Suz!

neuro!

Wow, love them both. Ahem! The Animals date me…

hey ce – yeah, when i realized it was 40 years between those two videos (and not 30), i felt pretty forking old. especially since i remember hearing the first one on the radio when it came out.

Me too! On my transistor radio!

on an am station

In a white leather case…

powered by a battery ripped off from dad’s work bench

Wow, Eric Burdon got younger and more Asian in the last 40 years. Picked up cello, too.

Hi Suz!

Ha! I don’t remember. Just that gold radio dial and feeling like I discovered another world. Helped that my older brother was in a band.

It is amazing how one of our local TV channels really going after the public employees who are triple dipping and it is legal….. teachers and administrators are retiring, collecting for a pension AND then getting their same jobs through a private contractor…..

Just had a story about the Chief of Police who again retired, collecting his pension and then rehired as a contractor plus cash bonus…. total earnings over $300,000

*laughing* hey emerson

pretty cool – frampton on guitar and orchestra behind him

the gop controlled media always looking for someone in either labor or government so they can sling mud

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Suzanne and the Late Nite Firepup Patriots:

One more and a wakeup!!! And of course you would hafta put up poor Eric Burdon ta REALLY make a fella feel older’n what’s useful…But seriously, I call the music of the mid-60’s “embryo rock” ‘cuz so much was happenin from folk ta hormone blues ta hot jazz and it seems that music was jest waitin’ for “the war” to give purpose to whatever it was we were feelin’…oh my, Sister SuzieQ, you sure do have a way with music and makin a guy feel beyond even the redemption of Viagra…LOL!

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION AND NO COMPROMISING WITH FASCISTS!!

hey norske

norske, i knew this week was your last but wasn’t sure of the exact day. how long you gonna be gone fishing?

Transistor Radio ?!! Them newfangled things’ll never catch on …

Suz !

Norske !

hey petro – hows canada tonight?

I had to ask MrCE how to spell it! Really, I had one in white plastic with gold trim, in a white leather case. I spent untold hours under the covers with it plastered to my ear.

Hah! yeah, thought that was Frampton!

Duty obliged him to torture:

In his largest domestic speech since leaving the White House in January, Bush told an audience in southwestern Michigan that after the September 11 attacks, “I vowed to take whatever steps that were necessary to protect you.”
[…]

“The first thing you do is ask, what’s legal?” he said. “What do the lawyers say is possible? I made the decision, within the law, to get information so I can say to myself, ‘I’ve done what it takes to do my duty to protect the American people.’ I can tell you that the information we got saved lives.”

No this is true…. we have a real problem here…..all GOP and they are crooks and thief’s….. It is a scam….. this private contractor gets priority hiring and public employees are retiring like crazy just to get more money…. by working for the agency ….

It is taking on the repugs and their scams…

We had a Radiogram … bigger than the Fridge. That thing could pick up signals from Iceland, Australia, Venus, Pluto …

When we got a Transistor Radio, which could be taken into another room, we were beside ourselves with joy.

hey wigwam

i consider that an admission he authorized torture. is there a special prosecutor in the house?

Rainy and cool … nice excuse to haul out the Grand Marnier though. Would anyone care for a wee dram ?

That is hilarious! And whatever happened to my radio?

Wee dram? Always!

Citizen Suzanne:

I’m on the schedule for tomorrow night but I got a ton a sick time they won’t pay me for so I’m gunna be sick…and Mama is in Vegas with our two daughters celebrating the youngest’s 21st and seein’ “Love”…We saw it last year when we went with jest the “grownups” but I surely would like to see the expressions on the girl’s faces when they see it!

And since my son teaches through next Friday, we won’t leave until Saturday, June 6th and MAYBE we will come home the followin Friday.

I used to hide it and use the ear plug when the Mets played on the West Coast. My dad caught me and took it away. The next day he had recorded the whole game on our spanking new reel to reel.

Got the transistor back, too.

its not just az katy. the entire overton window has been shifted way to the right systematically. the media is just one head on that hydra.

