Maybe it's all the Christmas programming I've absorbed as I lay here still recovering from strep throat, but (so help me baby pre-zombie Jesus) I've lost my will to continue to lambast DU for my view of the messy goal line finish to "HCR." It's time for me to put some things out there that have to be noticed.
The community health centers are an excellent idea. Teddy pushed 'em a while back if I remember right. They'll go a long way to providing better primary health service, particular to urban areas.
While I fear I'm right in that
allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines is going to drive them all to move their HQ's to the least regulated state, it
should at least make prices more stable nationwide and make the risk analysis less fuzzy. Who knows though?
The mandate crap would be crap if it were enforceable, but the clause immediately following its mention in the bill dispels this notion:
(1) IN GENERAL.—The penalty provided by this section shall be paid upon notice and demand by the Secretary, and except as provided in paragraph (2), shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as an assessable penalty under subchapter B of 23 chapter 68.
The IRS will have your ass, etc, etc. All very predictable. UNTIL you read on to section (2):
(2) SPECIAL RULES.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law—
‘‘(A) WAIVER OF CRIMINAL PENALTIES.— In the case of any failure by a taxpayer to timely pay any penalty imposed by this section,such taxpayer shall not be subject to any criminal prosecution or penalty with respect to such failure.
‘‘(B) LIMITATIONS ON LIENS AND LEVIES.—The Secretary shall not—
‘‘(i) file notice of lien with respect to any property of a taxpayer by reason of any failure to pay the penalty imposed by this section, or
‘‘(ii) levy on any such property with respect to such failure.
linkI feel the whole mandate clause still needs to be dropped, but at least there should be some clarity on what the actual mandate represents in the bill. It will make tax day even more fucktastic for you, but you're not going to be taken to jail and Geithner is not going to put a lien on your house.
And to those throwing around the idea that those of us who are more unhappy than happy with the bill can either swallow it or vote Repug are being absurd. I can stay in the tent and still make my opposition to our "successful policies" known, can't I?
The two worst things about this whole episode are
the fallout in the future from the percieved failure that will stem from the actual results we will get (I'm predicting not 30 million, but only 3 to 8 million will get insurance as a result of this legislation and that with no real public option prices will at best somewhat stablilize, and at worst continue their unreal and unseemly climb), and
hearing Obama say, "I didn't campaign on a public option." Even if this is true in it's sleazy, lawyerly, Clinton
esque way, how do you think it makes all your union and UHC supporters feel to hear that? Don't you realize they'll remember that in '12?! You can bet they will (unless you erase the 10%+ unemployment or video surfaces on youtube of you slaying a dragon irl).
I made a
psuedo-humorous video that conveys my initial angst over HCR that speculated as to Teddy's view of the blue dog compromises, and part of me feels slightly guilty about that part because at the end of the day I know Teddy himself wouldn't have been able to stop those sad compromises, and he would have still voted yes on this bill. And I still would have respected him.
Anyway, it's still quite ranty for an attempt to make ammends, but hey I tried baby pre-zombie Jesus. That should count for something.
