The President Is A Very Smart Man

He also needs leverage to make them stop shipping jobs overseas. This tax haven loophole closing move was immediately obvious to me poker chip to enhance bargaining position. I just hope that he doesn’t give the chip away without a large gain. He’s smart, and I trust him.

unfortunately, according to Huff Post, plenty of democrats aren’t behind this-boo friggin’ hoo Citi might be hurt by this (as they hold out their hands for more TARP money).This is insanity at the highest level. I’m still waiting for Obama to start throwing his considerable weight around and get these dumocrats in line. Seems like for every single GOOD thing for us regular people, there seems to be democrats along with the rethugs, against it. The DNC, the d caucus all need to lay down the law and pull back campaign money for these morons that continually vote against Obama’s agenda-and it’s always the same ones. I have the list memorized now.

He also needs leverage to make them stop shipping jobs overseasABSO FRIGGIN LOUTELY.How about a big tax on companies that ship jobs overseas or close their factories and move to China or Mexico?I know-I must be high.

The democrats that are not behind this ae the corporatist wolves in sheep’s clothing. They owe allegiance to their corporate masters, not to the people. They need to be replaced by anyone that will represent the people instead of the corporations. The corporations do not need special treatment. They already receive special treatment by virtue of having economies larger than that of most countries. The government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations must be returned to the people.Take down their names and remember them. They are the enemy.

I hope Robert Reich is wrong, and that Obama is not seeking the “tax haven” topic as a bargaining chip.He thinks letting the tax havens alone might get the corporations motivated to be part of the health care solution. Why can’t we have both?Unless we are an Oligarchy by definition, which we are not, I don’t see why corporations shouldn’t be expected to pay their fair share.The President deserves a lot of support for this position. If it’s a cynical bargainging chip, then not so much.

NorCalNative -Do not misunderstand our calling this a bargaining chip.Right now, Obama can not offer tax breaks for keeping jobs in the U.S. or cooperating with health care reform because huge numbers of corporations are paying no taxes.In spite of this we have brainwashed rubes that show up here to argue that we tax our corporations to heavily since Lush Rimjob said so and they look at the 35% tax rate and figure that Lush must be right. These misinformed pathetic individuals also vote. They are clueless that most corporations pay no tax making them have to pick up the burden but they fight for bigger tax cuts for corporations. This is how I define Teh Stupid™.In order for Obama to have any leverage with the corporations he must first get them to pay taxes again so that he can incentivize them to do the right thing by giving tax cuts. Currently there is nothing to cut. That is why I called it a bargaining chip. It is not a chip to be traded as such, it is the needed first step in order to have chips to trade with.

“finance national health insurance.”Get rid of the “insurance”, and not only is it possible, it’s about fifty percent cheaper.President Obama will have to fight both parties over this. We cannot pay for national healthcare so long as we have to fund the middle man.Incidentally, the middle man is lobbying both parties by telling them that they will insure everyone at the same age-based rates so long as everyone is forced to buy insurance.That makes for one large risk pool, but worse, it nationalizes a Health Insurance Risk Sharing Program that ends up costing the healthy way more than necessary, and does little to alleviate the high cost of insurance for those who cannot afford it.I don’t know if our elected officials from either party have the balls to eliminate the middle man, but as far as I can see, that’s the only way nationalized health care is affordable and workable.It is also of the utmost importance that we do it.

Some senior WH economoist was on TRMS last night basically saying that part of the plan is to use the money we get to fund R&D at these same companies. Not as good as nat’l health care, but still–he’ll give you your money back, just not so you can use it for bonuses.SWHE also made a good point about how these companies claim all their overseas expenses as deductions, which is crazy b/c, according to them, the income they’re deducting it from doesn’t exist.

Bargaining chips are a good thing, but I think the real wildcard he needs to get things done in the case of healthcare is the voters. I think he already has the voters on this one by and large, but they need to be more vocal. We need people outside the homes of the congressman opposing it protesting.Just like an investigation into torture, the people need to be absolutely demanding national healthcare.

PPP -I am with you 100% on that. The middle men will scream like stuck pigs when their gravy train is being threatened. We don’t need ‘for profit’ middle men in the health insurance game. It only makes the costs higher by sticking someone’s profit margin on an industry where profits have no impact on cost control and actually cause things that makes costs higher in the long run. Our insurance companies oppose preventive medicine programs that are used in every nation but ours. These programs actually lower overall costs, but incur an upfront cost that our insurance industry does not care to fund.

R&D tax credits are a good idea. Without a stimulus, companies aren’t going to be doing it quite as much – smaller companies might not be able to do it at all. And then we’re not going to innovate as a nation. The newest tech stuff, etc., will be being developed in other countries. And we need those development & manufacturing jobs right here.That said – close the damn loopholes.And take the cost of health insurance out of employers’ hands. Everyone would end up with more money….except the people who are taking advantage of the loopholes….

Yes, he is smart, but he made a mistake the other day. He said “the data is…” It reminded me of idiots who say “the media is…”

as opposed to wanting Americans to be able to put food on their families, eh, MG?

Posted by: ceu at May 5, 2009 6:03 PMYes, I’m a Chimp-loving Republican now because I want people to use grammar properly.

I’m a nurse and I can tell you the insurance companies have nothing to do with “health.” It’s all about turning over a bunch of short-term gains at the expense of peoples’ long-term health.I spend hours every day dealing with insurance companies. Those are hours I can’t spend doing my job, which is caring for PEOPLE.Don’t believe anything you hear about health care professionals not supporting some variation of national healthcare. “Rationing” arguments don’t scare us, we are already squeezed in all directions by the current system, which is very aggressively rationing health care.Couple that with a recession — a lot of people need help. Yesterday. So far I like how Obama is proceeding.

SillyGit,”These programs actually lower overall costs, but incur an upfront cost that our insurance industry does not care to fund.”Tell me about it. Try getting an individual health insurer to pay for smoking cessation programs. They claim they won’t “insure” anything that doesn’t have better than a fifty percent success rate.Methinks they won’t insure ANYTHING they actually have to pay for.