Rasmussen on Obama: 52% disapprove
posted at 12:55 pm on August 12, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Rasmussen actually gives Barack Obama some mixed news today in its presidential tracking poll. Among likely voters, Obama has wiped out the “unsures”; he now has a 48% job approval rating, with 52% disapproving of his performance. On the other hand, the gap between strong approval and strong disapproval has narrowed since July:
Overall, 48% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. That matches the lowest level of total approval yet recorded. Fifty-two percent (52%) now disapprove. …
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 31% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-six percent (36%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -5 …
So far in August, the President’s Approval Index rating has ranged from -4 to -9. That’s an improvement from the last week in July when his ratings ranged from -8 to -12.
The gap appears to have closed in both directions. In July, 39% strongly disapproved of Obama’s performance, and as few as 26% strongly approved. The narrowing of that gap represents a bit of a comeback among Obama supporters, and perhaps slightly less passionate opposition to Obama as the spotlight drifted away from the White House over the last week to ten days of townhall meetings.
However, the needle hasn’t moved much at all in the overall approval ratings for the last month or so, and his internals don’t look good at all. The latest numbers on issues look very poor indeed. Only 29% now trust Obama to handle the economic crisis than their own judgment, a huge drop from just a few months ago, and a critical problem for Democrats who usually own that issue. There isn’t a single income demographic that feels Obama can handle the job better than they can individually, not even the under-$20K group, whose 50%-35% against Obama is the best he does on income demographics. Even government employees, normally a reliably liberal bloc, trust themselves better by more than 2-1, 66%-28%.
That lack of confidence in Obama will have major repercussions in policy debates. It already infects the ObamaCare debate, but it will also be a problem when it comes to cap-and-trade. And as Obama tries to regain the spotlight this week on health-care reform, expect the numbers on the passion index to worsen yet again.









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You’re moving to the UK….oh great, I know of a great ship you can take….you might have heard of it, the TITANIC! I hear it is luxurious and it is unsinkable…just like obama and his agenda. I can get you another ticket if you want to take Terry Silver or maybe, you might like Benny Shakar to accompany you…..
Hey HA, thanks for opening registration….we need fresh meat!
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Ann, can you point to the line in the Constitution where it explicitly states that healthcare is a right afforded to all citizens? For some reason, I’m not able to find it…
barrythrowslikeagirl on August 12, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Do you mean the lenders that would be sued if they didn’t make enough questionable loans.
Slowburn on August 12, 2009 at 1:58 PM
I’m NOT for the public option. Not when there is medicaid and medicare already out there as (failed) socialist programs and the real ‘cure’ to the health care industry does not lie in socialized medicine, rather some fine tuning to the existing system.
Like tort reform for one, separating the love tangle between the FDA and the drug companies, public executions for lobbyist on both sides of the isle, the list does go on, but does not include these back alley attempts to kill the free market, individual freedom, and personal responsibility.
I also oppose giving even more damned freebies to illegal aliens when they are already a major drag on us.
Screw this universal health care and public plan crap. If you really want to live under socialist rule there are literally dozens of nearby countries for you to move to. So just go. Now. Leave. BUH BYE!
And on your way out, take azzhats like garafolo and moore with you as well. They can hate America from the outside for a change.
Spiritk9 on August 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM
Obama’s ratings will never go as low as Bush. Unlike the stubborn conservatives who disapproved of Bush because he wasn’t conservative enough, liberals will never say in a poll that they disapprove of the Obamessiah for not being liberal enough. They stick together unlike our side.
Speedwagon82 on August 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM
No, but neither is Medicare. To me? That argument is irrelevant.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM
I’m new here! Thanks for the invite, Ed! Love this site–not as much as Conservatives 4 Palin–and I’m very happy to finally be able to comment here.
I read some of the comments here, and I love this one:
AWESOME!
KanakaConservative on August 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 1:52 PM
—–
Ann,
Do you have a cite for any major insurance carrier dropping someone mid-treatment for any reason *other than* either failure to pay premiums, or job change (and thus falling out of the “coverage group”) that you’ve mentioned?
If so, I’d like to see them.
If not, then perhaps you need to examine why you believe this is true.
Mew
acat on August 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM
The only real surprise is that this took so long.
