User:Woozle/blog/2011-01-13 1110 Obamacare myth the first
<hide> <let name=data index=Title>Obamacare myth #1: It's a luxury we can't afford.</let> <let name=data index=User>Woozle</let> <let name=data index=TopicsUser></let> <let name=data index=TopicsGlobal>\Obamacare\propaganda\Obamacare myths\economy\politics</let> <let name=data index=TextAbove>The argument seems to be that when the economy is tough, we should spend less money. Therefore Obamacare -- which must be expensive, right? -- is something we can't afford right now.
This argument is based on several bits of misinformation and misperception, the most obvious of which is that Obamacare is expensive and will increase the deficit.</let>
<let name=data index=TextBelow>
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the legislation would reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the first decade and by $1.2 trillion in the second decade.
Repeat: Obamacare decreases the deficit. If you repeal it, you increase the deficit.
If you don't believe the CBO's analysis, who do you believe -- and why? Have they explained how the CBO's analysis is wrong?
Even assuming that the CBO estimate is somehow inaccurate, if the GOP would just be willing to reinstate Reagan-era tax rates for those who can afford a little extra -- you know, that top 1% of earners who just got their tax cuts extended by that "socialist", Obama -- any possible underestimate of the cost would be taken care of.
Addendum #1
The CBO analysis doesn't even take into account the expected economic benefits from having a healthier population -- a kind of "trickle down" that actually works, unlike the Bush tax cuts.
Even if your sole interest is seeing the insurance companies profit, Obamacare fills that need too: Forbes magazine has observed that insurance companies are seeing a boom in new policies, including many from small businesses which previously hadn't been able to offer insurance to their employees.
Gee, large and small businesses benefiting -- isn't that what Republicans are supposed to be in favor of?
Addendum #2 -- a little bit about how this affects me:
1. I had an esophageal blockage back in November 2009. It wasn't immediately life-threatening, but I couldn't swallow anything -- solid or liquid -- so I had to go to the emergency room (I tried a walk-in clinic first; they sent me to the emergency room), where they knocked me out and removed the blockage endoscopically. The final bill was nearly $8000. Since I don't have any insurance, the hospital (which mostly did a fabulous job) has only been paid a small fraction of what they are owed -- and I get phone calls from creditors every week (and my credit is trashed, but no bit loss there).
I can't afford insurance because the work I'm doing right now -- despite being absolutely the hardest work I've ever done -- doesn't pay well when it pays at all, and doesn't come with any "benefits".
What's this super-hard work I'm doing which doesn't come with medical benefits? Glad you asked...
2. What I was doing essentially time-and-a-half in 2009 was helping to take care of Josh and trying to get proper care for him. The mental healthcare system is so incredibly broken that even though we first got him "in the system" for services in 2003, it wasn't until 2007 (after many failed attempts) that we finally we were able to get him back in the system, and he didn't start getting actual services until 2008 -- 5 years later.
The services Josh could receive kept getting cut after that, too, so we spent a lot of time just trying (futilely) to maintain those services -- time we could have spent trying to find him better services and a permanent home.
It wasn't until 2009 that we got him on Medicaid, which pays for the therapy and residential services he is currently receiving. It wasn't until 2010 that we could finally get him some proper care and get him out of the house so I could do more productive work -- when I'm not fighting the bureaucracy to (a) keep that funding in place and (b) find information about group homes for him to move into when he is done with the therapy.
If Obamacare had been in full effect in 2003, or even in 2009, there wouldn't have been any question that Josh was entitled to Medicaid, and I wouldn't have been worrying about creditors coming after me to pay for a life-saving operation.
If Josh had been cared for properly from the moment we first started trying to get care for him, we would have had time to be more productive and would probably be steadily employed now in a "proper job" with insurance. If he had been properly cared for from the day he was first diagnosed (at age 4), he might be a productive member of society by now.
As a country, we can't afford not to have Obamacare, at a bare minimum. Most wealthy/Western countries have much better healthcare than we do, and this is a (small) step towards the systems they use. Why is there even a debate about this?
