Goddamn it.

[apocalypsos]

Ted Kennedy finally passed away.

I'm of three minds about this:

1.) I'm depressed, because he's done some great things in his time. (Some bad things, too, but still.)
2.) I'm happy that at least he's not suffering anymore.
3.) I'm PISSED OFF, because they better change the name of the health care reform bill to the Edward Kennedy Comprehensive Health Care Reform Bill, slam single-payer or the public option into it, and shove that fucking thing so far up Congress's collective ass it makes it that much harder for them to spout bullshit lies out of their singular asses. And if any of those motherfuckers says, "This is a sign from God that he doesn't think we should have health care reform!" -- and my God, how appalling is it that that's a genuine concern in this country? -- I'm going to go to their congressional offices in DC and piss on their desk.

EDIT: You know what I can't stop thinking of right now? Ted Kennedy passed away from brain cancer. The mother of my best friend from high school is on her third recurrence of brain cancer. And she doesn't have the bank account or government-provided health care that Ted Kennedy did. God, I can't even imagine what their hospital bills look like.

Comments

[marag.livejournal.com]

Yes. That. ::points::

[laughingrat.livejournal.com]

Shit, that's awful.

[heather.livejournal.com]

I'm PISSED OFF, because they better change the name of the health care reform bill to the Edward Kennedy Comprehensive Health Care Reform Bill, slam single-payer or the public option into it, and shove that fucking thing so far up Congress's collective ass it makes it that much harder for them to spout bullshit lies out of their singular asses. And if any of those motherfuckers says, "This is a sign from God that he doesn't think we should have health care reform!" -- and my God, how appalling is it that that's a genuine concern in this country? -- I'm going to go to their congressional offices in DC and piss on their desk.

SO MUCH WORD.

[norabombay.livejournal.com]

My only hope is that Massachusetts gets a temporary senator.

And that this is the push everyone needs to actually go ballistic upon the asses of the Republicans, and push this through.

[scary-being-me.livejournal.com]

We don't have temporary appointments like some states.

They'll hold an emergency election within 5 months.

I hope it's a lot sooner than that.

[tviokh.livejournal.com]

The death of a politician should have absolutely no bearing on any form of massive, sweeping change legislation that will massively expand the federal government (does anyone even REMEMBER the 10th amendment?), will end up, in the end, likely being about as efficient as the DMV, come in at a price that we really can't run in the black even with tax increases, and that most in Congress as a whole haven't even fully read and likely won't.

TBH, #3 in your list is the most asinine, knee-jerk thing I've read in awhile.

Yes, it's a pity that a 70 something long term senator died, but it's not an excuse to force major legislation through no matter who it is that died.

Also, Congress doesn't have "government provided" health care; government employees get their coverage through their employer (which IS the government), but the insurance actually comes from private companies.

My husband works for the state and has his health insurance via the state: It's Security Health Plan, which is a private company who happens to have a contract with the state government.

Government funded health care, either state (Badger Care here) or federal (Medicaid/Medicare) is currently something provided to the poor (in fact, Badger Care paid for the birth of both of his daughter's kids), elderly and/or disabled.

People who actually WORK for the government get what is, more or less, evil, wicked, horrible, private health insurance; they just pay for it via paycheck deductions in most cases.

[bookchan.livejournal.com]

The DMV works so I don't know why I keep seeing people complaining about it and its efficiency. I would rather have health care that works and isn't the most efficient than our current system which is horribly broken, horribly inefficient and really doesn't work.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

The DMV works so I don't know why I keep seeing people complaining about it and its efficiency.

Seriously. I get my paperwork on time and even though they're only open half the week, I get in and out in fifteen minutes no matter how crowded it is.

[ficangel.livejournal.com]

I've had a wait of more than an hour both times I've actually to go to the DMV proper rather than a tag agency, but the employees were pleasant and on the ball both times, there were just a hell of a lot of people in there. If anything, that's an argument for expanding the DMV.

And, honestly, the private-company-on-contract option would probably cease to exist once a single-payer option existed. Right now there just aren't enough people on government payroll to justify building the infrastructure instead of contracting out.

[scary-being-me.livejournal.com]

Congress has some of the best health insurance in the country. I'd wager it's twice as good as whatever your husband has. It's better than the insurance normal federal employees get.

I have never had a bad experience with the DMV. I've always had helpful people assist me there. They've automated so much that I can do most things from the comfort of my own home now. The last time I actually had to go there; I was in and out in 10 minutes. Maybe it's different in some states; but here in Mass, it's modern and works just fine.

[amaresu]

The death of a politician should have absolutely no bearing on any form of massive, sweeping change legislation that will massively expand the federal government

Cause that's never happened before. Oh, wait, there's a reason I freaking love Lyndon B. Johnson. It's practically tradition for people to use death or a great tragedy to their own political advantage. If you don't think the Senators aren't going to realize that's what's happening, well, let's just say they will.

I'd rather have crappy insurance than no insurance. Because right now? I can't afford to go to the doctor let alone fill any prescriptions I might have to get filled. Instead I will hope that this chest thing doesn't turn into bronchitis.

And what is your issue with the DMV? I've never had any problems with it and the people are always really nice.

[ficangel.livejournal.com]

The DMV still works well enough to justify its existence and better than nothing at all. Countries with public healthcare run themselves just fine. Point fail.

[ficangel.livejournal.com]

I went without pap smears and without the HPV vaccine for two years before landing my current job--even though a particularly aggressive form of cervical cancer runs in my family--because I was either underinsured through the expensive and basically only good for catastrophic occurrence (and I had to fucking do battle with them to even get that) that Retail Hell offered or had nothing at all. Since I couldn't have paid for treatment, I preferred to just not know. I swear, it was the stress of wondering that made me sicker than anything else.

As to the points made by the above poster with a hate-on by the DMV, 1) yes, I work for the state, and, yes, my health insurance comes from a private company on contract. I still get it for free. I don't fucking care where it comes from, so long as I have it. But even if the government could never build its own health-insurance infrastructure and had to contract out indefinitely, 2) my job with the state is to loom over private companies and make certain that they are following regulations. Because guess what! They do that when it's the government controlling whether they're paid! And when it's only individuals, they fuck people over!