From the Wikipedia entry on fallacy:

“A fallacy is an argument which provides poor reasoning in support of its conclusion. Fallacies differ from other bad arguments in that many people find them psychologically persuasive. That is, people will mistakenly take a fallacious argument to provide good reasons to believe its conclusion. An argument can be fallacious whether or not its conclusion is true.”

From this starting point I’d like to begin with the biggest fallacy that healthcare reform opponents are offering. Something along the lines of this: “The Government can’t run programs well, so we shouldn’t want them to run healthcare.”

This is a fine statement on the surface (despite it being incorrect), but under the current legislation in front of Congress, the only thing that is remotely close to “being run” by the government is the public option; that part of the reform bill that says people can choose from many options but there will be offered a public option as well.

And herein lies the fallacy. The current legislation allows for free-market competition with more consumer-friendly regulations on private industry insurers so that there truly is a free market. If the government can’t run healthcare (or any other program), then why are you afraid of the public option? If the government is so bad, people won’t be jumping all over the public option, but finding the best private insurance they can afford.

Ah, but what if my employer drops healthcare coverage? Then you are free to 1) bargain for a sizable raise; 2) find coverage on your own; 3) quit if employer doesn’t pass health insurance savings onto employees. Companies currently pick up anywhere from 50% to 75% of health insurance costs. That total healthcare cost is hidden from people. Having the ability to competitively shop for insurance means you don’t have to stay working at a job because of the benefits.

The second fallacy that I’m hearing from my ultra-conservative friends (online and off) goes something like this: “Keep your damn hands off my healthcare.”

Aside from the ridiculousness of this stance, there seems to be some notions about the nature of insurance and the nature of societal and group contracts. First, the only way an individual is able to get health insurance in the U.S. under the current system is to be extraordinarily healthy, a good liar (the industry spends a lot to find liars, so you’d have to be really good to not get dinged) or to be included in a group by an employer (where the employer is required by the federal government to include you, regardless of your health history). So let’s say you do have healthcare. By it’s nature, you are already part of a larger group. Which means that your employer has to pony up if a coworker gets sick. But you also have to pony up, because while your employer might pay some of the increased cost over time, so will you. So you are already beholden to those in your group. Their decisions affect you. You are already in a communal state, albeit one masked by the notion that a) you have some kind of choice about the care you receive, although nothing like in single payer or private/public countries; b) you don’t understand how the current system works, don’t want to understand and as a general rule, despise the government you pay taxes to; c) you are a libertarian.

So under the current system, you allow your employer to control your healthcare and dictate costs, which you have zero control over, except to opt-out. You have limited choices under the current system. So keeping “my damn hands off your healthcare” means you continue to exist in a system where you have no say and in many cases become trapped at your job, because you are afraid to leave due to this horrible current system.

It is in the best interests of every single citizen of the United States to be for healthcare reform. While you may disagree with points of legislation, the system desperately needs reform and the conversation should reflect that reality, rather than scare tactics and stupidity. o

More bullshit from the dirty GOP:

A questionnaire accompanying the appeal says the government could check voting registration records, “prompting fears that GOP voters might be discriminated against for medical treatment in a Democrat-imposed health care rationing system.”

It asks, “Does this possibility concern you?”

Katie Wright, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said the question was “inartfully worded.”

I’d say it was worded… to scare people. You know, the way the GOP works today.

Read it by clicking here

Rachel Maddow talked about this:

Stay classy, GOP! o

On the way back to the cabin after shooting in Roosevelt, Utah. The light was perfect and I jumped out of the car, opened the liftgate, grabbed the camera and then promptly fell on my ass as I tried to get down the embankment to frame shots before the light faded.

In order to get the orange sky, I had to stop it down a bit and that darkened the foreground. I didn’t think I had time to set up a tripod and go for an HDR shot, but I probably should have taken the time, as I think the shot would have worked a tiny bit better. o

This sign had a dead section that affected both sides. So on the other side it read “an’s Cafe”.

I’m pleased with the low light performance of the 5D Mk II on this shot. 1000 ISO. Not bad. o

During the past few months I’ve tried to research and write about healthcare reform in the U.S. in a way that would clearly explain the need for government intervention. Most U.S. citizens are living in denial when it comes to healthcare cost and just how horribly the U.S. ranks in the world compared to other developed, industrialized nations.

Given the fact that we had a baby in June, I haven’t done quite the job I had hoped I’d be able to do to make an ironclad case for reform. The issue of healthcare reform is top of the list for me and my family. It’s one of the reasons we voted Obama/Biden in 2008.

Yesterday, we took Marlo to the doctor to get her check up and be vaccinated. She’s doing great. We had an intense day on top of that with repairmen (long story for another day), FedEx (longer story for another day) and visits from extended family. Given all of this, I didn’t have a lot of time today to check Twitter and at 1:30 am this morning when Marlo awoke for her feeding (and I couldn’t sleep), I hit Twitter to catch up. I was blown away by what I saw.

