Talking point: 95% of Americans are 1 illness away from bankruptcy, even if they have insurance

[Lorax7844]

Why every single one of us isn't using this in every debate is beyond me. We need to buck up and get our talking points in order. The fact that 60% of Americans that file for bankruptcy are doing so because of healthcare bears repeating. Over and over and over. We need to be sure what we want, public option containing what? Single payer was the compromise, do not let us lose more ground on this issue.

Get talking folks.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Why? Because Obama wants to make sure we can keep that private insurance. I guess he doesn't care

if we go bankrupt?

See, it's impossible to argue both in favor of and against private insurance at the same time. It's the weakest argument their is.

[Lorax7844]

2. guess so then

guess I'll have to call the White House and ask Obama to quit arguing on behalf of the free market and private insurance. :eyes:

It's an argument for fixing the system instead of doing nothing. You know arguing for reform.

[Lorax7844]

3. Doesn't make the facts any less true

[John Q. Citizen]

4. The free market failed and required socialism to keep it afloat. So you should say that

And ask him why he doesn't get it.

[Lorax7844]

5. Arg, I agree with that, by all means support single payer loud and proud yo.

I do, but I also support a public option, IF single payer is off the table. Since the single payer is off the table then I am supporting the strongest public option possible. Our two points do not have to contradict. Your nit-picking makes this all the harder when trying to get the public to understand the issue. In this case we are trying to convince people that the devil they know is fucking evil.

I just want some reform. I voted for Obama because I wanted things to get better. If the public option makes things better then I support that. If single payer is on the table I would support that instead.

I'm also for owning the socialism, seriously when did helping society become a bad thing?

[John Q. Citizen]

6. I never told public option people they were off the table. It was the public option people who told

us we were off the table. (I don't mean you; I mean the big boys in the back room)

I voted for Obama (and canvassed hundreds of doors, gave money, phone called, and organized volunteers) because he said he would listen to all sides of an issue regardless of ideology. Then the first thing he did was shut us out of the process. He didn't have to push or embrace single payer, just allow us a seat at the table like the public option people got, the blue dogs got, the Repos got, and the insurance companies got.

What does public option even mean? The House passed a bill that says about 10 million Americans will be in a public option pool after ten years. That's crap. That's bait and switch.

So I'm not really sure what it is that I'm supposed to be for when people say public option. All I know is I want single payer but i was considered off the table before they even set up the table.

[Lorax7844]

7. I agree

"The House passed a bill that says about 10 million Americans will be in a public option pool after ten years. That's crap. That's bait and switch."

I agree 100%, if that is what happens. However as an example of the complete and utter failure of what we have now, my talking point is still a good one.

[DailyGrind51]

11. Allan Greenspan conceded that the "free market" failed regarding financial markets.

[TexasObserver]

8. Recommend

[high density]

9. And you got that fact from... ?

[Bluenorthwest]

10. What is your talking point about the discrimination in the 'reform'?

Tell me why my family has to be treated as strangers to please religious and other bigots?
Not sure why I'd be expected to support a plan that is discriminatory against me and my loved ones. Not sure why so many Democrats are so very willing to play the prejudice game as long as they get to save a few bucks.
So what's the talking point? How do you explain the discriminatory language away?

[DrToast]

12. I heard that 95% of Americans are 1 illness away from bankruptcy, even if they have insurance

How am I doing?

[DuaneBidoux]

13. Another great change would be two track bankruptcy laws: one for illness and one for debt happy...

consumers. I know the debt happy consumer is the minor case but there are people who should not be relieved of their debts as easily as others. Ill people should simply not be held accountable beyond a certain point (and yes change the health care system too).

[asteroid2003QQ47]

14. And an illness and a half away from the grave! eom

[LaPera]

15. Using a conservative definition, 62.1 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical;

"Only single-payer national health insurance can make universal, comprehensive coverage affordable by saving the hundreds of billions we now waste on insurance overhead and bureaucracy."

"Using a conservative definition, 62.1 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical; 92 percent of these medical debtors had medical debts over $5,000, or 10 percent of pretax family income," the researchers wrote.

"Most medical debtors were well-educated, owned homes and had middle-class occupations."

The researchers, whose work was paid for by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said the share of bankruptcies that could be blamed on medical problems rose by 50 percent from 2001 to 2007.

"Unless you're Warren Buffett, your family is just one serious illness away from bankruptcy," Harvard's Dr. David Himmelstein, an advocate for a single-payer health insurance program for the United States, said in a statement.

"For middle-class Americans, health insurance offers little protection," he added.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idU...

"Nationally, a quarter of firms cancel coverage immediately when an employee suffers a disabling illness; another quarter do so within a year," the report reads.

[Quantess]

16. Where did you get the 95%? And how ill must they be?

Not every illness is equally as draining.
I know, talking points don't have to be rock-solid to be convincing. I like your talking point but it sounds iffy.

[Lorax7844]

17. sorry i meant serious illness

but it's too late to edit

[asteroid2003QQ47]

18. You have nothing to be sorry for. Most won't nitpick, keep up...

the good work.
--------------------

“There is still a lot of hard work that we as a country need to do. They can’t look to any one individual, whether it’s Barack or it’s the next new hope that’s going to appear to be that savior. And I would just hate for people to sort of see this potential and think: Oh, now I can rest easy because Barack Obama is going to fix things. It doesn’t work that way.”
--Michelle Obama

[Lorax7844]

19. I wish that was true but as a group posters on dem websites are amazing nit-pickers

While incredibly annoying when my posts are nit-picked, it makes our arguments stronger and that always a good thing.

Also thanks Lepera for digging up the quote, saved me the time, and it is most def true.

[Quantess]

20. I intended it to be constructive criticism.

I'm glad that you saw it that way. :hi: