necturus: 2016-12-30 (Default)
necturus ([personal profile] necturus) wrote2010-01-19 11:11 pm

In retrospect

Obama failed to make the sale on health insurance reform largely, I think, because instead of devising a plan of his own, he sat there waiting for Congress to come up with one. The result ended up reassuring nobody but the special interests that crafted it.

In Massachusetts, we've had this kind of insurance reform for a couple of years now. It doesn't work; costs have gone up faster than ever.

Obama's foreign policy, especially his escalation of the Afghan war, has disappointed a lot of people, myself included.

His economic policy, however, has been the most disappointing of all: billions for Wall Street, but not one cent for job creation. It boggles the mind.

The Democrats still have control of both houses of Congress, even if only 58 Senators (Lieberman doesn't count). They'd better get their act together between now and November, if they know what's good for them.

Of course, they probably can't.
firecat: red panda, winking (Default)

[personal profile] firecat 2010-01-21 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
When you say the insurance reform "didn't work" in Mass., what do you mean other than that costs went up? Is the same percentage of people still without insurance?
firecat: red panda, winking (Default)

[personal profile] firecat 2010-01-21 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
I agree that insurance companies make lousy gatekeepers. At the same time, because I'm unable to get insurance on the open market at any price, having a mandate that insurers can't turn anyone away sounds like a step in the right direction. I guess we'll see.