Michelle Obama On Health Care
I’d love to hear the rationalization of this.
Sen. Barack Obama’s wife and three close advisers have been involved with a program at the University of Chicago Medical Center that steers patients who don’t have private insurance—primarily poor, black people—to other health care facilities.
Michelle Obama—currently on unpaid leave from her $317,000-a-year job as a vice president of the prestigious hospital—helped create the program, which aims to find neighborhood doctors for low-income people who were flooding the emergency room for basic treatment. Hospital officials say such patients hinder their ability to focus on more critically ill patients in need of specialized care, such as cancer treatment and organ transplants.
Obama’s top political strategist, David Axelrod, co-owns the firm, ASK Public Strategies, that was hired by the hospital last year to sell the program—called the Urban Health Initiative—to the community as a better alternative for poor patients. Obama’s wife and Valerie Jarrett, an Obama friend and adviser who chairs the medical center’s board, backed the Axelrod firm’s hiring, hospital officials said.
Another Obama adviser and close friend, Dr. Eric Whitaker, took over the Urban Health Initiative when he was hired at U. of C. in October 2007. Whitaker previously had been director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Obama has said he recommended Whitaker for the state job, giving his name to Tony Rezko, who helped Gov. Blagojevich assemble his Cabinet. Rezko, a former fund-raiser for Obama and Blagojevich, was convicted in June on federal corruption charges tied to state deals.
Um, this story lacking significant detail, it sounds like they’re finding ways to help uninsured folks find neighborhood clinics to provide them with health care before their conditions require more expensive emergency room treatment.
If these neighborhood clinics are providing care charitably then the taxpayers are being spared the cost of the ER, or at least the taxpayers are picking up less cost for preventative/minor visits than ER visits.
The public hospital in Dallas County does the same thing - it has created a network of clinics to handle the uninsured instead of treating them all in the ER, saving boatloads of money and helping to improve health.
http://governing.com/articles/0808hospital.htm
See, the argument “everyone has access to care at the ER” is a little absurd because it would cost far less for people to be seen before they require the ER, or often their problems don’t require an expensive ER trip.
So you’re going to need to explain why, beyond your opportunistic assumption that provides political gain by painting Mrs. Obama in a poor light, you have a problem with this, because on its face it seems to be win-win.
Thanks a bunch.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 0632 hrsI thought that Michelle Obama did a good job at the convention. She has shown the country that these are indeed family oriented, family values people. The Republicans will get their chance next week but for now the ball is in the Democrats court. I was impressed with the down to earth feeling that she embodied during her speech and after. She would make a wonderful first lady. I don’t think they will put Cindy McCain in a speaking role next week. I am guessing that it will not resonate with the masses that she grew up in an extremely wealthy house and inherited an extreme amount of money. Very few of us can relate to the kind of struggles she must have faced wondering which fashionable cars and spoils to choose. We should show respect to those who put in the hard work to expand their position in life.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 0807 hrsShocking as i find this, I agree with ATV. Seems to me the program’s goal of relieving crowding at ERs makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, MF, Princeton and Harvard educated Michelle is much more relatable to us unwashed masses. Give me a break.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 0830 hrsIf you don’t think the story of Michelle Obama as the child of working class parents who grew up in a duplex and went on to become a prominent lawyer is a relatable telling of the American dream you are an irreconcilable cynic.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 0917 hrsHow much of Ms. Obamas’ $317,000 salary is she donating to universal health care for the poor? Or is that up to the average schlub making $31,700?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1007 hrsAsk anyone who works in an ER and they’ll tell you the same thing. The people on government healthcare walk in the ER for colds and sniffles and clog it up.
If this program REALLY takes these people and gets them to a lower cost provider and saves the taxpayer money, I’m all for it.
I wouldn’t be suprised if it merely shifts people from the University Hospital ER to other places saving the hospital money, but a net zero gain for taxpayers.
If these are people who are not on government entitlement and they get as good or better care under the program, I’d say its a win for the University and a win for the patients.
from the article:Axelrod’s firm also suggested the program’s name be changed. “Some participants view the word ‘urban’ as code for ‘black,’ ” according to a poll the firm commissioned.
We should show respect to those who put in the hard work to expand their position in life.
I agree. So those who rely on government and entitlements should command less respect than those who busted their tail, made their own way with no help from anyone other than themselves right?
In addition, I sure didn’t hear any criticism coming from the left about John Kerry’s Multi-multi millionaire wife and how many houses or whatever she had.
Plus, now that the Obama’s daughters are growing up in the lap of luxury in a multi million dollar house with parents who are multi multi millionaires I guess we should have less respect for them right? Because they aren’t going to have to ‘earn’ it like their parents did?
