Monday, April 5, 2010

Maxine on Senior Obamacare

No time for writing lately, so let's have a little more fun ---

according to Maxine...




Senior Health Care Solution:

So you're a senior citizen, & the government says no Obamacare for you. (Because MD's will no longer take Medicare patients, due to the Fed. Gov't won't pay jack for Medicare expenses.)

What do you do?

Our plan gives anyone 65 years or older a gun and 4 bullets. You are allowed to shoot 2 senators and 2 representatives.

Of Course, this means you will be sent to prison where you will get 3 meals a day, a roof over your head, and all the health care you need!

New teeth? No problem.
Need glasses? Great!
New hip, knees, kidney, lungs, heart? All covered.

And who will be paying for all of this? The same government that just told you that you are too old for health care.

Plus, because you are a prisoner, you don't have to pay any income taxes anymore!

IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?!

~~~

24 comments:

Dan Trabue said...

I'm sorry, Susannah, but I don't find calls for assassinations to be humorous, not when there appear to be so many on the Right who are already talking about armed rebellion and "a time to put an end to this..."

It's "humor" like this that is raising concern about some on the Right. Again, I fear you'll be pushing people away from your side, rather than winning anyone over with this sort of joking.

One man's opinion.

ExPatMatt said...

I don't know, I find the thought of roving gangs of pensioners, hunting down congressmen and senators through the streets of Washington somewhat...amusing.

Guess I'm just into dark humour.

Cheers,

Susannah said...

Dan~ It's - a - joke. It's not a 'call for assassination. It's a lampoon on the ridiculousness of Obamacare re: Seniors. (You might wanna lighten up a bit.)

More seriously: convicts, rapists, murderers - even death row inmates (but you're probably anti-capital punishement, so bad example...) will get everything they need c/o the Fed. gov't. But law-abiding citizens, who've paid their social sec. taxes their entire adult lives, have contributed to society to the best of their ability will NOT. Their care - my parents' care - will be rationed -- if there are even MD's who accept Medicare anymore. And some will die waiting in line. It's just a fact, Dan. An undeniable fact, if this ingenious plan follows the course of its predecessors elsewhere.

Tell me, what about THAT is socially just??

Matt~ Dark humor, right? Funny, right? Yes. And all humor has some air of truth -- it's what allows us to laugh @ our own absurdity. You have to be light enough to appreciate that. Thanks.

Shaw Kenawe said...

I was curious about what you said about rationing health care for seniors, so I Googled it and got this answer:

"I have heard many people worry that health care will be "rationed" under health reform. I won’t be able to get certain tests or procedures. What if I want those tests and what if they detect something that could save my life?
Health Insurance Reform will end current forms of rationing, not expand it."


"First, there is widespread rationing in today’s system. Right now, decisions about what doctor you can see and what treatment you can receive are made by insurance companies, which routinely deny coverage because of cost or the insurance company rules. Health reform will do away with many of those rules that result in rationing today.

Health Insurance Reform will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage because you have a pre-existing condition; prevent them for canceling coverage because you get sick; ban annual and lifetime limits on coverage, which often force people to pay huge sums out of pocket if they develop a serious illness; and prevent discrimination based on gender.

With health insurance reform, we will also put treatment decisions back into the hands of doctors in consultation with their patients.

One of the reasons we spend too much on health care today is that our incentives are perverse: Doctors are paid by the procedure, rather than for quality. We want reform that rewards quality of care not quantity of procedures. Having dozens of procedures doesn’t necessarily make you better. In fact they can make you worse. Right now roughly 100,000 Americans die every year from medical errors, which, in many cases, were the result of treatments that were wrong for them. We want to reduce preventable hospital re-admissions that are frequently caused because patients are not getting the right care in the first place. We want to give doctors the ability to make the best treatment decisions for you and your family."


Source

Could you refer us to the link where in the Health Care law it states that seniors would have their health care rationed?

Thanks.

Susannah said...

Shaw~ You changed your picture! Welcome back.

There's no question that changes need to be made in the current 'system.' My sweetheart used to work in health insurance & couldn't stomach it, so he got out. There are certainly big problems with it. We've had our share, as I've intimated before.

