Wal-mart is doing more to lower Healthcare costs than Obama

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What plan does Obama have? As far as I can tell, he has absolutely no health care plan. All aspects of the bill(s) in congress did not originate with him, they originated in congress. So, its laughable when he talks about "my plan".

Clearly, Joe, you're not an executive and have apparently no idea how an executive operates. The President has provided the guiding principles of what the measure should include. You can easily find these principles on the White House's web site.

The Administration believes that comprehensive health reform should:

• Reduce long-term growth of health care costs for businesses and government
• Protect families from bankruptcy or debt because of health care costs
• Guarantee choice of doctors and health plans
• Invest in prevention and wellness
• Improve patient safety and quality of care
• Assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans
• Maintain coverage when you change or lose your job
• End barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions

The President doesn't write legislation - that's the job of the Congress. To fault the President for leaving the legislative work to the very body to which this task is assigned by the Constitution is pretty ridiculous. Certainly when it comes from the camp that likes to accuse the President of wanting to dismantle the Constitution.

The Obama administration has taken the lesson which the Clinton administration learned the hard way seriously and has, as a result, seen the health care reform effort advance further than any administration in nearly a century. When Obama signs America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 into law, he will have accomplished what more than a dozen administrations prior failed to accomplish.

You may or may not agree with the health care reform effort making it's way through Congress - I've got my fair share of issues with the measure myself - but the very fact that the measure is advancing shows that the administration has chosen a viable path to get health care reform passed.

He talked many times of his "plan" in his address to congress. Saying "reform should include some jacked up form of this......" isn't a plan. There are no specifics, and therefore no plan.

Past presidents HAVE taken a more active role in having an actual "plan" that manifests itself in a bill. You can call me stupid and ignorant all you want, but it really doesn't prove one thing or another. Just that its your best line of argument.

Yes, and none of them has gotten health care reform passed. Writing bills isn't the job of the executive but that of the legislative branch. Why do you hate the Constitution?

Why are you a dishonest left wing radical?

Healthcare reform bill is not the only bill thats ever been passed. Just a history lesson for you.

Again, past presidents have drafted plans, but Obama has not in this regard. Yet he often refers to his "plan" that is non-existent.

Health care reform is one of those bills that has always failed to be passed. It has not proven fruitful for the executive to present legislation to the Congress for passage. Rather than taking the approach of the insane - doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome - this administration has chosen to pursue a different path: Establish a set of goals and guiding principles which the legislation drafted and passed by Congress should meet and follow and then let Congress carry out it's role in the process - which happens to be legislating.

Just because previous administrations have taken a different approach on this and other efforts doesn't change the fact that this is indeed the proper path for legislation to be written and passed. And thus far it seems to be a more successful approach particularly on this issue than any other in nearly a century.

So you admit that Obama lied when he said he "has a plan"?

Why is reading comprehension such a challenge for you, Joe?

Why is honesty such a problem for you?

It isn't. Your problem is that you are trying to suggest that "having a plan" means that one has penned out an entire piece of legislation. That's bull and you know it.

[Danno 1,228]

Now Big Dog, you've seem what Walmart has done to lower healthcare costs for people and you even gave props to Publix ... now tell us what Obama is doing to lower peoples healthcare costs?

Now Danno, care to take a look at the other side of Wal Mart's low cost coin?

Ohio:

COLUMBUS — Attention shoppers: Ohio taxpayers are picking up the tab for the more than 15,000 Walmart associates who qualify for Medicaid.

...

In June 2009, the state spent about $28.5 million on Medicaid, $14 million on food stamps, and $10.9 million on welfare for employees of the 50 largest employers.

Alabama:

Wal-Mart No. 1 in employee Medicaid

State provides health insurance for workers of major companies

Washington:

The state of Washington joins a growing list reporting that Wal-Mart leads in healthcare subsidies. The study by the state Senate revealed that $12 million of tax payer money is being used to subsidize Wal-Mart, who has 3,180 employees receiving Medicaid benefits and 456 employees on the state's Basic Health Plan.

...just to name a few.

My friend have you seen the people working at walmart? If it were not for walmart giving them a job the tax payer would be paying for a lot more than the Healthcare give-away you libs insist on handing out..... they might be collecting food stamps, AFDC section 8 and the list goes on....

Again, walmart is not doing everything but they are doing alot.

Are you nuts? Are you suggesting that Wal Mart only employs people that are otherwise unemployable? What a load of stinkin' #######. The fact of the matter is that most of the folks that work at Wal Mart have previously worked elsewhere and that most of them go on to work elsewhere. Wal Mart isn't exactly a firm that values employee retention - they have close to 50% annual staff turnover.

Speaking of 50%, a few months back I was going through the check-out with something marked down to "50% OFF", The check-out girl ponded a second and then asked.... "so is that the same as half off?"

I Kid you not.

[aidan80 9]

Yea, like you don't want to buy things for less money.

You want to pay full sticker price for your car, and heaven forbid you cheat on your taxes.

Of course we should all thank "made in china mart".. oh I mean Wal-Mart after all they are a prefect example of blood thirsty uncontrolled greed and capitalism. Wal-Mart and organizations like it are slowly but surely taking away our choices and our options everyday. I still prefer the health system back home.. there is no charge for prescriptions and no need to be held hostage by Wal-Mart.

I don't mind paying a fair price and that includes a fair price for the car that I bought. There's a big difference between fair price and the cheapest price you can get. How wal-mart extorts it's cheap prices isn't worth the savings to me.

