Welcome to the Demand Question Time blog.
Two weeks ago, we watched as President Obama and the Republican members of the House of Representatives engaged in a frank and respectful question-and-answer session, unmoderated and live on television. It was a moment of constructive civility and substantial debate at a time when the national conversation often seems to consist of politicians and pundits talking past each other or sloganeering. And so we started the Demand Question Time petition a few days later, determined to push both sides to make this a regular tradition.
To our amazement, nearly 20,000 people have signed up already. We’ve never seen such a diverse coalition: Respected leaders from the right to the left, activists from the Tea Party movement to the anti-Iraq War movement, campaign strategists for the Democrats and the Republicans, and many leading journalists, bloggers, academics and regular folks have joined the Demand Question Time call. Judging from all the press we’ve earned, we’ve started a lively and important national conversation.
We’re working on a range of steps that we can take together to build support for Question Time, and plan to roll those out soon. The first step is this: we’re asking you to help us figure out how we build this effort. Use the comment thread below to introduce yourself, say a bit about why you signed the petition, and offer your thoughts on how to grow the movement. We’ll be listening! In the meantime, spread the word and share your ideas.
Micah Sifry, Mike Moffo, David Corn, Mindy Finn, Jon Henke, Glenn Reynolds
Steering committee, Demand Question Time
I think our healthcare cost are out of control because we are needlessly protecting the profits of insurance companies. I want some simple reforms that lower my premiums like creating large state wide risk pools. I’m in a risk pool of 120 employees right now and pay to much. I want te DEMs & Repubs to focus on measures that will lower premium cost. I’m not looking for free HC. EVERYONE should pay a premium but we shouldn’t be making insurance compaines like UHC in the Twin Cites rich.
I agree. The insurance companies are laughing all the way to the bank while we are dying.
Our Health Care Costs are out of control because:
A) Health Insurance Companies invesment income onreserves were destroyed by Wall Street as were Main Streets.
B) Medical law suites today not only waste billions of our money for defense of cases which are thrown out but cause hundreds of billions of dollars in testing which is only done to defend the Health Care Industry from potential Law Suites.
C) Between the Federal and State governments, 60% of all health care cost is underpaid through Medicare and Medicaid meaning we the people who actually have health care insurance pick up the extra cost of government programs which refuse to pay the rates we do.
D) State Legislatures protenct the Health Care Insurance Monopoloies in their states which contribute hundreds of millions yearly to elect officials who are in their debt.
Look to your employer for determining what coverage you get, not the insurance companies. Most employer’s are self-insured, meaning that the take the risk, determine the coverage and set the premiums. Keep in mind that hospitals and large physician groups negotiate with the insurance companies for reimbursement rates – and many of them have a monopoly and are laughing all the way to the bank! It’s time everyone stepped back and realized that we are dealing with human beings when it comes to health insurance – not automobiles and houses.
I also think our US House Of Reps should be required to speak directly with constituents from thier district at least once a week for 2 hours on the phone or if in thier district at a townhall meeting. There are too many special interest groups getting face to face meetings to make thier feeling know while voters sit on the sidelines for 4 years. I’m tired of staffers and form letters.
Hmm. Interesting idea. And the Senate too. I like it!
Good idea and good point. I would be happy with a once a month opportunity to speak with my representative or senator. Not much to ask it?
Absolutely! How can we make this happen?
If I could get my basic costs covered I’d be willing to go lobby for the American people (non party specific) for a year. I don’t think talking about particular policies would be good, but rather emphasize ethics and the needs of the many vs. the few. It seems they all need reminders of this. (How sad that having a lobbyists for Americans sounds like a good idea.)
Does anyone remember the Constitution? It seems as if both major parties have slowly picked it apart and torn it down and this is what I personally would like to see:
I want accountability for Bush & co.’s war crimes, blatant missue of presidential signing powers, and arrogant infiltration of one religion in our government. I want the Republicans to stand back if they’re not going to help this country move forward. I want Democrats to step up and do ther jobs.
I want healthcare that is affordable for all. I want this nonsense of not letting gay and lesbian Americans marry or serve in the military to stop. I want this not so overt racism towards Obama to end. I want the Supreme Court 5 to be held responsible for opening the floodgate to corporate buyoffs.