Crossposted to Open Salon </let>
<let name=data index=TimeStamp>2011-01-13 1110</let> </hide><if not flag=including>==GetLinkBrief()== <func GetLinkBrief>
<let name=links.out>
- </let>
<let name=links.out append copy=data[Date] /> <let name=links.out append> :[[</let> <let name=links.out append copy=pg_title /> <let name=links.out append>|more]]:[[Talk:</let> <let name=links.out append copy=pg_title /> <let name=links.out append>|talk]]: </let>
<if flag=$data[wpage]>
<let name=wtLink>[[</let>
<let name=wtLink append copy=data[wpage] />
<let name=wtLink append>|</let>
<let name=wtLink append copy=data[Title] />
<let name=wtLink append>]] § </let>
</if><else>
<let name=wtLink>[</let>
<let name=wtLink append copy=data[URL] />
<let name=wtLink append> </let>
<let name=wtLink append copy=data[Title] />
<let name=wtLink append>]</let>
</else>
<let name=links.out append copy=wtLink /> <let name=links.out append> § </let>
<let name=text copy=data[TextShort] />
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<let name=text copy=data[Text] len=200 />
</else>
<let name=links.out append copy=text trim /> <let name=links.out append> [[</let> <let name=links.out append copy=pg_title /> <let name=links.out append>|more...]]</let>
</func>
ShowRecentLinks(max)
<func ShowRecentLinks max>
<let name=idx />
<let name=including val=1 />
<for table="qryW3_Titles_Catgs" where="(cl_to='Data/links') AND (page_namespace=0)" sort="page_title DESC" limit=$max name=pg hide>
<let name=pg_title val="@row.page_title" />
<let name=idx inc />
<if not flag=$noLoad>
<load page=$pg_title />
</if>
<if flag=$data[Title]>
<call GetLinkBrief />
</if><else>
<let name=links.out>
- [[</let>
<let name=links.out append copy=pg_title />
<let name=links.out append>]]</let>
</else>
<let name=links.rtn append copy=links.out />
<let name=links.out />
<let name=data />
</for>
</func>
ShowTopic(iTopic,iMax)
This should eventually be able to show data in any format: news links, blog entries... <func ShowTopic iTopic iMax>
<let name=idx /> <let name=including val=1 /> <let name=topic farg=iTopic /> <if not flag=$topic> <let name=topic parse>Woozle/blog/2011-01-13 1110 Obamacare myth the first</let> </if> <let name=topic self with="_"> </let>
<let name=sqlWhere>(page_namespace=0) AND (cl_to='</let> <let name=sqlWhere append copy=topic /> <let name=sqlWhere append>')</let>
<for table="qryW3_Titles_Catgs" where=$sqlWhere sort="page_title DESC" name=pg empty="no items yet" limit=$iMax hide>
<let name=pg_title val="@row.page_title" />
<let name=idx inc />
<if not flag=$noLoad>
<load page=$pg_title local />
</if>
<if flag=$data[Title]>
<call GetBrief />
</if><else>
<let name=links.out>
- [[</let>
<let name=links.out append copy=pg_title />
<let name=links.out append>]]</let>
</else>
<let name=exclude val=0 />
<let name=links.rtn append copy=links.out />
<let name=data null />
</for>
</func>
GetBlogEntryBrief()
<func GetBlogEntryBrief> INPUT:
data[*] - from blog entry page pg_name - full name of page being displayed (including namespace)
<if not flag=$noLoad>
<load page=$pg_name />
</if>
<let name=e.out>
- </let>
<let name=e.out append copy=data[TimeStamp] /> <let name=e.out append> [[</let> <let name=e.out append copy=pg_name /> <let name=e.out append>|</let> <let name=e.out append copy=data[Title] /> <let name=e.out append>]] § </let>
<let name=text copy=data[TextAbove] />
<if flag=$text></if><else>
<let name=text copy=data[TextBelow] len=200 />
</else>
<let name=e.out append copy=text trim /> <let name=e.out append> [[</let> <let name=e.out append copy=pg_name /> <let name=e.out append>|more...]]</let>
</func>
GetBlogEntryBriefChrisFormat()
<func GetBlogEntryBriefChrisFormat> INPUT:
data[*] - from blog entry page pg_name - full name of page being displayed (including namespace)
<if not flag=$noLoad>
<load page=$pg_name />
</if>
<let name=e.out></let> <let name=e.out append>[[</let> <let name=e.out append copy=pg_name /> <let name=e.out append>|</let> <let name=e.out append copy=data[Title] /> <let name=e.out append>]], </let> <let name=e.out append copy=data[TimeStamp] /> <let name=e.out append>
</let>
<let name=text copy=data[TextAbove] />
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<let name=text copy=data[TextBelow] len=200 />
</else>
<let name=e.out append copy=text trim /> <let name=e.out append> [[</let> <let name=e.out append copy=pg_name /> <let name=e.out append>|more...]]