AndyG_CT on August 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM
—–
Ah, now we’re getting to the root of the misunderstanding.
I don’t want government to pay for anyone’s care.
If a group of people (yes, Ann, this includes you) want to give away free care, then please form a not-for-profit, buy land, build a hospital or a free clinic, and have at it.
Just stop asking me to pay for your guilt.
Mew
acat on August 12, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Oh, they got some bad PR. Prior to the whiz kids cooking up subprime formulas that managed to make bad loand look like gold, the Banks were all handling the bad PR just fine.
That’s not the source of the problem.
I agree with conservatives on this issue and, oddly, with Bill C., too.
The problem was we had money in the system and nowhere to invest. Subprime came up. The financial gurus, who are clearly nitwits who didn’t even understand the math behind the products they offered, said it was good.
It was a roaring 20′s deal. Rush to invest! Including Freddie and Fannie.
It turned out to be obvious and bogus. Bad loans are just that….bad loans.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Not just sued. The Clinton admin was going to sic the bank regulators on them, essentially step in and manage their businesses – and refuse to approve any new branch offices.
I used to be somewhat tolerant of Ann. But her constant whining about big business and her sense of entitlement just ticks me off.
I was in the mortgage industry during the subprime years. We made loans based upon Fannie and Freddie’s guidelines, which were insane. But why wouldn’t we? We simply bundled them up and sold them to Fannie and Freddie every Friday.
Those borrowers knew what they were signing. They just thought the price-appreciation party would never end.
Now they whine that they didn’t understand.
Liars.
Screw ‘em.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Speedwagon82 on August 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM
—–
Nail, meet hammer.
The Republican party is a fusion of libertarians and fiscally reasonable statists. Thus, the (smaller) Dem party keeps driving the agenda while the (larger) Repubs fight internally.
Mew
acat on August 12, 2009 at 2:04 PM
48% still stupid?
david kumbera on August 12, 2009 at 2:04 PM
There you have Ann, in a nutshell. The Constitution is irrelevant.
The only relevant thing is free stuff for Ann, paid for by everyone else.
What a despicable, typical Liberal moron.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:06 PM
Hey Barry, let me be clear: maybe they just aren’t all that in to you.
wildcat84 on August 12, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Context is your friend.
Dark-Star on August 12, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Check out the Bill Moyers segment on Wendell Potter, former executive of CIGNA.
Potter details how the purging works.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Unfortunately, stupid is forever.
With an electorate now composed of a near-majority of useless parasites, I fear there is no hope, short of secession.
Fortunately, the majority of our military enlistees come from red states.
And liberals are so frightened of guns that they wet their little panties, while real patriots clean, oil and stock up on ammo.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Bad loans are just that….bad loans, and idiots are just that…idiots.
Follow the money back to the REASON for those bad loans. I’ll give you a hint, you cannot blame BUSH.
Now, about your cruise on the RMS Titanic…if you see water, fight the urge to jump….that water is cold and it will wrinkle your rat fur and ruin your tinfoil hat, ann.
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Bill freaking Moyers???
You really are an idiot.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I simply don’t play the media source game, whether with liberals or conservatives.
An interview that provides information is an interview.
Both sides nail it from time to time.
It doesn’t matter who the interviewer is. If they get the information out to the public, and the questions are reasonable, then it’s a good interview.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Asking a former executive is idiotic…now there’s a new one. I thought we all were supposed to worship them as titans of capitalism.
Dark-Star on August 12, 2009 at 2:14 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Wendell Potter is a disgruntled former employee who was forced out of his job for failure to perform. And as soon as he was forced out, he joined a left-wing think tank in order to badmouth his former employer.
You’re an ignorant tool.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:15 PM
You’re right, Bahgdad Bob!
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Do you think Allah let Meghan McCain slip in as anninca?
Hey ann, how many twinkies can you consume in five seconds?
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 2:17 PM
By the way, Ann, I just watched the Moyers/Potter interview and the only mention of “purging” was an insinuation by Moyers. Potter didn’t say one single word about “purging”.
Your typical lazy homework.
There is no such thing as “purging”.
You’re just pissed off because you’re a failure and now you want everyone else to pay your way.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Whistleblowers often tell the truth.
I know there are 3 major class-action lawsuits, and the facts of the case back his description of practices with the company.
