If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.
You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!
The U.S. health care system is the largest single industry in this country, and indeed the largest industry ever to exist in any country. But health care is far more than just an industry. It is an essential source of well-being for individuals and families.
Our health care system is blessed with many extraordinary strengths. It produces and attracts the best and the brightest across all fields of medicine, and provides unparalleled innovation, choice, and quality of care. But it also faces significant challenges: high cost, inefficiency, inconsistency, and tens of millions of Americans lacking insurance coverage. We can fix these problems.
OBAMA’S FAILURE
Unfortunately, the transformation in American health care set in motion by Obamacare will take us in precisely the wrong direction. The bill, itself more than 2,400 pages long, relies on a dense web of regulations, fees, subsidies, excise taxes, exchanges, and rule-setting boards to give the federal government extraordinary control over every corner of the health care system. The costs are commensurate: Obamacare added a trillion dollars in new health care spending. To pay for it, the law raised taxes by $500 billion on everyone from middle-class families to innovative medical device makers, and then slashed $500 billion from Medicare.
Obamacare was unpopular when passed, and remains unpopular today, because the American people recognize that a government takeover is the wrong approach. While Obamacare may create a new health insurance entitlement, it will only worsen the system’s existing problems. When was the last time a massive government program lowered cost, improved efficiency, or raised the consistency of service? Obamacare will violate that crucial first principle of medicine: “do no harm.” It will make America a less attractive place to practice medicine, discourage innovators from investing in life-saving technology, and restrict consumer choice.
In short, President Obama’s trillion dollar federal takeover of the U.S. health care system is a disaster for the federal budget, a disaster for the constitutional principles of federalism, and a disaster for the American people.
MITT’S PLAN
On his first day in office, Mitt Romney will issue an executive order that paves the way for the federal government to issue Obamacare waivers to all fifty states. He will then work with Congress to repeal the full legislation as quickly as possible.
In place of Obamacare, Mitt will pursue policies that give each state the power to craft a health care reform plan that is best for its own citizens. The federal government’s role will be to help markets work by creating a level playing field for competition.
Restore State Leadership
Restore to the states the responsibility and resources to care for their poor, uninsured, and chronically ill:
• Block grant Medicaid and other payments to states
• Limit federal standards
• States will experiment and learn from one another
• Flexibility to deal with uninsured: e.g., charity, exchanges, subsidy for private coverage
• Flexibility to deal with chronically ill: e.g., high-risk pools, reinsurance, risk adjustment
Empower Individual Ownership
Give a tax deduction to those who buy their own health insurance, just like those who buy it through their employers:
• End tax discrimination
• Greater consumer choice—can buy what you want, not only what your employer wants
• Promote portability
• Help control health care costs
Focus Federal Regulation
Focus federal regulation of health care on making markets work:
• Correct common failures in the insurance market
• Ensure that individuals with pre-existing conditions who are continuously covered for a specified period may not be denied coverage
• Empower individuals and small businesses to form purchasing pools
• Eliminate counterproductive federal constraints
• Remove barriers to the sale of insurance across state lines
• Allow providers to design plans that meet consumer needs
Reform Medical Liability
Reduce the influence of lawsuits on medical practice and costs:
• Cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits
• Innovation grants for state reforms: health courts, alternative dispute resolution, etc.
Introduce Market Forces
Make health care more like a consumer market and less like a government program:
• Unshackle HSAs—e.g., permit HSA funds to be used to pay insurance premiums
• Promote “co-insurance” products
• Encourage “Consumer Reports”-type rating of alternative insurance plans
Governor Romney Increased Access To Healthcare Without A Massive Government-Controlled "Hillary-Care" System:
Governor Romney Acted To Make Healthcare More Affordable Without Raising Taxes Or A Government-Controlled System. Bringing the best minds together, including experts at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to address healthcare costs, Governor Romney signed into law a plan affording every citizen health insurance without raising taxes or creating a massive government-controlled system.
