I think that President Obama raised the national debt by $9.3 trillion. How can anyone say he did a good job as president?
There are several things one has to remember when discussing the increased debt from FY “09 to FY ’17.On September 30, 2008 (last day of FY 08) the national debt was at 9.2 trillion dollars. Let’s remember this was 112 days prior to Obama taking office. During those 112 days America was in the middle of the 2nd largest economic collapse in US history. On January 21st 2009 the US national debt was at $10.6 trillion dollars. That’s an addition of $1.4 trillion that many on the right are charging to President Obama that was incurred before he even took office.Between Jan. 21, 2009 and the end of FY 10 (21 months) there was $3.9 trillion added to the debt which were expenses for expenses incurred before Obama took office. Including the actual cost of the two theater war which began in the fall of 2001 that Bush II had kept “off book” that Obama placed ON the books. Plus the costs of bank and corporate bailouts due to the economic collapse incurred during the previous administration.Federal dollars given to states to help alleviate unemployment benefits and well as the federal SNAP program, due to the millions of jobs lost during the economic collapse.Medicare cost mainly attributed to an aging population have attributed to $1.1 trillion in the national debt since FY ’09.Following FY ’11 the national debt began growing at a slower rate. This was due to 3 items. 1) Loan paybacks from GM and Chrysler, as well as an Energy department project investing in renewable energy manufacturing. (yes this was the program which began in 2005 under the GWB admin and remains today. This is the same program which received guff for the Solyandra bankruptcy. However, what many have not heard is that beginning in 2012 this program for the first time ever made a profit from repayment of loans given out during FY 2009/10.Beginning in 2013 the debt began growing at an even slower rate when the Unemployment rate dropped at a faster rate and more tax dollars came in.In FY 2016 the national debt grew $546 billion dollars. The lowest growth in the debt since FY 2005. In FY 2017 the debt grew $644 billion, an increase in the growth rate of nearly $100 billion. FY 2017 was the first year the debt growth rate grew from the previous year for the first time since FY 2012.The largest contributor of the national debt since FY ’05 has been decreased tax revenue following the tax cuts enacted in 2003.
Who do you think will win the 2012 American presidential election? (and why)?
In my opinion i hope Romney wins. here's why: -I think America is very separated as a nation right now -whether you're pro gay marriage, pro life, or pro choice i really don't think this is relatively important in the next election because i personally believe we should be working to making America become debt free and focused on fixing the economy...plus no social issue is going to be passed in congress with it being so mixed opinionated. -If you like obamacare or not...i believe it should definitely should have not been passed, at least not at this time, with it adding tons of more debt in a economic crisis....plus Obama clearly lied to the American people saying it would not be a tax-when that was the only reason it was in fact deemed constitutional. -I want a president that will at least try to fix the damn economy...i mean all obama has done is add more and more and more debt to America....Now is not the time to try to advocate a healthcare law that half the population is against and adds debt. -In my opinion Obama is a great talker, but to me i feel like all he does is straight up lie to the American people and deceives them ... I feel like he'll say anything to get re-elected (not that Romney won't either) -Overall, American needs a president that is focused on fixing the economy. We don't need to be debating social issues or putting in a new healthcare system, rather coming up with new solutions to fixing the economy. Obama has failed in every aspect in fixing the economy...As i see it, Romney is a successful businessman and therefore will at least have a better shot at fixing the economy.
Healthscare bill only will cost 1.3 Trillion over ten years. Have you looked into the numbers?
Or, in a more relevant perspective, it equals 130 billion per year, less than is spent on Social Security or Medicare, and far less than is spent on the military. Also the national non-corporate wealth of the United States - the total asset value of all households and non-profit corporations is 51.5 trillion dollars. Didn't think there was still that much wealth there? Well, guess who owns most of it? People making over $200,000 own most of it, by far. By the same ratio of 51.5 trillion to 130 billion, it's as if you have 51,500 dollars in assets and income and have to spend only 130 dollars on health care. That's cheaper than any health plan out there. You won't even find a deductible that low.
