A sign of REAL Hope from the health care front.

Quote of the Day:

"I think there will be a competitor to private insurers," Sebelius says, "That's really the essential part, is you don't turn over the whole new marketplace to private insurance companies and trust them to do the right thing. We need some choices, we need some competition." Kathleen Sebelius US Secretary of HHS. NY Times August 16, 2009.

Counterquote of the Day

"It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error."
-- Robert Houghwout Jackson, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and Chief Judge at the War-Crimes Tribunal in Nuremberg

I am glad to hear the President and his health care reform comrades are finally starting to listen to Americans who live outside of the DC Beltway. Most Americans know that health care costs are climbing but they still want their current insurance (if they have it). Remember, when the New Deal gave us the Social Security Act, the social security tax was 1% of the first $3000.00 annual wages for then covered employees. Now workers pay 6.2% of the first $102,000.00 for social security and 1.45% for Medicare on all wages, the sky's the limit for Medicare. Despite these increases lots of people do not believe they will be able to depend on it at all. This is a major reason why American Voters are so concerned about a public option for health care. They believe it will open yet another door for more government intrusion in their personal lives and the American Economy.

Here is my suggestion for President Obama, Secretary Selebius, Speaker Pelosi et al.
Read Charles Krauthammer's article "Health care reform: a better plan" in the August 7, 2009 edition of the Washington Post. He believes tort reform is the first priority. He cites a Massachusetts Medical Society study that shows that 5 of 6 doctors report 1 of 4 procedures they order are purely for defense from lawsuits. Cut down on these wasteful tests and you will save lots of money that can be directed to more productive use.