I want answers. I want to know why all of the above is or isn’t happening and when our politicians will answer to the people they swore to represent.
I want all of us to do our jobs as Americans and fight for our families.
Wendy, I totally agree.
I, too, want a few things. I want all of my children to have the same rights. But because my youngest daughter happens to be a lesbian she doesn’t have the right to marry her sweetheart, claim her on her taxes, claim her on her insurance, or serve in the military. She has not committed a felony nor has she denounced her country, and yet she does not have equal rights. it is truly evil that in this country a lovely amazing woman is stripped of her civil rights the moment she expresses who she is.
Wendy – I couldn’t have said it better. It all comes down to holding our representatives accountable and I believe “Question Time” is a great start.
Wendy,
I want all the same thing s you do as well but unfortunately politicians will only ever answer to the people who elected them only if and when the people get in their faces and make their voices heard loud and clear!!! Call them, Email them!!! Write them a certified letter that they have to sign for!!! Is it worth a couple of dollars to you to be heard??
Personally I want what Congress has. 100% FREE medical care for life for them and their families and a full retirement income after working for only four years neither of which they paid a dime for!!! Nor do they pay into social security. And they vote themselves a payraise whenever they feel like it. People like me on Soc Security did not even get a COLA this year and the price of everything has gone up drastically. I say make them pay for Social Security and take away their retirement and make them pay Anthem Blue Cross rates for their insurance!!!
The way we vote is part of the problem.
Plurality Voting and squabbling politicians make us choose sides in order to have a voice when we vote.
We need to expand voters’ freedom of speech and freedom of political association at the ballot box.
Every voter must be given the ability to express his or her preferences and critical opinions about each and every individual candidate on the ballot. That means that every voter should be able to directly express his or her support or opposition for or against each and every individual candidate on the ballot. Candidate by candidate.
We the people are the boss!
So, get in their faces and make your voice heard loud and clear.
Demand Question Time, Yes No ‘Maybe So’ Voting, and a fair and workable health care system!
Freedom of speech, freedom of political association, equal protection under the law for voters at the ballot box!
The legitimacy of government authority is dependent upon our consent.
We the people are the boss. Empower the people!
Support Yes No ‘Maybe So’ Voting!
I like everything that you said. WE need more people who support these ideas at Town Hall meetings with their representative!! Unfortunately, our representatives are hearing from Tea Baggers who have been inflamed by the “talking heads” and have little understanding of the issues
If, if all the representatives in Washington are our employees (and they are) why don’t we start a petition to take away their health care. Then we will see if the public option or the single payer become part of the health care speech. After all they say no because we (WE) give them the golden health care system they don’t want us to have…
Johnnie,
The hiring process for our representatives in Washington doesn’t work the way it would if we the people were truly empowered like a sovereign and the legitimacy of government were really dependent upon a genuine determination of the consent of the governed. A truly sovereign people would have electoral power similar to the hiring power of any boss or other hiring manager. The only voting procedure that gives us that power in single member districts and permits results that are based upon a determination of consent is Yes ‘Maybe So’ Voting.
That’s Yes No ‘Maybe So Voting.
Sorry for the typo.
What we don`t know, can hurt us.Our economic system has no answers to it problems.Something is wrong with system,when system can`t answer its problems.Moveyourmoney.info is one answer,a national credit union would be a better answer to our economic problems.0% loans from a nonprofit(no paying 20yrs of interest on 30yrs mortage) would solve foreclosure problems & jobs leaving.We invest in ourselfs,we help ourselfs.
C) Between the Federal and State governments, 60% of all health care cost is underpaid through Medicare and Medicaid meaning we the people who actually have health care insurance pick up the extra cost of government programs which refuse to pay the rates we do.
Craig…I’d like you to explain what you mean by “60% of all health care cost is underpaid through Medicare and Medicaid?” Specifically, what do you mean by “all health care cost” as well?
You are wrong in stating “we the people who actually have health care insurance pick up the extra cost of government programs which refuse to pay the rates we do.” First off, Medicare and Medicaid are funded through our tax system not your health insurance plan. These programs are funded by currently working individuals, regardless of their health insurance coverage status. This means that those who don’t have health insurance coverage but are working are as actively funding these programs as you (if you are working and paying your taxes) and other working citizens paying taxes.
