WellPoint pays its CEO $10 million a year, and spent over $9.5 million last year lobbying against health care reform. And now with reform all but dead, the company is intent on enjoying the fruit of its labors, hiking premiums on its 800,000 individual policy holders in California by 39 percent.
Ah, the efficiencies of the market.
When Medicare’s projects a future deficit based on current tax and benefit rates, the tea partiers holler “See! The government-run Medicare system is bankrupt! The government is inept! We need less government!” But when private insurance costs soar, well, that’s the free market providing the world’s greatest healthcare.
Murtha’s intestines were (allegedly) nicked during surgery at a government hospital.
like my old dog proves every day
all but dead is not yet dead
reform may still have a tail wag or two to shake
Of course Goldy forgots or again doesn’t research too well (nothing new) Ben Nelson DUMMOCRAPT from Nebraska had one of his aides Kurt Morrison work for WellPoint’s lobbying arm.
Then there’s more to this “curtain” than meets the eye eh Goldy?
Of course Goldy hoped Puddy forgot this tidbit… Well how could Puddy, ylb arschloch has this in his free backup archives of Goldy’s blog.
“Baucus also held a number of meetings, albeit fewer than with corporate interests, with labor organizations and non-profits supportive of reform efforts. These organizations include the AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Kaiser Family Foundation, Families USA and Doctors for America. Unlike the corporate attendees to Baucus’ meetings these organizations did not provide substantial campaign contributions to the senator’s campaigns. The two labor organizations, AFL-CIO and SEIU, combined to contribute only $15,000 to Baucus’ 2008 campaign war chest.” Of course ylb arschloch screams his wife’s union is without a contract. Hmmm… They gave over $60 million to Odumba’s campaign in 2008 then laid off 74 UNION members to cover their UNION deposits into DUMMOCRAPTIC coffers. Now ylb arschlich is crying over his wife’s union issues? Toooooo Damnnnn Funnnny.
Then there’s OpenSecrets 2008, the site Puddy introduced libtardos to.
Then there’s OpenSecrets 2010, the site Puddy introduced libtardos to.
Once again Goldy embarrasses himself without many facts.
FREE! You with all your worship of money couldn’t pay me enough fool!
You’re a laugh a minute moron.
Goldy, will you correct me if I’m wrong? Murtha did have his gallbladder removed at Bethesda Naval Hospital, correct?
Hurray free market!
2 He was such a rotten fucker his own body
rejected him. Actually, the surgeon used to be a Dodge dealer and republican campaign donor. Karma is a bitch.
Republican Hypocrisy Goes To The Dogs
While Republicans shriek about deficits (never mind they ran up the biggest deficits in history under Reagan and Bush43), GOP Rep. Thaddeus McCotter has introduced H.R. 3501, which would create a tax deduction for pet expenses.
http://dogs.about.com/b/2009/0.....r=outbrain
Roger Rabbit Commentary: There’s no tax break too trivial for Republicans. Looks to me like they’re not very serious about deficits.
Free Market Health Insurance
Yeah, that’s what Republicans love — unregulated private health insurance. Such as the Wellpoint-owned Blue Cross subsidiary in California that’s just raised rates by nearly 40%, following a quarter (4Q2009) in which it made record-breaking profits in the billions.
California law requires health insurers to return at least 70% of premiums to consumers in benefits. That state has begun an inquiry to determine whether Wellpoint is in violation of this regulation.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....ure09.html
Of course, under the Republican concept of “reform,” there would be no such regulation and insurance companies would be allowed to charge whatever the market would bear and keep as much profit as they could make.
Personally, I think it’s absurd that 30% of that company’s premiums go to administrative expenses, executive salaries, and profits. That’s a ripoff. Medicare costs taxpayers about 1% in A & O costs. That’s 30 times as efficient as Wellpoint’s California subsidiary. Yet, Republicans tell us we must have private health insurance because government is “inefficient.”
What a crock.
@6 Murtha was 77 years old, idiot. Nobody lives forever.
@8 I wish the same surgeon on your gall bladder. May he cut deeply and well.
Speaking of idiotic GOP politics, Sen. Don Benton is on Dave Ross right now touting his run against Patty Murray for her US Senate seat.