*holding out glass*

This part made me LOL :- The former president earned a noisy standing ovation when asked what he wants his legacy to be.

“Well, I hope it is this: The man showed up with a set of principles, and he was unwilling to sacrifice his soul for the sake of popularity,” Bush said.

fuck ‘em norske – what are they gonna do – fire ya? what’s the first thing ya look forward to about retiring?

Wow! Emerson, I DID have an ear plug too! Hard to remember now. Lucky you having the reel to reel.

The Scots are known for their understatements … *g*

when i was a wee 3rd grader, we had a neighbor that had a reel to reel and they recorded the wizard of oz. i dang near drove them nuts going over there asking them to play it again. and again. and again.

One for me, one for Suzanne. And they are know for being so parsimonious..

Citizen Suzanne:

“what’s the first thing ya look forward to about retiring?”

Answer: Gettin on with livin’…it’s like I been markin’ time in a cave for the last few years.

Talk about unrepentant criminals! Bush and Cheney are all but bragging about their Jack Bauer exploits on our behalf. They seem to think that they deserve medals for what they did, which was to authorize activities that ultimately led to torture, murder, mutilation, and child rape.

mine was no alarm clocks – and i’m still enjoying that one. i love the freedom – no having to be back anywhere by some artificial deadline. my time is spent on what i want it to be

Yep, stingy too … *g*

yup – can’t wait to see the look on their faces as they are fucking frogmarched.

not when it comes to the wee drop

Raisin’ a Toast to Norske … Have a great party from now to forever !

emerson – you got that report about the allman/dead/doobie concert?

MrCE has still not recovered from the flying monkeys.

We did feel lucky. Mom brought it into school (1st grade) and went to our class and had each kid say their name and age. We still have the reels somewhere…

And my transister was silver with a black case, CE. My sisters had pink and yellow.

those fucking monkeys were scarey with a capitol scare.

that and the witch music…

It was only broadcast on television once a year, as I remember. We kids couldn’t wait. What month was it, for Thanksgiving?

around easter iirc ce. being on only once a year really did make it special.

I’m thinking for me, 1964, 1965… but MrCE says 1962…

Yup. He considers himself a veritable John Wayne.

You are right — it must have been around the spring holidays.

Have fun! Poof

Can’t get enough of that boogie woogie!

hi and bye bigbrother

hey that guy

I knew this was their game plan all along … affirm they did everything only when it can no longer be hidden and then assert Executive Privilege. That’s usually enough to send the Dems scurrying … it really is up to the citizenry to push for prosecutions. Release that darn OPR Report already !

My pretty, and your little dog, too!

boogie woogie blues

i get all goosebumpy just humming that do do di do do in my head – just like i get from the jaws theme

Did you see the show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon? So funny!

falling asleep….. heading off to bed… see ya tomorrow….Nite all

g’nite katy

hasn’t aired here yet ce

Cool! Takes me back to my courting days. :-) Inside Looking Out was THE song though, even better than Rising Sun.

Night, sleep tight.

hey pauline – yup. an awesome song

The word is it was a happening! Great weather and 7 hours of music. The Allmans were the highlight. My bro-in-law is a really good guitarist and plays Allmans, Dead, New Riders genre. He’s the biggest Garcia fan in the world, but the Allmans blew him away.

The Dead was the sentimental favorite, although Bob’s voice is kinda going. Mickey Hart led this wild primal rhythmic set that was powerful.

And the Doobies were reminding you of how much fun they always were to see. Big smiles all around the Gorge.

‘Sup Pups! SUZ!!!!! lol

Eric Burdon – Vocals
Alan Price – Keyboards
Hilton Valentine – lead guitar
Chas Chandler – bass guitar
John Steel – drums

What that band did to rock, blues, and roots moozic in their time was amazing.

And this song, back in ‘64, was riveting.

I get REAL tired of FM Radio replays of the same old hits, from my salad days 9-25.