Furthermore there is no “extra cost” that government programs incur when compared to your health program. Actually the government has greater power to bargain down the insurance companies prices to a better rate than your health insurance plan (assuming it’s private not govt. plan).
Equitable access to affordable health insurance coverage is only one arm of reforming our pathetic health care system. Another, as critical a component, is service delivery reform. Calling out the Health insurance companies as the ogre organizations they are, is easy, however, pointing out and rectifying the unnecessary skyrocketing of “health care delivery” costs is the real dragon that needs slaying, but few are brave enough to get near the fire of that one.
For example…Paying a primary physician $70.00 for 5 or 10 minutes of his/ her time is unneccesary and highway robbery! The typical excuse given for the need for this exorbitant fee is ….. doc has to cover his overhead. Well, I think we should make things easier for doc and less expensive for him/ her and the patients. The way to do that immediately is through a single payor system…doc wouldn’t have overhead as he wouldn’t need a clerical staff larger than his medical staff, as all insurance billings and authorizations would be standardized. Same thing goes for every hospital, laboratory, clinic etc. Streamlined business to cut administrative cost is something I’d like to see put between myself and every doc that I have to see. Right now this is not happening and that is why I’m charged 70.00 for two taps of a stethoscope and one AAAAaaahhh! And I already knew what my diagnosis was but since we can’t get antibiotics over the counter in this country, due to the profit greed and market control of pharmaceuticals…I’m left with the shtick….and sick of it too.
Reform is so overdue!
Whenever you file a Workmen’s Compensation claim their is a codebook that lists every conceivable injury/illness and the relevant surgical/medical procedures involved in treating them and a set price/figure that WC will pay to the attending physician/hospital/clinic/therapist and they will not budge of that figure and I guarantee you it is one hell of a lot less than the doctors, clinics, therapists, hospitals etc get from regular insurance companies and from uninsured patients. I think that the prices of procedures should adhere to that codebook for everything through a single payer system and get rid of the potential for masive profits and massive salaries in the medical/surgical and pharmaceutical industries.No drug company should be allowed to manufacture a drug for $1 and sell it for $200. this happens millions of time a day with some of the more popular anti-depressants and cholesterol drugs for example (Which by the way neither of those groups (anti-depressants and statins) are actually effective as proven by recent studies. an intelligent and healthy diet has greater and more beneficial effect than either of those.
I am a 67 year old male who was using private insurance until 1/29/09. Since that I am using Medicare. My experience has been that the doctor gets more from Medicare ($80) than from private insureance ($67). The private insurance company negotiates with doctor by stating that accept my rate or you won’t get any of patients that have my insurance. Medicare is not allowed to negotiate with the doctors. When there are only a two or three insurance companies where you live the doctor has no choice but to accept the price. The state controls who can sell insurance in the state and even a specific location in the state. Health Insurance and Healthcare should be regulated at the federal level instead of the state level.
Hey I saw this petition mentioned by a couple of the guests on Hardball. It caught my attention because both the conservative and liberal reporter strongly endorsed it. I think this is a good cause that should appeal to everyone who is not considered a special interest. Too long the political debates have been one side giving speeches to the other side.
As far as further exposure you should consider a facebook and myspace page along with twitter. I don’t know what you’ve tried for national exposure, but you should always try national media sources. Also, there are alternative media sources like The Daily Show and The Young Turks who have a significant following. Those are younger and therefore more liberal but there are probably conservative ones out there too. That’s the great part about this idea is that it should appeal to all sides.
Keep the movement alive!
The thing is the middle class is being squeezed big time, we lose our life savings because of the obvious financial manipulations of wall street and bankers, of course we bail them out with our taxes and they turn around and withhold credit to the small businesses that make our economic engine run effectively and then turn around and give those multimillion dollar bonuses to their employess.
The thing that I fail to comprehend is why is the middle class fighting with each other across party lines, when our efforts should be against the status quo that is deliberately and meticulously destroying the middle class.
Our media is making monkeys out of many of us, and it behooves us to get better informed, again as I said before, I do welcome the dialogue, especially with our Republican and Democratic representatives…and I use the word OUR….loosely.
