I can answer Mr. Goldberg's question:

I think entitlement means different things to different people. For some people entitlement isn't anything more than being hopeful. For some people, such as Republicans; entitlement is similar to a bully thinking he is entitled to your lunch money.

As an American healthcare is an entitlement. You can't have "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" without healthcare. Insurance companies have been getting away with murder. Why do insurance companies think they are entitled to so much control over people's lives? Insurance companies are the Republican version of entitlement.

Insurers have one thing against Health Care Reform: they don't want to be forced to compete. Why is that?

If the established Insurers had to compete they'd have to do two things: cut costs and provide better health care for its customers. Obviously, though this would be better for the American people, this would affect the Insurers' bottom lines, which are wholly based on their need to provide profits for their shareholders. This the Insurers will not do. In essence, the Insurers have chosen to bolster their share values at the risk of the health and pocket books of America's families.

But, say you...all the millions of Americans who invested in those Insurer shares depend on that income for retirement, nest eggs, etc, right? True...but is all that investment income any more of an entitlement for those investors as health care is an entitlement for everyone else?

So, if the uninsured have no right to a health care entitlement and the Insurers' investors have no right to an income entitlement..we should let the marketplace dictate what health care will look like in the future....right?

And how does the marketplace dictate what health care will look like if there's no competition in the health care industry? Worse, what happens if that industry consists of a few big Insurers who all agree not to compete with each other? Who select only the very healthiest customers? Who ignore your doctor's assessments and give or deny service to you, based on some accountant's need to bolster share values? Who respond in your time of greatest medical need by canceling your coverage?

Isn't it time that someone forced the Insurer's to unfreeze the industry and allow the marketplace to dictate what health care will look like? Or do you really NOT believe in capitalism and free markets?

It is sad that the internal memos from the RNC directing their fake protestors to disrupt healthcare debates and very similar to the memos given to Brown Shirts on how to disrupt pro-democracy rallies in Germany. The GOP that was once the party of Lincoln is looking like the party of Franco and Mussolini, no wonder record numbers of real republicans are switching to the democratic party. Rep Jerry Lewis has actually sent out e mails saying if you do not have health insurance "Too bad!", shouldn't the American people have the same health insurance as Congress? The goal of health insurance companies is to avoid paying for healthcare at all costs so that money can go to loyal republicans and into their own multi-million dollar pay packages. If they were actually paying out money for healthcare they could no longer afford to pay their ceo over a 100 million a year.

Keep the government out of my healthcare!

Anything the government touches it screws up.

Folks let's get out and kick some teabag A**.

ImMadAsHellAndImNotGoingToTakeItAnymore are you on Medicare?

I have gold plated private insurance and they never miss a chance to ration. The idea that people on Medicare would be hurt is pure right wing nutball BS. What is wrong with clamping down on drug companies that charge Medicare 40% more than they do everybody else? Why should the taxpayer get ripped off?

Brian

No, I'm not on Medicare. As part of my compensation package my employer provides me with a very good insurance package.

I would ask if you were on Medicare, but you never give a straight answer so why bother.

With government healthcare we will receive less, it will cost more, it will be full of loopholes that the large coporations will exploit, and will be overcome with fraud.

ImMadAsHellAndImNotGoingToTakeItAnymore

Which corporations are you talking about, the insurance corporations?

I have not heard any complaints about the health coverage of our congresspeople. Are we, as taxpayers, any less than they? Why don't we have the same coverage as they and save the billions it would cost to have the government administer the program for the millions of us?

Louise that is what the proposal is. To mimic the Federal Employees Health Benefits program for the whole country. People could up to once a year change their insurance provider to whoever they wish. Insurance companies would compete with each other for your business. That is exactly the kind of insurance the idiotic Elton Gallegly has and calls "socialized Medicine". Gallegly loves his insurance but doesn't want you to be eligible for an extremely similar program.

Think of that the next time you hear right wing nutjobs yell about "socialized" medicine.

.....and it's too bad the King's government was disrupted 1775-1783

We should all have the same health care retired state employees enjoy....free health care for life

And retired LAUSD teachers get....free health care for life

Are all these people going to give up their free health care and join us in Obamacare?

So some right wing nuts tells some left wing nuts that theyre going to show up at their meeting and the Democrats panic and send out that ridiculous email? Did you ask the right wing loons how high you should jump, too? What a bunch of idiots. Both sides.