But this one, never, ever bores me. It always delivers raised hairs on my neck, toe tapping, and sangin along.

Minor, modal. What’s no to like, music wise. *G*

Used to do it in Emin on lap dulcimer . . . once I learnt to play another instrument, I like it in Amin.

Nice, nice pic, Suz . . . *chair, claps*

And yes, I like the 40 years apart versions, both of them . . *G*

Suzanne,
Jimmy Fallon is really funny and adorable. Worth watching.

*sigh*

warren hayes and derek truck on the slide – not the originals but pretty dayam good in their own right

i’ll try to catch it. i’ve not watched late nite tv in so long except for special shows.

hey larue – how’s sac tonight?

Frankly, If Didn’t Ever Have THIS One, Yer Square, Daddyo

Song for song, packed and laced with all Eric and the band brought to the table.

Wow.

Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

*G*

I think I heard of a local judge and somebody else doing that. I suspect the law(s) will be changed.

its hard to pick just one as a fav. they did so many good songs.

yeah-should have mentioned them by name. Mark said both were kickin azz!

Wow, the performance 40 years ago was so much more real!

hey markh

Here’s Frijid Pink version of ”House Of The Rising Sun”. When I was growing up, it was quite my favorite.

I understand. MsCE hasn’t had a tee vee in a year. I’m signing out, I have a book discussion group to prepare for next week ( and yes, on my birthday!}

hey hantran. i agree – before everything was spun and polished.

hey cujo

g’nite ce

If you go back to the 2000 presidential campaign *that* Bush sounded quite centrist.

The “America would be easier if it were a dictatorship” part was just after the selection.

And, speaking of words v. actions, I don’t entirely believe Liz Cheney, but I’m willing to listen and see if the actions follow.

hey high diver!

We got the R to R in 1961. The transistors came later, I think?

g’nite.

there is always some little kernel of truth in bush’s mumblings.

I started with a radio, but if I was into tape I would have preferred a real to real — very hard to get, but NO static!

May I have that wee dram, please?
Love the songs, Suz!

thanks margot – how ya doing tonight?

I like that-”selection.” That’s all it was. How could Rehnquist ever be a Chief Justice? Why do we allow crooks in the most powerful positions in the land?

Incidentally, I finally realized I’ve got a decent song on one of my jazz albums which is perfect for the next time Arlen Specter *is* the topic of the day. I don’t know if there’s a video, but it’s

fistful of haggis by the Charlie Hunter Trio

look for a video.

holy shit mark – ya gotta leave that info on one of marcy’s haggis threads – but i think now he is a d she is calling him scrapple

Kewling down, from mid 90’s to mid 80’s next few daze . . .*G*

Garden’s growing . . . two weeks I’ll send a few new pics . .

You got goin, sorry to thread hog . .

Tobacco Road By Animals, Original Band

Remember when EVERYONE was doing that song?

Nashville Teens, ‘64 Or So? Shindig?

But I think my fav still remains the Bay Area Icons of the ORIGINAL Jefferson Airplane.

Marty Balin and Signe Toly Anderson Just Kilt Me.

One album, she got preggers, and along came Gracie.

But for that one album, and some live recordings, that band folk rocked like they created the idiom.

Top of my chart, Takes Off still is for that era.

Oh, Skip Spence on sticks, pre Moby Grape . . .

1. Blues From An Airplane
2. Let Me In
3. Bringing Me Down
4. It’s No Secret
5. Tobacco Road
6. Come Up The Years
7. Run Around
8. Let’s Get Together
9. Don’t Slip Away
10. Chauffeur Blues
11. And I Like It
12. Runnin’ ‘Round This World
13. High Flying Bird
14. It’s Alright
15. Go To Her (Version One)
16. Let Me In (Original Uncensored/Deleted Version)
17. Run Around (Original Uncensored Version)
18. Chauffeur Blues (Alternate Version)
19. And I Like It (Alternate Version)

It’s No Secret still shivers my spine . . . what a great love song.

