I believe the vast majority want nothing to do with this crap and are smart enough to see that nothing "they" are proposing will cut the cost we pay for our medical insurance.

On the shiny side, the dems are sealing their fate in the upcoming elections.

But will we ever recover from the damage they are doing?

quote Originally posted by User00013170: They pay taxes too, just not as much as some others. And most every time you buy something you pay some sort of tax.. ( it was a trick question )

Yes, one way or another they will pay the tax. It may not be in a % on there pay stub, but it will be in increased costs elsewhere. The expense higher up, will be passed down, making it even harder for the people working a minimum wage job to make it. The sad thing is they don't see it or even attempt to understand it.

For a couple of years when I had my first daughter I worked at Radio Shack. It was a min wage or 5% comission, whichever is greater. Minimum wage at the time was $5.25, so I would have to sell in excess of $105.00 an hour to make comission (pretty rare without a computer sale). At the end of the year anything I paid in federal and state taxes I got back, except for social security and medicaid. Did I view that as I don't pay taxes? No, I still paid sales tax and registration on my vehicle and countless other little taxes here and there (like that little usage tax on the electricity bill). That's not the only way I paid taxes. When I worked at Rettig Machine we didn't get a CoL increase several years because our medical insurance premium went up. Instead of the CoL increase our employer paid the increase in premium cost. Increased taxes from California on the health sector got passed down. So that 1.5-3% increase in wages I would have gotten, I didn't get, indirectly I was taxed.

There's no magic genie at the top with a never ending supply of green.

[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 11-22-2009).]

quote Originally posted by avengador1: Anybody else see SNL last night? http://www.nbc.com/saturday...a-cold-open/1178451/

LOL

"I like to be kissed when someone is doing sex to me!!!"

[This message has been edited by fierobear (edited 11-22-2009).]

quote Originally posted by fierobear: LOL "I like to be kissed when someone is doing sex to me!!!"

Someone on SNL has a clue!
Hu is tough, and they are in the driver's seat.
If the Chinese keep prospering for the next couple of decades, Hu will be viewed by the Chinese as the greatest leader in their history.
He knows that, and will make no concessions that will jeopardize it.
I will guaranty you there was allot of butt kissing going on.

What? There's over 2,000 pages to read through. A task I doubt any congressman/women can handle before their Nov/Dec big vacation. IMHO I think it's all smoking mirrors. Keep it simple-stupid. Enforce insurances not to drop individuals (pre-existing conditions and or otherwise) and jacking up insurance cost. That is all.

quote Originally posted by madcurl: What? There's over 2,000 pages to read through. A task I doubt any congressman/women can handle before their Nov/Dec big vacation. IMHO I think it's all smoking mirrors. Keep it simple-stupid. Enforce insurances not to drop individuals (pre-existing conditions and or otherwise) and jacking up insurance cost. That is all.

I'd go for a "safety net" plan that would cover you if you lost your job, had a catastrophic illness and so forth. There's no need to fix the 80% of healthcare that working, just worry about the 20% that isn't.

quote Originally posted by fierobear: I'd go for a "safety net" plan that would cover you if you lost your job, had a catastrophic illness and so forth. There's no need to fix the 80% of healthcare that working, just worry about the 20% that isn't.

I agree. I know Cobra insures those who have lost their jobs, but those rates are stupid-crazy. They should force companies to continue to insure individuals for at least 6-months (like unemployment) until they are able to find a job. After all, we all contribute to our unemployment on every check from our work. Adding a few more dollors to the "kitty" would be a nice safety net.

I agree that this whole "healthcare" at all cost is a very, very bad idea. I also don't like the idea of Americans being in the dark regarding what the 2,000 plus pages contain. The last person I'd want to rely upon is somebody in congress regardless of the sides (Rep/Dem).

quote Originally posted by madcurl: I agree. I know Cobra insures those who have lost their jobs, but those rates are stupid-crazy. They should force companies to continue to insure individuals for at least 6-months (like unemployment) until they are able to find a job. After all, we all contribute to our unemployment on every check from our work. Adding a few more dollors to the "kitty" would be a nice safety net.

I don't agree with "forcing companies" to cover for 6 months. Companies aren't a bottomless well of money. There has to be a fair and equitable way to pay for this.

quote I agree that this whole "healthcare" at all cost is a very, very bad idea. I also don't like the idea of Americans being in the dark regarding what the 2,000 plus pages contain. The last person I'd want to rely upon is somebody in congress regardless of the sides (Rep/Dem).

