...Please... comments that are only specific to the subject of Medicare healthcare NONE of the usual subterfuge please try to stay on subject. Most of us believe (about 90% of the country) that the republican healthcare bill is not good for the health of America, why not at least talk about some form of expanding a Medicare program that covers all Americans ?

One more Republican "Nay" and it's dead for good.  I think MCain's nay will give cover to Murkowski and Collins.

is a mystery.  

My guess is that very few people actually understand the intricacies of either the current Obamacare legislation or the proposed plan by Sens. Graham and Cassidy.  I know that I don't. Most people are merely expressing their views based on their political partisanship.  Those who loved President Obama or hate President Trump are clearly against the latest proposal.  Those who opposed President Obama are for it, mainly just to get the word "Obamacare" out of the daily lexicon.

If Medicare for all were really a logical option or solution, it would have been discussed and examined years ago.  Trying to institute a national single-payer healthcare plan for a country as large and populous at the United States is a task that may never be successfully accomplished.  This country is simply too large for that type of plan.  Yes, there are some compromises and adjustments that can be made but simply instituting "Medicare for all" is a fantasy that likely will never see the light of day.

some of those who claim they are "unclear" on how they'll vote.

-- Modified on 9/22/2017 12:46:19 PM

...talk about in order to scare their dumbass voters with the "Socialism" boogeyman.  That's why they're ecstatic about having a debate Monday between Graham-Cassidy and Sanders-Klobuchar.  They know their plan is shitty but if they can scream "Socialism!!" then they hope their slack-jawed droolers will be distracted and won't notice how bad Graham-Cassidy is.

...Ya caught me, the 90% was a guess made from listening to people (American citizens) that have a stake in their own future healthcare, most of these people don't want to see 50 different state run healthcare plans & they are not big fans of the current healthcare law that's in effect now. It's clear that you have not read what I have previously posted on this subject so I invite you to do so then see if you may wish to change your comments. Ma Kettle would be so proud.

need to know is this.

            The current Medicare population is about 55 million.  St. Croix loves to post that we lose 60 billion annually due to Medicare fraud/waste. That number in fact is not measurable but let’s assume it is true, or at least in the ballpark.

        Now extend Medicare to the remaining 275 million Americans. If Medicare is so poorly administered that we lose 60 billion a year to serve 55 million, how can any reasonable person (Bernie is not one) suggest that it is a good idea to extend Medicare to an additional 275 million?  The annual fraud/waste loss would be astronomical.

          And don’t say, “well, we will cut the fraud.” Every administration says that but they never do except ….drum roll…. the Obama administration and the Affordable Care Act which contained special tools designed to do this. We will never know how effective the ACA Medicare fraud detection provisions are working since they just got started and since the  Republicans and Trump wants to repeal the ACA as part of their political stunt.

why giving any reliance to the polls on the ACA's popularity are a such a waste of time.  I would add that many people who dislike the ACA primarily do so because their premiums have gone up and they assume the legislation is the cause rather than considering whether the early years of ACA premiums were underpriced (they were), whether an ACA policy provides far greater coverage than what they had before (it does)  and without considering what their premiums would be  if the ACA had never been enacted ( I doubt they would be less but no one really knows).

will never work. The country is too large. The government would have to introduce ridiculous taxes to pay for this. There would be a freaking revolt!  

Btw, we already went through this before.

I find myself having more respect for him.  One of my favorite Republicans was Barry Goldwater.  I hated his views but had great respect for him as a soldier statesman.  Few people know this about him, but when he was in the armed appropriations committee, he personally test flew every aircraft for which a contract was sought - fighters to refuelers.  

He famously called then junior senator McCain a "show horse" and didn't expect much from him.   I think he'd have a completely different view these days.  

Of course cowardly Dumbass Donnie will bitch and moan and sling insult after insult at McCain and will just add fodder to the impeachment fire of his own setting.  

Wait and see.

were on Medicare, Medicaid or military health insurance.

...It seams wisest to hold any more of my own comments until after we hear from Bill & Lindsey & their debate with Bernie  & Amy on Monday.

I'm sure feel the bern will convince everyone socialism is the only way. He and you should just give it a rest.

healthcare has been allowed to destroy lives and bankrupt people for too long.  It makes no sense to me to pay for bullshit policy that is set up to never pay a dime and only collect our money.  And the drug companies charging insane charges, the doctor ordering too many tests so he can get his money game, surgeries that are unnecessary and on and on.  I swear I am treated better as self pay and doctors by passing the scam artists insurance companies.  I don't get unnecessary testing like $1000 piss test panel, my doctor actually writes my prescriptions 3 months at time for me to tear off each month.  He has his assistant follow up with me now that my meds are right through patient portal.  I go 4 times a year so they can keep on an eye on my weight, blood pressure and I have coordination and balance checked.  And my pharmacist is a God send.  But if major catastrophe happens, I lose everything I have worked on my whole life.

Medicare for all can work, we just have to decide if we wish to pay a higher tax rather than give it to healthcare robbery system.  Small businesses would see on a slight increase in Social Security Medicare earnings to match.  Companies like Amazon and Walmart can afford it.  Make an income cap and charge a surcharge on a sliding fee of income.

he took one of his many "Obamacare victory laps" upon that bill's passage, every Presidential administration since (I believe it was) Nixon had been trying to find a way to solve the healthcare issue in America.  So, yes, that means the subject had been discussed and examined years ago.

Single-payer sounds like a wonderful and easy fix.  "Sounds like" and reality, though, are often very different animals.

Obamacare is proven the worst thing for America, Nothing the GOP could write could compare.

...It appears that one of the right wing loonies has himself a new alias, & for this moronic User1994 Medicare is already HERE & has been for many years, how is the current Medicare system not socialized medicine? you idiot you can't argue that point, that train has left the station. And just show us 1 congressman willing to try to repeal the current Medicare law & Ill show you a congressman that will be voted out of office @ the next opportunity.