who are concerned.  Many don't trust government

We can't just claim that all opposed to goverment option are nut cases.  AND how can you say that REAL regulation and strick new rules regarding insurance and requiring everyone to have insurance and subsidizing those who can't pay would have no teeth?   Just that alone I believe would make a tremedous difference.

I think a good options  would be to allow those who can't afford it to buy into the Federal Employee system - which is just a pool of private insurers like any of the rest of us in BIG companies get with many menu options.  I don't understand why that would be so hard to do and it would be exactly what many people complain about.  I hear all over the place - "why isn't congress going on the same plan as us" - well just allow the uninsured to go onto the Federal plan....  What's wrong with that?   I think it WOULD be supported by most of the public.  One of the big reasons insurance and health care is so expensive is because so many do not have insurance - if we make the pool bigger we lower the cost. 

I'm sure you know it Matthew but others probably don't -

Phil Hare is in Decatur this morning 9:30 at CHIC. 

I WISH I could go but I'm scheduled on something that involves another person as well and it was scheduled a week ago..... 

Sue

Fyi - by rules I am talking about holding the insurance industries feet the fire regarding these problems:

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care - preventative covered in full
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill
5. Prohibits Insurance companies from charging women more 
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults under parent’s plans through the age of 26.
8. Requires Insurance to renew any policy as long as premiums were paid in full. No refusing renewal because someone became sick.

I'm back from the Phil Hare town hall meeting.  Thanks Sue for telling me about it.  It was very respectful, not Jerry Springer like with chairs flying through the air or people screaming at the top of their lungs.  Hare discussed the House version of the bill and answered questions.  I recorded most of the meeting on my little Flip video camera and I'll have them posted to my YouTube channel later today.  http://www.youtube.com/decaturnavigator

If congress and Obama can get 1 thru 8 of Sue's list, I'll be a happy camper.  That'll help my family out big time and many millions of Americans more.  Most people aren't looking for free lunches, they just want to be able to purchase affordable health coverage and keep it.

Kris

thanks Kris - I watched it and it was really good.    

Matthew - I know many are uninformed but when people do not believe you or trust you can't inform them no matter how hard you try.  Did you hear Phil Hare mention the man who wanted him to take a lie detector test?   We can talk til we are blue in the face and - Obama can too - and has been -  But those who lack trust just plain cannot be moved.....Especially when the other side is encouraging the distrust.

For me one of the main messages I heard from Obama consistant through his books and his entire campaign is the desire to not be stuck in the same old ruts and I think he has always promised to listen to all sides and does a damn good job of doing that.  Sometimes the way to solutions is finding a different route...

Also though if you didn't listen ot Byers this morning you may want to listen to his pod cast of the 8:00 hour - Rep Hare was on there too as well as Ken Smithmire which made for an interesting conversation.  Fyi - I thought I heard Ken say he favors the public option...  I ended up a few minutes late to work cause I sat in my van just to hear the end of that conversation.

Sue

Also,  I called Rep Hares office and thanked him for doing a town hall here.  I really appreciate that he took the time and braved the lions.

Thanks Sue - I did miss the 8am hour - running late today!  I'll listen to it at lunch. 

What do yo think of the "splitting reform in to two parts" idea.  Without knowing a lot more about the components, I'm dubious...

I have yet to watch the entire Hare visit, too.  I was watching on my IPhone, and it hadn't been completely translated...I did watch the segment with the anti-planned parenthood guy, though (at the end)...

Thanks again to Kris at www.decaturnavigator.com for going to the meeting and posting the video!!!

I thought the meeting went well but I wasn't looking for a fight or a brawl.  I just wanted some clarification.  It's also nice to meet our legislators in person.  Sometimes we forget they're human too.  Yeah, there were a couple individuals there who I think wanted a more vigorous discussion I guess, but Hare handled it well.  The abortion question was legit.  I think all the questions everyone raised were legit.  Politics is fun!

Kris

Did Dan Identify himself as owner of a nursing home chain? 

I don't remember or I may not have heard him.  He said he had 60 employees but I don't recall if he said what kind of business he had.