Democrats could not for a better opponent.
Like most Republican US Senate candidates who came before him, Benton couldn’t think his way out of a paper bag. At least he’s good looking, though.
@12
With that wish, you realize that you just equated being treated by a government doctor at a government hospital with sub-standard service, don’t you?
@6 Murtha was 77 years old, idiot. Nobody lives forever.
—
ESPECIALLY when they don’t take care of themselves, Rabbit, our resident chain smoker. Murtha looked like he was in abysmal condition – just like you.
I think Darryl last Friday had a link to an interview Thom Hartman did with a disaffected tea bagger, getting around to the fact that liberals and populist conservatives actually have a great number of interests in common. Both groups recognize how powerful elites are robbing/killing us blind.
Who in their right mind would/could disagree that @0 is an example of how the health system is busted and morally bankrupt?
Troll @ #6: My own father lost his leg due to complications following gall bladder surgery. He had to be taken off his blood thinner medication prior to surgery, which caused a blood clot to develope in his leg. Eventually it had to be amputated.
Of course, this was in a private hospital, so your implication that problems only occur in public hospitals is groundless. Of course, you knew that, and didn’t care when you made the argument. Moreover, Bethesda Naval Hospital isn’t your average “government hospital”, it is one of the premier medical facilities in the nation. Of course, accidents can happen anywhere. After my father’s experience, I never consider any surgery to be “minor”, no matter how routine it may seem to the surgeon.
rhp6033, sorry to hear that about your father. Hopefully he received adequate post-op care and he’s doing better.
Pud
Moron arschloch@5,
Of course it’s free… your monomaniacal mind told us all about it. You tried to use it over and over and you fail miserably.
Just a useless tool. Just think how many union peeps could have jobs if your wife’s SEIU union didn’t waste all that money on Odumba’s campaign?
@19 Thank you for your kind words and your prayer yesterday. I want you to know that it meant alot to me. Later, my friend, as I’m still conversing with the Big Guy. Thanks again.
Steve, unlike the arschloch, when peeps have death issues, I can empathize. Glad you converse with the Big Guy in Heaven. He can take away the pain you all feel. I know it’s sad when someone close to you dies. Remember a friend of mine lost their son in an IED attack last year. That’s terrible pain and depression especially when it’s your oldest child who enlisted because he said it was the right thing to do.
How is it that we can have millions of people in our country who think that if they say the proper ritual words that an invisible supernatural being with magic powers will help them or hurt their enemies?
@22: Note also that God never seems to heal amputees for some reason…
http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/
Zotz and Daddy Love, if perhaps, by some miracle, God/Jesus healed an amputee you’d still not believe in Him. Remember the Pharisees asked for a sign when Jesus was alive. Maybe that’s why He doesn’t do it. Oh wait a minute… you don’t believe…
@22 “an invisible supernatural being with magic powers will help them”
Please don’t project your notions of God or faith on me. To even suggest that I hold such an infantile view is really quite insulting. Eleven dimensions, infinite universes, micro black holes, particles both here and there – how about you or anybody else stepping forward and explain just how your grasp of reality is any better than mine, and how you know what’s what and I don’t, particularly when you and nobody else here has absolutely no idea of what my specific religious beliefs really are.
Golly Steve, that’s the best commentary you’ve written in a long time. “I” agree with your response to the continually moronic Daddy Love! He has no grasp on reality. His writings prove that every day in every way.
So Daddy Love how is that “climate change” argument working for you? Gotta love how RFK Jr predicted no more snow for WA DC due to global warming. And having that wonderful grasp on reality, you drank his kook-aid. Go for it… take another swig.
Wait a minute… it’s snowing in DC again isn’t it?
Interesting… and true!
Yep, that health care Dummocraptic style is working very well for Odumba…
Now where is that feckless boob MikeBoyScout?
@25:
@22….are you talking about obama?
@22…..I mean afterall, his supporters thought that after he got elected, they “would no longer have pay for gas, or pay the mortgage, and healthcare would be FREE”.
HAHAHAHHHAHAH
what a bunch of dupes.
@29 And just what is the problem, Zotz?
“It means you have chosen to ignore facts and evidence for “faith” and beliefs which cannot withstand the merest scrutiny.”
