Detroit Sees Cheap Gas as History

[RandomGuy]

and i think we all can agree that you'd be an idiot to support the Big '3' because they are American companies... THEM. and the big ass unions too. getting paid 15 dollars an hour to push a ing button

It's not the pay, its the retirement packages. Care to guess who those companies are going to hand off their retirement packages to?

(hint it rhymes with "paxpayers")

I am all for being honest about these things and just hand off health care and pensions to the government.

As it is we just sort of force government to do it anyways, why do it willy-nilly and "off the books"?

[101A]

and i think we all can agree that you'd be an idiot to support the Big '3' because they are American companies... THEM. and the big ass unions too. getting paid 15 dollars an hour to push a ing button

$15 an hour? What rock are you hiding under? We're talking UAW, baby. $35 per for a button pusher.

RG - handing pensions and healthcare off to the government will not fix them. It will, however, make them equally bad for all of us.

I have a company that provides very good health and retirement benefits. It will be a shame if my employees can't enjoy the priviledge of those because other companies mismanaged there own houses, and the government reacts to that.

[RandomGuy]

RG - handing pensions and healthcare off to the government will not fix them. It will, however, make them equally bad for all of us.

I have a company that provides very good health and retirement benefits. It will be a shame if my employees can't enjoy the priviledge of those because other companies mismanaged there own houses, and the government reacts to that.

I beg to differ.

As it stands now we have NO plan of dealing with it. At least when the government handles it, we will have some recourse other than shrugging our shoulders.

It is "equally" bad for all of us already. If you think that insurance isn't more expensive because of those that don't have insurance, rethink that.

The other thing to think of as a business owner is how much more efficient you would be by not having to offer such coverage.

How much time, effort, and money does it take the private sector to deal with the mishmash that we have now?

If, after a national health care plan goes into effect, you want to offer an additional incentive of better coverage, that is still an option.

As it is now, what is the cost to american business of sicker americans without health care?

How many avoidable sick days are soaked up by people having to use the emergency room as primary medical care?

[johnsmith]

How many avoidable sick days are soaked up by people having to use the emergency room as primary medical care?

People use sick days when they are sick? Who knew?

[101A]

I beg to differ.

As it stands now we have NO plan of dealing with it. At least when the government handles it, we will have some recourse other than shrugging our shoulders.

It is "equally" bad for all of us already. If you think that insurance isn't more expensive because of those that don't have insurance, rethink that.

The other thing to think of as a business owner is how much more efficient you would be by not having to offer such coverage.

How much time, effort, and money does it take the private sector to deal with the mishmash that we have now?

If, after a national health care plan goes into effect, you want to offer an additional incentive of better coverage, that is still an option.

As it is now, what is the cost to american business of sicker americans without health care?

How many avoidable sick days are soaked up by people having to use the emergency room as primary medical care?

Preach to another business owner.

My company processes medical claims.

[johnsmith]

Preach to another business owner.

My company processes medical claims.

I hate your company. You are alright, but I hate your company. Don't know which company it is, but anything involving medical claims is automatically hated by me. No offense though.

[RandomGuy]

People use sick days when they are sick? Who knew?

The point being, of course, that sick days=lost productivity=smaller economy

[RandomGuy]

Preach to another business owner.

My company processes medical claims.

In all due seriousness, this process would still be needed by any form of health plan.

Coincidentally, I have been spending my morning reading a claim database. Mmmm databases...

[101A]

I beg to differ.

As it stands now we have NO plan of dealing with it. At least when the government handles it, we will have some recourse other than shrugging our shoulders.

It is "equally" bad for all of us already. If you think that insurance isn't more expensive because of those that don't have insurance, rethink that.

The other thing to think of as a business owner is how much more efficient you would be by not having to offer such coverage.

How much time, effort, and money does it take the private sector to deal with the mishmash that we have now?

If, after a national health care plan goes into effect, you want to offer an additional incentive of better coverage, that is still an option.

As it is now, what is the cost to american business of sicker americans without health care?

How many avoidable sick days are soaked up by people having to use the emergency room as primary medical care?

I have some employees over age 65 - who are Medicair eligible. You think they jump off of my plan and into Medicair. No, they don't. They like the plan they receive as a benefit of working for my company, more.

Under a national healthcare system that choice will be taken from them, and every other employee, for that matter.

The largest check I write each month (even greater than the cost of all benefits for all employees combined), is the check I write to the IRS to deposit the money withheld for each employees income tax, medicare/medicaid, social security + the employer match. I shudder to think how large that check could get if it included subsidizing an inefficient, ill-conceived, pork-laden universal healthcare plan. It COULD work, it COULD be designed and managed so that it truly lowered the overall cost of the delivery of healthcare in this country. But it won't be. This is the United States Government - the only en y in the cosmos that can spend $100,000 on an anvil, and then break it.

Medicair? Overbudget and diskliked. Medicaid? WAY overbudget. War on Poverty? Failed. Social Security? Going bankrupt.

How many time does the government have to screw something up before people realize the government is ill equipped to do damn near anything, and should only be left to do the things it HAS to do?

[RandomGuy]

I have some employees over age 65 - who are Medicair eligible. You think they jump off of my plan and into Medicair. No, they don't. They like the plan they receive as a benefit of working for my company, more.

Under a national healthcare system that choice will be taken from them, and every other employee, for that matter.

So the government will FORCE people to use their healthcare?

Or will employers still be able to offer additional insurance if they so choose?

The largest check I write each month (even greater than the cost of all benefits for all employees combined), is the check I write to the IRS to deposit the money withheld for each employees income tax, medicare/medicaid, social security + the employer match. I shudder to think how large that check could get if it included subsidizing an inefficient, ill-conceived, pork-laden universal healthcare plan.

You think that what we have now isn't wasteful and inefficient?

When companies merge, they generally get rid of duplicated roles. Why? Because that is inefficient.

You think that private industry with thousands of different companies isn't inefficient?

You think that you aren't paying the costs RIGHT NOW of people without health insurance? You pay higher premiums for the health insurance you offer, you pay higher prices in all the goods you buy for the same reason. As a nation we pay higher costs from decreased productivity due to lack of access to medical care.

How many time does the government have to screw something up before people realize the government is ill equipped to do damn near anything, and should only be left to do the things it HAS to do?

How long will it take before the costs of doing nothing out weigh the costs of even a poorly managed government program?