So how many people have lost their jobs and how many people will get extremely sick this year has no place in the conversation? Very interesting. The reason I brought up the numbers is that if 4.6million people lost their jobs, say half of them lost their insurance with it; 1.5million people got cancer last year, or about half a percent of the population. So somewhere over 10,000 people who lost their health insurance in the last year will get cancer while having no insurance. That's only counting people who, *like the anecdote in the story*, had a job a year ago, and got cancer instead of some other disease. Of course the numbers are much higher if we're talking about working people with no insurance. I don't know if you've ever been through cancer treatment (“Mr. Easy Living” has), but it's not like castrophic treatment where you walk into an ER on the brink of death and they treat you and you go home (not that that situation isn't terrible). Treatment takes place over the course of years, and has many different stages — each of which is astronomically expensive. And if you don't go through those treatments, you pretty much just die.

The point is, maybe this woman wanted to “whore out” (your phrase) her own story as a representative of the roughly 10,000 other people in similar situations. If it's “self righteous BS” to think that individuals matter in this discussion, so be it. I think it's pretty self righteous (or at least self important) to think that this woman's story of how she can't pay for the aggressive treatment she needs is an unimportant or irrelevant anecdote, while at the same time telling me your personal history about always having been able to get the treatment you need. Her story is no less important than yours: you are an example of how the system works well, she is an example of how it has failed. Lucky you and sux for her, but don't write off someone else's experience as incorrect or a lie because it's different from your own. Self righteous indeed.

BTW, I'm not “Mr.” anything.

Huh? Why would I think that? It just doesn't have any point in this conversation.

“money's an issue. That's great you've never had to rub up against it so closely, and I do truly hope that that remains the case for you. “

Again huh? I am the working poor. I have almost always been so. Mostly because I don't really care about money but different subject. I am speaking from experience that care is available to everyone. I honestly believe that location is a much more critical concern than cash. If you live where there is no doctor for a hundred miles (which does happen in Texas), or 30 if you are poor, then the best insurance in the world doesn't help. If you live in Houston then you can take the bus to either county hospital or one of several Catholic hospitals and you will get treatment first and then they will sit with you to figure the finances. This is the community I live in. Saving up money for dental work going to the dental collage, these are things Ive done, so throttle back on the self righteous BS a little bit Mr. Easy Living.

I guess the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association are lying, too?

“Trust me I have dealt with a lack which is why I don't think money is the issue.”

I used to volunteer translating English-Spanish-English at a free clinic; trust me: money's an issue. That's great you've never had to rub up against it so closely, and I do truly hope that that remains the case for you. It is the case for me, as well, and I thank my lucky stars and try not to take it for granted. But putting our fingers in our ears about the fact that it's not the case for many doesn't make it untrue. This is what I mean when I said that your not “believing” that money is an issue doesn't have anything to do with the fact that it is a huge issue for many. Since you don't like anecdotes, I won't elaborate.

He didn't say that so …….

“Wasn't the Republican line that socialized medicine is bad? What is Medicare if it's not socialized medicine?”

There is no blanket statement and I can thing unemployment insurance is bad for the country and still tell my neighbor he should apply.

To bad absolutely none of them are on point and do squat for your argument.

“Said like someone who's never had to deal with a lack of money.”

You must be joking? Because I never got married or had kids money has never been a big issue with me. I never made many choices based on money, but I never had much either. Trust me I have dealt with a lack which is why I don't think money is the issue.

“Quite frankly, your “believing” something doesn't actually have any bearing on anything, does it now?”

Fair enough now if you were honest enough and could apply that to yourself also…….

So you want me to go do reseach for you? Some quick stats: 4.6million jobs lost since the beginning of 2008. 1.5million new cases of cancer each year; 560K cancer-related deaths. 1.3 coronary attacks each year; 445K related deaths. Blah blah…we can come up with any disease and find the incidence rate each year. Or maybe they're all just lying.

“I don't believe that people can't get help because a lack of money”

Said like someone who's never had to deal with a lack of money. I could tell stories, but I'd surely be lying. If I weren't, it's clear that only “facts” — not people — matter to you anyway. Quite frankly, your “believing” something doesn't actually have any bearing on anything, does it now?

Great because right now all we have is the story with you filling in the facts because of what you just “know”. You want to give a story to put a face on it I can't stop you (even if I think it is whoring that person out) but you need the hard data. The data we don't have in this case. Would she be covered already by the numerous Govt programs, could she get free care from the county, is her net worth enough that she can afford treatment.

“Let's say this person lied about her particular relative in this specific anecdote. Does that means that all the statistics that tell us how many people declare bankruptcy each year because of medical bills or how many people die because of lack of access to affordable care are lies? Does that mean that nobody really gets ulcers in their stomach with no way to pay for treatment? Does that remove the realness of every other story out there? “

This is priceless. Even if it's a lie then it's still true. Sure ok and so are death panels and waiting lines, delays in appointments and everything else anyone just makes up.

