by Charley James
Six months ago, in a long-forgotten article, I quoted a Cleveland physician complaining that health care reform will cut his income so sharply he will be forced to curb his lush standard of living.
… a physician acquaintance in Ohio who is a highly regarded specialist with a seven figure income … complains to [...]

(With apologies to Simon and Garfunkel’s “Here’s to You Mrs. Robinson” lyric.)
By Denis Campbell
If you thought President Obama’s speech was about healthcare reform, you were wrong. It was about twin elephants in the room. The USA is literally tearing itself apart at the seams socially because the leader of the free world remains a black [...]

by Robert Reich
Last night, the so-called “gang of six” — three Republican and three Democratic senators on the Senate Finance Committee — met by conference call and, according to Senator Max Baucus, the committee’s chair, reaffirmed their commitment “toward a bipartisan health-care reform bill” (read: less coverage and no public insurance option). The Washington Post [...]

By Denis Campbell
Create a vacuum, be unclear, waffle, negotiate with soul-less bullies and you get gamed in Washington and across the USA. These NBC opinion poll graphics are chilling. The healthcare debate handed Republicans control of the US House in 1994. Now, because Congressional Democrats cannot determine what they stand for together, they will all [...]

by Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, and Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday conceded that long-standing delays in disciplining errant health professionals were “absolutely unacceptable” and promised broad reforms to better protect patients from dentists, pharmacists, therapists and others accused of misconduct.
“The existing model protects licensees,” said Brian Stiger, who was appointed by [...]

As we head into the weekend, here is the straight skinny on healthcare report from the White House and David Axelrod.
8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage

Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket [...]

Well done! #hrc #tcot #p2

by Charley James
Dear Mr. President:
According to a senior White House staff member who attended Wednesday’s lunch with the Senate Democratic caucus, you told progressives to “back off” attacking Blue Dogs and ConservaDems for their opposition to meaningful health care reform including the desperately needed public option.
Say what?
No, Mr. President, I will not back off – [...]

By Denis Campbell
Boiling down the numbers in the $1 trillion dollar healthcare reform debate, a few facts astonished. President Obama insists that: the program cover everyone, have a public option, represents a true accounting of all costs and that it pay for itself by being budget neutral. Laudable and something that did not stop Republican [...]

by Charley James
Pres. Lyndon Johnson had many tragic flaws but one thing he knew how to do is get his legislation passed. Members of Congress called it getting “the Johnson treatment” which ranged from flattery, promises of federal money for a pet project back in the district or even rides on Air Force One to [...]