Links We’re Reading – November 3-10, 2010

The first post-election links, would that they were golf links.

But if health care did cost the party its majority, so what? The bill was more important than the election.

I realize that sounds crazy. We’ve become so obsessed with who wins or loses in politics that we’ve forgotten what the winning and losing are about. Partisans fixate on punishing their enemies in the next campaign. Reporters, in the name of objectivity, refuse to judge anything but the Election Day score card. Politicians rationalize their self-preservation by imagining themselves as dynasty builders. They think this is the big picture.

They’re wrong. The big picture isn’t about winning or keeping power. It’s about using it. – William Saletan

10 thoughts on “Links We’re Reading – November 3-10, 2010

  1. Leej

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T

    This link will tell you all about MD Anderson. Some consider MD Anderson #1 in the world for cancer treatment. The people of Houston are blessed to have this kind of complex of hospitals unlike anything in thew world. It sits in a huge complex called the medical center just south of downtown Houston. I believe there are forty some individual separate  hospitals in this complex. I believe it is the largest or close to it complex of individual hospitals in the  world. It is unbelievable how much area this complex of hospitals takes up. It is like a medium size city in itself. Dr DeBakey the heart transplant pioneer practiced and did his research in that complex.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M

  2. Guest

    But I’m wondering just who did end up paying for her care if it wasn’t her or your family and if she had no insurance?

    Was the hospital a charity hospital? If so, then their donors paid for it – and since the economy has tanked, they are probably getting fewer donations and have since 2006.

    Was the hospital a state hospital? If so, then she was the beneficiary of socialized medicine.

    Was the hospital a VA hospital? If so, then she was the beneficiary of socialized medicine.

    Meanwhile, my cousin in France has ovarian cancer (returns periodically) and has never had to even worry about the cost, because it’s completely and totally taken care of by the government. She was able to switch jobs in the midst of cancer treatment and not have to worry about a gap in coverage. She was able to take a sabbatical and not have to worry about how the heck she would pay for insurance while unemployed.

    Whereas my friend in Chicago whose 10-year-old daughter has congenital liver disease can never leave his job because he’d never be able to find coverage.

    -Liz (from work)

  3. Paradox13

    I’m extremely happy that your sister got such excellent treatment. I think the point is that everyone should be able to get that kind of support and care. Not everyone does.

  4. Leej

    Well I can tell yo all don’t own a business with employees.

    It will get repealed eventually when the costs start to escalate. Perhaps after Obama a one term president and republican president comes in perhaps.  

    Let tell you a little story. My sister got cancer twice several years ago. The doctors were able to put it in remission for many years, but it finally came back and it killed her.

    Ok she lived in Houston with my brother. She had no health insurance. MD Anderson hospital in Houston which is one of the best cancer hospitals in the world. Well the doctors in MD Anderson and staff gave her as good a treatments and medical care that no amount of money could buy. It did not cost her a dime and she got the same medical care and attention as someone with the best health insurance or money in the world. My point is hospitals will treat you without health insurance and give you excellent care. My sister is a testament to that. So all this BS hospitals and and doctors will not treat you without health insurance is so much garbage.  

  5. Paradox13

    You do understand that we have a BICAMERAL legislature, right? That there’s something called the Senate that the Republicans have used to stop progress for the past two years, and that Democrats can use that Senate to stop regress for the next two?

  6. Dave Nemetz

    Stop fooling yourself. The President still has the veto (which won’t get overriden), and the bill is not as horrible as the demogogues make it out to be.

  7. Leej

    When the new health care bill is cut back or even repealed by the new congress you will care who wins elections.

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