I’m pretty sure the companies are going to lose big-time.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Yeah, those of us who weren’t educated in inner-city schools missed the part about evil capitalists being the equivalent of slave-owners.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Yeah, you need to clean house in Ca, I’ll agree. When your tax payer dollars pay for three liver transplants for an illegal alien and it has also failed, you need a lawsuit or maybe another riot…
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Oh, wow. As we all know, class-action lawsuits are proof-positive of evildoing.
And they have nothing to do with lining the pockets of tort lawyers.
I wish we could sue for stupid. But then, you probably don’t have a pot to P**s in.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Hey, Hornet, Terry might be MIA, but it looks like DarkStar is stepping up to the plate. I think they went to the same school.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:26 PM
There is no substitute for that little racist….
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Here you go folks.
This is how it’s working.
WENDELL POTTER: Two different ways that they do this. In the individual insurance market, we’ve seen quite a bit of news coverage, especially in California. When insurance companies who are active in the individual market—and this means when you don’t get your insurance coverage through your workplace, about the only option you have is to buy it directly from an insurance company, and usually it’s much more costly than it is through—if you buy it or get it through your employer. Once you file a claim, if you are unfortunate enough to get very sick or have an accident and file a claim, you very often will find that your insurance company will go back and look at your application to see if there might be a chance that you either didn’t disclose something that you knew about in the past or inadvertently didn’t disclose something or might not have known about a pre-existing condition. They’ll use that as evidence that you were committing fraud, and they’ll revoke your policy, or they call it “rescinding” your policy, leaving you holding the bag, making you completely responsible for all the medical bills. That’s one way that they dump people who need insurance the most.
Another is, if you are employed, particularly with a small business, and your insurance—your employer gets his or her insurance through one of the large insurers, and if just one person in your company files a claim that the underwriters think is too high, if it skews what they think is the appropriate medical experience or claim experience, when that business comes up for renewal, they very likely will jack up the rates so much that your employer has no alternative but to leave and leave you and all of your coworkers without insurance. Either that or they may cut benefits or try to shop for coverage somewhere else. But the end result is, you may find yourself dumped into the rolls and the ranks of the uninsured.
AMY GOODMAN: Was there a seminal moment when you were head of communications at CIGNA that really made you start to look? And how were you isolated there from, well, most people in the country, you know, who were increasingly talking about the massive problems of healthcare and access to it and being cutting off, the dumping of the sick, as you put it?
WENDELL POTTER: I was very isolated, along with most insurance company executives who deal with numbers all the time—profit margins and medical loss ratios and earnings per share and how many millions of members you have, or things like that. It’s just—they’re just numbers. And I didn’t really associate that with real people as much as I should and as much as most insurance company executives should, until I went to visit my relatives in Tennessee.
And while I was there, I happened to learn about a healthcare expedition that was being held at a nearby town across the state line in Virginia. And I was intrigued, borrowed my dad’s car and drove up to Wise County to see what was going on there. And this expedition was being held at the Wise County fairgrounds, and it was being put on by this group called Remote Area Medical that got its start several years ago taking volunteer doctors from this country to remote villages in South America, where people really don’t have any access to medical care. The founder realized pretty soon, though, that the need in this country is very, very great, and he started holding similar expeditions in rural communities throughout the country. And this one was nearby. I decided to check it out.
I didn’t have any idea what to expect, but when I walked through the fairground gates, it was just absolutely overwhelming. What I saw were people who were lined up. It was raining that day. They were lined up in the rain by the hundreds, waiting to get care that was being donated by doctors and nurses and dentists and other caregivers, and they were being treated in animal stalls. Volunteers had come to disinfect the animal stalls. They also had set up tents. It looked like a MASH unit. It looked like this could have been something that was happening in a war-torn country, and war refugees were there to get their care. It was just unbelievable, and it just drove it home to me, maybe for the first time, that we were talking about real human beings and not just numbers.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, what did you do with that?
WENDELL POTTER: Well, it took me a while to just really process it. I came back to work. I knew at that time that I couldn’t continue doing what I was doing. It just didn’t seem like it was ethically the right thing for me to do. My first career, I was a journalist, and I had been in PR, though, for many years. And I came to realize that much of what I was doing now—or then—in my PR career was just the opposite of what I was trying to do as a journalist. But still, you know, I had mortgage payments. I had other bills to pay. And it was just—it was difficult to work through this and figure out what do I do and how do I—what do I do next?