The average person on the street doesn't seem to understand that the government doesn't have any money of it's own, and printing money isn't the answer. They want stuff, but have no clue how things are really paid for.

If one pays attention, almost any bill that goes before either the house or senate has the tagline, "or for other purposes." It really is no wonder how so much crap gets into many bills. That statement opens the door wide open for it.

quote Originally posted by madcurl: I agree. I know Cobra insures those who have lost their jobs, but those rates are stupid-crazy. They should force companies to continue to insure individuals for at least 6-months (like unemployment) until they are able to find a job. After all, we all contribute to our unemployment on every check from our work. Adding a few more dollors to the "kitty" would be a nice safety net.

Keep in mind, if COBRA rates are "stupid-crazy" and we're going to force employers to cover it while you're on unemployment, the unemployment insurance costs will go up accordingly. This will mean either you have more taken out of your check to pay for it - and get paid less as a result, or the company pays for it, which makes your benefit package more expensive, which means your pay rate will be reduced - and you get paid less as a result.

Either everyone makes less money all the time, or those who use COBRA pay higher rates when they use it.

I've been working for nearly 35 years and I've paid into unemployment plenty of times and I've only used it once in my life time for 6-months; thus I'm still paying into it. Tell me- where is my money going too? Multiply that number by the millions who are currently working times the years being employed. That's a lot of money! How about splitting the amount normally is taken out of one’s pay check and uses it for medical insurance just in case you loose your job.


Another case:

Let me propose this scenario: what if Exxon claimed they are now broke and need to lay off thousands of workers. Do you think the employees should be compensated with 6-months of medical coverage? Of course this isn't the case, but throughout the past 10 plus years many top 100 companies rake in millions of dollars while claiming to be dead broke, but some how find millions for golden parachute packages. I'm not talking about a mom' n Pop companies... I'm talking about the various companies that are now making tons of monies through mergers leaving employees with little or no options. Think… banks.

quote Originally posted by madcurl: I've been working for nearly 35 years and I've paid into unemployment plenty of times and I've only used it once in my life time for 6-months; thus I'm still paying into it. Tell me- where is my money going too? Multiply that number by the millions who are currently working times the years being employed. That's a lot of money! How about splitting the amount normally is taken out of one’s pay check and uses it for medical insurance just in case you loose your job.

Where has all the money you've spent on car insurance gone? Home owner's insurance?
You're buying coverage in case it's needed, and the insurance company is selling it hoping it isn't. You're not putting the money in the bank. Why do you think unemployment insurance would be any different?

Ive heard people in the news talking about poor insurance companies only make less than 5% profit. I call BS on that. You have to fight insurance companies to pay anything when you put in a claim. Their adjusters job is get off with the least you can. If theyre so poor, how come a large majority of new commercial contruction sites have signs up proclaiming their funded by soandso insurance company. Ive had the same insurance company since 1975 covering my house, planes, boats and cars. Ill bet Ive paid in $100,000 in that time with claims maybe totalling $3000 over the whole time but they still want to postpone any payments as long as they can. Ive had to fight with all the insurance companies all my life for customers cars. I had one that refused to pay $450 for a new door but paid $425 for me to knock it out, weld it and putty it up. I paid the difference myself to get her a new door. A Firebird that belonged to one of the girls was only a few months old and she owed $30k+ on it when her bf wrecked it. They didnt total it, but paid me $26K to fix it. It was a total piece of crap afterward. He hit a pole headon so hard the rear hatch and bumper were broken and floor buckled. The only exterior panels that were not replaced were 2 quarter panels.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: A Firebird that belonged to one of the girls was only a few months old and she owed $30k+ on it when her bf wrecked it. They didnt total it, but paid me $26K to fix it. It was a total piece of crap afterward. He hit a pole headon so hard the rear hatch and bumper were broken and floor buckled. The only exterior panels that were not replaced were 2 quarter panels.

Roger, I think you just answered your own question.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Ill bet Ive paid in $100,000 in that time with claims maybe totalling $3000 over the whole time but they still want to postpone any payments as long as they can.

Sounds like you should either find another insurance company or drop coverage completely. Just post a bond to self insure and save all that money.