OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm

Let's be honest here - it's not about healthcare - it's about government control.

Politician controlled health care is a frightening concept. No one wants politicians and their appointees and hirees to make decision on what kind of health care we should get OR when we should get it.

For the second time today, I'm in agreement with you!

Rushing health care through will help no one except the political interests which support it.

We don't need state sponsored anything. The federal government has proved how inefficiently it can run systems. What we need is for government to take the excuses away from industry. Provide effective and light-weight, simple regulations that provide a competitive atmosphere.

I could see a system where all of the administrative management is handled by the bureaucratic government, or a nonprofit group, since this information is not the property of private companies anyway. That would remove a specific secretarial function form hospital systems and save some money bit it is a pittance.

Another item that has to be addressed is the anti-competitive environment of the insurance industry. Essentially, the majority of problems stem from inflated and ballooning costs due to a poorly organized insurance system. Hospitals and drug companies can charge whatever they want because they are not held accountable to the end customer, they are held accountable only to the business model of the insurance industry, which is essentially defunct.

Private systems and public systems have unique advantages and disadvantages, but neither can be encouraged to allow industry to rob from legitimate payers.

Maybe a system that was partially backed like some types of life insurance, where you pay into a private account in your name. The company pays you a small pittance to keep you above inflation but otherwise earns revenue on the investment or divestment of your monthly payments. It ensures everyone has fair and equal coverage align with their contribution, and any discrepancies or additional needs can be reviewed and extra capital awarded on a case by case basis from the pool of income generated from investment. That keeps the "profits" generated in the company instead of into some executives new yacht.

If industry cant compete in this tight and competitive of a market and be held accountable, it doesn't deserve to exist. But we are not able to make that judgement objectively. We have to allow the system the opportunity to correct itself and enable it to do so before we simply jump on the socialized health care band-wagon.

One part of the argument conveniently left out is that while socialized systems abroad work more effectively at administering care to people; they are essentially doing so free of charge by using American-funded industry innovations. Our private system provides 90% of the research and innovative products to the rest of the world, yet we are unable to provide that service to everyone here at a reasonable cost.

We, the citizens and the consumers are DEMANDING we be provided affordable and adequate services and the effective choice to keep it that way.

Obama is pushing EVERYTHING through too quickly. He has no political experience, doesn't hear the public and is in a race to get things done before he is impeached for ineligibility!

I think the race to push legislation is more to get the ball rolling in at least some direction before lobby interest can dilute or dismantle any initiatives, but that's just my take on it. Remember, it is much easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

If you notice the manner in which ideas are presented to congress, they allow for open interpretation so long as action is taken. What we are seeing for the first time in a long time is a true fight for control over our government.

The only problem is, in the midst of all this chaos, the American people are the ones whose voices are silenced.

Only time and prudent attention on our parts will ensure we may regain control. we must make our government fear our unity.

My remark was sarcastic. I'll be more transparent in the future (more sarcasm).

Well thought out plans and giving members of the senate and the house time to read them make more sense than blindly following a novice leader. He's spending our dollars, he can keep the change.

Haha, funny! I figured, but it doesn't always translate well through the web :-)

It's an interesting conundrum that can only be vindicated through an historical perspective. Bottom line is We, as in: The People, do not have ownership or control of any part of our government. That's why I like the 72 hour rule, but really he promised us 5 days for "non-emergency" legislation. Well that is a pretty ambiguous statement. All legislation could be considered "emergency" if argued appropriately.

What we need is a method to express to our representatives our stance on an issue prior to their votes being cast. I write weekly to express my sentiments, but for specific issues I know my reps don't read them for days or weeks after votes have been cast, if at all.

We also need to return vested powers to congress and limit the control of the executive branch - though I am less comfortable with this until we can wrangle control of our representation. At this point, I trust the Obama administration more than I trust Congress to act on my own behalf - and that's not saying much.

I would call to rescind a number of key legislative actions over the past 100 or so years which have taken us on a course tertiary to the one laid out by our founders.

Remember these were simply prudent and honest men (at least in their representation) who wanted nothing more than to be left alone to live their lives as they saw fit.

That's not to say no progress has been made. We have drastically improved the quality of life for individuals and expanded representation (such as through women's suffrage) but it has run away from us in a few key arenas - namely protecting the rights of a corporation over those of the individual.

Let me put it this way - If a company murders someone in cold blood, you can't give it the electric chair. Insurance companies do this admittedly and "legally" ever single day.