Sure thing, Zotz. So your perception of reality is the real deal, huh? Your reality construct is the one we should all run with? Yeah, sure thing, Zotz. Reads to me like your “belief” in your version of reality is fueled by faith in your own perceptions. Do you even grasp that reality is an illusion?
So tell me, Zotz, what “facts and evidence” do I ignore and what specific “beliefs” do I hold which cannot withstand your merest scrutiny?
26
Weather is not climate.
Keep in mind that temperatures are average in teh East, and here in teh good ol’ in the Pacific NW we had the warmest January on record. In 2006 we had teh warmest January on record, but this one was warmer. Funny you never mentioned that, though, fair and balanced guy that you are. Maybe you should head up to BC where they probably won’t have enough snow for the Olympics. But you won’t mention that either.
http://www.examiner.com/x-7324.....-on-record
@32:
My “perception” is subject to change based on the available facts and evidence as I am a proud member of the reality based community.
You, on the other hand, prefer to talk to the “Big Guy”.
So you have no intelligent response?
“Big Guy”
Are things allegorical a little too much for you and your reality construct?
25 Steve
Funny, I don’t remember mentioning your name. I just looked, and by golly, I didn’t. Skin thin much?
It’s always a rollicking good time when a Republican complains about projection. However, to reiterate, you may think you are among the millions of Americans I mentioned, but until you prove to me that you are, I don’t know it.
Your outrage is misguided, out of proportion, and again just plain wrong. But you guys always seem most comfortable when baselessly accusing others of insulting you.
Interesting deflection (and again with no basis in my statement whatsoever, you thin-skinned little GOoPer). “Grasp of reality” is again again interesting concept, and if you can propose some means by which we could objectively measure it, we could indeed compare one person to another, such as you to me.
However, that’s just your little straw man. Because what IS possible is with 30 seconds’ research on the Intertubes you could see both the empirical research and the advanced equations that support the concepts of our understanding of the state of the universe, the existence of and behavior of particles, and universal cosmology and cosmogony.
If you would be so kind as to link to the empirical research and the advanced equations that support your “specific religious beliefs” about how you conceive the Creator of the Universe and Lord of Hosts, I would be much obliged. That would be a really interresting read.
It sounds to me like “God” (as a convenient shorthand) in your conception is actually identical to whatever your “specific religious beliefs really are.” If not, how does God vary from your specific religious beliefs and by how much? Do your “specific religious beliefs” enable you to make testable and repeatable predictions about the interaction of God with the world and/or the universe? Please enlighten us.
BTW, eleven dimensions and infinite universes at this point are just angels dancing on the head of a pin. They are proposed solutions to problems for which definitive and accepted solutions have not yet been worked out. There will be a time when solutions will be found, and those you mentioned will not necessarily be the ones that are accepted. They are just amusing to speculate about and represent potentially fruitful lines of inquiry. If you are interested in knowing the difference between what are accepted solutions by means which we can make testable and repeatable predictions and current speculative hypothesizing, you could crack a fucking book.
@36 SSSSSSH! Shaddup about that stuff or we’re going to have to neuralize you.
“Skin thin much?”
No. The son of a woman dear to me just killed himself. The woman is devastated and desparately needs help. I thanked Puddy for a prayer and two posts later you jumped. Thinned skinned? The real question to be asked is just how insensitive of a person are you?
“you thin-skinned little GOoPer”
OK, Daddy, so much for the way you talk down to GOPers. Too bad that’s not what I am, as you could have saved that shit of yours for an actual wingnut.
You assume much, make shit up, then blow it out your ass. Is that the progressive way? If so, I’ll pass, thank you. You’ll just have to kick me out of the club for not marching lockstep and conforming to your beliefs.
What’s up here, my fellow progressives? Is coming down on anybody of any faith a requirement of todays progressive movement that I’ve somehow overlooked? Do we now make our progressive bones by ragging on people for believing in God? Is this what it’s come to?
Hey pud-
God thinks you’re a fucking windbag…Jesus too.
(one finger salute!)
“you could crack a fucking book”
I read 2,000 books before I was ten years old. I have two degrees, I’m educated in the sciences, and I’m a professional engineer and architect. Crack your own fucking book.