And there’s not a bad cut on the CD release, nor on the original vinyl.

Sigh. Man that was uplifting music . . . still is . . .

Nah, ya NAILED the Two Fer!!! *G*

no utube markh

Heh, late but glass in hand.

House of Rising Sun!.
(((New Orleans)))

Eric, if ya ever saw him live, is known to RADICALLY reshape studio cuts. Never sings the same thing twice.

But that second cut, was kewl. I mean, Frampton, but, AQUALUNG hisbadassself!?!?!

Totally good performance all around . . . *G*

hey sunny

Doing great, getting lost in the youtubes. And you?

hey larue – i was wondering if anyone was gonna pick up on who the flutist was…. shudda known it would be you

Pouring single malt over here, if you’d like.

Good dawg, what a blast rock wise . . . they came thru the Bay Area I think . . . but they were all over the FM Raydeo with this song . . . dang. What a blast! Goon one, Cujo! *G*

wow! thanks

how old is that single emerson? (eyeing empty glass)

Had one in ‘63 I recall. Wandered the streets of Santa Cruz with it glued to my ear.
As a ten year old boy. *G*

I recall ‘My Boyfriends Back’, ‘Telstar’, ‘Alice In Wonderland’ (Neil Sedaka), ‘Baby I’m Yours’ (Barbara Lewis).

Dang, a night full of pre teen and teen flashes . . . GOOD THOUGH! *G*

There’s more where that came from. g

I was in a hurry, so they only aged it 12 years, Suz. Pass this to Suzanne, please?

thanks emerson (sliding bottle back down to emerson)

wonder what the friday bank failure is gonna be tomorrow. and if there is gonna be a news dump…

yes, it’s all coming back now…

http://www.dailymotion.com/vid…..ours_music

Be Prepared To Be Depressed

We are, and have been, a broken, crooked and usurped oligarchy for some time now.

Read Sibel’s Op Ed’s on the left . . . .

Along with Deep Capture, and any other history us older farts have known since we realized the deck was stacked back in Nixon daze and Vietnam, the evidence of a huge crooked collusion between business, the war machine, government, and banking has been obvious.

Actually, it goes back to the 1880’s for that matter . . . . but Iran/Contra was a good indicator of the collusion.

And then there was Iran and Central America in the early 50’s . . . and again later in our lives . . .

Sigh. I prefer to dream between my sound machine, tonite . . . thx Suz!! *G*

*G* I live to serve . . . lol

per c&l, bob dylan and paul mccartney are gonna be working on a collaberation

Hi Folks! Here’s a nice pitcher of ice cold chocolate martinis, and if it’s cold where you are (as it is, here) I can whip up some rusty nails.
–Beard (This lace is going ridiculously well)

Yeah Larue, I’m onto much of that. (That’s why I’m pouring single-Take a swig, pal)

Wasn’t she just sumptin? *G*

hey beard – how’s it going?

Rusty Nails are SO the SCHIZZLE!!! *G*

Havent’ had one in decades.

It’s time. *G*

Unfortunately Poor Howard Stith doesn’t have a sample of “House of the Rising Sun” but if you get a chance to see him live tell him that Robert of Stonemarche asked him to play that song.

I never met a single malt I couldn’t call a friend.

And the person who HAS it, is a lifelong friend . . *G*

Thanks, hoss . . . .

I’ll toss backatcha some Single Barrel Jack . . . there are times for civility with single malt, and there are times for a DIFFERENT kind of UNcivility that only Old Aged Jack can provide . . . . *G*

Looks like Queen Latifah’s mom.

Going well over here. Had my physical on Friday, and the doc is very happy with my numbers. (Except my HDL, which is lower than she’d like. I guess I’ll have to force myself to eat more salmon, oh the horror, the tribulations….heh, heh)Some disappointing news on the medication front, but at least I know what’s up.

How’s it going with you, this fine morning? (2:30 am over here)

That looks like some serious homage to the orig’s . . . all that’s missing is Hellhound On My Trail.