But then, you know, just two or three weeks later, I was having to fly to a meeting, and I often would fly on one of the corporate jets. And while I was doing that, I was served my lunch on a gold-rimmed plate, was given gold-plated flatware to eat my lunch. I was sitting in a very spacious and luxurious leather chair. And it just dawned on me for the first time. I had done this many times. But because of the Wise County experience, I just realized for the first time that someone’s premiums were helping me to travel that way and were paying for my lunch on gold-trimmed china. And then I thought about those men and women that I had seen in Wise County, undoubtedly not having any idea that this is the way that insurance executives lived and how premium dollars were being spent. And that got me closer to making an ultimate decision that I had to leave
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Read above if you wish to understand why I’m for public option.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:28 PM
You just like his death threat rants. I know, I miss him, too, but the idiot chorus line will keep the hits comin’.
True, it’s not often we get to toy with a freaking Ethiopian race-baiter, but life goes on.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:30 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Annisms:
1. Whistleblowers often tell the truth. There is a difference between a whistleblower and a disgruntled employee that tells all after getting fired.
2. There are 3 major class-action lawsuits, and the facts of the case back his description of practices with the company. So why bother with a trial if the facts as presented by one individual are good enough for you?
3. I’m pretty sure the companies are going to lose big-time. You have absolutely no way of knowing this. A jury will tend to make its own interpretation of the facts and not rely on your opinion when making a decision. We can all name cases where the verdict was exactly opposite what we thought it should be.
highhopes on August 12, 2009 at 2:33 PM
So he lies smoothly. So what? So does your heartthrob in the White House.
And by the way, of course insurance companies are going to increase rates on a small employer plan that experiences heavy utilization. It’s called experience rating, you idiot. That’s how insurance works. Same as when you crash your car, your rates go up.
What a moron you are.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Barry’s REAL month will be in September. ;)
Better hope they keep the sharp objects from him when he gets the news.
Democrats come out of recess to address a hugely unpopular bill.
What could go wrong for him!
Teehee!
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Even as this guy talks down to us as if we are simpletons, the arguments he uses are every-changing, transparant and full of empty platitudes.
Thinking adults don’t like being insulted. Obama’s arrogance in thinking that we are just a bunch of fools, is his undoing.
NoDonkey on August 12, 2009 at 2:34 PM
TLDR
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:35 PM
So.F#%king.Insufferable.
daesleeper on August 12, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Ann you are a dunce. What’s the argument? We’re already doing unconstitutional things, so who cares, do more!?!
DarkCurrent on August 12, 2009 at 2:35 PM
According to Quinnipiac there’s at least one demographic that Loves the One. Isn’t unconditional love wonderful?
12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?
————Men—-Wom—-Wht—-Blk
Approve 50%—-61%—-45%—-92%
Disaprv 45%—–33%—-49%—–4%
DK/NA —5%——6%——6%—–4%
azkenreid on August 12, 2009 at 2:36 PM
It would be nice if the guy could just make one accurate speech for a change. He seems to make facts up out of thin air … or well, maybe it’s the TOTUS’ fault!
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:37 PM
He thinks he’s still a community organizer, dealing with credulous parasites in the Chicago ghetto. They thought he was soooo purty and real, real smart.
He was gonna get ‘em all ponies.
Has he put his portrait on food stamps yet?
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:37 PM
TLDR….?
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:37 PM
There is no constitutional basis for the government taking over the insurance industry, but when has the gov’t ever allowed such a silly little document to get in their way of doing what THEY decide we need?
TKSnider on August 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:27 PM
There is no situation, however bad, that the federal government (especially when controlled by Democrats), cannot immediately make worse.
Just because there are flaws in the present system (as there will be in any system), doesn’t mean that the feds will fix them and even if they fix one or two of them, it will probably mean that they’ll screw up ten things for every one they fix.
The federal government has enough on its plate right now, they can’t even handle basic functions and you think they’re going to competently manage 1/6th of the US economy?
Delusional.
NoDonkey on August 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM
I guess, to you, anyway.
I like Medicare. So shoot me! *haha
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM
It’s not really appropriate to paste writing from other blogs without giving a link or proper credit, thereby passing it off as your own thought.