</let> </func>
GetBlogEntryFull()
<func GetBlogEntryFull> INPUT:
data[*] - from blog entry page pg_name - full name of page being displayed (including namespace)
<if not flag=$noLoad>
<load page=$pg_name />
</if>
<let name=e.out>
==</let>
<let name=e.out append copy=data[Title] /> <let name=e.out append>==
posted at </let>
<let name=e.out append copy=data[TimeStamp] /> <let name=e.out append>
</let>
<let name=e.out append copy=data[TextAbove] /> <let name=e.out append copy=BlogFoldDivider /> <let name=e.out append copy=data[TextBelow] />
-- category display
<let name=e.out append copy=BlogFoldDivider /> <let name=e.out append>
Categories –</let>
<let name=noCat val=1 />
<call MakeBlogCatgs />
<if flag=$wtCatGlob>
<let name=e.out append> general: </let>
<let name=e.out append copy=wtCatGlob>
</if>
<if flag=$wtCatUser>
<let name=e.out append> user: </let>
<let name=e.out append copy=wtCatUser>
</if>
<let name=e.out append></let>
</let> </func>
ShowRecentBlogEntries(max,funcEntry)
<func ShowRecentBlogEntries max funcEntry>
<let name=idx />
<if not flag=$funcEntry>
<let name=funcEntry val="GetBlogEntryBrief" />
</if>
<let name=including val=1 />
<for table="qryW3_Titles_Catgs" where="(cl_to='Data/blog/post')" sort="page_title DESC" limit=$max name=pg hide>
<let name=pg_nspace_code>{{ns:</let>
<let name=pg_nspace_code append val=@row.page_namespace />
<let name=pg_nspace_code append>}}</let>
<let name=pg_nspace copy=pg_nspace_code parse />
<let name=pg_title val="@row.page_title" />
<let name=pg_name copy=pg_nspace />
<let name=pg_name append>:</let>
<let name=pg_name append copy=pg_title />
<let name=idx inc />
<call func=$funcEntry />
<let name=e.rtn append copy=e.out />
<let name=data />
</for>
</func>
ShowRecentBlogEntriesFull(max)
<func ShowRecentBlogEntriesFull max>
<let name=idx />
<let name=including val=1 />
<for table="qryW3_Titles_Catgs" where="(cl_to='Data/blog/post')" sort="page_title DESC" limit=$max name=pg hide>
<let name=pg_nspace_code>{{ns:</let>
<let name=pg_nspace_code append val=@row.page_namespace />
<let name=pg_nspace_code append>}}</let>
<let name=pg_nspace copy=pg_nspace_code parse />
<let name=pg_title val="@row.page_title" />
<let name=pg_name copy=pg_nspace />
<let name=pg_name append>:</let>
<let name=pg_name append copy=pg_title />
<let name=idx inc />
<call GetBlogEntryFull />
<let name=e.rtn append copy=e.out />
<let name=data />
</for>
</func>
ShowRecentBlogEntriesByTopic(max,topic)
<func ShowRecentBlogEntriesByTopic max topic>
<let name=topic self with="_"> </let>
<let name=sql>(cl_to='</let> <let name=sql>SELECT q1.* FROM qryW3_Titles_Catgs AS q1 LEFT JOIN qryW3_Titles_Catgs AS q2 ON q1.cl_from=q2.cl_from WHERE (q1.cl_to='Data/blog/post') AND (q2.cl_to='</let> <let name=sql append copy=topic /> <let name=sql append>') ORDER BY page_title DESC LIMIT </let> <let name=sql append copy=max />
<for sql=$sql>
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<let name=pg_nspace_code append val=@row.page_namespace />
<let name=pg_nspace_code append>}}</let>
<let name=pg_nspace copy=pg_nspace_code parse />
<let name=pg_title val="@row.page_title" />
<let name=pg_name copy=pg_nspace />
<let name=pg_name append>:</let>
<let name=pg_name append copy=pg_title />
<let name=idx inc />
<let name=data[Title] null />
<load page=$pg_name />