Backstory: A couple of days ago The White House hit two million followers on Twitter and asked what people wanted to see from the White House feed on Twitter

I responded:

“@whitehouse it is time for the President to bust out some charts and graphs showing where US is in the world on healthcare.” (click here to see it on twitter)

I didn’t think the people behind the White House Twitter feed would listen. I was wrong:

“@blurb says “bust out some charts and graphs” Busted: Hidden costs http://bit.ly/yfBJB Coverage denied http://bit.ly/mFtJo” (click here to see it on twitter)

We are living in wonderful times! I’m still giddy about being responded to! What about those links? The first link in the above response goes to:

Hidden Costs of Healthcare: Why Americans are paying more and getting less

“Americans are spending more than ever on their monthly premiums while simultaneously being forced to pay higher out-of-pocket costs as a result of rising deductibles, copayments, and other cost sharing mechanisms.”

“In fact, a person with employer-based coverage paid an average of $1,522 on health care (not including premiums) in 2006, compared with $1,260 in 2001. When including the added burden of higher premiums, out-of-pocket costs rose even more sharply, with a 30 percent increase from an average of $2,827 in 2001 to $3,744 in 2006.”

(Ed. note: there are footnotes for sources and numbers on the linked page)

It’s a great start to explain just how crazy the inflation in healthcare costs are for the U.S.

The second link from the White House tweet goes to:

Coverage Denied: How the current health system leaves millions behind

Of note:

“Thirty-five states offer a high-risk pool for people who have been denied coverage in the individual insurance market or otherwise cannot obtain insurance. However, high-risk pools generally charge significantly higher rates than they charge for a healthy individual in the individual insurance market, meaning that only relatively high-income people can afford the coverage. One study estimated that only eight percent of the uninsurable population is able to enroll in high-risk pools, mainly because of high premiums.”

“Benefits through a high-risk pool are also not guaranteed. Some state high-risk pools have annual caps on enrollment, or limit eligibility only to people who had prior group health coverage in the preceding 63 days. And one state high-risk pool has been closed to new beneficiaries since 1991.”

“All high-risk pools also impose pre-existing condition exclusions for six months to one year, during which time care for the very condition that made someone uninsurable is not covered.”

Ed. note: there are footnotes for sources and numbers on the linked page)

Long-time readers will note that this “high risk” coverage provided by a state (not on a federal level) is the kind of insurance that I, Heather and Leta have. As individuals, not a family. Everything in the above quoted paragraphs is true for us. It’s expensive, but fortunately we live in a state that has such a “high risk” pool and thanks to your continued support, we can afford such insurance.

I want more charts and graphs, because they quickly tell a sobering story of healthcare in the U.S.

I am going to restate the obvious because I’m still in a state of giddy shock: The White House responded to a tweet of mine! o

Taken in Roosevelt, Utah while we were staying in Duchesne. I had hoped to catch a better shot with the sunset, but I didn’t pre-scout the location. There is a bluff that makes sunset at the drive-in about 15-30 minutes earlier than I had budgeted.

I love the big sign under the screen. I’ve got a different shot of just the screen that I’ll share. o

Of note:

“Now, the source of a lot of these fears about government-run health care is confusion over what’s called the public option. This is one idea among many to provide more competition and choice, especially in the many places around the country where just one insurer thoroughly dominates the marketplace. This alternative would have to operate as any other insurer, on the basis of the premiums it collects. And let me repeat – it would be just an option; those who prefer their private insurer would be under no obligation to shift to a public plan.”

“The insurance companies and their allies don’t like this idea, or any that would promote greater competition. I get that. And I expect there will be a lot of discussion about it when Congress returns.”

“But this one aspect of the health care debate shouldn’t overshadow the other important steps we can and must take to reduce the increasing burdens families and businesses face.”

“So let me stress them again: If you don’t have insurance, you will finally have access to quality coverage you can afford. If you do have coverage, you will benefit from more security and more stability when it comes to your insurance. If you move, lose your job, or change jobs, you will not have to worry about losing health coverage. And we will set up tough consumer protections that will hold insurance companies accountable and stop them from exploiting you with unfair practices.”

Read the rest: by clicking here.

I love how he ends it. I agree that if real reform is passed, this can be something for our generation to be proud of. It’s time to grow up as a nation. Providing healthcare to everyone is a moral obligation. It’s shameful that it has taken this long.

It’s time for insurance reform to pass. o

Yeah. Not zen at all. o

To start the Friday Fun:

For more: Exclusive – Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 1

Betsy McCaughey is credited with starting the notion of “death panels”. Any arguments she makes seem about perception, not reality. Read her inflammatory editorials here & here. Read inflammatory pieces about her here & here. I happen to agree that she’s not to be trusted. I don’t think that’s much of a surprise. Conservatives, this is who represents you and your views? Nice!