It would be terrific to "put treatment decisions back into the hands of doctors in consultation with their patients." I'm all for it. Obamacare - regardless what the White House FAQ site says - will NOT do that. (Like, the WH is really going to admit that Obamacare rations...sure.)

As one of my sources says, "The core problem with government-run health care is that it doesn't make decisions in the best interests of patients, but in the best interests of government."

Additional sources:
a solid article .

and

One with lots of dandy videos.

Enjoy!
Thanks for coming by.

Dan Trabue said...

I repeat...

Again, I fear you'll be pushing people away from your side, rather than winning anyone over with this sort of joking.

IF you think that, in today's environment, with militia members being arrested for planning deadly violence, with abortion opponents entering the churches to kill doctors, with right wingers killing security guards at the holocaust museum, with the Oklahoma bombings still in our recent memory, etc, etc, with this current hostile feeling amongst some on the more extreme right, if you think that such joking is appropriate in that context, then all I'm saying is that I think you misunderstand the context and underestimate how such comments come across and how they undermine your cause.

I think such "jokes" will push people away from your side of things. I could be wrong, just one man's opinion. Words for those who have ears to hear.

Susannah said...

Dan, I've said nothing to indicate that I condone ANY of the activities you mentioned. I even condemned it at your blog, using your own strong verbage, as to satisfy you.

You however, have yet to denounce (or even address) the systemic soft violence so pervasive in the Left-controlled media that I mentioned @ your "Lord Have Mercy" piece.

Such dismissive attitudes "push people away from your side of things. I could be wrong, just one [woman's] opinion. [My comments @ your blog are simply] words for those who have ears to hear."

I'm still waiting...

tha malcontent said...

The Left’s next step after Obamacare will be to legalize all the illegals. That's a given.

They will have to kill seniors to save enough money to take care of illegals.

This shouldn't keep you up much at night... And if I'm responsible for it, I apologize in advance.

Annie Fentz - Smith said...

Thanks, Susannah for the chuckle! Things are getting so serious these days, it feels good to chuckle a little. Humor is the best medicine!

Blessings!
Annie ~*

Jim said...

The core problem with government-run health care is that it doesn't make decisions in the best interests of patients, but in the best interests of government.

Let me rephrase that for you:

The core problem with today's health care system is that it doesn't make decisions in the best interests of patients, but in the best interests of the insurance companies' stockholders and executives.

This is what is so ironic about your argument. You somehow think that health care payers motivated by PROFIT will make better health care decisions for patients than a payer that is non-profit. Really?

Did you know that almost all health care insurance was provided by non-profit companies until around the 1980s when huge corporations like Wellpoint started buying them up and turning them into huge profit-generating machines? How do you think they make the huge executive salaries and dividends? You don't think they ration care?

Really?

I saw this video on public television by journalist T.R. Reid who has done extensive research on health care all over the world. It's long, but he's a good speaker and you will be entertained and informed. And it does not promote "Obamacare". One of the interesting things he says is that there are 4 basic health care "systems" throughout the world and you can find an example of every one of them in the US. I urge to you watch this.

Dan Trabue said...

Susannah said...

You however, have yet to denounce (or even address) the systemic soft violence so pervasive in the Left-controlled media that I mentioned @ your "Lord Have Mercy" piece.

Let me be clear:

1. There IS inappropriate violent talk that comes from BOTH/ALL sides. And when the Left, Right or Other advocates violence against those who disagree with them, they are WRONG. Left, Right or otherwise.

2. There are violent acts that happen from all sides and when that happens, all sides that engage in it are WRONG. It is WRONG for the environmental terrorists to burn cars or for others to vandalize buildings or throw bricks through windows. ALL of this is wrong, whether it's happening from the Left, Right or otherwise. And these non-deadly acts of violence occur all around on the spectrum of American politics.

3. What I HAVE said is that we have had, in the real world, an on-going problem with those on the American Right engaging in acts of deadly violence in these past few years. We have not had a corresponding problem with deadly acts from the American Left.

Need I remind you of the List?

* The von Brunn attack at the Holocaust Museum

* The Roeder attack at a church, killing Dr Tiller

* The Adkisson attack at a liberal church in Tennessee