@39 Geez, I hope you don’t turn on me too, Rujax!. That’d be too much for one day.
@38
No words for a loss like this, and the issue transcends politics.
Daddy, you’re normally a dope, but today you’re a big dope. And as usual, you’re doing in on company time using company resources while PAYING customers suffer:
Microsoft issues urgent Windows, Office security patches
http://content.usatoday.com/co.....patches-/1
26, count ’em!
“It’s always a rollicking good time when a Republican complains about projection.”
I mention God and you assume I’m a Republican. You assume too much.
“Wingnut projection. It’s a Psych 101 thing.”
Geez, Daddy, who brought that line of attack to these threads?
I came up with that line of attack after wingnuts repeatedly accused you of being a pedophile because of your screen name. And to think of how many times I’ve stood up for you here just to have you turn on me for being a person of faith.
@42 “No words for a loss like this, and the issue transcends politics.”
Thanks, John. That’s how Puddy saw it too. Not that Daddy knew what was going on, and even Puddy didn’t know the details, but Daddy assumed too much and he isn’t backing down. He apparently saw an opportunity to attack a person of faith and went for it, no questions asked. I have a hunch there’s no retraction or apology coming my way anytime soon. Maybe that’s the progressive way these days too.
So the score is now:
Wingnuts 2
Progressives 0
For me, that’s just fucking incredible.
@14 No, I wished government health care on you, despite your being a conservative, because I’m a compassionate liberal. I wouldn’t wish Republican health care on anyone, not even my worst enemy, and not even on you.
Daddy works at MS? The entire Redwest campus. My design. Pebble Beach, Augusta, Troon expansions of the east campus. My designs. Buildings 27 and 28. My designs. The Pinehurst Executive Briefing Center? My design. Microsoft Studios. My design. The data center on Canyon? My design. Eh, I forget the rest. Too many projects there to recall.
Daddy asks me to crack a book when he likely works in one of the buildings I designed for his company. Daddy’s company hires the best architects and engineers in the known universe. Did you know that, Daddy? Alas, we’re an uneducated lot. We really should read a book or two. heh- All that structural steel in those buildings you work in? All faith-based designs. Hey, why perform engineering calculations when we can just pray to our God for a little structural integrity to come our way? I can assure you, Daddy, my God won’t let your building collapse on your fucking head.
Any other progressives here want to attack me for my faith?
I am attacked by progressives for having faith. Is that the way of it, you guys? If so, how do I go about getting a refund on my progressive movement membership dues?
I don’t think I’ll wait around for Daddy or the Zotz to speak up.
I will apologize for my display of anger and frustration. I offer no excuse. I will only say that the anger boiling in me is equivalent to the level of hurt and anguish that I and my family and friends feel about a horrible tragedy in the life of someone so very dear to us. In my own hurt and desperation I turned to my batshit crazy wingnut friend of faith, Puddy, for support and prayer. He didn’t let me down. He was there for me. I won’t forget that. John @42 understands something here. This matter transcends politics.
Money well spent fool. The country dodged a bullet avoiding that terrible woman from being a heartbeat away from taking the big chair from a cancer survivor..
Not to mention McSame would probably have been the next Herbert Hoover.
21 – Spoken like the miserable fiend we all know and despise..
Carry on in your degenerate cause fool…
Why Steve? You were unrighteously attacked by libtardos. Daddy Love is as stupid as they get. Zotz is a dumb brick like ylb arschloch. Their commentary demonstrates they don’t pay attention or read. Maybe that’s why John identified all the bugs in Microsoft software above. Maybe Daddy Love isn’t paying attention to that regression testing after all. Puddy also noticed after all the support you gave ylb arschloch Puddy hasn’t seen one sympathetic response from the dumb brick ylb arschloch. He’s such a tool!
Steve, again my sympathies to your lady friend on the loss of her son.
Puddy has noticed not one HA Libtardo has offered sympathies here. We who think right all know why.
Steve, as you can see rujax is a dumb cinderblock. Full of interstitial air holes.
PS view the dickhead@51’s response Steve. What an ASSHole! Oops… Arschloch!
“Why Steve?”
