Arizona: Health Care

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

One of my favorite economics bloggers, Jon Perr at crooksandliars.com, has a detailed explanation of The Republican 10 Point Plan for Health Care;

After Rep. Roy Blunt, leader of the supposed House GOP Health Care Solutions Group, suggested Thursday that Republicans won't offer a health care plan of their own, Minority Leader John Boehner insisted one was still in the works.

Of course, the Republican plan as in 1993 is to stop health care reform at all costs to prevent an enduring Democratic majority. Bill Kristol, who told Republicans 16 years ago that there was "no crisis" justifying health care reform then, now simply calls on his party to "

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

President Obama addressed health care reform on Monday at Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. Obama directly challenged the partisan comment from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) last week.

Text of prepared Remarks by the President on Health Care at Children's Hospital (excerpt):

Now, there are some in this town who are content to perpetuate the status quo, are in fact fighting reform on behalf of powerful special interests. There are others who recognize the problem, but believe -- or perhaps, hope -- that we can put off the hard work of insurance reform for another day, another year, another decade.

Just the other day, one Republican senator [DeMint] said -- and I'm quoting him now -- "If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo.

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You are all probably aware by now that on Friday a bipartisan group of six senators sent a letter to the White House asking to slow down the process towards health care reform. This bipartisan group of senators consisted of Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). Obama warns Congress not to 'slow down'

Ron Wyden? He's one of the white hat good guys in the Senate. Why would he add his name to a letter signed by the perpetual whiners of the Senate?

I reviewed the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times for some clue.

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Taking health care reform on the road today to a town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin, President Obama reiterated his call for a government-run insurance option as part of his a plan to remake the nation's health care system, saying that a public plan will provide the competition needed to keep private insurance companies "honest and keep prices down." Obama Touts Public Plan at Health Care Town Hall

Obama said that his administration is working on a health insurance exchange that would allow people to "one-stop shop" for a health care plan by allowing consumers to compare benefits and prices between the private and public health care plans.