POLI: Why Don't People Know What's In It?

[pressimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/78bf7ee34bd1.jpg[/pressimg] With all the attention on HR 3200 or “That healthcare reform bill,” it is important for all citizens of The United States to understand what really is in the bill. So why is it so hard to find people aware of what is in the bill? A one thousand plus page book is a large read for anyone. HR 3200 is 1017 pages in length and most likely will grow in size over time. As with books, the bill is broken into different sections and sub-sections. It is a daunting task reading the Preamble, Bill of Rights, Constitution and all its Amendments and that just constitutes less than 20 pages in any child’s text book. Most people do not have the patience to sit down and read a 1000 page book, let alone a policy bill.

by Virginia "Tentickles" Nicholson

The bill itself is written in bureaucratic language or what is known as “Washington Doublespeak,” which is extremely hard to understand and translate unless you’re a lawyer. Fortunately, there are places on the internet where people fluent in this language have translated it for the laymen. Many of these sites are just a search engine away from your eyes. So why are there still so many who have no idea what is in the bill if the information is so accessible?

The media has been covering the progression of HR 3200. There have been many different pieces in the papers, on the internet and on television but critics have noticed that while the media covers the progression and opposition of the bill, they do not cover what is in the bill. There have been no specials in or on popular news media’s going through the bill and explaining what makes up the bulk of policies contained on the paper.

The government of the United States describes HR 3200 as, “[Providing] quality affordable health care for all Americans and [controlling] health care cost growth.” This statement comes from the Committee on Energy & Commerce in a short summary of the bill. This summary is 4 pages in length. The .pdf file can be found here.

Many government representatives have created their own summaries of the bill. These summaries vary in length and depth of information. Most are created by the representatives support staffs. It is widely known that many of today’s representatives do not read the bills they pass through our government system. Some critics site this as a reason many do not know what is in this bill: ignorance on our representative’s part.

Be it intimidation about the size, the language or media and government inaction, most do not know what is in HR 3200.

ATS has also gone over the bill. At least, our interpretation of it

www.abovetopsecret.com...

edit to add; it took four of us the weekend, but we read it and interpreted it in as an unbiased fashion as we could. I recommend people trying to understand it to read it. On the post we referenced what we read to make our determinations. There have been proponents that I have encourage to read the bill. I was hoping for a difference of opinion. P'raps.



[edit on 30-8-2009 by mikerussellus]

[edit on 30-8-2009 by mikerussellus]

reply to post by mikerussellus


Star for you. I had no idea you went over the bill.

Go go Mikerussellus

Neither do the MSM report that there are Republican alternatives to H.R. 3200.

GOP Healthcare proposals:

The current Democrat/Liberal /Progressive disinformation is one of their biggest complaints about the GOP: “The Republicans complain about the Democrats’ health care proposals, but they don’t offer any plan of their own!”

We’ve seen that one here over and over again, up to this day.

This, of course, ignores the Reform Plan of the “Republican Health Care Solutions Group” presented in May:

The House Republican Health Care Solutions Group has been working for months on a plan, listening to the American people, talking to doctors and patients, collecting input,and studying and debating ideas. This process has resulted in the broad outline of a health care reform plan that the solutions group hopes will receive bipartisan support.

Link here: www.cbsnews.com...

There are actually THREE (3) Republican proposals “on the table” in Congress, and being ignored by Democrats and liberal “reform advocates.” The three Republican bills total almost 400 pages and have been on the table since May and June.

In May, Republicans in the House and the Senate formed a bicameral coalition to produce the130-page “Patients Choice Act of 2009.”

In June, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) introduced the “Health Care Freedom Plan,” a 41-page proposal.

And in July, the Republican Study Committee, under the leadership of Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), introduced H.R. 3400, the “Empowering Patients First Act,” a 130-page plan, centered around four main principles:

The Empowering Patients First Act makes the purchase of health care financially feasible for all Americans, covers pre-existing conditions, protects employer-sponsored insurance, and shines light on existing health care plans.

This legislation grants greater choice and portability to the patient, and also gives employers more flexibility in the benefits offered. It also expands the individual market by creating several pooling mechanisms.

Physicians know the best care for their patient. That's why this legislation establishes doctor-led quality measures, ensuring that you get the quality care you need. It also reimburses physicians to ensure the stability of your care, and encourages healthier lifestyles by allowing employers to offer discounts for healthy habits through wellness and prevention programs.

A key concern in positive reform is reining in out-of control costs. This legislation does this by reforming the medical liability system. Also, the cost of the plan is completely offset through decreasing defensive medicine, savings from health care efficiencies, sifting out waste, fraud and abuse, plus an annual one-percent non defense discretionary spending step down.

Link here: rsc.tomprice.house.gov...

Summary: rsc.tomprice.house.gov...

Rather than the 19 page summary so many scoffed at, Rep. Paul Ryan (R.-WI) introduced H.R. 2520, The Patient’s Choice Act, on May 20 of this year. It was immediately referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, along with others, where it languishes to this day.

Link to H.R. 2520 here: www.govtrack.us...
Summary: spectator.org...

