Why do people think a thousand pages is long?

[Cadetak]

Seriously all the time from people I know to people on TV I don't know. A thousand pages is just about around the same size as a Harry Potter book and little children read that stuff in two days and then right a book report on it. Your Bibles are longer then a thousand pages. It seems vital that at this point the bill should be condesensed into a 90 minute movie staring Will Smith and Johnny Depp with random explosions brought to you by Michael Bay.

You know what happens when things aren't detailed? You get a bunch of people not knowing how to interpret things, like Bible passages and certain amendments...you also end up with loopholes.It's also a bill to reform Health Care that isn't something that can be scribbled in crayon on the back of napkin.

"It's over a thousand pages! Who knows what kind of things they put in there!" "OMGZ a thousand pages, its got to be too complex!"

If your a politician, an official, a pundent, a lobbiest, a journalist, a anchor, etc and say something like that your effectively retarded and should lose your job because what your basically saying is either "I don't know how to read" or "I'm too lazy".

Like seriously who can utter such words without feeling like a total idiot?

Edited August 20, 2009 by Cadetak

[AROCES]

Seriously all the time from people I know to people on TV I don't know. A thousand pages is just about around the same size as a Harry Potter book and little children read that stuff in two days and then right a book report on it. Your Bibles are longer then a thousand pages. It seems vital that at this point the bill should be condesensed into a 90 minute movie staring Will Smith and Johnny Depp with random explosions brought to you by Michael Bay.

You know what happens when things aren't detailed? You get a bunch of people not knowing how to interpret things, like Bible passages and certain amendments...you also end up with loopholes.It's also a bill to reform Health Care that isn't something that can be scribbled in crayon on the back of napkin.

"It's over a thousand pages! Who knows what kind of things they put in there!" "OMGZ a thousand pages, its got to be too complex!"

If your a politician, an official, a pundent, a lobbiest, a journalist, a anchor, etc and say something like that your effectively retarded and should lose your job because what your basically saying is either "I don't know how to read" or "I'm too lazy".

Like seriously who can utter such words without feeling like a total idiot?

Let's see you read 1,000 pages in 24 hours and then tell us what's it's all about.

By the way, when we were given 2 days to do a book report normally it's by chapter and not the entire book.

Edited August 20, 2009 by AROCES

[Mr Honeybadger]

Maybe it's because those bills are all written in lawyer jargon with run-on sentences and four-dollar words.

I think William Shatner needs to record a Health-Care book-on-tape for all of the members of Congress. Plus it will give them something to listen to on their month long vacations.

[preacherman76]

The constitution doesnt allow the government to run health care. And if its all that easy to understand, why do dems themselfs say they need 2 days and 2 lawyers to understand it?

[DontHate]

1000+ pages is hardly an amount to scoff over. Especially when it allows the intended reader to truly delve into the text and gather the intricate details that need be addressed.

[randym23]

the constitution doesn't allow the IRS to collected taxes either....LOL

the constitutions says we have the right of Habeas Corpus but i guess that goes out the window too.

I love strict constitutionalists---their only strict when it serves something they want and deliberately vague and when it doesn't

[preacherman76]

1000+ pages is hardly an amount to scoff over. Especially when it allows the intended reader to truly delve into the text and gather the intricate details that need be addressed.

I dont see how the bill adresses any REAL problem. Like why Canada pays 30 bucks for the same drug, made by the same company, that we pay 150 bucks for.

[preacherman76]

the constitution doesn't allow the IRS to collected taxes either....LOL

the constitutions says we have the right of Habeas Corpus but i guess that goes out the window too.

I love strict constitutionalists---their only strict when it serves something they want and deliberately vague and when it doesn't

Im not in the least bit vague on anything you brought up. The IRS IS illegal, so is the governments right to suspend habeas Corpus. If I ran things, both powers would be dismantled day one.

Edited August 20, 2009 by preacherman76

[DontHate]

I wasn't really referring to the new bill at all. I was just saying in general.

[Agent X]

When I was a kid I used to read a book like Stephen King's "It" in six hours straight. I can't do that anymore though. Most people take several days to read a book about 350 pages long. It's hard to read dry text especially if it has a lot of legal language that only lawyers understand.

[Hugh]

One can quickly follow an interesting storyline but it's hard to plough through legaleze.

[preacherman76]

When I was a kid I used to read a book like Stephen King's "It" in six hours straight. I can't do that anymore though. Most people take several days to read a book about 350 pages long. It's hard to read dry text especially if it has a lot of legal language that only lawyers understand.

Damn thats fast reading. It took me 3 days to read it. Thats putting it down alot though. Took me a week to read "the stand".

[Splodgenessabounds]

Took me a week to read "the stand".

The complete and unabridged version? Epic, first book I ever read. Took me about 3 weeks to finish it because I only read about 2 or 3 chapters a day. I remember the chapter about Abigail Freemantle's background, I kept wondering when the chapter was gonna end, in all the books I've read I have never come across a chapter as long as that!! 1400 pages of solid gold (the book I mean, not the chapter).

