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A new Obama version

Thanks to Donna Hammond Harris

Experts See A “Cost Explosion” With Health Reform

From D Magazine

Now that the landmark health reform bill has been signed into law, the quality of U.S. care will improve and costs will be brought under control–right? Wrong. According to experts at a Dallas panel discussion today, quality will be unaffected by the reform. And health care costs are about to explode.

“This was an insurance bill, not a health care bill,” said John McCracken, a clinical professor of health care management at the University of Texas at Dallas. “Its real effect will be to transfer a benefit–which health care has been for the last 70 years–into a tax and subsidy program.” The result, according to McCracken? “There’s going to be an explosion in the cost of health care.”

Britt Berrett, president of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, agreed with the professor. Where medical care once accounted for 13 percent of U.S. GDP–a rate that was decried then as unsustainable–”we’re now going to move to 30 percent of GDP, and $3 trillion [today's expenditures] will be in the rear-view mirror,” Berrett said. “That is the reality of it.”

Jump, if you’re interested in why.

Guest Column: Barack Obama

Editors Note: We here at LewP’s Blog like to hear from different perspectives.  Therefore, we were over-joyed when Barack Obama contacted us and said he’d like to write a guest column.

 

Now that I’m president, here’s four things I want you people to stop doing.

 

1. Rhythymically yelling O-Bam-A when you see me

Seriously, when I walk up to a podium, stop f*&king chanting my name like I just shredded on a three and a half minute guitar solo. I get it, you like me, I guessed that from the 300+ electoral votes I received.  I’m not a fat sorority chick, I don’t need you to tell me how awesome I am every three seconds.  You guys think the chant is awesome, but news-f*&king-flash, that’s all I hear in my head all day long.  Do you know how hard it is to make love to your wife when you hear the sound of 100,000 people chanting your name?  It’s like making a porno on the fifty yard line of soldier field during the fourth quarter of a playoff game.  Not boner-conducive.  No mas.

2. Asking Colin Powell his reactions to shit I do: 

Really?  That’s the only black guy you can find?  The last time I listened to something that boring I paid 9.99 for it and it was sung by Jon Mayer.   Last I checked, there’s lots of black dudes in the U.S., find one that doesn’t sound like my GPS navigation system.

3. Asking Me About Playing Basketball: 

Every interview you need to ask me this?  It’s REC BASKETBALL, it’s not like I’m the small forward for the Pistons.  99% of the time I play with old sweaty dudes that shoot a basketball like they’re trying to shove a rapist off them.  It’s not news worthy, and what ends up happening is now I go and play and everyone is all over my shit because they want to “shut down Obama.” 

 

4. No More Bullshit About What Kind Of Dog We’re Getting

I told you guys before that we were still talking about what kind of dog we’re going to get. Do you know what happens when you ask me what kind of dog we’re getting? My kids ask me what kind of dog we’re getting, and kids are like white people who voted for me: they won’t shut the f*&k up about it. Honestly, I don’t really care what it is. I’ve got a whole team of people now who’s sole job it is to take care of whatever dog I get. I’m probably not even gonna see the stupid thing. Oh, and also, I’m trying to run the entire god damned free world now, so the whole dog issue is very low priority, okay? If one more person asks me about the dog thing, I’m gonna flip out. Don’t think that just because I’m sophisticated and smart I can’t get ghetto on somebody. I got it in me, ya hear?!

When you are the President, you need a trusting aide

Reggie Love, Senator Barack Obama’s personal aide, relieved him of a pen

In the last year, Barack Obama has learned a thing or two about running for president, and Reggie Love has learned a thing or two about Barack Obama.

Mr. Love now knows that when it comes to food, Senator Obama “eats pretty much anything, from chicken wings and barbecue and ribs to grilled fish and steamed broccoli.” But when he is campaigning in a small town with limited options, a cheeseburger is always a good bet. (“Cheddar is the cheese of choice,” Mr. Love added.)

Continue reading

On the Court and on the Trail, One Aide Looms Over Obama (New York Times)