Y'know what I'd really like...a similar chart of our current system, and what someone has to go through with their healthcare.

No, wait--not a similar chart, because as you say, that chart doesn't actually describe anything. I want a flowchart with all the diamond boxes and all the NO options pointing to "Tough it out" or "Borrow $30,000 from retirement" or "Die" boxes.

The Republican Party: They may not have ideas, but they have Visio.

AAAARRRRGHHHHHH!!!!

no, it does NOT "beg the question." sorry, pet peeve of mine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question#Modern_usage

My idiot congresswoman just sent me this chart in an email. She says she'll be offering amednments in the labor and education committee today and tomorrow but doesn't expect any to pass. I called her office to tell her to offer an amendment with a public option for medical malpractice insurance. That's as big a travesty as health insurance. a monopoly in most states (like HI) there's no correlation between actual malpractice claims and the price. Give docs a public choice and watch rates drop from six figures to about $10,000 a year.

Does anyone know anything about some provision in the bill the thugs are worried about which proposes that this health care legislation will cover abortions??

I am anxiously awaitng a response from anyone here at tpm - since so many of you are so knowledgeable on this subject

Thanks

I think the House Republican "Plan" chart is missing one important component, the trapezoidally shaped figure which contains the words "And then a miracle occurs". Because those of you who don't have insurance are going to need a miracle to get better if the House Republicans have their way.

Who knew Frank Luntz knew how to use Adobe Illustrator?

Republicans do everything they can to hide the truth. Unfortunately for them they forget that the under-50 crowd is now visually sophisticated to know deceptive crap when they see it. The over-50 crowd, well... we just won't read it because the types too small.

You have to watch this clip of Tom arnold and Sean Hannity debating issues like Sotomayor, Health care, Sarah Palin, etc. Arnold does quite well.

http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2185

funny - i'm a business analyst -- even as obfuscated as it is, doesn't really strike me as that complicated for something of this scale...

=)

Republicans seem to think that if anything is the least bit complicated it's impossible both to understand and solve. This says far more about Republicans than about either the problems or the solutions.

If only the Repubs spent as much time seriously thinking about health care as they spent on making their chart, maybe we could get somewhere. Then again...

I would like to direct you all to this link. This is a must see. It is a speech from the 60s from a man named Tommy Douglas. Apparently Douglas is one of the most beloved Canadians.

Watch the clip and tell me if you enjoyed it as much as I did and apparently lots of others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxGyPTndqms&feature=related

Of course what ever bill comes out it will depend on whether or not the Democratic Progressive Caucus will go for it.

C

Not only is this chart less complicated than the org chart of most decent sized US companies (especially those with multiple vertically integrated subsidiaries and holding companies), it includes a bunch of double dipping/purposeful confusion. In no small part this is done by listing both agencies and the programs they administer For example, the CMS box above S-Chip, Medicaid and Medicare refers to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (yes, its a weird acronym). CMS is the administrator of these programs, yet the box shows no relationship and basically triples the lines necessary to explain the situation. Lame.

Now, if single payer hadn't been taken off the table, imagine what that chart would look like.

I don't have the graphix skillz, but I imagine it would involve, oh, about three or four boxes.

But of course that's not on the table.

One thing that really burns me up is when I hear conservatives and Republicans ask why we are "rushing healthcare reform."

I saw some dipshit post that on CNN's site today. The fact is, we are not rushing anything, we have postponed healthcare reform for far too long and now have a true catastrophe for many Americans.

As for the GOP's cartoon chart, nice try.

SG

"Just as in the case of the Waxman-Markey chart, though, this doesn't actually explain anything. And it ironically begs the question of whether Republicans secretly want a simpler, single payer system to replace more complex reform proposals."

Okay, read above and glimpsed the chart littered with question marks... OUCH! My stomach hurts... fell off the chair... am still cracking up. You should email above to Republicans R Us... they'd start foaming at the mouth. Sheesh... talk about chimp-baiting. Priceless.

Addendum:

Chimp-baiting (pronounced chimp + baiting): whenever you can get an elected member of the Republican party to start foaming at the mouth.