Geez, if only we taxed like Norway we could pay for everything, right Chuck? I'm sure that would be good for business...

We deserve every bit of abuse and criticism for this any commentator can muster. That criticism should be particularly directed towards smug piggish Portland area Democrats, frauds like Maribeth Healy and Oregonians for Health Security, buffoon radio commentators like Hartmann, and jerks like Merkley and the rest of the supposed "Democrats" in the majority who said it was Measure 50 or nothing for our children, and ignorantly slimed anybody who spoke out against this immorality as just being in the pocket of big tobacco. Either make those smokers who tend to be more tilted towards the low income end of the scale to pay for their own kids health INSURANCE (Sara Gelser's own low-class position), and give the bucks to PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES rather than actually get real health care value for our dollar in a public insurance system, or tell them to join the lottery.

These are all the same people, led by Merkley, who said health care for children was not going to be on the table in the experimental session in this election year, lest Merkley be exposed for his total failure and disregard for doing the right thing. And course now we have our pathetic excuse for a governor saying he's going to do it all over again because he doesn't have the morals or guts to do the right thing. Time to raise taxes up the economic scale to fix our health care (and education systems) and get in the face of those who oppose it. It is Democrats who refuse to stand up, not some Republicans who would block it that bear all the blame because that's what politics is about.

Of course, Merkley and Wyden are still opposed to us getting real value for the dollar because they both categorically oppose a public health insurance system, even though a majority of Americans and Oregonians say that is what they want and the time is now. We'd expect dumb movement Republicans to oppose it, but the shame falls on our own DPO for standing by and not renouncing any pol who would claim to be a Democrat but who says we all should be forced to buy private health insurance as they and Clinton does.

And by the way Chuck, instead of condemning this lottery as a mark of shame on our state and our political leadership, I think you were in fact out there trying to shine the turd To wit, After years of calling the state lottery “a bad tax on people with a poor understanding of statistics," I’ve finally found a lottery to promote.

BCM, slither back under the rock you crawled out from under. This election is going to show your day in the sun is over.

Taxing cigs reduces use. Reducing use helps health. Taxing for health care helps health.

Making cheap cigs available for all kills poor people.

"Cheap cigs for all: It's the moral way!"

James X: Since in fairness you need to be told your sarcastic cynicism mainly comes across as juvenile, even if it wasn't intended to be so, why don't you take a shot at using coherent prose to make a point?

Hey Pam - Hard to tell if you're just childish and quite uninformed. Or if you are just sleazing for Merkley. Maybe both.

Some of us know quite a bit about what Merkley, Westlund, and Bates actually charged the OHFB with doing. That is, in addition to saying it's up to them to do something for children after M50 failed since he sure wasn't going to a damn thing this election season.

In fact, their original charge was to make sure the AHPs were all private insurance plans and to legally mandate that anyone who doesn't get insurance elsewhere be forced to buy private AHPs and put money in the pockets of private insurance companies. Some of us are more educated than you about how plans like these are failing in places like MA. Under Merkley's plan, empty rhetoric notwithstanding, quality health care via private health insurance would be unaffordable, and affordable heatlh care would be low quality.

There are grassroots efforts to force them to scrap Merkley, Westlund's and Bate's corrupt vision and instead give us a public AHP. As you can imagine, smarmy, uninformed people like you are actually the biggest obstacle.

You might try to educate yourself by reading some of the material about plans like Merkley, Westlund, and Bate are pushing on the Physician's for a National Health Program's website:

http://www.pnhp.org/

California's health reform failed because mandates are fundamentally flawed as a model for reform http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/january/californias_health_.php

Doctors Give Massachusetts Health Reform a Failing Grade - Poor Early Outcomes Raise Red Flags, Only Private Insurers Profit http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/january/doctors_give_massach.php

People out there want to do something rather than just be smug jerks talking about how active they are? Go out to the OHFB dog-and-pony show and tell them you won't let sold-out politicians like Merkley and Clinton force you to empty your pockets into the hands of private insurance companies, you want a publicly owned, publicly adminstered insurance plan as an alternative. By the way, tell Maribeth Healey and the SEIU you're watching too --- they've have been noticeably absent in their support for anything but forcing us to buy from private health insurance companies as the people who helped created SB-329 and the OHFB.

Almost forgot, the Merkley also supports Wyden's plan which would similarly force us to empty our pockets into the hands of the gluttonous private health insurance industry.

Posted by: Hc Advo | Apr 5, 2008 12:32:48 AM

James X: Since in fairness you need to be told your sarcastic cynicism mainly comes across as juvenile, even if it wasn't intended to be so, why don't you take a shot at using coherent prose to make a point?

Pot, meet kettle:

Posted by: Hc Advo | Apr 5, 2008 11:23:34 AM Hey Pam - Hard to tell if you're just childish and quite uninformed. Or if you are just sleazing for Merkley. Maybe both.

HC Advoc, that is a fine way to get people to come to your way of thinking. Let's insult them.

Here is a tip for you should you care to absorb it.

Let's assume that factually everything you say is correct. The state has a shortfall of money and Merkley and Wyden have sold us out.

This is a disaster! You should warn everyone. What happens though if people don't see what you see? From your subsequent posts you insult and say to hell with them.

The problem is this disaster will only get worse and you will be just a peon cause you couldn't figure out how to bring people together. You just knew how to drive them apart.