Title 1 focuses on incentives for preventative medicine and healthier lifestyles. Title 2 allows for state based health care exchanges and federal incentives for multiple states to band together, crossing state lines, to offer more choices. And the state based exchanges would be charged with providing group rates to people across a multitude of circumstances to reduce rates.

Title 4 provides for supplemental health care assistance to low income families, along with both tax credits and advancement vouchers so they can purchase health insurance through these group plans. Limits are also placed on excessive premium charges by private insurance companies.

Why won’t this ever see the light of day?

Among other reasons, because Titles 4 and 5 also include fiscally responsible proposals which too many despise. First, they mandate means testing for the direct government assistance in the form of grants and advancements which would cover every American citizen who can truly not afford health insurance. Also, Title 6 has a provision to encourage the reform and limitation of frivolous lawsuits which, along with other waste and abuse, drives up costs across the board.

Rep. John Shadegg (R.-AZ) sponsored H.R. 3217, “The Health Care Choice Act” and HR 3218, “Improving Health Care For All Americans Act” along with several other conservative members of the House.

Links here: www.govtrack.us...
www.govtrack.us...

H.R. 3217 would amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for cooperative governing of individual health insurance coverage offered in interstate commerce.

H.R. 3218 would provide a refundable tax credit for medical costs, to expand access to health insurance coverage through individual membership associations (IMAs), and to assist in the establishment of high risk pools.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R.-SC) introduced S.1324, “The Health Care Freedom Act.”

"All Americans should have a health insurance plan that they can afford, own, and keep – that government can never take over or take away. No American should be forced into a government-run system that limits their choices and rations their care.” - Sen. Jim DeMint

The Health Care Freedom Plan would allow every American access to health insurance and according to a study by the Heritage Foundation, would cover 22.4 million currently uninsured Americans within the five years.

The Health Care Freedom Plan:
Protects the right of Americans to keep their employer-based plan if they so choose.
Provides Americans without employer-based health insurance with vouchers of $2000 for individuals and $5000 for families to purchase health insurance.
Allows Americans with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to use their HSA funds to pay for insurance premiums, encouraging employers to contribute to their employees’ HSAs.
Creates a national market for health insurance by allowing individuals to purchase health insurance plans in any state.
Provides block grants to states to develop innovative models that ensure affordable health insurance coverage for Americans with pre-existing health conditions.
Reduces predatory and frivolous malpractice lawsuits against physicians and hospitals.
Assures that every health care consumer has access to price information prior to treatment so they can make informed decisio about their care.
Repeals financial bailouts (TARP) to fund health care vouchers.

Link here: www.govtrack.us...

Of course, no one remembers that President Bush initiated a healthcare reform plan that never saw the light of day, thanks to Democrats in Congress.

“The President's plan includes two parts: reforming the tax code with a standard deduction for health insurance so all Americans get the same tax breaks for health insurance and helping states make affordable private health insurance available to their citizens.”

Link: healthcare.gop.com...

None of these, of course, will come to an open vote and likely never even be read by the public. But you should know that one of the biggest lies being foisted off on you by supporters of Obamacare is that Republicans are unwilling to get involved in a better solution. They already have. But nobody is listening or talking about it, either in the majority or the lion’s share of the media.

jw

Indeed, I agree with you. This confusion over a 1000 page document is well-placed. There is almost no way in earth that a Senator or Represenitive could possibly read and comprehend the knowledge for a debate. They could theoretically, but they are always on the run and rely on aids and staff to help them because of their crunched schedule.

If the legislatures cannot even agree, why should we? The ignorant masses agree on the long document, which 99.9% do not understand completely.

In conclusion, we must still believe that our government is a Representative Democracy and not a direct democracy. In this we have placed our trusts in the elite and elected to make the best decisions for us. For better or worse, we are in a powerless position.

reply to post by Tentickles


To answer you question as to why i dont know whats in it and this is not to sound or be ignorant but this is my honest opinion.

I dont know whats in it nor do i much care because i believe it wont affect me directly, it will afffect other parts of me such as other people on the downside. I think this way because i plan to take care of myself, not have some government that i dont trust, take care of me. After i set myself up financialy i will be healthier then most, will grow my own foods and treat my temple my body much better ( i dont have to maintain a job to do this but a good one would no doubt make it eaiser, but theres no doubt i could do it out in the woods on my own accord ). If problems do arise i will use natural herbs or natural psychic abilities not some surgery or pill that will do nothing but acess a symptom and cause me further problems. Sure there is a lot each and everyone of us could do to make our situation better in terms of these policies, but most people are sheeple and although i know one person can change the world and even better mass people could change the world forever, i just dont see it happening, most people are too blind or too lazy to make change. i shouldnt say i dont care for these things, that is false, because it saddens me that other people, me, will become stressed with these issues... =( but alas we are all immortal and pain will be a thing of the past. =) i love you all, light and love and here a flower! or a cookiee! =)

EDIT:tonight i will meditate for everyone and send love to all and try to send some light to this issue. =)

[edit on 19-9-2009 by 4stral4pprentice]