The Heritage Foundation: "Massachusetts, a state with a conservative Republican governor and liberal Democratic legislature, has recently enacted comprehensive health care reform. … Several features of the Massachusettshealth plan could revolutionize the traditional health care system by empowering individuals to buy and own their health insurance policies and keep these policies with them regardless of job or job status. … Massachusetts officials have made significant strides in reforming their health insurance market, and other states can learn from the Massachusetts experience." (Nina Owcharenko and Robert E. Moffit, "The Massachusettshealth Plan: Lessons For The States," The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org <http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/bg1953.cfm> , 7/18/06)
Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation: "Romney's plan also got a thumbs up from an unlikely source yesterday – Barbara Anderson, head of Citizens for Limited Taxation, a group that often looks with deep suspicion on government mandates and programs. … The tax activist said that Romney is proposing universal insurance, not universal health care – which Anderson said society effectively already has, as almost no one is denied care even if they can't pay for it. 'Let's just face that reality and deal with it,' Anderson said, adding that covering more people will reduce costs to taxpayers." (Jay Fitzgerald, "Romney Wins Health-Y Reviews," Boston Herald, 6/23/05)
Press Release from Governor Mitt Romney regarding Health care
"In this era of fiscal belt-tightening, we need to ensure that Massachusetts continues to lead the nation on public health issues - from AIDS prevention to bioterrorism preparedness. I am confident that Christy is the right person to help lead this effort."
“seniors in Massachusetts and across the nation are facing skyrocketing prescription drug costs. I have instructed my health care team to develop a discount program to ease the burden on all of our senior citizens.”
“Massachusetts is one of the most generous states in the nation. But we will only be as generous as we can afford to be. Prescription Advantage now costs roughly $100 million a year to administer and our budget is strained to the breaking point. If Washington doesn’t pass the waiver we are requesting, fiscal reality will require us to end the program.”
“Under Operation Liberty Shield, we continue to implement increased protective measures,” said Romney. “As this process unfolds, I want to reassure the people of Massachusetts that their protection and the safety of their families is our highest priority.”
“While we all appreciate the dedication of our public work force, we can no longer expect the taxpayers to pay for health care benefits for state employees that are more generous than what they receive in the private sector,” said Romney.
“With winter coming, flu season is fast approaching. We want to make sure that everyone in Massachusetts who wants a flu shot can get one. The creation of this vaccine trust fund will allow us to do that by partnering with private sector health care providers in order to ensure a steady flu vaccine supply.”
“The first crucial task for the legal and medical professionals on this commission is to recommend top-notch candidates for the state’s Chief Medical Examiner,” Romney said.
“The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office has been chronically underfunded for more than a decade. This additional funding in my budget will allow the office to purchase new lab equipment and make other sorely need upgrades to bring the office into the 21st century.”
“Today, we can all breathe a little easier,” said Romney, who was joined at the historic State House bill signing by Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, members of the Legislature, advocates and children. “Everyone has the right to breathe clean air and be free of secondhand smoke, especially our kids.”
“We have a crisis with America’s health. The best way to address it is by promoting healthy lifestyles that will keep people living longer and more productive lives.”
“Massachusetts medical institutions are second to none in delivering world-class care to our citizens,” said Romney, who spoke at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Ether Dome, the site of the first successful use of ether anesthesia more than 150 years ago. He added, “By applying new and innovative technology to patient care, and helping caregivers to adopt it, we will make health care more affordable and offer even higher levels of quality care to our citizens.”
“With the small percentage of uninsured in Massachusetts, we are in a unique position to give all of our citizens quality health insurance. This will not be a government-mandated universal coverage program or a plan that requires new taxes. It will be a market-based reform focused on the creation of affordable insurance plans.”
“Because of the high cost of health insurance, some people choose to go without or end up paying more than they can afford. My proposal will make it easier for small businesses and individuals like Richard Rothstein to purchase affordable and quality health insurance.”
“Making this information accessible is an innovative step, and we urge consumers to use the data, talk with their healthcare providers, and seek out additional resources to help them make the right decisions for themselves and their families,” said Romney.