* Richard Poplawski who attacked several police officers in Pennsylvania

* The Rudolph abortion bombings

* The McVeigh bombing in Oklahoma

For starters and off the top of my head.

In the last 15 years or so, we seem to have developed a breed of angry young white conservatives who think it is okay to kill to defend their cause. I can't think of a corresponding list of American Liberals. If so, by all means, provide it.

The closest I can come is the Unabomber, but he was critical of the Left and did not self-identify as such. Beyond that, he is a bit further back than the recent spate of killings and grumblings, the ones that are giving rise to concern about possible violence coming from the Right.

Who else is there on the Left? Anyone?

If not, then it appears that you and I agree that all talk of violence coming from the Left or Right against those with whom they have political disagreements is WRONG. I certainly think so and don't know how much more clearly I can make the point.

What I am saying is that you on the Right SEEM to have a problem that does not exist on the Left and, for your own sake, you'd do well to stand up strongly and clearly against the Roeders, Adkissons, etc, as well as the militia types and others calling for "revolution," to be clear that violence is NOT part of the political solution in our nation.

Dan Trabue said...

On the topic of right wing folk sounding a bit scary...

"Here's what I think:

Obama is attempting to organize his own SS unit, designed to put the rebellion down before it starts.

And, as in Boston, if his soldiers fire on tea partiers, America may easily be plunged into the 2nd American revolution...


source

And...

"In the heart of each tea party activist is the seminal question of whether or not our current government is a legitimately constituted authority or if it has gone so far astray that armed rebellion would be warranted. "

source

Worst case scenario: Obama and the Dems in office are making bad decisions. Not unlike Bush and the GOP in office or, in fact, any one of us who regularly make bad decisions.

They are not striving to undo the US. They are not implementing socialism nor are they building their own army in order to kill their political opponents.

Such shrill-ness comes across as not a bit unstable. Seems to me.

Susannah said...

Dan~ Oh, this is getting ever-so-tedious...(haven't I said that to you before?)

"ALL of this is wrong, whether it's happening from the Left, Right or otherwise"
I guess that's the best I'm gonna get from you, huh?

"for your own sake, you'd do well to stand up strongly and clearly against..."
Do you not read the comments @ your own blog, man? I've already 'denounced' this (even though I don't have a clue who these people are...) - like 2 days ago! You really aren't very graceful toward someone who approaches you with humility, Dan.

Susannah said...

"Obama is attempting to organize his own SS unit..."
Seems like 'civilian defense force' rings a bell. THAT is what is scary. I agree w/ at least the part I copied.

"America may easily be plunged into the 2nd American revolution..."
You bet your sweet patutie! Coming to your local board of elections in Nov. 2010, Nov. 2012.

Armed Rebellion? Not even close!

"They are not striving to undo the US."
Yes, they are. He said it himself, "rebuild this country, brick by brick..."

"They are not implementing socialism"
Now, that's a laugh, Dan! You're too smart to be saying things like this.

You wanna hear 'shrill' & unstable? Check out ANY female Leftist re: Sarah Palin. Calls for gang-rape, etc., etc.

Oh, don't even get me started; we'll be back to my silly little theory about systemic violence among the media. You know, the issue you don't want to talk about!

And so the circle goes. Like I said Dan, this is too tedious with you. Until you're willing to acquiesce 'something', as I have, we're going nowhere.

Susannah said...

Mal~ Of course you're right about the illegals issue. Hussein must shore-up his voting base for 2012, you know.

Annie! Great to see you! Glad to give you a chuckle this week. We all need it, huh? ;)

Jim, Jim, Jim~ You're putting words in my mouth & then rephrasing them for me?? Excuse me. I have never even hinted that the way insur. co.'s are currently run is the best way. I even revealed to Shaw that my husband used to work in Health Insur. & couldn't stomach it.

However, this GHASTLY government seizure of the industry surely is NOT the way to go.

Dan Trabue said...

Susannah...

we'll be back to my silly little theory about systemic violence among the media. You know, the issue you don't want to talk about!

I'm still waiting for you to provide even ONE instance of systemic violence by the media. Or perhaps a definition of what you mean by violence?

The media has not, to my knowledge, engaged in ANY acts of violence. The media (left, right, mainstream and otherwise) has told stories, some good, some bad, some fairly factual, some less so. I'm wholly unaware of any "systemic violence" done by the media. Your only examples thus far have been examples of them reporting stories, which is not the same as engaging in violence.

Right?

Jim said...