I first heard of this site on http://www.truthout.org which is by far the finest newssite I have come across anywhere. It is not conspiracy/coverup sensationalism type site like Alex Jones or Jeff Rense but a straightforward compilation of articles in several different categories from all over the world. Articles by journalists with balls big enough to call a spade a f…..king shovel!!! with no apologies whatsoever. I hope you will check it out and subscribe to their daily newsletter. It is a digest of very short teaser paragraphs about each article (usually around 8 articles) with links to the articles. I hope you will join and supoort them as they do a lot of good and you will get news there you won’t get anywhere else!!!!! Good Reading and pass along not only this site but that one as well to all your friends and neighbors and relatives. May peace be upon your house. I SEE you!!!
I want to see the President grilling congress persons as to why they are blocking a piece of legislation or appointment or why they refuse to do something worthwhile regarding jobs, healthcare, massive bailouts to bankers, or anything else that is in the best interests of the lowest income and middle class in America instead of porkbarrel politics to get them re-elected and make their friends a litle richer. I want people asking questions like why are we really in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan and why is torture and indefinite detention and estraordinary rendition still going on in the name of the American people. How can anyone believe that such policies are going to accomplish anything other than generating more hatred and bloodshed and terrorism. We are making enemies faster than we can kill them off and our young people are dying and even worse fates than that with the physical and emotional scarring and then forgetting that they even exist and who is getting rich off the wars? The bankers first and foremost becasue they bankroll both sides and always have done for at least 200 years and then the military industrial complex with their $1400 toilet seats and $700 claw hammers. But nothing is going to happen if we ourselves do not get involved and put their(our elected representatives) feet to the fire and hold them there until they decide to start working for US again. How can it possibly be a government OF the people and BY the people and sure as hell not FOR the people as long as WE the PEOPLE do not participate??????? How can you have a relationship with anyone when you are never present, never seen and never heard from? It is definitely one sided sex and we are not even getting kisse but it is our own damn fault and no one elses. We have the government that we deserve, The best congress money can buy!!!! GET INVOLVED PEOPLE. TALK TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!!! Flood their inboxes with emails. Thaousands of them. Call them daily!!! Let them know who you are. A citizen and a taxpayer (who pays their salary) and a voter!!! IF you can talk to God then by george why can’t you talk to them????
truthstudent,
I wholeheartedly agree. Institutionalizing Question Time alone will not bring about the changes we need. As citizens we do need to get more involved in government.
Elections where voters are prohibited from voting about each and every candidate on the ballot divide us from each other to the advantage of unscrupulous politicians.
Plurality Voting allows voters to for “Yes” and only “Yes” about one and only one candidate on the ballot.
Any reasonable process for evaluating job applicants will enable the hiring manager or committee to determine whether or not each individual applicant interested in the job is qualified for the job or not. The hiring manager or committee then selects the best applicant for the job from the remaining applicants if there are any.
Yes No ‘Maybe So’ Voting works this way.
If we the people expect to be the boss, then we must change the way we vote. We must change the way we hired our representatives.
A site with comments that are not abusive! WOW Our system is broken. The Parties have forgotten the compromise works. When our founders got together, there were significant differences in their approach to the Constitution. They argued, talked, and debated. The result was a compromise, and a good one. You may think your Party has all the right answers, but that is never true. Both Parties spend, both parties tax, both parties take lobby money. Both Parties are guilty of not listening, not taking care of the people who voted them into office. What they do not do, is work for us.
Question Time is a good idea. But more is needed before we can realistically expect our representatives to be accountable and responsive first and foremost to us, their voter constituents.
If we the people are to be boss among other things we must expand the freedom of speech and political association permitted voters when they cast their vote at the ballot box.
That means Yes No ‘Maybe So’ Voting.
We need a television network that actually reports the facts and does not just put a political spin on the actual truth, not a corporate sponsored network that just supports an agenda that divides the poor and the middle class.
A pbs type of network that is not sponsored by the super rich and powerful who now dictate all of the policies in our country. We no longer have a democracy that is fair to everyone, and to just continue to tow the line, whether a democrat or republican is not the only answer.
I find it very naive of us to believe that just because we flip flop between electing a Republican or Democratic majority in congress will make any difference, we will just have more of the same.
Yes, yes, yes!!!! We need a NETWORK OR SITE that BOTH conservatives and liberals TRUST to give us the facts and tell us the truth. As it is now, fact-checkers are labeled “biased” by opposing parties if they do not tell them what they want to hear.
