A word to the wise or casting pearls before swine?

In Saturday's address to the American Public, President Obama said he was willing to negotiate with the GOP if they were sincere in working to make Obama/Pelosi/Reid/Baucuscare the law of the land. He did this after his much heralded "bipartisan health care summit" on Thursday. On Monday he announced his own version of a health care overhaul (AKA nationalized, socialized health care) to the nation. Is it just me or was his announcement of an Obama/Pelosi/Reid/Baucuscare plan counterproductive to any sincere effort to reach an accord with the GOP? While I'm on this subject, isn't his unilateral announcement of Obamacare just another act of desperation to get his legacy of Obamacare rammed down the throats of the American people who do not want it? So far, Obamacare has been an egotrip at the expense of America's prosperity and personal liberty. Every President does this in his first year of office. Maybe Congress should enact first year legislation signature limits on Presidents. After all, one of the duties of Congress is to be a deliberative body, not the express lane for taxation and spending.

On Sunday, February 28, house speaker Nancy Pelosi advised her fellow Democrats to vote for Obama/Pelosicare even if their constituents disapprove of it. She stated that Social Security and Medicare were initially unpopular but nowadays are favorite tax and spend programs of the American Public. OK, maybe she was not bold and forthright enough to label them as the wealth distribution programs they are, but she was serious about voting along Obama/Pelosi party lines instead of their constituents best interests, not to mention wishes. Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Obama need to read the US Constitution. I do not expect this will morally rejuvenate either one of them. I am hoping a glance at America's History will make them realize they are servants of the public who elected them, not the other way around. They do not rule by divine right.
Even if they do not figure this out now, I am certain both of them will be reminded of this in November's congressional elections.

Wellpoint raises premiums in California

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NEV) got on the Senate floor today to crucify Wellpoint for health insurance premium increases. He did not elaborate on anything vaguely resembling facts. He said that Wellpoint and other "greedy insurance companies that care more about profits than people" are an excuse to ram nationalized medicine down the throats of the American taxpayers. This reminded me of an article Dana Milbank (Washingtonpost.com) wrote about Mr. Reid back when he introduced his own bill with the public option (aka socialized medicine). He did not consult any of his fellow senators; democrat, republican or independent. He just did it out of the blue sky. Mr. Milbank wrote that this was unusual behavior for Mr. Reid, who was known mainly for just bringing pork barrel funds to Nevada. Mr. Milbank thought the real motivation for Mr. Reid's newfound concern for all his fellow Americans was the difficult re-election he faces this year. By becoming an advocate for the public option, Mr. Reid hoped to win over more left wing liberals in Nevada.

I have to agree with Mr. Milbank. Mr. Reid's motivation is self preservation of his Senate seat, not any newly awakened compassion for taxpayers with rising health insurance costs.

Wellpoint's CEO of the consumer business unit, Brian A. Sassi, pointed out that California consumer business unit has been losing customers due to the recession and higher health care costs. Healthy people are dropping insurance or buying less expensive plans. When this happens there is less revenue to cover the sicker & older people who keep their plans. He also pointed out that the House and Senate bills have been watered down on the issue of universal coverage. The penalties for not buying insurance are too low to enforce compliance with any requirement for universal coverage. Unless Mr. Reid and his universal health care left wing cronies are willing to start fund drives to cover these losses, the premiums will go up or Wellpoint will have to get out of the individual health insurance business in California.

Of course, Congress will hold hearings about these increases. What else is new? This is just demagogues putting on a show. I have no doubt part of Mr. Reid's rise in attacks on the insurance companies for being insurance companies is another effort to get himself re-elected.