Comments on: Senator Frist: Big Spending Big Government Conservative?

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:35:05 +0000

Why is corporate welfare any better or worse than welfare for people? After all, people own those corporations, and shockingly many are working people who are hoping to scrap enough savings together to retire someday. Yet, here is madmatt who is taking money out of their wallets and food out of their mouths.

By: madmatt

madmatt — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 14:36:25 +0000

So if it is such a great bill why can't the us govt buy bulk drugs cheaper? Kia offers buy one get one free CARS and the us govt can't get bulk discounts on drugs...how is that anything except blatant corporate welfare?

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 22:51:20 +0000

President, Republican Senate, Republican House voted for expansionâ?¦I guess that means there are lots of people you wouldnâ??t vote for President David V.

I don't know about David, but that is becoming more and more true for me everyday. I've joked in the past about getting drunk on my favorite scotch then staggering over to the polls and voting for Lyndon LaRouche...sadly that might actually become a reality.

By: austin

austin — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 22:02:03 +0000

President, Republican Senate, Republican House voted for expansion...I guess that means there are lots of people you wouldn't vote for President David V.

By: DavidV

DavidV — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:47:52 +0000

Frist has helped with a very, very large expansion of health care entitlements.

Not arguing with that one. One of the reasons why I would never vote for a President Frist.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:27:40 +0000

Steve: Good update. Frist is not exactly fighting to stem the tide of creeping socialization of health care....

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:19:51 +0000

David,

I would like to see that happen and it would be nice if that is what Healthalicious meant...but my feeling is that this is not the case. My guess is that DC Loser is right, that corporate lobbying will get universal health care passed...just more corporate welfare.

By: DavidV

DavidV — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 20:36:14 +0000

This is mostly likely wishful thinking, but I think there is a possible alternative explanation for the sentiment expressed by "Healthalicious."

The complaint about tying health care to employment is actually similar to one I have heard in conservative/libertarian circles. The Civitas Institute in my home state of NC recently sponsored a conference that included discussion of health care reform, and a speaker from the Heritage Foundation proposed an interesting solution that centered on the divorce of health care from employment status.

Instead, the speaker suggested a non-governmental insurance entity (similar in concept to the stock exchange) that would pool insurance options, allowing workers to chose from a wide variety of customizable plans based on their individual needs (higher deductible for the young, etc.). These plans would have no connection to employment status, allowing our increasingly mobile workforce to keep their plans, instead of losing them every time they changed jobs.

The advantages: flexibility and increased choice. The details are quite complicated, and I'm afraid I can't remember enough to elaborate, but it did seem analogous to the ideas expressed in the somewhat rambling plaint that you linked.

As a side note, Frist needs to get the heck away from any blog where his name will be connected to dubious-quality writing from someone named â��Healthalicious.â��

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 19:53:31 +0000

No it isn't the GOP, but so far we have had a huge expansion in health care entitlements and now this...a conservative blog that makes what looks very much like a move towards universal health care. I think DC Loser is going to be collecting from you in the near future.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 19:16:06 +0000

McGehee - You're right, but it sure as hell ain't the DNC. You just wait :)

By: McGehee

McGehee — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 19:06:35 +0000

DC, Bill Frist's blog != the GOP.

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:20:02 +0000

Steve - it was inevitable that the GOP would endorse universal health care under pressure from their corporate donors. If this goes the way I said it would, McGehee owes me something.

By: austin

austin — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:47:05 +0000

just checked out website. those posts aren't from frist.