Whats your thought on that MoveForward? Will Barack and Michelles daughters deserve less respect because they grew up rich based upon their parents acheivements?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1053 hrsHow much of her $100 plus millions does Cindy McCain give to charity? Oh yeah, she didn’t show her tax information. Comparing their wealth now wasn’t even the point. It is about where they began. Admirals make pretty good money and I am sure can pull a few strings for their boys too, just sayin’. Michelle Obama didn’t get there because her parents were swimming in money, she worked hard and earned it. I’ll give you the fact that affirmative action probably played a role.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1100 hrsWill Barack and Michelles daughters deserve less respect because they grew up rich based upon their parents acheivements?
This is about as relevant to the election as Paris Hilton
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1105 hrsTheir daughters are not the ones in question here. My daughter has it much better than I did but she is not at fault for that.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1110 hrsHow much of her $100 plus millions does Cindy McCain give to charity?
I don’t know, I guess it would have to be more than anyone else in the bunch. This from Wikipedia:
She founded and ran a non-profit organization, the American Voluntary Medical Team, from 1988 to 1995 that organized trips by medical personnel to disaster-struck or war-torn third-world areas. She continues to be an active philanthropist and serves on the boards of several charitable organizations.
She also “walks the walk” -
...as part of AVMT’s assistance team following the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone — she met two infant girls she decided needed to be brought to the United States for medical treatment. She decided to adopt one of the girls (her husband readily agreeing), later named Bridget (who became the McCains’ fourth child together), and helped coordinate the adoption of the other little girl, named Mickey, for Wes Gullett, a family friend.
Of course, if you read “Who Really Cares” by A. Brooks, it would be no surprise that most charitable actions come from the “right’ side.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1140 hrsDont the Obamas give most of their charitable donations to Rev Wright’s Church?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1146 hrsYes - new ideas for healthcare are good - but this sounds like a way for Rezko & buddies to launder some money.
Maybe some good can come out of it.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1153 hrsMy daughter has it much better than I did but she is not at fault for that.
But its Cindy McCains fault that her parents were sucessful?
This is about as relevant to the election as Paris Hilton
And the number of houses John McCains wife has is about as relevant to the election as Paris Hilton also, but its been getting plenty of talk lately?
I have more respect for people who have forged their own way instead of relying on someone else.
I’d be curious to know just how much of their own education Barack and Michelle paid for. How much their families paid for, vs. how much the government paid for?
I find it disengenious to talk about them ‘forging their own way’ when their rise to fame, power and wealth COINCIDES with their political careers.
If you ask me, election to office and the subsequent power fame and money that accompanies it does demonstrate the great ‘forging of your own path’ that, for example starting your own business and becoming sucessful in the free market does.
If you ask me, the ‘things’ people do to win elections in the past couple decades don’t strike high on my list of impressive accomplishments or indication of high moral character. (quite the contrary)
So you can buy “the show” that gets put on. You can get weepy eyed like people the network kept throwing front and center during Michelles speech last night, but I get a little nervous when there is no talk about policy and all a big “sell job” of the great, the magnificent, the wonderful Barack.
She has shown the country that these are indeed family oriented, family values people.
I’ll be honest… Barack’s values are not my values… I don’t value entitlements, socialism and government intervention. And I know my family (brothers, sisters, mom, dad etc) don’t share those values.
So Michelle can get up and read of a script and give a nice “feel good” speech, but lets not get caught up in a big tear-fest because she told a story that made you feel good.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1155 hrsShe founded and ran a non-profit organization, the American Voluntary Medical Team, from 1988 to 1995
From the same article we learn that she abused her position in the non-profit organization to illegally procure prescription drugs to feed her drug addiction and alleviate the stress she felt from being married to a politician involved with a scandal that would have ended his career if it had occurred in the current news environment.
In 1989, Cindy McCain became addicted to Percocet and Vicodin, opioid painkillers,[37] which she initially took to alleviate pain following two spinal surgeries for ruptured discs,[38][39] and to ease emotional stress during the Keating Five affair.[37] The addiction progressed to where she was taking upwards of twenty pills a day,[14] and she resorted to having an AVMT physician write illegal prescriptions.[40] In 1992, her parents staged an intervention to force her to get help;[21] she told her husband about her problem, attended a drug treatment facility, began outpatient sessions, and ended her three years of addiction.[37] Surgery in 1993 resolved her back pain.[37][39]
In January 1993, an AVMT employee, who had discovered her illegal drug use, was terminated on budgetary grounds.[41] Subsequently, he tipped off the Drug Enforcement Administration,[41] and a federal investigation ensued resulting in McCain paying the costs of the government’s investigation, and enrolling in a diversion program.[40][9][41] In a move that critics described as a preemptive strike
I would love to see Mrs. McCain get behind the podium in front of a primetime audience on the first night of the GOP convention. If we were electing first ladies Cindy McCain would lose in a landslide.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1156 hrsAnd the number of houses John McCains wife has is about as relevant to the election as Paris Hilton
Complete agreement?