<if flag=$data[Title]>
<call GetBlogEntryBrief />
<let name=e.rtn append copy=e.out />
</if>
<let name=data />
</for>
</func>
MakeBlogCatgs()
<func MakeBlogCatgs>
<let name=catUser copy=data[TopicsUser] /> <let name=catGlob copy=data[TopicsGlobal] /> <let name=wtCatUser null /> <xploop list=$catUser var=topic> <let name=wtCatUser append> [[user:</let> <let name=wtCatUser append copy=data[User] /> <let name=wtCatUser append>/</let> <let name=wtCatUser append copy=topic /> <let name=wtCatUser append>|</let> <let name=wtCatUser append copy=topic /> <let name=wtCatUser append>]]</let>
<let name=wtCatUser append>[[:category:user/</let> <let name=wtCatUser append copy=data[User] /> <let name=wtCatUser append>/</let> <let name=wtCatUser append copy=topic /> <let name=wtCatUser append>|c]]</let>
<if not flag=$noCat>
<let name=wtCatUser append> [[category:user/</let>
<let name=wtCatUser append copy=data[User] />
<let name=wtCatUser append>/</let>
<let name=wtCatUser append copy=topic />
<let name=wtCatUser append>|</let>
<let name=wtCatUser append copy=topic />
<let name=wtCatUser append>]]</let>
</if>
</xploop>
<let name=wtCatGlob null />
<xploop list=$catGlob var=topic>
<let name=wtCatGlob append> [[</let>
<let name=wtCatGlob append copy=topic />
<let name=wtCatGlob append>]]</let>
<let name=wtCatGlob append>[[:category:</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=topic /> <let name=wtCatGlob append>|c]]</let>
<if not flag=$noCat>
<let name=wtCatGlob append>[[category:</let>
<let name=wtCatGlob append copy=topic />
<let name=wtCatGlob append>]]</let>
</if>
</xploop>
</func>
ShowBlogPostPage()
<func ShowBlogPostPage>
<let name=PostDate copy=data[TimeStamp] len=10 /> <let name=wtDate>[[</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>]] ([[:category:</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>|category]])</let>
<let name=wtDate append>[[category:</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>]]</let>
<let name=wtTitle>
==</let>
<let name=wtTitle append copy=data[Title] /> <let name=wtTitle append>==</let> <if flag=$data[TextAbove]> <let name=wtTextBrief>
In Brief </let>
<let name=wtTextFull>
The Rest </let>
<let name=wtTextBrief append copy=data[TextAbove] /> </if><else> <let name=wtTextBrief null /> </else> <let name=wtTextFull append copy=data[TextBelow] />
<call MakeBlogCatgs />
General categories for blog posts: -- the fact that it's a post:
<let name=wtCatGlob append></let>
-- date:
<let name=wtCatGlob append>[[category:</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=PostDate len=10 /> -- just the date for the category <let name=wtCatGlob append>|]]</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=PostDate /> -- full timestamp for sorting <let name=wtCatGlob append>]]</let>
<let name=user copy=data[User] /> <if flag=$user> <let name=wtUser>[[user:</let> <let name=wtUser append copy=user /> <let name=wtUser append>|</let> <let name=wtUser append copy=user /> <let name=wtUser append>]]</let> </if><else> <let name=wtUser>unknown</let> </else> <echo>
<get name=wtTitle /> <get name=data index=Text /><get name=wtTextBrief /><get name=wtTextFull />
</func>
ShowBlogPostPage_v2()
<func ShowBlogPostPage_v2>
<let name=PostDate copy=data[TimeStamp] len=10 /> <let name=wtDate>[[</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>]] ([[:category:</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>|category]])</let>