Rough estimate on how much Obamacare will cost me per month?
I'm turning 26 in a few months and haven't looked at the website yet...I'm dreading it. I'm a substitute teacher and made $20,000 last year (hopefully I get hired as a real teacher with benefits soon!). I'm in good health, I don't take any medication, no kids, I live in California. I just want something that will cover a worst case scenario type deal.... say I had to go to the hospital and have a major surgery. I'd be comfortable paying the first $7,000 or so as long as the insurance kicked in and paid for the REST of the bill. Any idea what this will cost me per month? I'm really realllyyy hoping it's under $200
Aside from the $33 trillion Price Tag, what do you think of Bernie Sanders "Medicare for All?
That $33 trillion price tag, over the next ten years, for Sanders’ Medicare For All plan, is an estimate from a libertarian think-thank (Mercatus), that seems to be significantly on the high side.Source: The revealing Medicare-for-all fact-check debate roiling the internet, explainedAnd that’s okay.Why is it okay?Because current projections from the federal government estimate that healthcare costs for current health-related programs will cost $50 trillion, over the next ten years.Source: National Healthcare Projections for 2018–2027, from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS gov)And so, thank you, Mercatus, for pointing out the significant savings that the U.S. governments and its citizens would enjoy, having a Medicare For All system.Sanders’ own estimates are closer to $1 trillion per year.Source: Sen. Bernie Sanders Unveils New 'Medicare for All' Plan With Support From Some 2020 Rivals… and inaccurately framed as being both “expensive”, and without any detail regarding how Medicare For All would be paid for.Which is simply false.The reality is:Whether the true costs are closer to Sanders’ estimates, or to Mercatus’ estimates, we pay $50 trillion over ten years currently, for a set of healthcare services that does not include all Americans. The facts are: regardless of whether the actual costs are closer to the low or high estimates, Medicare For All will provide healthcare for all Americans, while saving both the federal government and American individuals and families significant amounts of money.Senator Sanders has published a detailed document covering various options for easily and painlessly paying for Medicare For All.Senator Bernie Sanders - Options to Finance Medicare For AllFinally, for anyone who is interested, here is a video interview with Senator Bernie Sanders from earlier today, where he discusses his thoughts on Medicare For All, including underlying principles and associated costs.
Why are hospitals, ambulance, and surgeries so expensive? Why can't we use taxes for that?
"But can we just go in the hospital without any paperwork... just tell doctors what we want done" You can, but that is very expensive for many things. Such behaviour is fine for low cost treatments, but the idea of insurance (when it works properly) if to fund expensive treatments. But to answer the main question you have posted, that is because of the way insurance companies push up prices. I am always amazed how many Americans seem not to be aware about the real healthcare issues relying instead on FOX and other sources to spread lies about the healthcare system of the USA and those abroad. I mean, if healthcare in nations with universal coverage is so bad, why do they keep it? Obama wants to make insurance more available to all and change the system so that it gives the American people value for money [1]. He also wants change so that the insurance companies find it harder to get out of paying for treatment. The system he is proposing looks similar to that which works in Taiwan where private companies are involved in providing healthcare [2]. Obama campaigned on reforming the healthcare system. He said he wanted to make insurance more available and he was elected to do this [3]. FACT - the US has higher death rates for kids both for kids aged under one and those under five than western European countries with universal health coverage [4]. FACT – American insurance companies pushed up prices and worked to stop paying out claims on those they covered before the reforms came in [5]. FACT - the USA spends more on healthcare PER PERSON than any other nation on the planet [6]. That means that a dead American four year old would have had a better chance of life if they were born in any western nation with universal health coverage. If you do not like the policies that Obama was elected to bring in, he can always be voted out of office in 2012. But if you disagree with the facts, please let me know. I am always willing to learn, but please provide proof. None of those who disagree with me have been able to do that so far.
Romney wants to voucherize medicare. good? bad? indifferent?
Voucherized Medicare is good for the people who aren't on it, and bad for the people that will use it.