“Of all the many hazards we face, a pandemic has the unique potential to disrupt our lives, our health care system and our economy,” Romney said. “We have to make sure Massachusetts is coordinated and equipped to effectively monitor outbreaks, slow the spread of disease, provide care to those who become sick and continue to provide critical government services.”
“An achievement like this comes around once in a generation, and it proves that government can work when people of both parties reach across the aisle for the common good. Today, Massachusetts is leading the way with health insurance for everyone, without a government takeover and without raising taxes.”
“Our ability to now insure every Massachusetts citizen is a historic achievement for both the Commonwealth and the nation. A critical component of our plan is that all residents will have the opportunity to purchase affordable health insurance.”
The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms.
Governor Romney: "We can't have as a nation 40 million people -- or, in my state, half a million -- saying, 'I don't have insurance, and if I get sick, I want someone else to pay."
(USA Today, July 5, 2005)
Governor Romney: "It's a conservative idea," says Romney, "insisting that individuals have responsibility for their own health care. I think it appeals to people on both sides of the aisle: insurance for everyone without a tax increase."
(USA Today, July 5, 2005)
"The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms." Governor Mitt Romney
Health Care from The Wikipedia Article about Governor Mitt Romney
On April 12, 2006, Governor Romney signed legislation to provide health insurance to virtually all citizens of Massachusetts without raising taxes.13 Working with conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation and Democrats in the state legislature, Romney developed a plan that stresses personal responsibility in paying for coverage and provides funding for low-income residents. Starting in July 2007, health insurance will be mandatory for all state residents, provided a plan is available to the individual that is deemed affordable according to state standards. Lower income individuals will be eligible for subsidies to purchase health insurance.
As of March, 2006 there were approximately 500,000 uninsured citizens in Massachusetts. Those who are uninsured commonly use emergency rooms as a source of primary care because of their lack of health insurance coverage.14Massachusetts hospitals are required to provide care even if a patient cannot pay for it. As a result, hospitals have been left with unpaid bills and mounting expenses to care for the uninsured. "People who don't have insurance nonetheless receive health care," said Romney. "And it's expensive."15
In Massachusetts, a roughly $800 million fund known as the "uncompensated care pool" is used to partially reimburse hospitals for these expenses. The fund's revenue comes from an annual assessment on employers, insurance providers and hospitals, plus contributions of state and federal tax dollars. Governor Romney's plan redirects money from this fund to subsidize health care costs for low-income residents of Massachusetts. The Romney Administration consulted with MIT professor Jonathan Gruber to study the state's population and health care needs. They determined that there was enough money in the "free care pool" to implement the Governor's plans without additional funding or taxes.16 A separate study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts found that universal coverage would require substantial additional state spending. 17
The legislature amended Romney's plan somewhat, adding a Medicaid expansion for children and imposing an assessment on firms with 11 or more workers who do not offer health coverage. The assessment is intended to equalize the contributions to the free care pool from employers that offer and do not offer coverage. The legislature also rejected Romney's provision allowing high-deductible health plans.
The new Massachusettshealth care legislation establishes a system to provide citizens with private, affordable, market based insurance. The state will work to enroll all residents eligible for Medicaid and subsidize private insurance policies for low income individuals18. A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the amount of money a person contributes to their policy. The higher the income, the higher the premium. Individuals who can afford health coverage but chose not to purchase a policy will now be required by law to acquire insurance. Failure to purchase health insurance if an affordable policy is available would result in tax penalties.19
The legislation also establishes a device developed by the Heritage Foundation known as the "Connector." The Connector allows Massachusetts citizens to "purchase health insurance with pretax dollars, even if their employer makes no contribution. The connector enables pretax payments, simplifies payroll deduction, permits prorated employer contributions for part-time employees, reduces insurer marketing costs, and makes it efficient for policies to be entirely portable. Because small businesses may use the connector, it gives them even greater bargaining power than large companies."20
Romney vetoed 8 sections of the health care legislation, including a $295 dollar per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance.2122Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental and eyeglass benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid.2324 The legislature overrode all of the vetoes.