BadgerHawk on August 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM
No freaking way he gets 50% approval from men.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Too Long, Didn’t Read
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Well, unless you think allowing politics in is the death knoll…
But what I think is interesting about this particular period of life?
So is trusting private business. Those nitwits were awful, and we all know it.
But do you think an investor really had any voice?
Come on.
They gave investors cookies, and they kept right on doing what they were doing.
And we all know it.
So seriously, which is worse?
For real people, I mean.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Just a disgruntled, fired ex-employee puking up lies to a famous Lefty journalist.
guntotinglibertarian on August 12, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Medicaid as well, I’m sure.
Get off the government teat.
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Sorry if it wasn’t obvious. It’s an interview with the whistleblower.
He’s explaining why he became a whistleblower.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:42 PM
How about you keep your Medicare and let the rest of us opt out?
That’s the problem with leftism. They can never just do something on their own, they have to force the rest of us to play along, no matter if we want to or not.
And if we don’t like it, they just call us stupid and keep forcing us to pay for their idiotic programs.
Then they wonder why we shout at the corrupt and incompetent politicians they elect.
If your politicians left us out of their harebrained socialist schemes, we wouldn’t be shouting at them.
NoDonkey on August 12, 2009 at 2:42 PM
Thanks.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:43 PM
I’m not on Medicare yet.
And if you want to turn it down, go ahead.
I can’t imagine what your premiums will be.
But I guess that’s your problem.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Rasmussen and racist both start with R. So does Republican.
And Ronald Reagan.
And Roman Catholic
And Randi Rhodes.
I.M. Shatner on August 12, 2009 at 2:47 PM
You ask … “Which is worse? Business? Or Government?”
I Reply:
Why GOVERNMENT is almost certainly worse!
Please let me explain …
You see, when business screws me – I have means of redress …
1. I can sue them. If an Insurance Company says they won’t cover a condition I have – I can sue them if I think they are wrong. And – I CAN WIN! Big Tobacco was one of the biggest businesses around my friend! And they were taken down to the tune of BILLIONS by some redneck lawyers from Mississippi!
2. I can organize boycotts! If I can put enough pressure on their profits – they’ll cave!
3. If necessary – I can have the investigated by the government?
Once “screwed” by the government – who pray tell will make me whole again? Once I’m told that I can’t have a procedure done – what can I do? Sue the government? Nope.
Can I threaten the profits of the government? … aha…ahahahahahaha!
I have NO recourse. Don’t believe me? Look at all the townhall protesters showing red in the face to explain to their Congressman they don’t want this bill.
Do you think the Congressmen are listening?
Government is your worse nightmare my friend.
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:48 PM
If they’d quit taxing me on it, I’d be happy to not take it 30 years from now. Not that I expect it to be there when I retire. But you see, I don’t get a choice in that matter, I don’t get to choose whether I want it or not, I’m told I get it regardless, or rather that I have to pay for it regardless.
Just like social security, I don’t get a choice to not pay for something that is already bankrupt and won’t be available to me in 30 years, yet every two weeks, I get to (regrettably) pump more money into it.
I’ll be bluntly honest, I honestly feel that with this bullcrap system that duh one wants to saddle me with, I wouldn’t have my wife OR two kids around today as I truly believe my wife would of died giving birth to our first child and only didn’t because she had timely AND quality care. Neither of which will exist under this new system.
TKSnider on August 12, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Honda, that’s probably where we part paths, I think you have more control over government than private business.
Seriously. At least we can vote the rascals out.
Try making a difference by voting in private companies. Seriously.
It’s a joke.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:50 PM
You weren’t listening to him. He said – “you keep medicare and the rest of us can opt out”.
If we all opt out – your medicare won’t be much doodyroo!
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:50 PM
I invest in stocks and mutual funds and I have plenty of voice.
If a business or a fund takes a turn I don’t like, I sell.
That’s how the market works.
When the fed’s take over health care and they suck at it, can we sell them?
If we could opt out of Medicare, there would be plenty of options.
And whether there would be or not, it’s not the role or the duty of the federal government to force us to pay for health care.
Health care costs skyrocketed in the years immediately after Medicare was passed.
Medicare has been an utter disaster for this country in every conceivable way and that’s before it becomes unsustainable.