IF a network or site are NOT available, all network and cable news stations SHOULD BE REQUIRED to devote time to fact-checks. Even when a station does not show a particular bias, they tend to feature the senational and, in the process, often give “propaganda” a voice.
the last thing I want is another “regulated” anything….especially news shows…..I think I am capable of weeding out the truth from the VAST majority of news programs that are available….no one NEEDS to supply me with a station and TELL me IT tells the truth….I will find it out on my own. A lie only lasts a moment but the truth stands forever.
Rudy and Kathryn,
There is not currently a television program or network where you can hear the truth but http://www.truthout.org is by far the best unbiased newssite that I have found bar none. I strongly urge you all to check it out and support them by subscribing (free but they do take donation and no I am not affilliated with them in any way othere than being a menber and a big fan!)
Agree. I look at the popular news as gossip news. I find only PBS (usually) and CSPAN are worth watching and they don’t have time for comprehensive coverage. I use the internet for most of my news.
We need a legitimate conservative party for a balanced political process. I don’t understand Congressional Republicans at all. They haven’t understood the last two election cycles. They seem to think their ideological statements and FUD tactics won’t be remembered this Nov. Independents like me have already written them off. I hope most reject the lies this Nov.
If Republicans are rejected for a 3d time there will be an opening for a third party. Here’s hoping for a real conservative party by 2012 so we can get back to a working Congress!
I’m pretty happy with the republicans, although I think they’re selling out some of their freedoms in order to compromise….”anyone who would lose a little freedom to gain a little security deserves neither and will lose both” Benjamin Franklin
While I would not support a parliamentary style government with a prime minister as the chief executive officer, I do support Question Time. Presidential press conferences provide an opportunity for a public dialog between the President and the news media. Question Time provides an opportunity for a public dialog between the President and Congress. Like the State of the Union address and regular press conferences in the interests of accountability and democracy Question Time should become a regular part of politics and governance.
I joined because I’m totally fed up with Congressional gridlock and the fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) broadcast by our political leaders during a time of economic crisis. I look for a forum to get at the factual debate of issues.
I would like to see a panel of experts representing main facets of the issue debate the facts to a conclusion. I hope that CSPAN would record these important debates and present the conclusions to the mainstream media. This way all citizens would have a chance to hear the facts and make good decisions at the polls. Imagine the impact this would have on the perpetrators of FUD and their political ads.
Health care is a good example. I suspect an honest debate would lead to a conclusion that single payer is by far the best solution. Imagine if the Gov’t received the insurers 15% overhead, representing 2.5% of GDP, and what it would do to the deficit!
I have a real problem with politicians just blindly following the polls. The vast majority of Americans have no interest in getting educated on political topics but of course will give their opinion if asked. Would you really want your neighbor, for example, to decide what kind of healthcare reform the nation will get based on his knowledge of this very complex system. We pay our leaders to understand these complex issues and lead us in the direction of what is best for America. The problem is the American people are not the highest bidder.
I never in my intire life seen a pollitical party “Republican” try t0 destroy another party “Democratic “.I watch C-Span every day, when a republcan is the guess , they adress a question by denouncing. the democratic party. Without even answerslng what the caller ask.They also demean the democrat , by talking as long they can, so another caller can’t get their call in. They the “republian ” have a game plan when they are on any media show . Guess on any cable,network or any other show.
[...] rate–but also by the comments and suggestions people gave us. Not only have there been more than 100 comments here on the blog, we got well over 2,000 written responses to our questions about why people were supporting [...]
I want to see a half day Q/A summit on campaign finance reform with an expert there that represents the interest of the American people. I want the politicians to have to articulate why this is not getting done. Yes, business needs a voice, but there must be a more ethical way for that to happen.
No democracy has ever survived on a super majority to pass legislation. The constitution requires 51% — filibuster/cloture rules must be changed in the Senate.
The site begins with “Supporters of Demand Question Time are a very politically active, passionate, liberal-leaning group….”. If you are attempting to get broad-based support, change this opening sentence. The organization is not liberal-leaning and you may wish to avoid a misunderstanding being created in this way.
Hooray for Pinkercorn!