Thanks for the hit, I’ll check him out . . *G*

still a wee bit to go before midnight here on the left coast. been doing ok. calling kaiser tomorrow and setting up an appt with my new doc and get all my records sent up here.

Never seen QL’s mom! Lewis, was gorgeous IMHO . . . but I was young, and SO impressionable . . lol

Obama still thinks that if he sticks his fingers in his ears and yells “LA LA LA …”, this whole horrible nightmare will go away. That silly man.

Fine partay – and on a school nite!

Good luck with the new doc. I’ve told mine that she can’t retire until I’m dead. (she laughed, she knows my family regularly lives into their 90’s)

Well, I’ve kept Suz and mod pretty busy with all my silly, thanks to both . . .

All Pups be well, it’s time for this Larue to repost and find the zzzz’s.

LOVE these old school music threads, thanks all for playin . . *G*

schools out

It’s always time for a Rusty Nail (evil grin here)

my knee ended up retiring two orthopedists. when i get all caught up on my tests etc i’m gonna ask for a referral to a kaiser ortho to get the knee checked out. fucking ah-nold took away my lifetime medical on my knee with his fucking do-over of worker’s comp.

Alternative School’s out(Staples ad)

Ok, ya got my attention there before I could g’zzzzzz

Top Shelf Rusty’s

*G

*ZZZZZ*

g’zzz larue

(yalilheadbangerya) ;-)

*ZZZZ*

Whoa pardner-haven’t touched a drop o that in years-but it smells familiar! Yep-I’m in!

Ack! (about Ahnuld)I loathe how companies, and government, feel free to alter the terms of retirees’ benefits, and things of that type.

Honestly, have they forgotten how to feel shame? (oh, wait, I’ve been reading the news for the last few decades…they can’t forget what they never knew *spit*)

sleep well, Larue

yup – they all forget that retirees vote

You can always get through Friday no matter what, as I recall. g

friday is always easier than that m-word day

nite Larue

Closing your eyes Sunday night with a slow sigh…

and big ole grin

oooh, the “Game On” episode of West Wing is on. I swear that show kept me sane during the Bush debacle.

Sat night lasted 24 hrs ;-)

Hey Suz, we’re having another outing week of June 21 (1st day of Summer and day after my b-day.) going to Lake Siskiyou at the foot of Mt. Shasta for 5-6 days. It is beautiful there with the snow-capped Mtn. loomiong over the Lake.

Make it if you can. Not too far from where you are. About 10 of us going .

That is the absolute best one, beard. I have about 40 of em recorded.

those were the days my friend

Hah! I seem to recall a lot of Sunday Sun ups

tis almost a day’s drive there and then a day’s drive back emerson. i’m 700 miles north of the bay area. i am, however, contemplating a trip down to the bay area to pick up more plants from npb’s place. iirc nahant said he was thinking about hosting a bay area fdl pup meetup and i was gonna try to coordinate my trip south with that.

sunday morning coming down

Yeah but this is up by the Oregon border. I guess that’s still a pretty good ride though. Yeah I remember you mentioning that. That would be cool!

shasta is a good 6 hours south of me. if i’m headed south i really need to get my plants. npb has been so nice fostering them for me since august of last year.

Hah! I thought I could party, but those two are out of my league! lol,

up there in keith richards territory

That’s the nosebleeds!

Thank you Suzanne, my favorite song of all time.

And Eric Burdon — what a little doll he was!

almost but not quite at the jim morrison bathtub

hey teddy – how’s sf tonight?

Oh look, the sun’s up…. let’s go to the beach!

Sure, if you wanna bring France into it…

Boy, those French: they have a different word for everything!
Steve Martin

Been there too. But in NJ, it was the shore. Only an hour away down the Parkway with Bruce singing in the background.

“…and the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open

like Latin Lovers on the shore.

Chasin’ all them silly New York virgins by the score.”

why was it called the shore instead of the beach emerson?