I think I just saw a pig fly by.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1218 hrsUm the point about the 7 houses and Michelle Obama’s speech is that the attempts by the “right” to paint the Obama’s as elitists is comical, because the very same thing could be said about the McCains. This is a family that has lived the American Dream. Doesn’t taking yourself from the bottom to the top exemplify that?
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1237 hrsWell, 3rd way, as long as Cindy McCain’s substance abuse is relevant, can I assume you think the same thing about The Messia’s cocaine “problem”?
Let’s face it - not one of the major candidates for political office nowadays has the least bit in common with the rest of us “normal” people. It’s silly to try to paint any of them as “one of us”.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1314 hrsSorry, spelled “Messiah” incorrectly. My apologies to BO.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1316 hrs
attended a drug treatment facility, began outpatient sessions, and ended her three years of addiction.[37] Surgery in 1993 resolved her back pain.[
Gee, sounds like a lot of “taking personal responsibility” there - I now that is something Democrats don’t put a lot of stock in. I’m no political expert, but seems to me that could be spun as a good thing.
I would think she could have a lot of appeal to adoptive parents, families with children with special needs, and people who volunteer for churches & charity.
If not that, at least those of us who would admit in our fantasies that she would be the ultimate “trophy” wife.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1321 hrsCindy McCain’s substance abuse is only relevant after someone tries to paint her as a holier than thou philanthropist by working with a non-profit. Such a characterization is laughable when you consider that someone less politically connected than her would have likely been charged with a felony after abusing their position to illegally obtain drugs.
Obama’s cocaine use is only as much of a problem as Bush’s. Probably less so since Obama is at least honest about it.
I agree with “Cynical” that politicians and their families don’t have much in common with average folk, but the point of putting Michelle on display is the fact that she was born into an average working class black family from the southside of chicago. The fact that someone from that background is possibly going to reside in the white house is something worth celebrating. Denying that her story is the epitome of the american dream is sad brand of cynicism.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1336 hrsbut the point of putting Michelle on display is the fact that she was born into an average working class black family from the southside of chicago. The fact that someone from that background is possibly going to reside in the white house is something worth celebrating. Denying that her story is the epitome of the american dream is sad brand of cynicism.
No offense, but I’m more concerned with who’s best for the country. Not with “celebrating” anyone’s acheivement. Not with celebrating John McCain’s survival of a prison camp in Vietnam, not with celebrating “the first black whatever” or the “first lady whatever”
I’m not interested in these Pol-ebrities for their fame nor their personal acheivements. They are about to run my country. Their personal accomplishments are irrelevant to me.
I heard someone say a few weeks ago that “its time for a black president”
And I’m sorry to say its not. Its time for a good president. If he happens to be black, well then so be it. But it is most certainly NOT time to elect someone to the highest office in the country because he is black and “its time”
Nor is it time to be getting caught up in the occasion of celebrating who is what when we have the leader of a country to pick.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1401 hrsThe DNC is marketing their product to the masses. It isn’t aimed at you or I XX. Guys like you and me made up our minds about which party we would vote for in this election years ago.
Pointing out that your team has done something that has never been done before doesn’t amount to much in the grand scheme of things, but it does make a good show to draw an audience. These conventions are all about drawing and impressing an audience. Michelle Obama played her part beautifully last night.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1438 hrsYou’re right, Michelle’s life story is worth celebrating (just like Condi Rice’s, but I must have missed your laudatory comments when the rest of your ilk were referring to her as “Aunt Jemima” and worse), but xx is right, it has nothing to do with whether or not her husband is qualified to be our next president.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1440 hrsbut xx is right, it has nothing to do with whether or not her husband is qualified to be our next president.
If it is legitimate to question Obama’s character, then why isn’t it legitimate to praise it?
As 3rd way says, this didn’t mean a hill of beans to folks like us commenting on this blog, but it apparently is a legitimate issue for the vast majority of the undecided voting public. Towards that end she performed very well.
The rest of the night (and I tuned in after Teddy) was a snooze fest that I won’t allow myself to endure again for the remainder of this or any of the GOP convention. Headliners only from here on out, and replayed online if you please.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1449 hrsThis is how we choose our elected officials, including our CEO.
An “engaged” blogger posts an article using a policy he doesn’t understand as a talking point, regardless of the goals or success of the policy in question.
Then a bunch of other “engaged” citizens then argue over which wife is really more of an “elitist”, as if that means anything - the one who was born into wealth and used to pop pills or the one who raised herself up from the hood but made the unfortunate mistake of attending an Ivy League school (just like George W. Bush did, but never mind that).
And we have nuclear weapons.
God really must bless America, because quite frankly if this is what passes for political discourse - and it is - it’s amazing we don’t more resemble Somalia or the Ivory Coast.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 26, 2008 at 1953 hrsMichelle Obama would be a great first lady!
Posted by Teak Furniture on September 08, 2008 at 0541 hrsYou cannot please everybody. If Michelle Obama wants to help the poor, then go ahead.
Posted by home decorations on September 11, 2008 at 0903 hrs
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