Good post.

Insurers made all that money because Congress didn't do their job to protect insurees - Just like they didn't do their jobs with the banks. So now they are going to do it with govornment run health care. Please.......

Please indeed......

So insurers are under no obligation to do the right thing?, they need government baby sitters to prevent them from over charging etc? they are obligated only to make as much money as they can no matter what?

And excuse me Adventure, with all due respect, I don't remember you saying that you were an expert on what is actually going on here, nor am I, I have only spoken about what has been explained so far, that doesn't mean I know anything absolutely yet, but I am not so willing to believe that the opposition is being completely honest here either. I remain cautious but not closed off, about both sides.

You have got to be concerned about the deficit. I don't remember hearing much about the banks being in dire trouble until all of a sudden the world is on the verge of financial collapse caused by our congress not having regulations that prevented the banks from being involved in such rankerings.
I know some will take this as a so called "fear tactic" but what if our deficit suddenly surprised us with unknown negative ramifications on a scale greater than what happended to the banks.

And yes, if the insurers are making excess profits it is Congresses job to look into it.

No actually I am not concerned about it, or any things I ultimately can do nothing about other than to contact certain people and hope they can do the right thing. I do however balance my own life so that I can weather the storms. I also believe that the United States will, as it has always done, come out of this. Other wise we might as well stop calling it the greatest country in the world.

I am also not worried about health care, we will either make it happen or we will bury our heads, or succumb to the fear mongering. If it happens great, if it doesn't oh well. If people choose to be lead by fear, all individuals can do is prepare themselves for a life with out it until people are so broke no one can afford it, then you will see something done about it.

If people choose to believe that gloom is our future, there's little I can do to change their minds. I'm 60, I have been through very lean times, and weathered it well, as I am this time too, with very little I might add. But our newer generations don't know much about surviving on less, so I imagine they would be quite stressed at the idea of giving up a few pleasures until things get better.

Ooops sorry, I'm rambling right off topic..

Forgot about this part: ''And yes, if the insurers are making excess profits it is Congresses job to look into it.''

Ok first we have insurers that take advantage of no oversight, then we have people in congress that have insurers as their best buddies, doesn't matter what side in this case, republicans or democrats, both I think are trying to stop this for the insurers.

I would love to be wrong..

Why should it be the government's responsibility to babysit the banks or insurers anyway? These are symptoms of a disease and treating symptoms does nothing for the problem. In fact, often treating symptoms only allows the virus to grow stronger.

What we need is core reform. The reason for the bank problem is excess regulation and the fox guarding the henhouse. The Fed needs to be under some independent control, free from banks and the government. If you regulate an industry, only the insiders are going to know how to get around the regulations. I have studied a bit of finance as part of my degree and even I still have no idea how they are pulling the **** they are.

While the insurers are making profits, the industry itself is also growing exponentially more costly - oftentimes not putting any more cash in the pockets of the hard workers but rather, in the pockets of the plaintiffs of frivilous lawsuits and the insurers that provide the skyrocketing malpractice insurance.

As with everything else this adminstration has chased, we need to stop treating symptoms and start going for the root of the problem. It is often against tradition and favors, but it needs to be done in order to provide lasting success.

This shows things a little different in regards to regulation
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_bubble_economy

Glass/Steagall act was repealed also

Nope... Never said I was an expert. But I am somewhat like what a famous science fiction writer called a 'polymath'...

I see the systems and how they interact.

and I can add/subtract/multiply and divide.

The tech bubble, the housing bubble, the economic bubble,

These are not natural market forces...

and the next ones comming.

But it needs fuel.

and we are about to throw gasoline on a fire.