The only French I know is jerry lewis. (rimshot)

Sun’s gonna be up here in 2 hrs. Think I’ll say g’nite

(takin one o’them rusty nails in a go-cup).

g’nite sunny – better take two – just in case ya wake up thirsty

great question! I don’t know, it’s always been the shore. When New Yawkers used to go to Coney Island-they called it the beach. Was gonna say it’s strictly a Jersey thing, but coastal Maryland is called eastern shore, I believe.

Even Pennsylvanians who would vacation there always called it the shore, maybe because the locals did. I can honestly say I’ve never heard anyone in NJ say the beach.

I might have to research that now, Suz.

Nite Sunny. (Almost pulled another all-nighter!)

i’ve always heard the shore associated with specific regions of the east coast. it seems to be location specific since residents will refer to the beach when talking about other locales – primarily tropical.

Hmmm. you’re right. When we were talking about Florida or Hawaii, we always said beaches.

It must be the atmosphere in here tonight, (or the rusty nail I had earlier) I’m laying down the outline core for the latest lace panel, and it’s going a LOT more smoothly than the last one.
(I’m actually a bit concerned that I’m forgetting something, but it all looks right)

beaches is generic – the shore is specific to a location is my guess

got any new pics of it?

it’s late here – here’ what I’m listening to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axnCMV-on9Q

(give Johnette a coupla minutes to get the thing rolling….)

I’ve always heard it called “the Jersey shore”, but individual places were called the beach. (of course, up here in NH, there’s only about 12 miles of beach, so it’s silly to call it anything else)

Not yet, though it’s getting large enough that I can take a picture, and it’ll make sense.

Thanks for reminding me, I’ll add that to today’s todo list.

how was your foray out?

sorry for adding to your to do list. i’m working on mine for tomorrow… and it keeps getting longer

I think that’s the nature of the beasts. Currently my list seems pretty short. 1. sleep sometime, 2. take picture of lace and do blog/lj post, 3. do dishes and a load of laundry, 4. try to get out and go to the coffee shop.

yikes – time for me to head out. g’nite all. thanks for letting me hang out with ya tonight.

oh, and I forgot, 5. clean bathroom.

Sleep well. and it’s been a pleasure. Great music links tonight.

Nite, Suz. Thank you.

how was your foray out?

it seems that there are many very pretty, intriguing (looking) females out there. Maybe someday there may show up one with an IQ larger than her bra size.

In the meantime, I couldn’t care less. Walked in alone – walking out the same way’s just fine with me – I been doin’ this stuff for a long time now now…

Anybody know the age at which a woman’s sense of humor kicks in? Fuck all that :

Carlos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5di5EhZshdQ

Don’t know who she is, but she’s powerful. Like it.

2nd drink. If it doesn’t, there is none to be found.

Have a good morning, fellas.

I’m back….. a couple hours of deep sleep and up again…… will be out in a few hours….

Dave never does this:

Johnette (Concrete Blonde) on Letterman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..re=related

Love the way you can see her soul by watching her dance……

I’m back too.. any rusty nails left?

I’m back….. a couple hours of deep sleep and up again…… will be out in a few hours…

Cbl and I speak of you often and wish for you all the best the universe has to offer.

Looks like Attaturk is upstairs.

Thanks, maybe he’s pouring *g*

oh yeah.

that’s’ as good a description as any.

