So if it’s a cost problem, it’s easy: Get the people in a room who have the most and the most direct impact on cost, and do the deal. Do the deal. It’s not that complicated. If it’s an access question, people don’t have access to health care, then figure out who they are, and give them access! Hello?! Am I missing something here?
Ladies and gentlemen, the modern Republican party. Just do the deal! It’s so easy! Just shut up and give everyone access to health care — stop making such a big production about it!
The next problem Steele and the Republicans will solve is the economy. Just give people jobs and make the stock market go up! It’s so easy!
This is why Republicans can’t be trusted on policy. They have absolutely no clue how these things work. There are lots of complicated, moving parts in our health care system — you don’t just sit a few people down in a room and “do the deal.” And remember, it’s not just Steele who thinks this way. Just last week, the entire House Republican caucus presented a four-page health care plan.
This is also why the Republicans are out of power right now. When times are good, their facility with political attacks does them well. When times are tough, though, the American people want a party in power that actually knows what it’s doing.
“This is why Republicans can’t be trusted on policy. They have absolutely no clue how these things work.”
Beautiful, thoughtful, critical analysis yourself, Jeff. Thanks for the insights. If you don’t understand how the world works, you become a Republican. I get it now. I’ve always wondered what all thos GOP guys have in common.
What, in Steele’s statement, lends any credence to even the idea that he knows how policy is made? Nothing.
“They have absolutely no clue how these things work.”
Absolutely true.
I love the recent 180 of the republicans on health care.
For who knows how long, they were arguing that public health care would result in rationing, thereby reducing the quality of care. The private sector could always do it better. Public healthcare = bad!
Now, the argument is that the private sector won’t be able to compete with a public health plan. Now, it’s so good that not even the private sector can beat it. Public health care = too good!
It’s obvious they just want to obstruct. And Steele misses EVERYTHING!
Pete - though misguided, I don’t think the arguments are disconnected.
The argument made now leads to the argument made before. The first hypothetical step is that the public health plan prices out private health care. Then, once public health care has the market, services are rationed reducing care.
I disagree with that, but it’s a two-step. The advocates against public health care should have presented the whole argument together. It makes better sense.
My only, ONLY concern about it public health care takes over is budgetary concerns. I’ve read the angst on this website about Pawlenty’s unallotments.
Well, imagine an immense federal budget shortfall and the legislators get their scalpels out to trim costs. Your health care will become subject to the will of a legislator. I realize now it’s subject to the will of an insurance company, but I fear anything that grants more power to legislators and hots up the rhetoric around elections. That possible outcome wouldn’t help the rancor in Washington.