Re: your Monday theme on what would MLK think of Haiti and the thought of 51st state status, my wife's first thought: just what the "tea-baggers" need: an overwhelmingly black new state, and they all speak FRENCH!

The argument against abortion is not a religious one but a scientific one
In the 1880s the AMA wrote that the only scientific point to place the beginning of human life is conception. And that was before they knew about chromosomes, which are complete at conception.
Roe v. Wade says that if the society ever decides that human life begins at conception, Roe's case falls to the ground and that life is protected by the fifth amendment.
So, those who are pro-choice are either not rational and scientific enough (unless they can present a point other than conception that makes sense), or they aren't American enough (in not being willing to follow the Constitution).

By far the worst guest host I've heard to date. Truly awful.

That's mulah with one 'l'.

single payer anyone??

Re: Cadillac plans: Health insurance is so costly BECAUSE hospitals pad the bills to pay for the costs of treating the uninsured.

When union populations have high risk jobs, and the union members are covered by a "self-insured" plan, there is no "high risk" charge by the insurance company. The insurance company is merely charging an "administrative fee" for adjudicating the claims, issuing ID cards, providing customer service, etc., but NOT the PRICE of the claims -- when a group "self insures", the group takes on this cost themselves.

There are many federal government employees that cannot be represented by federal law -- like civilians working for the department of defense and national security agency. Are they exempt from the health plan tax or is it strictly for union employees covered by a union negotiated collective bargaining agreement?

People are taxed for the cost of health care if someone else (employer) is paying. it is seen as income.

All self employed people are taxed on their health care because it comes out of after-tax dollars. This is fundamentally unfair, and gets left out of the discussion! As more and more of the work force becomes temporary, contract, freelance etc, the whole concept of employer based health insurance becomes more and more ridiculous.

ed
you are Mullah

you will only get taxed on a cadillac plan if the employer/union is paying for it, not if you are self employed and paying yourself.

you are taxed because it is seen as income.

I'm self employed and health insurance for my family costs about 30,000 a year. No one can afford that!

I'm for this health plan, because it's better than nothing, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to help me at all.

Changing insurance plans does NOTHING to lower healthcare costs!!! These guests don't have a clue and should go back to their ivory towers.

Generally, it's inaccurate to say that the Health Insurance companies determine the mix of benefits for labor unions. Most labor unions "self-insure" and determine their own mix, hiring an insurance company to merely "administer" the program (the program having been determined by the union's health trust fund). Most unions have trust funds that are Taft-Hartley Trust Funds being co-managed by the union and employer trustees. I spent 18 years working in the health insurance field with labor unions. Very few are "insured" by a health insurance company.

WHY do you spend all this time on what Republicans think? Are you trying to brainwash a public into thinking the agenda of corporate overlords are more relevant than what people actually want. Republicans were not elected with numbers that give them an influential presence in this process. In fact, people are very disappointed that there is no universal care included in this bill and that is what you should be talking about NOW.

I'm constantly amazed how pundits on this health care reform always gleefully announce how the companies who provide healthcare to their employees are going to happily hand over their "savings" to their employees. "Now they'll be able to give more raises..." Give me a break. The workers wont see a penny. This is only one more way to fleece the public, and allow the insurance companies to make a money and power grab. Anyone who believes this is about providing more, better and cheeaper healthcare is deluded at best.

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops has aksed that all parishes have a bulletin insert this weekend asking parishioners to call their senators/representatives asking them to vote against this bill. This is startling action.
The reason for it is that: the bill uses tax money to pay for abortion, which expands abortion; the bill has no conscience protections; the bill doesn't give illegal immigrants enough access to health care.
This is dramatic action.

And you have to work on the funding of abortion.