A reader sent me a link to this piece published on Foreign Policy:

“There is one yardstick by which U.S. health care distinguishes itself: cost. The United States spends more — in total dollars, percentage of GDP, and per capita — than every other country on Earth.”

“On virtually every other broad metric, the claim that U.S. health care stands for global excellence is demonstrably false. The United States doesn’t take a top spot in either the World Health Organization or nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund rankings. The American health-care system is not best in terms of coverage, access, patient safety, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness. It does not produce the best outcomes for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes; for the elderly, the middle-aged, or the young; or in terms of life expectancy, rates of chronic diseases, or obesity.”

“Which countries do come out on top? Often — France, Switzerland, Britain, Canada, and Japan. On the World Health Organization’s list, the United States comes out 37th.”

Via: reader Scott. Thanks, Scott!

Click to read the whole thing: The Most Outrageous U.S. Lies About Global Healthcare

Must Read of the Week

Last night, I re-tweeted @fraying (this tweet) and on his personal site he linked to a great essay from Johann Hari published by The Independent:

“You have to admire the audacity of the right. Here’s what’s actually happening. The US is the only major industrialised country that does not provide regular healthcare to all its citizens. Instead, they are required to provide for themselves – and 50 million people can’t afford the insurance. As a result, 18,000 US citizens die every year needlessly, because they can’t access the care they require. That’s equivalent to six 9/11s, every year, year on year. Yet the Republicans have accused the Democrats who are trying to stop all this death by extending healthcare of being ‘killers’ – and they have successfully managed to put them on the defensive.”

Johann Hari: Republicans, religion and the triumph of unreason

Via: Powazek

I had several responses to my retweet, one of which cited her offense at my retweet’s implication that Christians are missing the boat when it comes to healthcare reform. Another response quoted scripture that said Jesus commanded people to work for what they got. To which I replied, rightly, “bullshit.”

The longer the conservative extremists control the healthcare conversation, the more I’m feeling like the Democrats need to drop the notion of bipartisanship. Republicans are boxing themselves out of the conversation with the continued lies, distortions and insanity. o

“A striking example of the prevailing cravenness was Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia, who has authored end-of-life counseling provisions and told the Washington Post that comparing such counseling to euthanasia was nuts — but then quickly retreated when he realized that he had sided with the reality-based community against his Rush Limbaugh-led party. Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner for President according to most polls, actually created a universal-health-care plan in Massachusetts that looks very much like the proposed Obamacare, but he spends much of his time trying to fudge the similarities and was AWOL on the ‘death panels.’ Why are these men so reluctant to be rational in public?”

“An argument can be made that this is nothing new. Dwight Eisenhower tiptoed around Joe McCarthy. Obama reminded an audience in Colorado that opponents of Social Security in the 1930s ’said that everybody was going to have to wear dog tags and that this was a plot for the government to keep track of everybody … These struggles have always boiled down to a contest between hope and fear.’ True enough. There was McCarthyism in the 1950s, the John Birch Society in the 1960s. But there was a difference in those times: the crazies were a faction — often a powerful faction — of the Republican Party, but they didn’t run it. The neofascist Father Coughlin had a huge radio audience in the 1930s, but he didn’t have the power to control and silence the elected leaders of the party that Limbaugh — who, if not the party’s leader, is certainly the most powerful Republican extant — does now. Until recently, the Republican Party contained a strong moderate wing. It was a Republican, the lawyer Joseph Welch, who delivered the coup de grâce to Senator McCarthy when he said, ‘Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?’ Where is the Republican who would dare say that to Rush Limbaugh, who has compared the President of the United States to Adolf Hitler?”

Read more: The GOP Has Become a Party of Nihilists

Via: Talking Points Memo.

There’s this McClatchy story detailing organizations funding attacks on healthcare reform:

“FreedomWorks, which has been advocating against the overhaul but has not launched TV ads, is chaired by Dick Armey, the former Republican majority leader of the House of Representatives from Texas.

But also noteworthy are the group’s other backers and board members. They include billionaire flat-tax proponent and former GOP presidential candidate Steve Forbes; Richard J. Stephenson, who founded Cancer Treatment Centers of America, which offers alternative as well as standard therapies, sometimes not covered by insurance; and Frank M. Sands, Sr., chief executive officer of an investment management firm whose offerings include a Healthcare Leaders portfolio.

‘They’re on our board because they support lower taxes, less government and more freedom,’ said FreedomWorks spokesman Adam Brandon.”

Who’s behind the attacks on a health care overhaul? | McClatchy

Via: Talking Points Memo.

On this past Monday night, Rachel Maddow outlined brilliantly the same thing:

Which appears to be standard operating procedure for conservatives:

Which brings us back to the TIME.com piece I linked above.

I wouldn’t blame Obama or the Democrats if they decided to fix healthcare without the Republicans. Which looks better in a campaign ad, “We fixed healthcare” or “We opposed healthcare because Obama is evil”?

Conservatives, the clock is ticking and you are looking crazier everyday. o