this GHASTLY government seizure of the industry

Excuse me: WHAT SEIZURE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

Susannah said...

Dan~ You obviously didn't read the piece I referred you to (in the first comment @ my blog), though I repeatedly referred you to it. And you've used your neglect of my very clearly articulated point as a reason to dismiss & belittle my opinion (& allowed your friend Alan to chime in).

Since you've repeatedly dismissed my point about the MSM perpetuating 'soft' violence against women, I'll use MY BLOG SPACE to spell it out for you : RE- the Halloween effigy of Sarah Palin that the MSM didn't seem to find offensive, even joked about...
"The perpetrator gets interviews & his voice echoes through our living rooms. His freedom crows in the face of human decency, & remains unchecked by legal authority.

Have you ever wondered what a perpetrator of violence against women does, psychologically, in order to carry out an assault? It’s a mental trick called objectification. It allows the mind to dehumanize the victim in order to shed inhibitions, short-circuit normal human empathy & compassion, so that a violent act can be perpetrated. (Ever see Silence of the Lambs? The weirdo with the girl in his basement? That’s objectification.)

I suggest that Mr. Morrisette’s display, whether he intends it or not, plays the same psychological trick with our collective minds. It objectifies Governor Palin so that psychological violence can be perpetrated against her. As the nation looks on, she is an object, & can be psychologically shredded, strangled, & left twisting in the wind. And the worst of it, friends? The very worst is what it does to our culture’s view of the humanity of women. It's suggesting that we as women can be objectified, made public targets for ridicule & humiliation, & that there is no recourse. Not one ounce of legal or criminal remedy is available for this viperous display. So, down it sinks, into our new understanding of how we view women in our culture."


That, sir, is what I'm talking about. THAT, dear pacifist sir, is the problem with psychological violence: it is KILLING THE SOUL of our culture, and pacifists such as you are so concrete (dare I say un-nuanced) in your thinking that you refuse to acknowlege it. THAT, sir, is a sad reflection on our society.

Having banged my head against a wall all week now, I will not be returning to your blog to repeat what I've said here. You may, if you wish, copy/paste it to address you own & Al's questions, if you care.

Jim~ Please see the most recent post: "No pubic option, no problem."

Susannah said...

"Dan~ didn't read the piece I referred you to (in the first comment @ my blog)"

Should read: "(in the first comment @ YOUR blog)"

Dan Trabue said...

I STILL don't have ANY idea what you're speaking about.

1. I DID read the piece.

2. I DID affirm that bad behavior like hanging someone in effigy is WRONG.

3. I DID ask WHAT ACTS OF VIOLENCE are you accusing the media of?

4. You DID NOT answer.

Did the media report on the effigy? Yes. IS that violence? No.

I DO get that bad behavior is bad. Using abusive/violent language IS a wrong.

But is it as wrong as actually committing rape or murder? No.

I DO get that vandalism is wrong. But is it as wrong as actually committing rape or murder? No.

I'm not denying that bad behavior is wrong, I'm just attempting to clarify that the media has NOT, in fact, in the real world, engaged in deadly, physical violence. Has the media misbehaved? Sure, on the Left and ESPECIALLY on the Right (Mike Savage, anyone? Limbaugh, Levin?), media types HAVE misbehaved. But not even the worst of them - Savage or some other nut - have engaged in ACTUAL deadly physical violence.

I'm not defending bad behavior. I'm just clarifying the difference between bad behavior and DEADLY behavior.

Susannah said...

"I DID ask WHAT ACTS OF VIOLENCE are you accusing the media of?"
Yes you did. And I reiterated my original point about 'soft violence;' a system of media that repeatedly gives a pass to acts such as the example I gave you. They may 'report' it, but they do NOT comdemn, ridicule & castigate it - IF it's perpetuated by those seeming to be on the Left.

Therefore, the Left-sympathetic MSM perpetuates soft violence, which influences our culture - to the detriment of humanity. It's ever-so-much-more than simply "bad behavior," Dan. If you'd stop arguing semantics, you'd "get" that.

Dan Trabue said...

Susannah...

the Left-sympathetic MSM perpetuates soft violence, which influences our culture - to the detriment of humanity.

Just checking for consistency here, Susannah. Are you ALSO condemning "the media" when it's the Limbaughs and Savages who perpetuate systems of violence? Is Limbaugh JUST AS WRONG of perpetrating violence by using incendiary terms like "feminazi" as this one guy is for hanging Palin in effigy?

Dan Trabue said...

Sorry, that should have been "perpetuating" violence...

Susannah said...

Oh Danny Boy...

Please see my most recent comment to you on the 'Prim. Perspectives: do-over' piece.

...the pipes, the pipes are calling. From glen to glen, & down the mountainside...

LOVE that song!