NoDonkey on August 12, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Hey ya’ll, I just registered, look forward to some back & forth!
kitkat-n.c. on August 12, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Gosh, I could share with you about private investment and how that works out.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:51 PM
How so?
:)
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Obama has become weaker without any doubt.
His true believers have dug in 100 percent and will not be shaken unless Obama does something like denounce the black race
Otherwise he has collected a set of negative images which cannot be purged. These will fester which each tiny sucker punch from his minions. His minions can be relied upon to do this periodically.
The type of doubts I hear expressed do not match the normal doubts cast upon politicians. Suspicions Obama dislikes America, and various Americans, suspicions Obama does not want to protect American interests over other interests, suspicions he consistently lies to gain power to use against the wishes of average Americans. These suspicions cannot be erased because they are suspicions based upon a long line of facts.
You can hand out money, create a program folk love, but you cannot erase suspicions firmly implanted that ultimately you do not harbor good will towards a segment of America.
That is the suspicion I hear expressed constantly by so many people I interact with here in liberal SE Michigan.
The Obama lovers worship him. They want oll the goodies he promises.
The others fear his motives towards them. That fear will never be erased because the seeds are irrevocable.
Fear leads to immense dislike. How can you like someone who has such power over you, and whom you fear? I know it is fear because the doubts are expressed in whispers, while eyes scan the area for obama supporters who might beat them up in some back alley. That is the intuition of the fearful and it cannot be erased
entagor on August 12, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Not when you’re dead you can’t.
Single Payer means finality – it means – “Go home and die” when the government decides they will no longer treat you. In the U.K. you can’t even pay to have the procedure done out of your own pocket – you have to come here. They screwed all the time – and they can’t vote these weasels out.
And we won’t fare any better.
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Besides which , HondaV65, the free market always wins, if it is left alone to do it’s thing. Your most potential tool in a free market is your choice – you choose where to spend your dollars. You are not forced to spend them in one certain place. Those companies that are most nimble and cost efficient live, others die. Look at the PC industry. Remember Gateway? Where are they now? Nimble and cost effective means lower consumer costs and better serviced provided. Government intervention means an artificial spike in the system resulting in inefficiencies and inequities.
catlady on August 12, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Not after they took control of the census to redistrict any way they want.
Ozprey on August 12, 2009 at 2:53 PM
I’m curious what issues you are conservative on?
BadgerHawk on August 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM
You are seriously delusional.
If Barack Obama were a CEO of a private company, the stock in his company would have fell through the floor, since January 20th.
He’d already be out on his worthless ass.
We have to wait until 2011 now, to vote him out.
But then, no major company would hire a man with no business or executive experience as CEO. The country hired a lemon.
NoDonkey on August 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Ann never reveals a source…
ladyingray on August 12, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Absolutely right – and in any case – right now the government watches and regulates the insurance companies.
Go to single payer – who will regulate the government? US? I’m laughing! We can’t even get our lawmakers to read bills – there’s no way we’d get them to correct their mistakes in healthcare – or even own up to those mistakes.
Right now we have someone watching the henhouse. Under single payer – we won’t.
That is NOT good.
HondaV65 on August 12, 2009 at 2:56 PM
So your position is: “I like it, so to hell with the Constitution!”
Is that right? I hope you’re just a dunce if you’re going with that.
DarkCurrent on August 12, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Don’t underestimate the power of the metrosexual bloc.
The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men
azkenreid on August 12, 2009 at 2:57 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 2:28 PM
—-
Based on the interview you posted, you’re not for “public”, you’re for “portable”, i.e. insurance purchased by the individual, not the employer.
Think of it like car insurance.
Everyone who drives has to have it, at least in certain states, and there are many different levels available. Even heard of a “migrant special policy” that was pretty cheap but only covered the person when he or she was in the state….
Health insurance was given to employees as a benefit during World War Two, when employers could not legally give raises.
