So..... is it over?

The health insurance industry will only crash if Mr Obamasama decides to take control of the industry and force companies to insure people who are extremely high risk or who are otherwise uninsurable. That is a sure way to bankrupt any insurance company. Seriously, the conspiracy theories like this have been flying around for over 30 years.

The only problem with losing 401k's from the company control is that they will no longer be contributing to it. No problem. Take your money out and roll it into investments or money markets of your own choosing. You can do it tax and penalty free with a 1035 exchange.

Not exactly true. MOST businesses live on credit. In other words, they borrow to meet their payrolls and operating expenses based on RECEIVABLES. Been going on since the 1940's. The problem nowadays is that there is no credit available for said businesses, large and small, to borrow on.

Downsizing is when a business lays off and contracts their operations based on poor revenue performance during projected, current, or past quarters. They liquidate their most "liquid" asset: employees.

I've heard that short-sited dream everywhere too. Not going to work. While I do not like the bailout, I guarantee you that handing every American $20,000 each (about $3,000,000,000,000, a LOT more than the amount being spent now) will do nothing. This assumes 1/2 of American taxpayers are working, maybe a little high, I dont know. That is 150 million Americans. You and I will spend a *little*, then squirrel the rest away, probably in banks and maybe a little stock. You'd see a nice spike in the securities market, but not enough for a recovery. BTW, where do you think that money comes from? You guessed it, your tax money. Americans wont rush to deposit their money in banks, either. You need banks for credit. Without credit, this country cannot operate. You cant build commercial buildings and start businesses without credit. You cannot do the R&D, purchase materials, buy engines, and build new Peterbilts, among other things, without credit.

Where did you get this data? The Doctors in this country are the highest paid, and have access to the leading medical research. I think it's the other way around. Not to mention, a huge chunk, if not all of the rest of the free worlds' Doctors practice in at least a "semi-socialized" medical system, working them to death for little money. American Docs have huge loans to pay, and because we are "SUE HAPPY", enormous liability insurance to pay for.

Wow. Ok.... The "health insurance industry" will not come to a halt as long as it is not tampered with. There are already many people without insurance, but with $500+/month SUV payments. I can insure 90% of four or five member families for under $700/month. It's a question of priorities. Americans as a whole have lost any semblance of common sense when it comes to those priorities. People with $1400/mo mortgage payments (mine was over $1700/mo in SoCal) have no insurance because they dont want to trade down on their house. Insurance is not for the "Rich" and never will be. Typically, the "rich" are self-insured. Businesses themselves, do not carry health insurance. They SUBSIDIZE the group premiums for their employees. And that is already starting to go away, and is being replaced by HRA's (which are growing faster than HSA's). Fact is, group insurance premiums at your company are so high because the entire GROUP is taken into account when the rates are calculated, and nobody can be rated up individually. That means folks with high blood pressure, a history of claims, etc, have to be included. At least 70% of the employee base must participate, or the policy will not be issued. Now, because of the higher risk to the insurance carrier in this arrangement, the premiums are HIGHER than they would be if each individual went out and bought their own individual policy. And before anyone repeats the LIE told by Osamabamalamadamadingdong ("they will be forced to go into the individual market where premiums AVERAGE over $12k/year"), understand that he, and other politicians, use these sound bytes (lies) to make you afraid of what would happen if you did not vote for them. I told you what the average is ($700) for a family of 4. Multiply that by 12. Go ahead, I'll wait...........

Right!!! $8400/year! Are some higher? Yep! And a LOT are lower. Before I deployed, the average premium I quoted for small business owners and individuals was around $400/month. Usually, that is a wife and husband. Add a kid or two on for about $100-$150 each. The less of the risk you share (low deductibles), the higher your premium is. Higher deductible, lower premium. Easy stuff. You can have an individual health policy any time you want it. Just ask.

Aside from the "Little House on the Prairie" claim, I agree with this. And to tell the truth, this country was much stronger when we had more self-reliance, and less depending on the "evil rich people" and GOVERNMENT to get by. In my opinion, it's our new (40 years or so) entitlement mentality that got us into this.

BTW, I graduated from High School in Harrisburg. CD High Rams!!! Go RAMMERS!!!

 

Yeah, your right IROCUBabe. Cleansing is probably the right word. When manufacturing (the little bit thats left in this country) and production pick back up, trucks will at least be needed to get them to rail, then from rail to destinations. Personally, I dont see rail expanding too much. A huge HUGE chunk of our country's rail system was dismantled decades ago. You can find old rail beds in most towns. I seriously doubt we have the land and resources to rebuild a huge rail network again. Either way, the weak players will probably be eaten up and the stronger companies will come out of the other end of this mess.

I guess I'm lucky, I have options, but I cant deny what I love to do.... drive.

 

You dont really want to know what I think Obama is thinking now. It's not very nice, but the evidence is all over the place. His cabinet choices, his perceived "mandate", his recent actions...... BTW, the Republicans arent just resisting, they are asking for changes to a package that they too want. (Dont forget who started the stimulus package thing last fall)