I think private insurers should be able to compete. They do it all the time. I mean, if you think about — if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No, they are. It’s the Post Office that’s always having problems.
Oops, messed up on that.
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I read many years ago that the Post Office was harassing companies for using UPS or FedEx. It is actually illegal to use anything other than the Post Office for certain parcel deliveries.
The Daily Show did a bit on Obama’s answer earlier this week. Worth watching.
I think everyone here is missing what he was trying to say, and apparently should have rephrased. He means that private enterprise shoudl not feel financially threatened by socialized medicine, because FINANCIALLY the post office has had a hard time against Fedex and UPS. He didn’t call the USPS inefficient, or anything else the quick-to-criticize have inferred, he was merely stating an example of how private enterprise can still stay competitive against a socialized model.
Let me just pick up my health stamps…
#24, just remember to get the forever stamps, otherwise you will have to pay more next time.
What’s the big deal?
Obama pointed out that private companies (FedEx/UPS) can compete against socialized providers.
Think about schools: Public schools are there for everybody, because our society requires schooled citizens, but private schools are still there for those that can afford them.
It makes sense to extend that to medical insurance (Like the do in Japan): mandate a minimum that the government will help sponsor for the poor, and those that want more can buy it (as we do now).
BTW, Japanese live longer, see their doctor 3 times more often, have twice the number of MRIs, take just as many prescriptions, oh, and pay 1/3 what we do per person.
Hold it, klippoth. Rethink what you just said. “he was merely stating an example of how private enterprise can still stay competitive against a socialized model.”
So why bother with a socialized model if the current system is competitive?
Why not just have some oversight and regulation of the insurance industry?
EvilPoliticians.
“Most (not all) postal workers are incompetent.”
Probably true, but you don’t get reelected insulting your voter base.
pedro.
“Does this mean that doctors from the new public healthcare initiative will go berzek and shoot at patients in the waiting room?”
Yes, it does. That would be called “End of Life Counseling”. It’s in the Plan!!
The USPS treats mail fraud as a serious crime. Whereas I think UPS treats it more like a business opportunity. I’ve had more of a problem with UPS protecting a bogus mailorder operation, that they view as their client. Than the USPS ever losing any of my mail. And though the USPS continues to channel way too much junk mail, with little recourse to blocking any of it. I’m sure a private mail delivery company would flood us with even more junk mail. And get too bogged down to deliver our important letters. So bad mouthing the Post Office, to justify why we need to protect private health insurers from failing, isn’t right. Should we also have private cops, and private courts, to take the load off the taxpayer paid Law Enforcement system? I think that would be disastrous! Imagine Judge Judy sending people up for life, or to the gallows. Eek! Anyway.
We saw what happened when the power utility got a little too privatized in California. Enron super screwed the general population, in order to make more profits. A thoroughly regulated industry is what’s called for. That’s only allowed to make a reasonable profit. Without gouging and escalating the cost of medicine, to suit itself. And if that’s not feasible with private insurers. Than there shouldn’t BE any private insurers.
BTW, you may know this. Even when no private auto insurer will cover you. There is usually a state run insurance program to cover you. So why can’t health care work that way? Because the private insurers HATE the competition. They don’t want to compete at all, with a state regulated program. They know it would cost them dearly in profits to match its rates.
27, and the rest of you..
4 people run MOST of the health care systems in the USA..PERIOD.
Only competition is WHO can get the HIGHEST prices.
There are only (MAYBE) 4-5 persons running the banking industry in the USA..
3 in the insurance industry, dont let a name FOOL YOU.
IMHO..(in my honest opinion)
When a person..
doesnt worry about WHO pays the bills, as long as they are ALL paid.
DOESNT worry about how much in in the bank..(not the one he OWNS) no matter WHAT he buys..
Can BUY a new car ANY TIME HE WISHES…
Doesnt call the kids, he calls the NANNY..
Has a HOME BUILD so that he can ACTUALLY get away from OTHERS(including kids and wife) and they cant FIND HIM..
HAS more then 2 homes, not counting the yacht, house boat..
Doesnt worry how far the STORE IS, as he takes his OWN private jet to Milan..for new underware, as he has worn all 100 sets he has, in the last 100 days OR LESS..
The bastard has to much money. And should LOWER his WAGES, and hire MORE PEOPLE, or give the ones he has a RAISE.
USPO = 44 cents
Fed Ex = $5.00
“Should be” the same in healthcare.
