The Republican Party announced today that it will honor the legacy of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy by continuing its campaign to defeat any prospect of health care reform.
"Senator Kennedy was a great humanitarian," said Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, "who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the least fortunate because he understood how easy offering such help can be. We, the Republican party, will honor his memory by continuing our scorched-earth campaign to ensure that not one single uninsured resident of our country ever receives access to health care."
Former Representative Newt Gingrich explained the thinking behind the Republican strategy.
"So far," Mr. Gingrich explained, "we have distracted the American people with outrageous lies, stoked fringe paranoids into a violent rage to break up town meetings, and fomented a nationwide atmosphere of hysteria that makes every decent citizen wonder if the country has gone to Hell."
"We've completely stolen the conversation," Gingrich said. "So part of it is, we are so close to putting a stake through the heart of this thing, we cannot afford to stop."
"But also," Gingrich continued, "now is the time to take our dissembling hypocrisy to the next level. You thought death panels, Obama-Hitler posters, and gun-wielding citizens at town meetings were brazen, and possibly insane? Wait until we honor Senator Kennedy by bludgeoning his most cherished legislative dream into oblivion."
Some Republican Senators, speaking off the record, said their party's strategy may be reprehensible, but they have no choice but to go along.
"It breaks my heart to stand mute as our party operatives honor Senator Kennedy by sabotaging health care reform," one Republican senator said, "but you should see the campaign donations I received from drug and insurances companies in the last cycle. Jesus, it was unbelievable."
Other Republican strategists explained that Kennedy's passing only increased the need for outrageous distractions, and that as far as outrageous distraction were concerned, this one would take the cake.
"We cannot afford to have the passing of America's foremost proponent of public health care create a somber moment in which the national conversation turns to the merits of reform," one strategist said. "That's a game-changer for us. It's the Hail Mary pass that beats us in the last second."
"That's why we're going to, again, manipu -- er, direct the conversation in the way we have to this point," he said. "In these situations, you go big. You go bold."
Republicans denied that their plan to honor the Massachusetts Senator by killing his greatest legislative dream was insensitive, irrational, hypocritical, or insane.
"This is no more crazy than claiming that the Senate health care bill would institute death panels," one strategist said, "or recruiting mobs of LaRouche wingnuts to tout Obama's Nazi affiliations, or denigrating a program that will lift millions out of misery by calling it 'socialist.' And you don't hear anyone in the media calling those stunts crazy."
"Except," the strategist added, "that guy who has that comedy show. But he was the only one."
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153 comments:
Before anybody comments today, I request that you go to yesterday's comments. Not just because doc posted one of the funniest comments EVER (which he says he got from Buffy), but also because AZ INDY commented. Please read these comments before commenting today.
and before all their comments, nostradamous made an epic comment.
All are a 'must read'.
agreed
135 comments?!?! Dude, that's a lot of fucking reading! Oh, well......
Read em all. The wise one knocked it out of the ball park, the doc switched gears and made me LMAO, and as for AZ... you'll get the same treatment i give everybody: say something stupid, and i'll call you on it. Keep the discussion moving - instead of obstructing and diverting it - and we'll see....
Great blog today doc. I hope AZ can see the truth buried not-so-deeply in your satire.
Maybe repubs can talk about how all they did while Kennedy was alive was try to completely discredit him and his family and everything he did.
NOW because the PR side of the Reps say "HONOR THIS MAN" they'll act like they actually gave a shit.
More pathetic charades from the rightwing. Try honoring people while they are alive. I am certain the repugs'll hold a memorial for Barack when his time comes...NOT! We'll all remember the turn of the first decade of the 21st century and new millenium however.
As Senator Kennedy said, "...the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
This is a man who worked tirelessly for the working man like the ones in doc's cartoon at the bottom of his blog. Kennedy was one of our greatest champions of health care reform.
It has become even more important than ever that we get this done! And rightfully call it the Teddy Plan in honor of the man who made this his life's work! He carried the torch for a long time...and now it is up to us to continue to carry it for him!
We cannot let the scare tactics from the rightwingers dissuade us from reaching our goal!
While many of us are struggling to afford medical insurance/medical bills.
While Congress people try to stop healthcare reform.