[aidan80 9]

Yea, like you don't want to buy things for less money.

You want to pay full sticker price for your car, and heaven forbid you cheat on your taxes.

Of course we should all thank "made in china mart".. oh I mean Wal-Mart after all they are a prefect example of blood thirsty uncontrolled greed and capitalism. Wal-Mart and organizations like it are slowly but surely taking away our choices and our options everyday. I still prefer the health system back home.. there is no charge for prescriptions and no need to be held hostage by Wal-Mart.

I don't mind paying a fair price and that includes a fair price for the car that I bought. There's a big difference between fair price and the cheapest price you can get. How wal-mart extorts it's cheap prices isn't worth the savings to me.

I missed that one, cheat on my taxes!! You know that's petty, childish and stupid to claim such a thing. You'd do better for yourself if you didn't act like a wanker on a message board.

[aidan80 9]

Of course we should all thank "made in china mart".. oh I mean Wal-Mart after all they are a prefect example of blood thirsty uncontrolled greed and capitalism. Wal-Mart and organizations like it are slowly but surely taking away our choices and our options everyday. I still prefer the health system back home.. there is no charge for prescriptions and no need to be held hostage by Wal-Mart.

I find it amazing anyone would dispute this, or think it it is anything but a great benefit to all Americans. they have to have their head so far up their @ss!

I would gladly pay $4 for a month's supply of meds rather than have the govenment touch my helathcare. I think also the point of this is that free market pressure (WalMart) has created the same prices at Rite Aid and Walgreens, definitely not companies known for exploiting workers. I know for a fact (as I am retired from them) that Walgreens offers excellent wages and benefits and thanks to their success many of their "regular employees" retire as millionaires and that is not a joke! I promise you any manager, asst. manager. pharmacist or pharmacy tech that has been with Walgreens a few years has a portfolio that would blow you away!

This is just a solid example of what happens when the free market is allowed to work, now if we can just extend it.

Free Market isn't even free anymore. Competition is all but gone.. look at beef.. how many companies control the beef market. I mean actual companies the big one's the own all the smaller ones? Walk into a supermarket and look at all the choice.. or the illusion of choice. Again all the same junk, read the labels do some research same junk made by a handful big of companies that own the smaller companies that "compete" or do they if they all serve the same few masters?

Choices and the so called free market is all but done. These big unregulated mammoth organisations are basically eating up everything until there is no competition and we know what happens then. Same thing that happen now if you want cable, pay the price or shut up basically.

Edited November 14, 2009 by aidan80

[aidan80 9]

Of course we should all thank "made in china mart".. oh I mean Wal-Mart after all they are a prefect example of blood thirsty uncontrolled greed and capitalism. Wal-Mart and organizations like it are slowly but surely taking away our choices and our options everyday. I still prefer the health system back home.. there is no charge for prescriptions and no need to be held hostage by Wal-Mart.

... you mean "no charge to you?"

I doubt people back home are producing medications simply to give them away to the good citizens.

So tell me who it is that is paying for those meds you get for nothing?

Taxes, plain and simple the people pay for the medications needed by the people. I know that sounds to some like the worst thing ever but I'd rather vote for and elect those who control the medicine with my ballot than allow some faceless unelected for profit company control it.

I will make you adeal. I will pay my $4 per month and you pay yours...OK?

I'd happily pay more in taxes if it meant those that need medications could have them. I'd even pay more for health coverage for all. Even just to cover those that can't get coverage. I think we should all do it, we shouldn't all live in America like it's every man/woman for themselves it isn't really. I'm sure 9 outta 10 people on this board if they found someone laying injured on the street would actually come up and help them without asking to be paid for it!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Now Big Dog, you've seem what Walmart has done to lower healthcare costs for people and you even gave props to Publix ... now tell us what Obama is doing to lower peoples healthcare costs?

Now Danno, care to take a look at the other side of Wal Mart's low cost coin?

Ohio:

COLUMBUS — Attention shoppers: Ohio taxpayers are picking up the tab for the more than 15,000 Walmart associates who qualify for Medicaid.

...

In June 2009, the state spent about $28.5 million on Medicaid, $14 million on food stamps, and $10.9 million on welfare for employees of the 50 largest employers.

Alabama:

Wal-Mart No. 1 in employee Medicaid

State provides health insurance for workers of major companies

Washington:

The state of Washington joins a growing list reporting that Wal-Mart leads in healthcare subsidies. The study by the state Senate revealed that $12 million of tax payer money is being used to subsidize Wal-Mart, who has 3,180 employees receiving Medicaid benefits and 456 employees on the state's Basic Health Plan.

...just to name a few.

My friend have you seen the people working at walmart? If it were not for walmart giving them a job the tax payer would be paying for a lot more than the Healthcare give-away you libs insist on handing out..... they might be collecting food stamps, AFDC section 8 and the list goes on....

Again, walmart is not doing everything but they are doing alot.

Are you nuts? Are you suggesting that Wal Mart only employs people that are otherwise unemployable? What a load of stinkin' #######. The fact of the matter is that most of the folks that work at Wal Mart have previously worked elsewhere and that most of them go on to work elsewhere. Wal Mart isn't exactly a firm that values employee retention - they have close to 50% annual staff turnover.

Speaking of 50%, a few months back I was going through the check-out with something marked down to "50% OFF", The check-out girl ponded a second and then asked.... "so is that the same as half off?"

I Kid you not.

Side-stepping? Doesn't work with me.