Edited August 20, 2009 by Splodgenessabounds

[Startraveler]

A thousand pages is just about around the same size as a Harry Potter book and little children read that stuff in two days and then right a book report on it.

It's actually probably less--when they put these things into PDFS they're double-spaced with huge margins.

Let's see you read 1,000 pages in 24 hours and then tell us what's it's all about.

You're aware this bill wasn't introduced yesterday, right? It's been out for 5 weeks.

Maybe it's because those bills are all written in lawyer jargon with run-on sentences and four-dollar words.

It takes a few re-reads, I agree. But you don't need a law degree to understand it.

I dont see how the bill adresses any REAL problem. Like why Canada pays 30 bucks for the same drug, made by the same company, that we pay 150 bucks for.

The bill allows the government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices (Sec. 223a(4) in the title on the public health insurance option). That's part of why the public option is important--it allows the government to take the lead in using its bargaining power to get lower payment rates for these overpriced drugs (presumably once a competitor does it, the five large insurance companies would follow suit).

One can quickly follow an interesting storyline but it's hard to plough through legaleze.

In fairness, all of the large structural changes (the establishment of the Health Insurance Exchange, the inclusion of a public option, the affordability credits and mandates) come in the first 160 pages or so.

[AROCES]

It's actually probably less--when they put these things into PDFS they're double-spaced with huge margins.

You're aware this bill wasn't introduced yesterday, right? It's been out for 5 weeks.

Then why did the members of congress not able to read the bill before passing it?

It takes a few re-reads, I agree. But you don't need a law degree to understand it.

Read it yes, but to understand it you need a law degree.

[Startraveler]

Then why did the members of congress not able to read the bill before passing it?

...they haven't passed it yet.

Remember? They went home for the August district work period.

Read it yes, but to understand it you need a law degree.

I don't think so.

[AROCES]

...they haven't passed it yet.

Remember? They went home for the August district work period.

I am referring to the Stimulus bill.

I don't think so.

Quote from Rep. John Conyers.

"I love these members, they get up and say, 'Read the bill!' What good is reading the bill if it's a thousand pages and you don't have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?"

[ShadowSot]

Quote from Rep. John Conyers.

I thought people didn't trust their government leaders these days.

Here's a couple of links containing the Bill in it's entirety:

http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf...Text-071409.pdf

http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_HR_3200.html

This second one has a discussion blog as well, where you can get help working out any parts you have trouble with.

[Fluffybunny]

Keep in mind the average person doesnt read a book on a regular basis...so to an average joe who doesnt read, 1000 pages would be a lot. To a person who actually reads on a regular basis, it isn't a lot. As for the 1000 pages, they had not only themselves but their staff to divvy up the material that was new(not everything was) so that they could go through everything and outline all of the material for easier understanding...kind of like what you do when you go to college...

It is ridiculous to think that a team of people could not get through a book smaller than Kings' "The Stand" in that period of time...

[Harte]

When I was a kid I used to read a book like Stephen King's "It" in six hours straight. I can't do that anymore though. Most people take several days to read a book about 350 pages long. It's hard to read dry text especially if it has a lot of legal language that only lawyers understand.

"It" is about 1,000 pages. Sorry, but I don't think it's a six hour read.

However, though I haven't enumerated every one, I don't think the Potter books are a thousand pages. Not all of them, anyway.

Besides, it helps to have a plot. Of course, the health care bill has a plot.

Or, rather, it is one.

No, really, here's an example of why:

(19) QHBP OFFERING ENTITY.—The terms

‘‘QHBP offering entity’’ means, with respect to a

health benefits plan that is—

(A) a group health plan (as defined, subject to subsection (d), in section 733(a)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), the plan sponsor in relation to such group health plan, except that, in the case of a

plan maintained jointly by 1 or more employers and 1 or more employee organizations and with respect to which an employer is the primary source of financing, such term means such employer...

Look out! The scary glamour is sneaking up behind you!!!

IOW, not exactly on a par with "It."

Harte

Edited August 20, 2009 by Harte

[Cradle of Fish]

So what you're saying AROCES is that you're not smart enough to understand the bill?

Them educated librals be trying to hoodwink ya.

[ninjadude]

Let's see you read 1,000 pages in 24 hours and then tell us what's it's all about.

By the way, when we were given 2 days to do a book report normally it's by chapter and not the entire book.

Intelligent people do this all the time. And you apparently went to a stunted school. The entire book is a book review.

[ninjadude]

The constitution doesnt allow the government to run health care.

It most certainly does. Genius. Medicare and Medicaid are government healthcare programs.

[ninjadude]

Then why did the members of congress not able to read the bill before passing it?

Pass what? no health care reform bill has been passed yet. And by the way, this is Congress job. all day long. they don't have to go to ANOTHER job.

[ninjadude]

I am referring to the Stimulus bill.

Are you STILL whining about that?