While Congress people accept large contributions from insurance and pharma lobbyists to prevent health care reform.
Our elected officials in Congress receive health care mostly paid for by us tax payers, yet all repubs are trying to make it impossible for us to purchase an affordable plan of our own.
Please sign both petitions! Thank you!
http://www.petitiononline.com/PubOp676/petition.html
Ooops! Here's the other one!
http://www.democrats.com/honor-ted-kennedy?cid=ZGVtczQ0MTA5OGRlbXM=
These Republicans really ARE nuts! Unbelievable!
AND....they are enabled by the media. Wickedness abounds.
true! And that is even worse! The media is no longer journalistic, but is turning into one major supermarket tabloid!
The rightwingers in the media -like on Fox -are trying to convince their audiences that Kennedy was a moderate that worked across the aisle with them because he was only a few inches across from them. HE WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING CONSERVATIVE. HE WAS A LIBERAL, dammit, and one of the best. The Lion of the Senate.
One more nail in the GOP coffin, I hope. Republicans are cold and have no respect for the dead or the 45 million uninsured citizens, of what is supposed to be the leading nation of the free world.
The GOP, like any cult, stops at nothing for success.
It won't surprise me in the least if a Newt Gingrich or somebody like him goes on the Sunday morning talk shows to complain that "the left is using Ted Kennedy's death to shove down our throat government-run health care". Count on it.
Many people have done bad and or shameful things in their personal life. Freedom of speech allows other people to publicly decry their personal behavior.
My issue is the right never misses an opportunity to further their agenda. By tearing down Ted Kennedy and his supporters. They are trying to do two things.
1. distract from the health care issue. to them more noise = less enthusiasm for change.
2. Embolden their supporters.
The Republicans and the right have every right to do this and we have every right to call them out on it the way doc did Limbaugh yesterday.
The haters are jealous of Ted's historical stature. They're railing against their own insignificance
If you are concerned about receiving "real" health care reform in this country, please take the time to watch a video on our current system. The video was created by Oregon physicians who are advocating for the single-payer option. The video is very informative and helped me to gain a better understanding of various aspects of health care, as we now know it.
https://www.madashelldoctorstour.com/Mad_as_Hell_Video.html
These Oregon physicians are in the process of organizing a caravan designed to inform the public about the benefits of the single-payer option. At last count they will be stopping in approximately 23 states, on their way to demonstrate in Washington. They need volunteers and our support. Please spread the word.
The comments at the mainstream media websites (except for the NY Times) are some of the most utterly hateful and disgusting that I've ever seen. However, I believe in karma, so these people who think it's all right to be anonymously disrespectful will find out eventually that what goes around, comes around! Stick with us AZ and stay away from rightwing sites for your own safety and sanity.
As an independent I had my differences on some issues with Ted Kennedy but I always knew he believed what he said he believed in and not because some special interest group paid him to believe it.
He could easily dropped out of public service after Chappaqudidick, lived the life of luxury maybe even becoming a talkinghead on television like so many disgraced Republicans have become, Newt comes to mind, but he took a way the the likes of Rush, Savage and O'Reilly would never have the guts to take, he stayed in the public spotlight in the spirit of public service, not merely to take up Senate office space and line his and his cronies' pockets.
Unlike his detractors he faced his demons and overcame them. When he entered the Senate there was still honest debate and honorable compromises from people regardless of party for the good of the people of this country. Special interests did influence legislature back then but they didn't write it. That was a long, long time ago.
photo
The steady drip of poison into the ears of some Americans has transformed them. They as a mass have lost the ability to think. But what even scarier is that the GOP no longer leads them, but are instead more often than not, parroting them. I have no sense of how large the numbers really are or how attractive their message really is. Let us hope that no truly charismatic leader emerges to lead them forth.
Well said and good points.
I agree. They are having a little trouble at the moment due to a lack of leadership. A charismatic whacko leader could make real trouble.
The comments over at Fox Nation are epic in the depth of hate and crude attempts at humor. They shut the thread down last I checked. I don't think that stopped the virulent haters though. They're still staining the web elsewhere.
I firmly believe that part of the reason the Republicans worked so hard to delay any kind of work on the healthcare bill is that they were waiting for Ted Kennedy to die (eliminating his vote).