Why, Puddy? Because I’m hurt, angry and frightened in a way that nobody here, or elsewhere for that matter, as ever seen me before. This level of hurt and anger is scary. In my heart I know it’s not called for but Daddy and Zotz have set me off. I don’t feel good about this, but they managed to push my buttons in a way no troll here has ever managed to pull off.
“Puddy has noticed”
I know. What can I say?
I’d better stop now and leave.
No way would I turn on a brother in need. No way do I mock or make light of the power of the Spirit of Light in us all to comfort in times of grief and confusion.
I’ll lay down the sword and join with Mr. PuddyBuddy today in prayer (him to his, me to mine) for you, your dear ones and those close to them.
We can joust later.
Peace be with you Steve.
@49….damn steve, thats an impressive list.
I also worked on the Pinehurst and Troon projects as a PM….just finished with the Eddie Bauer HQ to MS conversion recently as well.
good on ya…
Holy shit, Max! Pinehurst and Troon? How can I possibly hate you now?? Eddie Bauer HQ? I know who designed that one. Cochran Electric once took me on a tour of the place to show me all the light fixtures that could never have their lamps changed because of the way the lighting was so poorly designed. And they noted that the building had 56 different lamp types! Imagine trying to stock all those suckers! I’m trying to remember if the general on Troon was SDL. I know they did one of the Grand Slams. Cochran’s superintendant said it stood for “Slow, Dumb, and Lucky”. But I thought they were a very good GC.
Pinehurst and Troon were different GC’s, as I recall. Were you with MS back then?
I thought Redwest was amazing, Max. I never saw anything like that before. From a distance it looked like an ant hill with all the construction workers. Fast-tracked, I think it went from beginning of design to completion of construction in little more than a year. Another interesting thing about Redwest was how they removed an old farm, built an underground garage, and then put the farm back where it originally was. When done, it looked like the farm had been there all along, untouched. They had some deal going with the old folks who lived there.
Steve @ 57
You can despise Max because he’s an idiot who calls people names for no reason and attacks them for flimsy bullshit.
He called me a racist and he hasn’t once backed that up.
He’s a coward..
and for what its worth, I for the life of me cant figure out why progressives think they score points with each other when tearing down people of faith, which 9 times out of 10 is Christianity.
its the people that THINK they know everything, and think they KNOW there is no god, who are the ones that are scared of the dark.
@58…STFU racist YLB…..your like a pesky little fly….
@56..
no, not with MS….lets just say a major subcontractor on those projects….throw into that a chip plant or two for Intel in Aloha and Hills-burrito Oregon…and their R+D facility in Dupont, WA.
Ya, I think we have walked some of the same turf, although in much different capacities.
60 – Present the proof that I’m a racist, whatever convinced you to start calling me that and I’ll be glad to take some time off from HA. I’ll stay away until after the election in November.
How’s that???
But you won’t take me up on that will you??
Coward.
@62….you really think I give a shit, dont you?
wow…just wow.
@56…..btw, the GC on Troon was Lease Crutcher Lewis, if memory serves me correctly.
63 – I was right!!!
What a scared fool!
ya, that must be it, Im scared….(rolls eyes)..
66 – Prove you’re not scared.
Point to something I wrote here that convinced you I was racist. It’s that simple.
Otherwise you’re just a frightened name-caller with the mentality of a middle-schooler.
@67…lmao, yep, thats it……
Max calls Roger Rabbit “Goebels”.
Goebels practiced “the big lie”..
If Max cared so much about “truth” he’d point to where I expressed racist attitudes.
But he doesn’t because he’s a big liar himself.
Sure sucks to be you Max.
This thread is a bit crazy, but if the Steve who is hurting is our usual Steve, and not a sockpuppet, hey man, as you know this is one progressive who prays. I’m on your side. I’ve said it many times here, I’m a leftist because I’m a Christian. I just don’t see how the Gospel leads elsewhere.
poor racist ylb – I can just imagine the fits you must be in when I refuse to placate you…
as far as goebbels rabbit is concerned, he freely admits to being a propagandist liar, so he has earned, and probably takes pride in, his name.