Just back from the meeting. I was denied entry to the democratic meeting because I was not a member of the committee. Many many seats were unfilled apparently and they still refused entry to every one of the hundreds left outside. I am extremely disappointed they didn't want any "dissent" to gain entry(even though I pretty much support many of the same things they do. Three doctors who were denied entry also decided to hold a little get together outside. So I joined many normal(liberal, moderate, conservative) people and some right wing nutjobs outside to listen to the doctors. Some heavy set individual charged one of the doctors but was stopped at the last minute by the crowd and apparently a couple of police who ended up arresting him.

What I learned was that both the left and the right have some pretty SCREWED UP ideas. So yes it turns out that "where can I changed my party" has accurately assessed the situtation.

running away from the problem is not the solution as change my party wishes. we must take on healthcare and every other issue. instead of just blaming elected officials, lets blame ourselves for electing them.

what about that?

I did not attend the Democratic Club meeting at the T.O. Library tonight. It was restricted to members. There was a large gathering outside the library and several people took turns speaking from on top of a bench while perhaps as many as 100-120 stood to listen or cluck amongst themselves. I soon came to realize that the majority forming outside was an anti-healthcare reform coalition venting their opinions and grousing about being shut out of the meeting.

I'm sure I got more entertainment for my dollar than the folks on the inside discussing the merits of the five bills working their way through Congress. There was an apparent arrest made at the event. At least the gentlemen was being cuffed and detained by plainclothes officers for his attempts to disrupt the "teabaggers" counter-event.

I have to tell you though that from my vantage point not more than 10 feet from the fracas, the fight itself looked staged. The battery suspect attempted to stand up on the park bench with three other speakers dressed in hospital garb. A tussle ensued, but like I said, it looked like something staged for the Worldwide Wrestling Federation. There was a lot of stiff body movement and luckily(?) no one fell from the bench and hurt themselves seriously (At least there was a doctor in the crowd). Three or four people tussled with the man who claimed to have cancer and no medical insurance or something.

I walked over to where he was being detained and it appeared to this reporter that the man may have been a couple sandwiches short of a picnic, if you know what I mean.

Something though doesn't add up. I might easily be wrong about this but I smell a rat. After the man was led away, one of the speakers made the quick observation that this violent disruption of their peaceful dissent showed the true colors of "liberals who preach tolerance but call us nazis".

It would be interesting if there were some follow-up to this event and this possible arrest for battery or what ever the man might be charged with for his rude behavior. If no charges are brought or if no one seeks to press charges, it would increase my suspicion the fight itself was staged.

Maybe someone from the VC Star reads your blogs Brian and will scratch a little below the surface on this one. Again, I might be off the mark on this but one thing's for sure, you could have cut the tension in that crowd with a knife. I, too, hope folks will start acting a little more civil out there before someone really gets hurt.

Some apparent right wing nutjob lady said it was a "Union Thug". I don't recall seeing any markings on his clothing so she must have been having a delusional trip or something. Or heard some Faux News nonsense or something.

To the best of my knowledge Brian our pal Gallegly hasn't held a public meeting where all constituents were invited in the 23 years he has been in office. If you have ever talked to him personally you would know what an airhead he is and why that is so.

The Star is so worthless as a news source. No report at all as of yet.

Brian your Republican friend must not be a real republican. I was there 1.5 hours ahead of time. I was denied entry because I was told I was not on the list.

jw, did you take notice of the man who seemed to be in charge of much of the orquestration of the teabagging event. I would like to know this man's name. He was giving interviews to the media and seemed to be quite satisfied with himself. I'll call him Mr. Boddabing-boddaboom for now. A rather barrell chested short man with a dark beard and a sylish purple button-down shirt. If there is more to this story, he is the man with the inside skinny. It's crazy, but what do you think the odds are that the victims may have known their attacker? I'm telling you this was Rovian theatre at its finest/worst.

I am not sure who that was. I am not sure if it was staged or not. I don't think the man who charged the doctor ever actually touched him though. So I don't think he can be charged with much.

I expected to see our friend from Simi Valley Steve Frank there but could not find him so we could have a chat. At least I had a "fun" time.

It's just a matter of time before one of these fat Republicans have a heart attack at one of these events.