Mew
acat on August 12, 2009 at 2:58 PM
If you’re rude enough, you can be in my club…it’s the Ann-ignores-me-because-she-said-was-rude-to-her club.
ladyingray on August 12, 2009 at 2:58 PM
AnninCA’s non-profit probably will profit immensely from Obama DeathCare. That’s why she’s for it.
darwin on August 12, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Yes, DC, that would be dear Ann’s logic…
ladyingray on August 12, 2009 at 2:59 PM
I just got back from a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. I guess I’m just an evil capitalist. That campaign rally yesterday for Barry hasn’t helped him a whole bunch, huh?
kingsjester on August 12, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Exactly, we have a president who continues to say he doesn’t support single payer, when we have a video where he says he does support single payer.
How do you hold people who blatantly lie to your face, accountable for anything?
NoDonkey on August 12, 2009 at 3:01 PM
You BELIEVE congress is going to be in charge and you will have a ‘say’ in your government run healthcare? You idiot, there’s going to be a Czar in charge and he is going to have minions that report only to him and the Czar will report directly to obama. Haven’t you been paying attention? Geez, stop sitting on your fingers and pay attention.
A Death Czar to implement DeathCare from the Death Star…formerly known as the White House.
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Geez, stop sitting on your fingers and pay attention.
A Death Czar to implement DeathCare from the Death Star…formerly known as the White House.
HornetSting on August 12, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Ann trusts the government to never mislead her or lie to her. She is so trusting.
What a ma-roon!
ladyingray on August 12, 2009 at 3:07 PM
That is what the public option will look like.
Vashta.Nerada on August 12, 2009 at 3:07 PM
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 3:07 PM
It seems to me that this whole problem goes back to insurance being tied to an employer. This goes back to the government sticking its nose into compensation back during WWII. If the insurance wasn’t tied to the employer and states didn’t put so many requirements into plans, then catastrophic insurance really wouldn’t cost that much. Many office visits could be payed for out of pocket. This way *everyone* has health care. It is not “free” health care, but everyone has access to health care. The pressure to compete in the market still stabilize prices. This happens all the time for elective surgery (LASIK, etc).
There is *no* need for a public option because there are very good ideas that don’t require the public option.
thule on August 12, 2009 at 3:08 PM
AnninCA favors the public option because it covers illegals.
darwin on August 12, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Ann’s gotta be a covert agent actually for our side, trying to stir us into action. Who could be that dumb for real, yet not have voted for Obama?
DarkCurrent on August 12, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Very interesting. Thanks.
And I’ll give you credit for at least attempting to debate some issues. I’m not sure how you can agree with conservatives on spending but still support a health care bill that will rack up massive bills.
BadgerHawk on August 12, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Let’s see.
Today: You don’t like your insurance you have choices to change, they may not be easy, cheap or practicle, but they are there.
Under ObamaCare: You have no choice, you are told to shut up and take what care they deem you worth at what price they deem it is worth. There will be no outside options.
All insurance does is hide the cost of what you are buying, in this case health care. This hiding of costs allows for the costs being driven up by both inside and outside forces with you having little control over them. This is what I like about the new HSA plans, they allow you to see what things are really costing and giving you the opportunity to get your insurance cost down and becoming more informed.
Oddly enough, this seems to be the plan they are seeking to destroy…
Competition is the strongest economic force in the world, by eliminating that force from medical care, we will continue to see elevated prices in the medical arena.
Add to this, there has been little to no real investigation as to why insurance prices are so high? Tort Reform? How about the costs of this fancy equipment they have to buy? Have you ever looked at the price of commercial property here in Florida? These are all costs involved in the price structure that doctors have to do. They don’t simply all go away because the government waves a magic wand.
This is not and never has been about controlling costs, getting people medical coverage or bettering the health of the American people, it is about pure and binding control.
TKSnider on August 12, 2009 at 3:12 PM
On the surface, I agree with you. But knowing how Ann has a tendency to lie, how can we really be sure she didn’t vote for Obama?
ladyingray on August 12, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Thank you. That’s really my deal. Portability.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 3:15 PM
I’m now concrerned. I never embraced this as entitlement. I just wanted a flipping option out of private care.
It’s gotten so jumbled.
AnninCA on August 12, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Protability isn’t a major deal and can be done without a public option. And could probably be written on the back of a napkin. Just give group to private transfers the same rights of no preexisting conditions (or just disallow the use of preexisting conditions completely) between policies as long as you have a certificate of continuing coverage.
Certainly wouldn’t need 1000 pages of unreadable legalese to do it.
TKSnider on August 12, 2009 at 3:18 PM
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