<let name=wtDate append>[[category:</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>]]</let>
<let name=wtTitle>
==</let>
<let name=wtTitle append copy=data[Title] /> <let name=wtTitle append>==</let> <if flag=$data[TextAbove]> <let name=wtTextBrief>
In Brief </let>
<let name=wtTextFull>
The Rest </let>
<let name=wtTextBrief append copy=data[TextAbove] /> </if><else> <let name=wtTextBrief null /> </else> <let name=wtTextFull append copy=data[TextBelow] />
<call MakeBlogCatgs />
General categories for blog posts: -- the fact that it's a post:
<let name=wtCatGlob append></let>
-- date:
<let name=wtCatGlob append>[[category:</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=PostDate len=10 /> -- just the date for the category <let name=wtCatGlob append>|]]</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=PostDate /> -- full timestamp for sorting <let name=wtCatGlob append>]]</let>
<let name=user copy=data[User] /> <if flag=$user> <let name=wtUser>[[user:</let> <let name=wtUser append copy=user /> <let name=wtUser append>|</let> <let name=wtUser append copy=user /> <let name=wtUser append>]]</let> </if><else> <let name=wtUser>unknown</let> </else> <echo>
<get name=wtTitle /> <get name=data index=Text /><get name=wtTextBrief /><get name=wtTextFull />
Specs | |
| Timestamp: | <get name=PostDate /> |
| Author: | <get name=wtUser /> |
| User topics: | <get name=wtCatUser /> |
| Global topics: | <get name=wtCatGlob /> |
</func>
ShowBlogPostPage_v1()
<func ShowBlogPostPage_v1>
<let name=PostDate copy=data[TimeStamp] len=10 /> <let name=wtDate>[[</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>]] ([[:category:</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>|category]])</let>
<let name=wtDate append>[[category:</let> <let name=wtDate append copy=PostDate /> <let name=wtDate append>]]</let>
<let name=wtTitle>
==</let>
<let name=wtTitle append copy=data[Title] /> <let name=wtTitle append>==</let> <if flag=$data[TextAbove]> <let name=wtTextBrief>
In Brief
</let>
<let name=wtTextFull>
Full Story
</let>
<let name=wtTextBrief append copy=data[TextAbove] /> </if><else> <let name=wtTextBrief null /> </else> <let name=wtTextFull append copy=data[TextBelow] />
<call MakeBlogCatgs />
General categories for blog posts: -- the fact that it's a post:
<let name=wtCatGlob append></let>
-- date:
<let name=wtCatGlob append>[[category:</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=PostDate len=10 /> -- just the date for the category <let name=wtCatGlob append>|]]</let> <let name=wtCatGlob append copy=PostDate /> -- full timestamp for sorting <let name=wtCatGlob append>]]</let>
<let name=user copy=data[User] /> <if flag=$user> <let name=wtUser>[[user:</let> <let name=wtUser append copy=user /> <let name=wtUser append>|</let> <let name=wtUser append copy=user /> <let name=wtUser append>]]</let> </if><else> <let name=wtUser>unknown</let> </else> <echo>
Specs
| Timestamp: | <get name=PostDate /> |
| Author: | <get name=wtUser /> |
| User topics: | <get name=wtCatUser /> |
| Global topics: | <get name=wtCatGlob /> |
<get name=wtTitle /> <get name=data index=Text /><get name=wtTextBrief /><get name=wtTextFull /></echo> </func><call ShowBlogPostPage></if>
