The next time our employees(Congress) vote on a bill on a Saturday night without having read it , shared it with us or publicly debated it, Remember this:
"It is the individual citizen's understanding of facts that counts in a DEMOCRACY. In Totalitarian states, only a few people have to know the significance of facts. Here in America everyone has to know what the facts mean." - Paul A. Wagner
Now, that said, What is the media doing to help with this process of understanding ?
5 comments:
Ken, C-Span had hundreds and hundreds of hours LIVE & repeat broadcast of both the Senate & House.
C-Span also has 1284 videos on YouTube. Many of which focus on the Healthcare bill.
The ever evolving bill itself could be found on The Library Of Congress site for anyone to read.
So Ken when you say, "vote on a bill on a Saturday night without having read it , shared it with us or publicly debated it" speak for yourself.
I've watched it unfold LIVE on C-Span. I've read portions that I was concerned with online. And I seen the congress people debate on the floors of congress. All on TV!
These debates could be no more heated nor public then to broadcast both the "committee and the floor debates in both the House and Senate hours unceasingly.
The entire bill posted and reposted constantly with amended updates the entire time by the Library of Congress.
What the hell could be more transparent and open then short of sticking a funnel in your ear and pouring it inside.. I mean come on!
Since you seem to lack this information here I'll hand it to you (I don't have a funnel)..
C-Span
C-Span On YouTube
The Library Of Congress
LVCI- 1248 videos on youtube "many of which that focus on youtube ?"
is that your definition of transparancy ?
What is in the Current Bill ?
Of the people that voted on that bill who has read it and who can explain it..clearly. accurately ?
It's almost 2000 pages. It was changed and spun so many times the Congress couldn't keep up with it.
No way can I go into The entire 1,990 page Bill in a commented reply. The fact is each congress person has a staff of 20+ combing through these for them. Hey I'm only one guy but hey if a HS graduate like myself can do it..
Depends on what you wish to delve into. For example:
Medicare. A $500 so-called cut represents only 3% of the entire Medicare budget which will run out of money by 2017! Doctors starting next year would receive 21% less and another 21% reduction in 2011 if no reform is done. How's that going to work w/o reform?
Very, very briefly..
COST SAVINGS/REVENUE GENERATORS (page 7 forward)
Sec. 413. Employer contributions in lieu of coverage. (don't worry small business will not get screwed. Under Sec. 521. Credit for small business employee health coverage expenses.)
Sec. 501. Tax on individuals without acceptable health care coverage. (Those who refuse coverage- These are ones we already have to pay for in our medical insurance & hospital bills when they don't)
Sec. 551. Surcharge on high income individuals. (What's a "high Income Individual? See page 337- a tax equal 5 to 5.4 percent of so much of the modified adjusted gross income of the taxpayer as exceeds $1,000,000.
Lots more on pages 374 & 1158- TITLE VIII—REVENUE-RELATED PROVISIONS
Page 1168 We've all heard they want to impose fees on portions of health insurance company's policies. However it also states, under IRS section Sec. 9832 rules coverage only for accident, or disability income insurance, liability insurance, Workers' compensation, Automobile medical payment insurance, Other similar insurance coverage, specified in regulations,under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental to other insurance benefits, COBRA and lots more WILL NOT HAVE A FEE imposed.
(page #366 forward)
Sec.1114. Permitting physician assistants to order post-hospital extended care services and to provide for recognition of attending physician assistants as attending physicians to serve hospice patients.
Sec. 1144 - Require ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) to submit cost data and other data (they never had to before)
Sec. 1168. Study regarding the effects of calculating Medicare Advantage payment rates on a regional average of Medicare fee for service rates (something new)
Here's a few NEW EXPENDITURES that will increase coverage
Subtitle E—Improvements to Medicare Part D (page #368)
Sec. 1181. Elimination of coverage gap.
Sec. 1188. Free generic fill.
TITLE II—MEDICARE BENEFICIARY IMPROVEMENTS (page #369)
Sec. 1304. Increased reimbursement rate for certified nurse-midwives.
Sec. 1306. Waiver of deductible for colorectal cancer screening tests
Sec. 1310. Expanding access to vaccines.
Sec. 1311. Expansion of Medicare-Covered Preventive Services at Federally Qualified Health Centers. (LVH has them)
My point is, if you really want to know...
what version of the bill are you looking at ?
The link I provided was at the very top of the last comment(The entire 1,990 page Bill).
It is latest full healthcare reform bill (dated Oct 29th) that the House approved.
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