"Perhaps if the Republicans hadn't decided to fillibuster anything that moved, it would have been in there. After all, Obama specially mentioned Tort Reform as an idea from the traditionally Republican side of the aisle that he'd be interested in discussing and putting in the bill. But if you won't engage the process, you're unlikely to be represented in the outcome. Republicans have no place to bitch about negotiations when they refuse to negotiate"
Negotiate? You do understand that negotiate means more than just accept what the Democrats tell you, right? That's how Hitler negotiated with Austria and Czechoslovakia. It should be a process of give and take. It's hard to negotiate when the other side won't listen. Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room<http://thehill.com/homenews/house/63941-democrats-lock-republicans-out-of-committee-room>Where's that damn openness and transparency? C-SPAN Demands Democrats Open Secret Health Reform Talks<http://www.usnews.com/blogs/doug-heye/2010/01/05/c-span-demands-democrats-open-secret-health-reform-talks.html>I understand. C-SPAN is the research arm of the GOP so take it with a grain of salt. Dems Lock Out Republicans -- Literally<http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/10/dems-lock-out-republicans-literally.html>I like this one. The Democrats actually changed the locks on a certain room so Republicans could not get in. Here are some of the Republican ideas that you probably never heard about since the media did not cover them and the Democrats ignored them: Lowering health care premiums for American families and small businesses, addressing Americans No. 1 priority for health care reform. Establishing Universal Access Programs to guarantee access to affordable health care for those with pre-existing conditions. Ending junk lawsuits by enacting medical liability reforms modeled after the successful state laws of California and Texas. Preventing insurers from unjustly canceling a policy. Encouraging Small Business Health Plans to give small businesses the power to pool together and offer health care at lower prices, like corporations and labor unions do. Encouraging innovative state programs that reduce premiums and the number of uninsured. Allowing Americans to buy insurance across state lines, so those living in one state can purchase insurance in another. Promoting healthier lifestyles by giving employers greater flexibility to financially reward employees who adopt healthier lifestyles. Enhancing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by allowing qualified participants to use HSA funds to pay premiums for high deductible health insurance. Allowing dependents to remain on their parents policies through age 25. Before the Scott Brown election, the Democrats did not need any Republican support. They did not seek any Republican support. They went out of their way to exclude Republicans from the process. Yet they still could not pass a bill. After Scott Brown, they still would not negotiate. They finally had to resort to the "nuclear" option, something they condemned mightily when a GOP controlled senate thought about using it. "Medicare is a weird beast that is obviously a result of political infighting." I don't think it will be around long. It will be consumed by universal health care. "Suffice to say, Republicans in 1997 fucked over Medicare and doctors." I'll suffice it if you suffice the Democrats fucked over the housing and banking markets by propping up Freddy and Fannie. "And we really really need to work on training more physicians in this country" And therein is the problem. What is the incentive to become a doctor? Obviously, anyone capable of becoming a doctor is smart enough to succeed in another field. Why put yourself through the headaches that are now part of ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology-Michael-Dinowitz/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:319266 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
