Well, that @#%!@ Marsha Blackburn was right about ONE thing,

[johnaries]

everyone SHOULD look at TN's "lessons learned" with TENNCARE. The biggest problem with it was a crooked Republican Governor - and it took a Dem Governor to fix it! Bredesen did have to make some unfortunate cuts in the beginning, but it is working quite well now. And, yes, it includes a "Public Option", although it is limited.

[sandnsea]

1. It's not a Public Option

It's like Oregon. Our public plan is administered by private companies, just like TennCare, or at least according to this article it's that way. So it never had the benefit if removing profit. They also let everybody join all at once, instead of a little at a time to make the adjustments. Oregon likes our health care plan, so we passed taxes to add more people to it. That's why it should be gradual, so you don't create chaos like Tennessee did. They are an example of what not to do because they did everything wrong. Not because a public option is wrong.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125046457087135327.html

[johnaries]

2. Most of it is administered by private companies, but the Advocacy

Program is a non-profit Public Option. Unfortunately, it's not open to everyone. And don't believe all of that WSJ article. I lived through it. Although it did have some problems in the beginning, it was improved and doing much better until that crook Sundquist took office. TN almost went bankrupt from his cronyism which was finally exposed by several local news channels.

[sandnsea]

10. More questions

What part is the Advoacy Program?

Oregon has OHP in place of Medicaid and it is the govt plan, with a couple of additional offshoots. But the expansion to try to get everyone health coverage is managed by private companies and we would never in a cazillion years call it a public option, just because you have to go through the government to get it. That's what I'm trying to get it at and clarify. That's the only reason I posted that WSJ article, was to get to that aspect of TennCare. Trying to figure it out.

[Chicago11]

14. TennCare

I thought TennCare was the medicaid plan not a public option?

[sandnsea]

17. It's their 1990s waiver plan

A lot of states had a waiver plan, Oregon Health Plan is a waiver plan. They use some of the Medicaid money to manage their basic health plan differently, and then use what's left to add more people in various ways. We have a high risk insurance pool, subsidies, etc.

From what I just read, it looks like TennCare did some of the same kinds of things, but not nearly as effectively and not nearly for as many people. I don't know the details but am trying to figure it out now, since if we can prove they're lying about this, I think we can make huge progress.

I'm getting the impression that maybe they are calling a "public option" anything that the entire public can buy. TennCare had that ability, but that isn't what a public option is. I remember somebody around here saying people were confused about the public option and I dismissed it. But maybe people in the south are confused, because right wingers are intentionally confusing them.

Need more info for sure.

[southerncrone]

3. Blackburn is an attention-seeking bafoon.

Our most embarrassing Representative. I cringe every time she's given any type of platform. today was no different.

[johnaries]

4. I still want to know how the 7th district got so gerrymandered.

It's absolutely ridiculous! For non-Tennesseans, there's a map of it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee's_7th_congressional_district

[Stinky The Clown]

9. :shudder: :ugh: She would have been my rep had I stayed in TN ......

I lived in Bartlett, just north and east of Memphis. If Germantown is in her district, Bartlett would be, too.

[grantcart]

15. problem with your link

[rurallib]

5. she talks forever, yet says little.

[Chicago11]

16. uneducated twit

Did she really think she would get the best of someone as smart as educated as Obama.
I laughed so hard- she looked like such a fool
Whoever runs against her I will donate money to.

[lsewpershad]

11. Then

get rid of her next time around.

[livetohike]

6. Her little lecture yesterday was worse than a root canal

or listening to Sarah Palin - take your pick. One of the first things Blackburn did is to criticize Nancy Pelosi. Meow! Did you see Pres. Obama's face when she did that?

Such an immature, uneducated representative. It's embarrassing to think there are so many. I was cringing when she was speaking and yet her buddies applauded that.

Glad it was televised. While she and others were reading their talking points, President Obama thoughtfully explained his position.

[Fly by night]

7. If votes were counted as they were cast in TN, Marsha Blackburn wouldn't stand a chance.

Neither would a number of the knuckle-dragging Neanderthal Rethugligans who have turned our legislature into a "conservative cave". That is precisely why our Rethugs in the TN Senate voted to postpone the implementation of the Voter Confidence Act until 2012 and to gut its audit procedures, which makes the bill worthless anyway.

The "consent of the governed"? That's just so 18th century (and 19th century and 20th century) in Tennessee. In the 21st century, it's all about stealing elections to keep the flying monkeys happy and the real people of Tennessee under a fascist thumb.

[livetohike]

8. It's disgusting. She's disgusting and I really didn't know much

about her, but if this is the best the GOP has in TN (or elsewhere), they are losers.

[Kingofalldems]

12. She was insulting him (and all Democrats) with her

Democrat party this and Democrat party that. I wish he would have said something to her.

[Chicago11]

13. crazy Blackburn

Sad that is represents people in such a great State.
I for one will be on the forefront of getting her defeated beginning with a defeat in the primary.