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Anger clouds US healthcare debate
BBC News ^ | Aug. 14, 2009 | Jonathan Beale

Posted on 08/16/2009 11:38:27 PM PDT by SmartInsight

Opinions seem to be as important as facts in America's healthcare debate.

Go to any of the scores of "town hall" meetings taking place up and down the country and you will find plenty of opinions, but relatively few facts.

Standing in the long queue to enter the auditorium I also speak to Eric Linn, a man who helps to run a private rural radiology unit. He fears that reform will cause healthcare to be rationed.

You cannot dismiss every opponent as just a sore loser.

As for proponents of healthcare reform, they seem to be fewer in number.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: angrymob; healthcare; obama; obamacare
This BBC article is mostly dismissive of the "angry mob", but I like this picture that accompanied the article, I'll put it on my home page too. :)


1 posted on 08/16/2009 11:38:27 PM PDT by SmartInsight
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To: All

Background Link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2308266/posts

“Facts Are Stubborn Things [flag@whitehouse.gov]”
WHITEHOUSE.gov ^ | 6:55 AM | Posted by Macon Phillips
Posted on August 4, 2009 3:45:39 PM PDT by Cindy


2 posted on 08/16/2009 11:43:46 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: Cindy

The facts are mostly lacking on the side of the proponents of the health care reformthey keep making statements that are out-and-out lies, and illogical.


3 posted on 08/16/2009 11:48:07 PM PDT by SmartInsight
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To: SmartInsight
Anger clouds US healthcare debate

That title should be:

Angry Congress Clouds US Healthcare Debate

4 posted on 08/16/2009 11:48:43 PM PDT by stripes1776 ("That if gold rust, what shall iron do?" --Chaucer)
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To: SmartInsight
I just got done watching a rerun of Meet the Depressed. What a pathetic excuse for a political show. The guests for the round table were Dick Armey, Tom Dashcle, Sen. Coburn, and Rachel Maddow. As far as I can tell the only reason they had Maddow on was to ensure the host David Gregory wasn't the dumbest person at the table.

Maddow spent most of the show looking at her notes to level attacks on Armey and every possible entity that is against the reform bill. For a Sunday morning show they had to spend a lot of time asking Maddow to shut her pie hole and allow others to speak. I think she is accustomed to being on a one sided show that sounds like an echo chamber.

The best guest was Dr. Coburn, who gave a lot of smart comments regarding specifics of the bill. The whopper of the show was when Maddow said that the public option would be cheaper since the government would be more efficient than an insurance company. Coburn countered with the 15-20% of Medicare expenditures that are fraudulent.

5 posted on 08/17/2009 12:22:32 AM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: SmartInsight
If healthcare costs need to be reduced, then why not give the consumer more chose in choosing his healthcare plan?

Not everyone needs everything in their plan e.g prenatal care, acupuncturists, psychiatrist, etc. Let people chose plans on a pyramid like scale of desires and cost. Give them clarity and leeway.

Allow them to control the tax-free funds for their healthcare. Let them accumulate any unused funds for their future/growing needs.

Now that's a discussion that ought to be around.

6 posted on 08/17/2009 12:24:24 AM PDT by Rick_Michael (Have no fear "President Government" is here)
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To: USNBandit
The whopper of the show was when Maddow said that the public option would be cheaper since the government would be more efficient than an insurance company.

LOL! Glad Dr Coburn was on to provide a voice of sanity.

But seriously, Rachel Maddow on MTP? Are they trying to drive ratings down?

7 posted on 08/17/2009 12:42:58 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: Rick_Michael
Those would be good reforms, but the reform Obama is desirous of is indeed no reform at all, just a huge power grab by the Feds.
8 posted on 08/17/2009 12:44:13 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: SmartInsight

A particular song from Les Miserables (the Broadway version) keeps replaying in my head every time I watch a video of a townhall meeting:

Do you hear the people sing,
Singing the song of angry men.
It is the music of a people,
Who will not be slaves again.


9 posted on 08/17/2009 2:43:30 AM PDT by dawn53
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