I wouldn't give the stricklands any credit for anything except for having the unabashed gall to each run for office....these are egomaniacs unleashed

I was at the protest right outside the T.O. Library where the Democrat club was having its meeting. The doctors were in the middle of saying how universal healthcare is a bad idea when they were assaulted by a crazy man who was yelling pro-obama healthcare things.

A couple things that fly in the face of what's been reported in the news at healthcare town halls across the country: 1) The protest was NOT organized by the Republican Party--no "astroturf" here, and 2) the protesters, while irate, were peaceful and wanted to engage in a debate, and it was a pro-Obama guy who tried to silence THEM.

I was there also. The guy who charged NEVER said one word about Obama!! We have no idea what his political affliations were. For all we know he could have been a right wing nutjob in the middle of a delusion.

I got to the library at just before 6:30, and couldn't get in because the room capacity had been reached. And I'm the immediate past president of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley and the current chair of one of the other co-sponsors.

I spent the rest of the evening helping out at the door. As people in the room left, mostly because of the heat in the crowded room, we admitted people who were waiting. Since this was a club meeting dues-paying club members had priority. But as seats started opening up we admitted anyone who was willing to wait for an opening, sign in and fill out a name tag. We eventually had people who had been in the crowd outside in the room.

I want to emphasize that this was a regular monthly meeting of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley. The membership requirements are that you be a currently registered Democrat and that you pay your dues. While the programs are always open they are for the benefit of the club, not the general public. In that sense it's same as the regular meeting of a local Lions, Rotary or other service club. Just because it's a topic you're interested in or even passionate about, unless you're a member of the club who is organizing and paying the expenses for the event you have no say in the speakers or the presentation.

And a quick thank you to the Thousand Oaks Police/Ventura County Sheriff's officers who were present. As someone who has been regularly politically active in public spaces in the Conejo Valley and other places over the last few years, I am always impressed with the professionalism of our local law enforcement and their respect for the First Amendnment when policing political actions.

Update: After reading the VC Star account and getting the man's name, Grant Markus is a pretty passionate Progressive advocate and definitely got carried away last night. I don't think he should be charged with any sort of assault, in fact, he didn't push or shove anybody first. He did startle the three people standing on the bench and he, and his notions of free speech and illusions of grandeur, were cast down. I hope that sets the record straight.

That being said, I wouldn't go so far to describe the "outsiders" as being very civil and their entry into the meeting with the "insiders" would have predictably been a circus and a cacophony of smears, jeers, and fears mixed among a chorus of catty comebacks and rejoinders. The "outsiders" are all heat and no light. The "insiders" have the light but you've got to wonder at times if anyone is home.

Unless Obama plans to sit down for a beer with everybody in the whole damn country, and given the tensions (and the misinformation) that can be whipped up and exploited, I don't see how any legislation worth a plug nickel is going to be passed by Congress and signed by the President.

Democrats need to get a backbone and lead on this issue. The Republicans and their army of parrots and trolls are beyond command. They must be dragged, even if they must be dragged kicking and screaming, into the 21st century and into a nation that can dampen fear aside in order to seek and accept the challenge to live more accordingly to its conscience and its creed.

iasmadashellandnotgoingtotakeitanymore said anything the government touches it screws up, that statement would include our military and our brave men and women in it, once again the GOP is not supporting our troops! Time to kick every republican out of office!

Nobody,
Are doctors born with medical degrees and years of experience? Do hospitals magically sprout out of the ground fully equipped with the latest equipment and technology? Do pharmaceuticals grow on trees, harvest themselves, package and deliver themselves to the consumer? So tell me why do you feel that you are entitled to all of these goods and services that are provided by the work of others?
Also, if you are concerned about insurance companies having so much control over peoples lives why would you want to give so much more control to the government?

Jimmy,

My Father was a veteran of a just war we happened to win. He and the other veterans fought for American insurance company’s existence. The insurance companies wouldn't cover his diabetes. Then Ronald Reagan took all the money from the veteran’s hospitals so they couldn't take care of it properly either. Does that sound fair to you Jimmy?

Take off your Republican hat for a moment; reality is waiting with open arms.

Insurance companies have "real" and very active death panels. These insurance company death panels kill over twenty thousand Americans a year.

Pharmaceutical companies charge other countries pennies for what we pay thousands or dollars for. Why don't people like you complain about Americans having to subsidize other countries drugs? Our Nation is overweight and sick because the pharmaceutical companies have commercials for a pills that replace a healthy diet and exercise.