I’m still listening to stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMBr–Ou_Xg

Makes me miss my son – and regret the things that never get properly said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMBr–Ou_Xg

I don’t necessarily understand the French – but then again – I do.

jayt –there are many things not properly said in my family, most families…and each one has its own currency…my dad isn’t a ‘talker’….but i know he loves me more than life itself, through his actions, and inaction at times when he stayed out of certain things and just hung back and provided support, silently..and i’m sure your son does know, too, how much he is loved..and if you think not, sned him a surprise package with some things you know he likes….

in my livin’ in the big city early twenties, i used to get these anonymous cards in the mail, sporadically, that said a contribution had been made in my name and that a candle had been lit for me in a shrine here, a shrine there…i got them for a long period, from all over the world..couldn’t figure out what catholic friend was doing it, my family is methodist…ends up it was dad…he has a wicked sense of humor. his way of letting me know he was thinking about me.

anytime i get something anonymous in the mail, he is my first guess. this is the same man who kept taping so many articles about smoking on my sister and my bathroom mirrors that we had to peek at the mirror strips left inbetween to put on our makeup..never said a word.

he found pot that was my sister’s, he dumped it into her toilet and didn’t flush it…you’re busted. same thing with cigarettes, would break them up and leave them in her toilet..he didn’t really need to say anything else.
=========

wow. thanks suz…

man i wish i was in a late late night time zone…..or still a night owl…

i missed the first round of eric burdon–born in ‘59, but rediscovered him thanks to youtube and pbs…

love his spirit. he is on my dream dinner party ’short list’. somethin’ abouth im shines through.

and transister radios? my ‘pop’, grandpa, gave me my first one, used to lay sideways on my bed and look out the window on rainy days…i still remember hearing wichita lineman…

Maybe someone should find their webpage (if they have one) and specifically ask them to record one for the toobz. Requesting snark!

Okay, had some sleep and I’m back on this thread to comment on the gov’t option for health care.

We can regulate health care. We can help them do better on records and practices. We can even help people have more access to more plans via an exchange. But, who is going to insure those who aren’t? What’s the incentive to the insurance companies to take them on? They don’t want them now at rates those people can afford.

So, without a gov’t option you’re leaving about 45M people uninsured.

There may be more people insured if an exchange helps more small businesses and individuals to find plans they can use. I’ll bet there are some, but not all.

That brings us to a gov’t option.

What should be the goals of a gov’t option? Certainly it would help to know what interferes with the uninsured finding and getting insurance. Logically there would be some who aren’t employed and can’t afford private insurance for one or a family. There are also the young who are, well young and don’t think they need insurance. Who will insure them?

Private insurers would like a Massachussetts mandate REQUIRING them to get insurance. But, ask the same people how they feel about requiring doctors to accept Medicare payments and they flinch. No no no, don’t force doctors to do anything. Seems hypocritical.

So, private insurers would like government to get them new customers, but they don’t offer much in return and the doctors oppose the idea (already in terms of Medicare).

That takes us to a gov’t option which OFFERS insurance it either runs itself or farms out to plans. If they’re just offering to connect a person to an existing plan that might help a few, as I said above, but there are some who would prefer to die before using a private insurance company’s products and there are some who can’t afford it. What can the government offer to those folks?

It seems to get everyone covered you either force everyone which I think is repugnant or you entice them — and private insurers aren’t that interested in enticing or they would already have done it.

Government has to offer something people want and they could offer the handling of it to private insurers, if they would like, or handle it through gov’t. I’d suggest maximum flexibility here and continually let private insurers make offers to get in on the deal, but always have the gov’t plans for when private isn’t willing.

If a gov’t plan only takes customers who don’t want private insurance or customers the private insurers don’t want then there’s no competition and no need for a “level playing field”.

What should be the idea behind a gov’t plan?

It clearly has to be based on something a little different than private plans or it won’t achieve anything.

Different kinds of plans? Different options than private insurers do or could offer? Different terms? Greater (complete) portability?

What do private insurers NOT offer that people clearly want and need? That’s what a gov’t option should offer.

As for financing, I’d suggest that a percentage of income basis would be a lot more acceptable to these folks. Whether you offer any gov’t subsidy or not there are going to be a lot of people who simply can’t afford private insurance and a percentage basis, not unlike in some other countries, could fit the bill for them. I don’t know how many of the 45M people that would handle, but it would help them tremendously.

How much percentage of income? Let people have options: many plans, many rates of cost.

If government is going to be a competitive force it should be more on plan choices than on forced pricing levels.