Hey… sorry for the banal comment but I’m getting a “something bad happened” message when I try to do the petition. It’s not working, in other words. This in no way ameliorates the hooray for Pinkercorn!
You’ve gotta set up a SHARE link for Facebook posting. I support you 100%, but 19,000? There are photos of vegetables with a million fans on FB …
I’m also getting the “something bad happened” message when I try to sign the petition. Please fix it! Thank you.
Why, for the love of Mike, don’t the Republicans quit the stonewalling and sour grapes, stop the outright disemination of lies, and get on with the business of what is good for our nation, instead of what is good for their financial contributors and their personal bank accounts?
I used to be an Independent. Now I am a Democrat because the Republican’s collective attitudes make me sick to me stomach and border on treason!
Ditto. Note that they did the same stonewalling at the end of the Clinton 2d term. They apparently think it works better than governing competence.
The Republicans are better than Dems at understanding what motivates voters is their gut. Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) has worked well for them for decades. As an Independent I”m hoping a new Conservative party emerges next year.
I believe their incompetence and FUD caused the polarized situation our nation is mired in now. The R party is dead to me.
The question and answer time takes some of the mystery out of the political process, who the key players are, and what there positions are beyond the basic talking points (well, some members of congress).
It also gives an opportunity for public scrutiny. Members of congress can’t hide behind closed doors and therefore they can be called out on misinformation in real time in a public (that’s right, PUBLIC) form. If a member of congress takes a position motivated simply by party politics instead of sincere governance for the people than that position is clear for the world to see.
I LOVE the idea of having our elected representatives participate in lively debate/discussion of the issues!
Because of mountains on snow here in NJ, I was home all day and listened non-stop to the healthcare summit….and I learned a LOT.
Though not perfect by any means, the discussion yesterday was very informative, and President Obama strove to keep the 7 hour tv opportunity from becoming just that – more campaign rhetoric and talking points. (although to listen to the mainstream news, the McCain/Obama interaction was all that happened in the entire 7 hours!)
I consider myself to be a liberal Democrat, but there was truely some food for thought on both sides. Tom Coburn (R) offered the most constructive input, bringing up issues of fraud (primarily in Medicare), prevention (more nutritious school lunches and food stamp options), and torte reform. Though these areas were all part of the government, or public sector, they all offered ways of controlling health care costs which need to be looked into and could have been a great jumping off point for discussion (which did not really happen.)
Dick Dirbin (D) and Tom Harken(D) spoke eloquently about minimum standards for health care (also known as “government mandates” if you’re a Republican!) I learned that going across state lines isn’t ok if by doing so, you can unknowingly purchase health care that is substandard – high deductables, low tolerance for being really sick. And, I found out that the tort reforms that I saw as reasonable, account for only 1/5th of 1% of the cost of yearly healthcare in this country. According to Dirbin, incentivizing states to reduce medical errors in the first place, would reduced the number of frivilous law suits.
Sen. Harkin also explained the need to attack the HC issue as a whole instead of piece-meal. He and others explained how each part of the issue is interlocked with the others. You can’t have large pools of people buying low-cost HC if all the people in the pool are old and sick. There has to be younger, healthier individuals in the pool to spread out the risk. Therefore, cost control is dependent on coverage and must be dealt with as one. That makes sense to me, (as did the original idea of a public option.)
During the course of the discussion, I learned that there are, in fact, several areas where both sides agree: ending the policy of insurance companies of not insuring because of a pre-existing conditon, ending yearly and lifelong caps on coverage, and extending coverage for dependents. The basic disagreement seems to be over (1) how to accomplish these goals, and (2) who to cover.
The summit made it clear to me, that for Republicans, the goal is accomplished by allowing the individual to be largely responsible for his own health care decisions, including the purchasing of insurance, or planning through a savings account for his eventual ill health, is the only way to maintain our democratic principles as a nation. This investment in individualilty seems to include the concept that if you don’t have health care it’s largely your own fault, and not the responsibility of the government to make sure you are covered. In the Republican plan “coverage” means bringing in just 3 million more Americans into the health care system. The modest plans proposed by Republicans are to be achieved in small “baby steps”, starting with tort reform (reducing the amount someone can sue a doctor, hospital, insurance co., for personal injury).
