Yes this is a great idea but only if done “open”. Having the American people in an open townhall event is a great idea and one that the private health insurance companies could use to get some good feedback.

No because this was all controlled and staged. The questions in yesterday's Obama townhall meeting were pre-screened and members of the audience were hand selected, obviously. I watched it in awe and couldn't believe how staged it was. They are just trying to sell Obamacare to the media and the American people. Don't believe me? The emotional women with cancer (Debby Smith) has been working with Senator Tom Daschle and the Obama administration for quite sometime now (http://foxyurl.com/n9C). Completely staged. I wish I could get my hands on a digital copy of an article in today's Washington Post today called “Chapter and Verse” that completely uncovers the staged townhall meeting.

Going slightly off-topic….

You already know my feelings on this….this is the complete wrong direction we need to go. This is the complete opposite of capitalism and the land of the free. We have seen from nations around the world that this will not work. Reports from Canada showed that the average wait for treatment for life-threatening cancer is 7 weeks and an average of 9 hour wait for emergency room visits….that is ridiculous. Canadian's come down here for treatment, because they can't get it there. On top of that the elderly get pushed to the back of the line and the government refuses to pay for important yet expensive drugs because of costs!

Sure Obama says we will have a government program and private programs, but the private programs will not be able to compete with the government. The government has taxpayer money to fund their program and can run on a debt and without making money. A private company cannot run on a debt and has to make a profit. Companies providing healthcare to their employees will move to the government plan because it will be more affordable and the private companies will die. Obama says you can keep your plan and your doctor…that is just not true. What happens when your company moves to a government plan? Sure you can opt out of the government plan and try to get your old private plan back but it will be way more expensive without your companies premium.

When Medicare was proposed it was reported that it would cost roughly 100 million a year. We are now around 100 billion a year. The president says it will cost 1-1.5 trillion for this (and that is the best best case scenario)…what do you think it will actually cost in the long run?

Do I think current healthcare system is fine? No. Do I think it needs reform? Yes. So what do I propose? I think we should move to a program where everyone/every family is responsible for their own healthcare. A program that removes our employers. This way the healthcare companies can price plans for the individuals and families rather than for large companies. This will also remove the issue of losing your healthcare when you lose your job….your healthcare can go with you to any job or lack of job. Think of it as a system similar to auto insurance….your responsibility. If you don't want to pay for it then you will face the consequences.

Anyways, I saw you post this article on twitter yesterday and figured I would voice my opinion to you since I know we have touched on it in the past. I am eager to here your thoughts on all of this

-Simon