Pirate's Cove

What does it say about a United States President and his administration that the best explanation for their ideas and plans can be explained by watching the South Park underwear gnome episode? Well, nothing good. Case in point

Governors from across the South told President Barack Obama’s health care reform czar Monday they need to know what the program will cost small businesses, taxpayers and their own austere state budgets.

“If you detect a level of paranoia here, it’s probably justified,” Alabama’s governor, Republican Bob Riley, told Nancy-Ann DeParle, the director of the White House Office of Health Reform.

So, what did Czarina Nancy Ann tell the Governors?

At the closing discussion of the Southern Governors Association’s annual meeting in Virginia’s Colonial-era capital, DeParle sought to reassure about a dozen governors that the changes Obama wants to see will save states cash, not wreck their already frail and sparse budgets.

“There’s some things in these bills that should make it easier. There’s streamlining eligibility into Medicaid, increasing federal support for primary care providers. We think those will save money and improve the quality of care,” DeParle said.

It’s the status quo, she said, that presents clear problems for states. In North Carolina, for example, the state picks up $850 million in uncompensated medical bills for the uninsured, she said. Because the costs are recouped through paying customers, insured North Carolinians pay a “hidden tax” of about $1,000 per person annually. That boosts the costs of state governments and local governments in that state by an additional $59 million a year, DeParle said.

?????????

1. Repeat constantly that the cost of health care will come down because of government
2. ???????
3. Money will be saved!!!!

She offered few details, simply patronizing and sparse talking points, and, if that is the best that Nancy Ann can tell the governors, I suspect they went back to their States thinking that it is a complete load of mule fritters. Granted, there may be some things left out by the journalist who wrote the story, but, I have to think that if those are the best quotes he can offer up, the rest was worse.

Oh, BTW, while I am over at WRAL, seems that the young Obama supporters are AWOL from the debate, and

Add this to President Barack Obama’s problems in selling his health care overhaul: A lot of the tech-savvy activists who helped put him in office are young, feeling indestructible and not all that into what they see as an old folks issue.

Younger people are generally healthier and rely on less medical care, particularly young working men who make up the largest group that goes voluntarily without health insurance. They also are less likely to be as vocal at contentious town halls; many are either working or in school during the daytime forums.

They best get involved, because, if the government run health system bills pass, they will be forced to purchase health insurance, or they will be fined.