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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cirrus who wrote (53507)	10/18/2004 12:39:47 PM
From: redfish	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81568

I was covered by the federal employees' plan for six years, it is pretty good. The insurance isn't free, there is still a hefty premium, but a better price than you can get on your own. I had a choice between around 20 plans with varying premiums and levels of service. You can go with a traditional BCBS plan, an HMO, whatever.

To: cirrus who wrote (53507)	10/18/2004 8:57:18 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 81568

Governor Schwarzenegger endorses stem cell research By PAUL ELIAS, AP Biotechnology Writer Monday, October 18, 2004 (10-18) 16:35 PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger broke with the state Republican Party on Monday and endorsed Proposition 71, a $3 billion bond measure that would fund human embryonic stem cell research. Schwarzenegger endorsed the measure while answering reporters' questions at Point Lobos State Reserve in Monterey County, where he was presented with a plan to protect California's coastline. "I'm very much interested in stem cell research," he said. The endorsement was highly sought by the Yes on 71 campaign, but comes at some political risk for the governor. During last year's recall election, Schwarzenegger campaigned against California going deeper in debt. But he then promoted a $15 billion bond deal that voters approved in March. If Proposition 71 is passed, it will provide California researchers with nearly $300 million annually for 10 years but cost a total of $6 billion to pay back over 20 years. The endorsement will also put him at odds with the state Republican Party, which officially opposes Proposition 71, and perhaps even the Bush administration -- which has limited funding of the research. On the other hand, Schwarzenegger has said he supports the technology. His father-in-law, Sargent Shriver, is in the early grips of Alzheimer's disease, which Proposition 71 supporters say could someday be treated by stem cells. Stem cells are created in the first days after conception and are the building blocks of life. Some researchers hope to turn stem cells into replacement tissue to treat a variety of disease and injury. But many social conservatives oppose the research because it involves destroying microscopic embryos. URL: sfgate.com

To: cirrus who wrote (53507)	10/20/2004 4:48:12 AM
From: Amy J	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81568

Hi cirrus, Thanks for your informative post. RE: "Insurance companies are generally regulated by the states, not the federal govt. " Insurance companies need to be regulated at the federal level. It's time for Congress to clean up this mess. Insurance companies are horrible. RE: "legislation could be enacted to require insurance companies to accept all individuals" Legislation should be enacted to require insurance companies to accept all individuals. It should be illegal if they discriminate. RE: "what happens if too many sick people apply to the same company? It would need to raise rates to cover the costs or go bankrupt" The law would make it illegal for insurance companies to decline people, so if it goes bankrupt, the people are guaranteed to be accepted at another firm. Just the other day I read an article about a hospital that closed due to bankruptcy, meanwhile their employees can't even get Cobra insurance because their company went bankrupt. This is ridiculous. What kind of Republican controlled Congress do we have that creates such horrible laws? Those employees should be given the equal right to buy insurance. RE: "Kerry's plan essentially would do two things" The first thing Kerry should do is: Give People the Equal Right To Buy Insurance - by putting an end to discrimination. (i.e. make it illegal to decline people.) RE: "the federal gov't would cover catastrophic costs" Like the Palo Alto, CA teacher whose government funded insurance booted him 100+ miles away from his home, because they decided they didn't want to keep him in a Bay Area nursing home after his catastrophic illness? His Mom had been visiting him daily when he was in a nursing home in the Bay Area. But the insurance company found a cheaper nursing home more than one hundred miles away from his home. Of course he died immediately after being forced into this lower-cost nursing home more than 100+ away from his family. I don't want that kind of catastrophic care. I want a free market, where I can buy what I want, and I want Congress to regulate it so it's even better. RE: " The second is that the 47 million uninsured would be treated as a "group" " This is discrimination. This country should make it illegal to discriminate against people. It should be illegal to decline people health care and it should be illegal to charge different prices to different people just because they belong to an exclusive group. What happened to Democracy and Equal Rights? Too many Republicans in Congress, that is the problem. RE: "Bush campaign" First fire Bush, then get a new Congress, then we can start fixing things. It should be illegal to discriminate. The Republican Party apparently doesn't understand that concept. Republicans have too much control of Congress. Regards, Amy J