The CONTEXT of Obama’s statement, as pointed out above, is that he was CRITICIZING THE OPPONENTS OF his plan by using their words.
How many of you dolts think there is a death panel?
#23 I see your reality distortion has kicked in to protect your insanity. He did say that USPS was bad and that’s why the private sector was able to compete with it.
#26 BTW, keep rationalizing yout boss’ mistake.
#28 Reminds us how USPS treats trash mail? Dos it stop it in any way? NOT!
The only times I’ve lost anything on the mail (twice) was because of the USPS. With no way of making any complaints about it.
Just like the Obama’s socialized medicni will work. Lost patients, wrong procedures performed on patients and no one to complain to.
Hey Pedro==when you send your Mama a birthday or Christmas card, do you use the USPS or Fed Ex?
#32 I don’t use the mail for that. We live quite close. But for Christmas cards and things like that, I’ve been using e-cards for years already
You guys crack me up:
You’re so indoctrinated into this efficiency and merit and market crap, that you can’t see the obvious: The private sector is tendentiously Exclusive, while the Public sector should be Inclusive. ie:
Who’s gonna take care of you if you have a heart condition that prevents you of working? Or if you are self employed? Private Health Insurances, even if they accept you, they’ll be charging you through the roof.
And who’s gonna deliver you your mail, if you live in the middle of nowhere, 60 miles from the nearest post office? And who’s paying the police forces? Could you pay for Blackwater?
There’s a reason to have a public sector, and there’s always opportunity to be taken by the Private sector.
#31 — Obama didn’t say the USPS was bad. He said USPS was the company having problems competing. It is all there in the context of his statements.
#27 — more oversight and regulation would mean more government employees to make sure the regulations are upheld. Would you like your taxes raised to pay for those employees?
As for the people yelling they don’t like socialism, why aren’t you fighting to get rid of Medicare, Medicaid, Dept. Of Education, Federal Law Enforcement agencies and other government programs? Is it that some kinds of socialism is OK but not others?
#35 Are you this dense or just pretending? I guess them that the USPS has problems competing ’cause they’re good.
Heh, heh. Pedro—I almost warned you not to evade the question. I’m sure you saw it but decided to jump in nonetheless.
I do assume you are referring to something other than the video clip starting this thread? How can you hear anything other than Obama using the words of his critics to mock this lame argument? Its not very difficult to see.
Plus—-#34–joaoPT posted a most important contextual summary I haven’t seen recently enough to remember: “The private sector is tendentiously Exclusive, while the Public sector should be Inclusive” ==== very well said.
Pedro: the USPS delivers letters at 44 cents plus whatever subsidies they get. Fed Ex does the same job for $5.00. Saying one is efficient and competitive can only be concluded by those thinking sending email answers a question about which mail service is used for 99% of the traffic.
44 cents vs $5.00
99% vs 01%.
There is a “place” for each. Problem is the 1% is denying the INCLUSIONARY benefits of needed healthcare to us 99%.
#37 Regardless of the benefits/burdens that the Obama healthcare plan might or mightn’t have, the fact is that he really fumbled on that simile, which is the root of my initial remark. This guy should not talk without a teleprompter, he might end up like Bush, even though Bush’s epic fails are hard to match.
And again, I’ve lost money with the USPS. That fact won’t be changed by the possibility to send letters cheap and neither will change the fact that the need to send snail mail has been brought down to almost zero with e-mail.
Time sensitive material is also a no-no for the USPS. Not to mention that I’m sure you’ll use the unreliable USPS to send invoices and receipts thru it. Good luck with that. And I say luck ’cause it can be a throw of a dice if they arrive.
>> pedro said, on August 15th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
>> #4 But your leader said USPS is a failure compared to the private carriers. What gives!
Obama didn’t use the word failure!
(Why do conservatives constantly have to lie to make their points?)
I, myself, prefer the USPS. Because of my job, I have mailed thousands and thousands of items. The USPS is WAY cheaper yet I can’t tell any difference in quality of service.
But, if YOU want to spend $5 (or whatever) to send your letter with FedEx instead of $0.44 with USPS, _YOU HAVE THAT OPTION_.
When it comes to health care, the conservatives overthrow the government before letting the public have that kind of option.
>> pedro said, on August 16th, 2009 at 3:53 am
>> #32 for Christmas cards and things like that, I’ve been using e-cards for years already
e-Cards are a great way to make your relatives hate you.