Comments on: SOTU Preview!

by: The Mahablog » Tonight’s the Night!

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:44:05 +0000

[…] The President is expected to announce a major health care initiative, which I discussed earlier this week, here and here. Today we have the exciting news that The Dumbest Health Care Plan Ever!™ has gotten even dumber. Christopher Lee and Lori Montgomery write for the Washington Post, The best solutions to the problem of nearly 47 million Americans lacking health insurance are to be found in states across the country, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Monday. […]

by: vibinc

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:09:59 +0000

I need a noun that means “clueless” and “arrogant” at the same time.

Clairogant?

Or how about Dipsh*t?

by: The Mahablog » Let Them Eat Gold-Plated Cake

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 14:53:56 +0000

[…] Following up the SOTU preview post on President Bush’s health care plan — Paul Krugman explains the obvious – On the radio, Mr. Bush suggested that we should “treat health insurance more like home ownership.” He went on to say that “the current tax code encourages home ownership by allowing you to deduct the interest on your mortgage from your taxes. We can reform the tax code, so that it provides a similar incentive for you to buy health insurance.” […]

by: Gordon

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:19:59 +0000

Whoa - Bush is going to raise taxes? Even if only on those with gold-plated plans, this just don’t fit - it’s not “doing it better than Daddy”. And it will drive a good part of whatever base he has left absolutely bonkers.

Rachel at 21: absolutely right. This is even worse than comparing health insurance to auto insurance (very commonly done). Auto insurance only applies if you own an auto (vs simply existing), and only liability is legally required. The equivalent in health insurance would be that if you sneeze on me and I get sick, your insurance has to cover it.

Off-topic: Maha, I thought of you (and Stirling) when I read this:
http://prorev.com/2007/01/christian-right-is-built-on-suburban.htm

by: sachem515

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 16:54:31 +0000

Consider watching the pregame on C-Span. Instead of the usual blathering, you get to see the chamber as it fills, and as the SCOTUS and the cabinet are announced and seated. The ritual is more interesting than anything that will come out of W’s mouth.

Stay tuned for Sen. Webb’s response after the speech. I expect the contents of Webb’s speech will have many ripe words about the delusions and fantasies that have facilitated the forming of the existing policies.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Webb’s speech is the one being talked about the day after.

by: joanr16

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 15:24:07 +0000

Yes, it’s spelled schmuck (literally, Yiddish for “penis”) and to nomdeplume, it’s cojones (Spanish for “testicles”). In both cases, equipment lacking on George W. Bush.

by: erinyes

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:09:28 +0000

Jock

by: maha

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:18:35 +0000

No, you need an ADJECTIVE that means “clueless” and “arrogant” at the same time.

Uh-huh. Given the sentence I wanted to write I wanted a noun; the adjective was “breathtaking.” I realize that “clueless” and “arrogant” are adjectives, but I was looking for a noun form.

by: rachel

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 10:20:10 +0000

…Mr. Bush described his proposal as a way to “treat health insurance more like home ownership,” giving people tax deductions for their health insurance in much the same way as they get tax deductions for home mortgage interest.
Huh? When you pay your home mortgage interest, you get equity in something that you can keep until either you die or you sell it. When you pay health insurance, that money is gone for good. Maybe paying the insurance will keep you from having to pay a lot more money later; maybe you and yours won’t need healthcare that year. Either way, that money is gone, gone, gone.

Furthermore, while you may (hopefully) not need health insurance, but you must have a roof over your head. The two cases are not eqivalent, and should not be treated as if they were.

by: prisicanus jr

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 06:45:18 +0000

I need a noun that means “clueless” and “arrogant” at the same time.

No, you need an ADJECTIVE that means “clueless” and “arrogant” at the same time. I can’t think of one word, but how about just “cluelessly arrogant”?