We elect our government. We don't elect A.I.G. Insurance employees; although we pay them very well.

Nobody,
I am confused. You saw first hand how with the stroke of a pen the federal government took away a benefit promised to your father and thousands of other veterans. And yet you still want to give that same government control over the whole nations health care system? Your experience only furthers my resolve to keep the government out of my health care decisions.

Jimmy,
You put your trust in the wrong people. The Republicans lie, cheat, steal, spy on the American people, kidnap, torture and kill people. Elton Gallegly our life style loving Republican Congressman won’t have town hall meetings to explain any of it to you. Jimmy you have every right to be confused. The Republicans rely on people like you to be confused and not knowing what’s going on.

Don’t let the Republicans make you lose your love for America. I say Jimmy fight. Don't give up on America. You can have a Congressman and government you can be proud of. We can do it.

Nobody,
It's your actions that confuse me. You have experienced first hand the failure of government promises but you still want trust them with even greater responsibilities. If your experiences haven't taught you not to trust government promises then what will it take for you to learn your lesson?

Jimmy,
Do you think it would be better to have someone in control that has consequences for doing the wrong thing rather than have someone that is rewarded for doing the wrong thing?

Insurance company executives are rewarded for doing the wrong thing. People in the government have consequences. Take a look at the Republicans now. They are experiencing consequences.

Nobody,
You think government bureaucrats face consequences for making bad decisions? Obviously your the one who needs to get a grip on reality.
But for now, I would like to get back to my original question which was - why do you feel that you are entitled to all of these goods and services that are provided by the work of others?

Jimmy,

I will plead A.I.G..
"America's health is too big to fail"...

The problem is you think the hard work is being done by insurance executives making $150 million dollars a year. It's not. In reality the hard was done by people like my Father and that's why I am entiteld to it.

I have seen quite a few Republicans get in trouble. That is reality. I guess it's good for the Democrats people like you don't realize the consequences of it.

Nobody,
I am sure your father didn't work so hard so that you could grow up and continue to have others take care of you.
If you think that it is so easy to be an insurance executive and earn 150 million a year than why don't you get one of those jobs yourself. Then when your making all of that money you won't have to make up schemes to tax your neighbors to support you. Of course you might be surprised to find that you have to do a lot of real work before anyone is willing to offer you a salary even close to that range. You think because your father worked hard you should now have it easy and that others should take care of you. Well, I guarantee you that my father worked just as hard as yours and I certainly don't expect to live off of others peoples labor. People like you disgust me and I am sure that if you father could hear you now he would be disgusted too.

Jimmy,

You don't know me very well. I have placed vice presidents at insurance companies. I placed nurses at hospitals and I.P.A.'s. I recently placed an underwriting manager at one of largest insurance companies in the world. If you don't believe let's bet (min. $5,000)
I will have her call Brian and she will tell him "I got this job because of Nobody-(Brian knows my real name and she will say it) and without him I would have had no chance in hell of getting this job". I threw in the "no chance in hell of getting this job" to make it interesting.

You want to bet or keep talking Republican b.s.? Let me know.

I want a real, working, fair healthcare system for "all Americans". I am not thinking of myself. Being a Republican and having a father who obviously had no skills in parenting you might not understand that.

Nobody,
Your challenge is ludicrous. Unless this person that you are speaking of is earning over 150 million a year and is willing to state publicly that she doesn’t do any work in her position I can’t see where it has any bearing on this discussion. However, just to show that I am good sport I take your bet ($5000.00 to be paid to the charity of Brian’s choice) if this person is willing to provide evidence that they are working in the health care division of a major insurance company. That they are making at least $150 million per year. And, they will state that there is no work involved in their position. Oh, I still want that little statement about there being no way in hell they could have gotten that job without your help. Of course I will accept Brian’s word that the conditions have been met. He has my email address and can contact me at any time. So do we have a bet, or has all of boisterous talk just been a bunch of Democrat B.S.

I too want a system that is fair to all people. But I have yet to see any program run by the government that meets that goal.

Jimmy,

You said other people take care of me. You lied and I easily proved it.

Can you prove you take care of yourself? Take a picture of yourself making french fries or something.

JimmyM,

Are you flexible on the $150 million and can it be a man?

Nobody,
So far you haven't proved anything.
As for the 150 million, It's the number you used so why should I flex?
You were clearly speaking of a woman in your earlier post, so why should we change that now?

You're no fun.