Democrats will accomplish their goals by recognizing that large insurance companies that continue to make huge profits and at the same time raise the rates on our health care policies need to be brought under control. Democrats want to cover some 30 million more Americans, many of whom are working poor who can’t currently afford coverage. They want insurance pools to offer coverage for small businesses and individuals and to require minimum standards. People who currently have insurance will not be required to change their policies. The proposed plan includes an end to insurance caps, inclusion of people with pre-existing conditions, extending coverage to dependents, market exchanges which will result in lower insurance rates, and the incentivizing of states to reduce medical malpractice and doctor error, thus lowering the number of frivilous lawsuits, while still allowing serious malpractice injuries to be fairly compensated.
From my perspective, and from what I learned listening to the health care summit, we can’t go back. For those who see this as tantamount to socializing America, take a long look at Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and, in fact, even such government sponsored protections as the Food and Drug Administration and National Institute of Health. Government protections are not new. As Americans, we are always the first to come to the aid of disaster victims, as witnessed by the recent crisis in Haiti. Yet, when it comes to protecting our own, we hesitate.
Now is the time to stand up and be counted!
I am very impressed with this website. I was a Republican for 37 yrs.
until 2000 and then decided I was really a Democrat when Bush Jr.
started running for Pres. Sad to say 39 adult members of my family
are Republicans and 6 of us are Democrats. I am concerned about the
lies which are told on the Fox Channel. I never thought I would see the
day that a “news” organization could distort facts and still be considered
fair and balanced. Most Fox Channel watchers do not watch any other
“news” channels other than their local area news which isn’t much use
nationally. I have tried to encourage some of my family to check out
all cable channels to get a better perspective, but they are convinced
that since they watch Fox that they are being told the truth. My own
sister told me that all Republicans are honest and all Democrats are
liars. There is no way to reach these people. I watch C-Span, CNN,
MSNBC and also Fox (mainly to see what their talking points will be for
the day). I also read whatever I can find online and am often amazed
by the knowledge some people have regarding America’s history,
the Constitution, how our three branches of government work, etc.
when they get on the blogs. I think, judging by the way they express
themselves, that they are probably younger people and I am encouraged
by their interest in politics and their knowledge. Previously I thought
most younger people were very disinterested and weren’t aware of
what was going on with their government. I must admit this was perpetuated by Jay Walking on Leno!! Anyway, keep up the good work!
I do the same as you…I watch Fox news AND I watch CNN…to keep them balanced…I feel CNN is great for national news…weather events…the hurricane…earthquakes, etc…but I will listen to their political points too, then switch over to Fox and get their view. Fox is not so great for major happenings like Haiti….but I am always surprised at how much more Fox covers politics than CNN. I hear certain political news stories on Fox and read the same topic in papers but hear very little of the same story on CNN. There was very little talk of the hijacked emails of Phil Jones and Mike Mann and global warming. I check out all the papers, do a lot of blogging….its important to me that I have a library, so to speak, of choices to be able to form my own opinions….being informed helps…Such as learning about Charlie Rengel…Or hearing about Cypersecurity with Senator Snowe and Chairman Rockefeller. Information is the most important thing…good or bad…..truth.
Agree, Fox is clearly a propaganda organ for the R party. All the viewers have to do is fact check! They don’t because they have a need to hear what Fox promotes. However, the rest of the major news is devoted to infotainment rather than important news and analysis.
I wish we had a modern Bill Buckley. Alas, most adults decide on gut feelings rather than reason. Hence the appeal of the R FUD strategy. They seem to know the voters better than the Dems.
I hope the Dems in Congress challenge every R lie throughout this year. This heat would be picked up by the infotainment channels and begin to outline for voters which party is best for them.
Sorry for taking up so much space. Being an “old broad” and learning to type in the early 60’s, I find it difficult to type through the end of the margin without hitting the “enter” key.
[...] The Demand Question Time effort has been picking up prominent endorsers on the left and right. There’s a petition to sign. It has its own online discussion. [...]
I do not know where to locate our names.
You link ; I attempted to communicate there, & was deleted w/ no explanation.
Please do call: 1207 27 2 1313.
I am DonFphrnqTaub Persina.
I do not know where to locate our names.
You link http://communitywiki.org ; I attempted to communicate there, & was deleted w/ no explanation.
Please do call: 1207 27 2 1313.
I am DonFphrnqTaub Persina.