Einstein said, “You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.” Similarly, we won’t improve our country until we improve our level of public debate. On these pages I outline how we can automate conflict resolution and cost-benefit analysis and solve our problems at a level higher than how they were caused.
To start, we will break our problems down into their sub-components, including beliefs, supporting, and weakening evidence, and arguments. This will allow thousands or millions of us to evaluate each part of an argument and evidence one at a time. We will group beliefs by topic and sort them by their positivity, strength, and level of specificity. This will prevent duplication and allow us to focus on one issue at a time.
The Idea Stock Exchange (ISE) proposes a groundbreaking framework for tackling complex issues, resolving conflicts, and fostering informed decision-making. Here's a detailed breakdown of its key features:
Evidence-driven: Prioritizes verifiable data and logical reasoning, ensuring well-informed conclusions.
Dynamic Ranking System: Inspired by Google's PageRank, it evaluates arguments based on the strength of their evidence, dynamically adjusting as new information emerges.
2. Multi-faceted Evaluation Metrics:
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Assesses proposed solutions by examining potential costs, benefits, likelihoods, and impact.
Argumentative Strength Assessment: Categorizes arguments based on logical consistency, evidence, relevance, and significance.
Maslow's Hierarchy Integration: Aligns the evaluation with fundamental human needs for a broader perspective.
3. Sophisticated Scoring and Ranking Protocols:
Precision Scoring Formula: Combines argument scores with evidence assessments to determine argument validity.
Evidence-Based Ranking System: Leverages algorithms to rank solutions based on predicted costs and benefits, with dynamic updates based on new information.
4. Uniqueness and Redundancy Scores:
Equivalency Score: Identifies similar arguments using semantic similarity metrics and machine learning, coupled with community feedback, to reduce redundancy and develop unique scores.
"Better Ways of Saying the Same Thing": Helps users find alternative expressions of the same idea, enhancing clarity and reducing duplication.
5. Logical Fallacy and Argument Evaluation:
Fallacy Detection: Implements algorithms to identify and flag potentially fallacious arguments, promoting rational discourse.
User-Contributed Evidence Assessment: Allows the community to contribute evidence supporting or weakening arguments for collaborative verification.
6. Technological Integration and User Interaction:
Database Tools: Proposes building tools to map conclusions, assumptions, and their relationships for deeper understanding.
Interactive Interface: Users can actively participate by submitting evidence, voting on argument strength, and suggesting alternative viewpoints.
7. Promoting Quality Debate:
Separating Argument Types: Distinguishes between truth, importance, and relevance arguments for a more nuanced debate structure.
Encouraging Constructive Dialogue: Aims to shift focus from emotional responses to evidence-based reasoning, fostering meaningful discourse over sensationalism.
8. Community-Driven Evolution:
Open-Source Development: Encourages community involvement in refining and evolving the platform, ensuring its adaptability and relevance.
Additional Considerations:
Data Quality and Bias: Implementing robust measures to ensure data accuracy and mitigate potential biases in algorithms and user contributions.
Transparency and Explainability: Providing clear explanations of scoring methods and decision-making processes to build trust and understanding.
User Engagement and Education: Fostering active participation and educating users on the platform's functionalities and responsible use.
We are a political party that organizes all the ideas and arguments by subject, and lets them battle in a survival of the fittest death-match.
We are a political party that supports candidates that promises to make their decisions based on online cost benefit and idea evaluation algorithms. They just have to use a forum that ties the strength of their conclusion to the strength of their assumption, so that when you strengthen or weaken an assumption you also strengthen or weaken conclusions based on the assumption.
We have had the technological ability to create a world based on logic for too long. It is about time we build a rational political party based on the assumption that we support plans, conclusions, activities, and policies that can gather evidence based support, and that we don't do things that don't stand up to analysis.
We will conduct open, online, cost/benefit analysis of each issue. It is about time.
Welcome to the website for the best political party of all time, and the future of reason based decisions making.
"No concept you form is valid unless you integrate it without contradiction into the sum of human knowledge."
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.