So, let's hear the schpinnmeisterne und schei3dingteren explain why that doesn't matter.

Obama welcomes AARP backing of health care bill By ERICA WERNER and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, AP

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama scored two major endorsements for his health overhaul push Thursday and trumpeted the news as House Democratic leaders pushed toward a vote Saturday on far-reaching legislation remaking the U.S. health care system.

"I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to vote in the House of Representatives," Obama said in an unannounced visit to the White House briefing room.

AARP is "no small endorsement," Obama said of the 40-million-member strong seniors' lobby.

"We are closer to passing this reform than ever before," Obama said. "Now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer."

The AMA, however, qualified its support of the bill. The organization's president, Dr. James Rohack, said the bill is not perfect, but it meets enough of the organization's goals to deserve its support. But he also said it's also critical for Congress to fix a Medicare payment formula that if left unchanged would lead to a 20 percent cut in fees to doctors next year.

Obama spoke as House Democratic leaders sought to resolve final disputes before bringing their 10-year, $1.2 trillion health bill to the floor on Saturday. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said leaders expect to have the 218 votes needed to pass the sweeping bill, which would extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured people and ban insurance companies from turning people away.

Hoyer acknowledged the vote could be tight, though, and timing of action in the Senate is uncertain.

Trust me, the MEMBERS do not support the bill. AARP is in jeopardy of losing a good part of their membership!!

You sure do know a different group of AARPers than I know..

unless this is another one of your "made-up factoid deeply-held convictions".

Shepjack

You don't read the interviews of AARP members, eh?? Including me!

Which interviews? Got a link? And it had better not be a link to AHIP.

Jackshep

There should be several goals of a health care reform worth its name:

1. It should save money. The US spends 17% of GDP, about twice what other developed nations spend.

2. It should cover everybody (at least all citizens and permanent residents).

3.It should cover just about all necessary work (but not elective or cosmetic surgeries)

4.Average quality delivered to patients should not go down.

These goals are difficult to reach simultaneously without stepping on some toes. Doctors are overpaid in our country, just as pharma companies and insurance companies are overpaid. The more that insurance companies, Big pharma, and the AMA come out in support of Obama's plan, the more likely the plan will not cover everybody or will bust the bank. That's NOT what the doctor ordered when we already spend 17% of GDP and our nation is already going broke. I smell a rat.

In making sausage, one is likely to incorporate a modicum of rodent hair, faeces, and "whatcha call ya filth" (George Carlin).

I remain unconvinced that the perfect should become the enemy of the good in my personal calculus. I like gradual improvements... if that is the best I can get. After all, FDR and LBJ and WJC got zilch.

And that is very probably the best we can get.

Jack Shep

Odd, Jimminy, I saw my cardiologist last month and GP two weeks ago and both are in favor of the bill.

BTW, your glorious House speaker is so stupid that at the Tea Party Rally in DC today, he proclaimed loudly he was going to read The Constitution aloud. Only problem was that what he read was the Declaration of Independence! Now that's brilliance for you!

"I remain unconvinced that the perfect should become the enemy of the good".

I'm not even sure that this new sausage is really what one in fairness would call "good". You have a lot more faith in government than I do.

I just pointed out that there are irreconcilable goals here and that good legislation would perforce need to step on somebody's toes. ..unless you believe in fairy tales. AMA, Big Pharma, and insurance companies' imprimaturs would logically indicate that the legislation flawed or unaffordable, and that the toes being stepped on are the public's. Don't forget the individual mandates...to purchase private, for profit health insurance. The union of corporate and government interests is called Fascism.

If this is the best that 60 Democratic senators and a "liberal" Democratic president can come up with, I'd say we need to set our sights higher and get rid of some of these "Democrats".

shirley:

Odd, Jimminy, I saw my cardiologist last month and GP two weeks ago and both are in favor of the bill.

BTW, your glorious House speaker is so stupid that at the Tea Party Rally in DC today, he proclaimed loudly he was going to read The Constitution aloud. Only problem was that what he read was the Declaration of Independence! Now that's brilliance for you!

Did he read the constitution??

Political correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional liberal minority and by the mainstream media which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

According to the CBO, the Republican bill just offered would cost more and INCREASE the number of uninsured, not decrease, which I thought was the goal. What it does do is protect the insurance and pharmas. They'd been better off sticking to the old six page version which didn't contain any figures.

She just said he read the Declaration of Independence. You are aware they are two different documents, aren't you?

shirley:

Odd, Jimminy, I saw my cardiologist last month and GP two weeks ago and both are in favor of the bill.

BTW, your glorious House speaker is so stupid that at the Tea Party Rally in DC today, he proclaimed loudly he was going to read The Constitution aloud. Only problem was that what he read was the Declaration of Independence! Now that's brilliance for you!

I told you Boehner was dumb>:o) All the tanning booths must have fried his brain,Good!