Obama's Public Health Insurance Option

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMA'S PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION

The choice of a public health insurance plan is crucial to real health care reform. But right now, it's being smeared by conservatives and insurance-industry front groups. Here's what you really need to know:

1. Choice, choice, choice. If the public option passes, Americans will be able to choose between their current insurance and a high-quality, government-run plan similar to Medicare. If you like your current care, you can keep it. If you don't—or don't have any—you can get the public insurance plan.

2. It will be high-quality coverage with a choice of doctors. Government-run plans have a track record of innovating to improve quality, because they're not just focused on short-term profits. And if you choose the public plan, you'll still get to choose your doctor and hospital.

3. We'll all save a bunch of money. The public option won't have to spend money on things like CEO bonuses, shareholder dividends, or excessive advertising, so it'll cost a lot less. Plus, the private plans will have to lower their rates and provide better value to compete, so people who keep their current insurance will save, too.

4. It will always be there for you and your family. A for-profit insurer can close, move out of the area, or just kick you off their insurance rolls. The public option will always be available to provide you with the health security you need.

5. And it's a key part of universal health care. No longer will sick people or folks in rural communities, or low-income Americans be forced to go without coverage. The public option will be available and accessible to everyone. And for those struggling to make ends meet, the premiums will be subsidized by the government.

Sarah Palin Haiku Contest

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Sarah Palin's Hypocrisy

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29 Apr 2009 10:43 am

The Odd Lies Of Sarah Palin, XXVII: The Stimulus Money

You may recall the Alaska governor's signature move last month. She declared that she would only take half the stimulus money:

Palin first told the news media that she's turning down nearly half the federal stimulus money -- but later conceded that does not count the Medicaid money she is accepting. That brings down what she's refusing to 31 percent of what the state government could get... Palin said she is accepting the federal stimulus money that would go for construction projects, but not funding directed at government operations. "We are not requesting funds intended to just grow government," Palin said. "In essence we say no to operating funds for more positions in government."

Now she's changed her mind:

She earlier called the stimulus package "an unsustainable, debt-ridden package of funds." Alaska's Legislature conducted more than 20 public hearings on the federal stimulus package, and legislative leaders said they couldn't find any of the strings attached to the funds that Palin had warned about. "The Legislature then had to come in and find out through a lot of research that simply wasn't true," Gara said of Palin's argument.

But of course, having lied about how much stimulus money she would take at the start, and lied about the strings attached to the money, she is now denying she has changed her mind on this at all:

Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said the message earlier this year that Palin was going to reject stimulus funds was misconstrued. "She's never said she's rejecting anything. She's been consistent we need to hear from the public, thus the legislative hearings," Leighow said.

I almost miss her. Almost.

(Photo: Robyn Beck/Getty.)

The Ignorance Out There: My First Non-quote Post

Since Sarahcuda's visit to the Kodiak Launch Complex while in Kodiak for the UFA dinner, my Google Alert has linked me to numerous right-wing bloggers commenting on her visit.
I am astounded at the ignorance I've seen in these blogs and readers' comments.
One commenter said that Obama was incoherent when not using a teleprompter - this after 8 years of Bush's inability to speak coherently and Sarah Palin's inability to put together coherent sentences.
I've also read praise for Palin's support for Missile Defense which is ironic because MD has meant millions in pork barrel federal dollars for Alaska; yet, she's against accepting federal money for things such as education.
I don't care that someone might oppose Obama's policies or even his approach to governing, but the vast amount of stupidity out there is truly alarming. These are folks who think Sean Hannity knows what he's talking about.
Right here in Kodiak, Ted Stevens, Sarah Palin, and Al Burch receive standing ovations from a purported commercial fishing group. These three have done more to destroy commercial fishing than any three individuals I can think of.
Granted, 52% of those who voted supported Obama. I just fear the consequences for our country if the Palinites and their ilk gain any sort of power.