71 – I’m laughing at you because you’re a frightened liar and a schoolboy name-caller
You embarrass yourself with every shallow utterance you repeat from the Dori Monson show. There’s more truth in the Rabbit’s comments here than you could ever possibly comprehend.
I’m done with you…
Coward..
Max is just too scared..
Good night..
LMFAO…..
Max,
As a matter of fact, you are not getting the last laugh. You lost, son. So, it goes.
hahahaha…..oohhhhh, I “lost”.
you assume I am even interested enough to be playing in some sort of game.
and I’m not your son.
Max @ 76,
I always try to pat the little fellas on their heads when they get their asses handed to them. Sorry, if that doesn’t make you feel all better about yourself.
@77…oh gag…spare me the condescending attitude PL
nice attempt at making yourself feel better though…might I suggest a good blow job from your wife – you might be surprised how much better the world appears afterwords.
@70 but if the Steve who is hurting is our usual Steve, and not a sockpuppet, hey man, as you know this is one progressive who prays
—-
And if it’s not, you don’t?
And as far as the “son” crack is concerned @75, you’ve used a similar put down with women on HA with the term “dear.” You try that with one of your female clients and see how far you get, you sexist dope.
43 S
I neither know nor care what your faith or your “specific religious beliefs” are, and I have already said so many times. Really, I have. Go back and read what I said. For someone who claims and education and extensive reading, you certainly seem all to ready to ignore what I ACTUALLY said to instead become outraged about things I NEVER said. I think it is strange that you feel the need to stress and defend your personal achievements, but that you felt no such compulsion to defend the strange beliefs I mentioned, even though you seemed to be quite certain that I had attacked them as though they were yours.
I’ll try this again, and imagine I am speaking v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. If. You. Are. Not. Among. The. Millions. Of. People. To. Whom. I. Referred. Then. I’m. Obviously. Not. Talking. About. You.
It’s a conditional statement, you see. If you satisfy the test (you are not among those people), then the conclusion does apply (I am not talking about you). I’ll be glad to revisit this notion after your next apoplectic fit, if necessary.
But I also imagine that many or most those among those millions also feel both that I was not talking about THEIR strange beliefs AND that they are personally outraged by my “attack” on their strange beliefs.
However, if I were a person of faith such as those I described, I imagine that I would make some effort defend said faith instead of attacking a skeptic, who after all is just a misguided and ignorant one of “God’s” children. I even understand that such “witnessing” for one’s faith (both in the sense of affirmatively making a case AND/or defending it) is a requirement for Christians. NOT THAT I AM ASSUMING THAT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN.*
*Whew, dodged a another bullet.
Thanks for correcting any mistaken impression on my part about your political affiliation, and thank you for any earlier defense of me. However, I would like to mention that I don’t really give a fuck what ignorant, hostile, name-calling trolls wanted to say about me personally or about my name.
72
They’re ALL schoolboy name-callers.
@81…you included I would surmise.
Daddy Love is a hoot…
Daddy Love, you pay attention to HA blog details as well as Microsoft does with truck hole sized software bugs. Your comments about Steve are laughable. Steve attacked anyone who thinks right since he arrived. Your comments above prove to all of us right side thinkers you are a useless buffoon. You don’t pay attention to details. It’s hate 24×7 with you.
Steve is a long time leftist on this blog.
Karen@79,
Now that was funny…..
Goldy, is your server off by 10 minutes?
@83
Steve writes this @20:
Thank you for your kind words and your prayer yesterday. I want you to know that it meant alot to me. Later, my friend, as I’m still conversing with the Big Guy. Thanks again.
and Daddy Love follows up @22 with:
How is it that we can have millions of people in our country who think that if they say the proper ritual words that an invisible supernatural being with magic powers will help them or hurt their enemies?
Now that’s being in touch with somebody’s grief. Yet Daddy proclaims he’s been misunderstood? Right – this is the same person who, when temp workers were being laid off by Microsoft, proclaimed:
“They are not my fellow workers.”
Progressive indeed! Daddy Loveless!
@84 Now that was funny…..
You can only imagine how numb a jury would be after 30 minutes of Proud Leftist’s reasoning! Love to see where he got that “law degree.”
@steve: I apologize. You can talk to your imaginary friend anytime you want.