I'm not saying things are easy but I don't believe that people can't get help because a lack of money. Indeed her doctor would have a duty to see that someone does the surgery if it's needed. That is a legal duty as well as a moral one.

Or, you know, not gotten treatment.

“Policy should be about facts.”

Oh barf. In a country where millions of people have lost their jobs in the last year, and where health insurance is generally tied to employment (both *facts*), dang near everyone knows multiple people who've recently lost their health insurance (anecdotes). As a certain percentage of people require medical care for chronic or long-term conditions, and another percentage comes upon a major disease or injury each year, it stands to reason that there are many people out there with no means to get treatment for serious medical problems. The numbers and stats tell a story while the anecdote puts a face on that story. This isn't a difficult concept.

“and how many times have people lied at those things”

Let's say this person lied about her particular relative in this specific anecdote. Does that means that all the statistics that tell us how many people declare bankrupcy each year because of medical bills or how many people die because of lack of access to affordable care are lies? Does that mean that nobody really gets ulcers in their stomach with no way to pay for treatment? Does that remove the realness of every other story out there?

“You decide the whole country should be a particular way because of the experiance of one person you are an idiot.”

If you think there is only one person out there with this problem, you are an idiot.

There are already laws giving unemployed insurance. We need more info for precise advice, what State she lives in, what about Cobra, her current assets, her income. Hell if it's me I put the house up for sale, try and get as much govt assistance as possible and get whatever treatment I need quick. I know here in Texas you could go to the county hospital and they decide if you need treatment, schedule that treatment, and then sit down with you to figure out how to work the payments if any.

I hope not but she will have gotten treatment and will have a result bad or good.

” This is the point of telling people's stories. Policy, in a very real sense, is more than just political talking points. Policy becomes woman with tumors in her stomach and no good options. Those of us who think that that is bad policy want to see changes — not just for this one woman, but for ourselves and our families, should we ever be in such a position.”

BS. Policy should be about facts. Anecdotal (and how many times have people lied at those things) means crap. You want to try and help one person good for you. You decide the whole country should be a particular way because of the experiance of one person you are an idiot.

Belonging to a political party means different things to different people. Apparently for the Republicans it means “playing follow the leader” and do as you're told to do. If you don't walk lock-step with the party line you're out on your ass. For the Democrats it means debating different ideas. You would not be thrown out of the Democratic Party for just suggesting something different.

Naturally there is dissent in the Democratic Party and quite frankly after Bush rammed most of his policies down Americans' throats, even lying to do so, with the full support of his party, I think it's healthy for their to be debate and dissent.

I've always said that I wish the Republicans would grow up so they can offer good ideas because I'm not too keen on all the Democratic proposals. But since the GOP insists on acting like spoiled and sore losers, I'm glad to see debate going on in the Democratic Party. It amazes me that conservatives talk about the Dems as if there's one strict ideology, when clearly there's not. How do conservatives reconcile the fact that they dump the Dems and their ideas in one bucket with the reality of many different ideas being thrown around?

Besides it's beyond me that anyone would actually belong to a party (the GOP in case anyone doesn't understand me) that tells them how to think, what to believe, which religion is “right”, etc.

For the very small handful of complainers who whimper and wheedle on about how “The Moderate View is not moderate”, perhaps they should stop grousing how “everyone is wrong except for me”, and wonder *why* their views are so far out of the moderate mainstream.

Or perhaps the Liberals who tell themselves they are moderate should wake up and smell the coffee and note that with Democratic control of all three branches of government and a filibuster proof majority they still could not pass Liberal healthcare reform legislation due to being stopped by the moderates of their own party and stop trying to blame Republicans and look in the mirror at their own immoderate selves.

Well then. If Cantor gave the lady good advice I have to ask you what YOU would do in that situation.

Just so we're all clear on the circumstances: You are 42 years old, you lost your job and health insurance. You own your home. The doctor tells you that you have tumors growing in your belly and need an immediate operation.

Since you feel that Cantor gave good advice, tell me what you would do.

For the very small handful of complainers who whimper and wheedle on about how “The Moderate View is not moderate”, perhaps they should stop grousing how “everyone is wrong except for me”, and wonder *why* their views are so far out of the moderate mainstream. It's all a matter of perspective, really. If the political spectrum were a football field, then people on the left would mostly gather around the Liberal's 20-yard-line; moderates would largely be gathering around the Liberal's 40-yard-line; and conservatives these days would be far to the right of the Conservative end zone, somewhere in the bleachers. Of course, viewing mainstream discourse and moderate discussion from that perspective they would be getting an incorrect, warped view that everything leans to the far left.

Right-wing whiners – stop looking to everyone else as the problem, and start looking in the mirror as to why no one agrees with you.

I guess his answer sounded better than telling the woman “That's YOUR problem” – the GOP's solution to any shortage.

And are there no workhouses?