A Tribute to “The Great Lion of the Senate”
Thank you Teddy” We love you, rest in peace!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9G90h-ay2U
The opposition party, GOP, has the nerve to charge that the Democrats are going to use the Senator's death to push through the health care bill. What did the GOP expect? That the bill would die with the Senator?
Ted,
He was a hell of a guy who cared about the people who were not as fortunate as he.
If Bobby had been elected president, what a better world this would be today.
I hope that health care passes in some form or other in memory of the Kennedys.
Can the Bush family claim such a legacy? Many people got involved in politics because of the idealism of the Kennedys. Ed was an inspiration. Robert kennedy, Jr. is doing very good work as an environmental attorney. The dream continues.
To "the least among us," who are struggling to survive, I have but one thing to say: "ask not what your country can do for you."
Indeed he was a voice for "the least " among us and it is a reminder within us all to have the respect for human dignity and the grace of it because above all we are human beings and we can live out what it is to be an American.
Regardless of the name of the bill, I can think of no greater way to honor Senator Kennedy's legacy of activism for this cause than for us to stand up and, in his place, to vigorously fight for a bill that includes an option of good conscience -- a bill that provides a real public insurance option.
It's never so simple. In Massachusetts, either the Legislature reverses a decision made to protect us from a Romney successor to Kerry, and allow the Governor a temporary appointment - probably Ted's widow - or we wait five months, well beyond any feasible serious health insurance reform.
That would be fine as far as it goes, but the leading Republican Gubernatorial candidate, Charlie Baker, headed the largest private health insurer in the state, Pilgrim Health Care. He didn't just head it but, in fact, turned it around by dropping lots of high risk cases, much as has been the argument made repeatedly in this health insurance reform debate. That means that the Republicans have an extra incentive to delay an appointed successor until it's too late: lots of extra income incurred through more years of corrupt private insurance in lieu of a public option.
What's upsetting is the NO ONE has caught up with this fact. The mendacity of the debate transcends its substance, by a lot more than geriatric end-of-life rhetoric. It is theft, pure and simple, and, in this case, compounded by the death of the strongest advocate for reform.
right on obamarican, very cogent and correct comment, some got it, they just aren't MSM. We lost a lot more than a great democratic senator, we may have lost the public option. I hope not, I hope Dems will continue to harass, debate, email and call their senators and congressmen. I know I will as well as share the debate with anyone and everyone I meet.
Although losing Mr. Kennedy is a terrible thing for our Country, I hope it is the jolt Obama needs to fight for the right thing. No more bipartisan crap. No more meetings and deals with the industry. Our Country deserves real reform which either includes a Public option or single payer. Personally single payer is the best solution.
Insurance companies add NO value to our health..
All they do is take your money and only pay the claim if they absolutely have to.
We need to roll up ours sleeves and get to work - make sure that the RIGHT bill is passed.
Otherwise? We'll just further bankrupt individuals, and our nation.
A point in case the secret deal with Pharma for 80 Billion over 10 years. I bet they are laughing all the way to the bank. They have already started to increase their prices and will continue to do so. In the end they will fully recoup their 80 measly billions. Who in the white house negotiated that? We need to cap prices on medications especially the one where the government funded most of the research, and not give away our option to negotiate prices on the basis of market share and volume buying. Something smells here. If Pres. Obama is going to use reconciliation lets just go for a single payer system and cut out the Insurance Industry. If they want to they can offer supplemental insurance like they do now for Medicare participants.
One can only shake their head and wonder why anyone would be against having something that would give them the health care they need. Repubs are like some deranged animal that would rather die of starvation before they would allow everyone in his pack to feed.
Dana Carvey used to do a character on SNL called the grumpy old man. He'd grump and growl about how back in his day, they didn't have any of these "mamby pamby" conveniences we enjoy today.
He'd then launch into horrible descriptions of how terrible things were, ending with, "...and we LIKED it!
That's what I'm reminded of when I see people fighting AGAINST health care. Dana Carvey's masochistic grumpy old man.
roflmao
I remember that! :)
Those of us who have wanted universal care for years, know the reality behind the conservative lies, but many of our citizens are heavily brainwashed.
The only reason we're this close to it now, is because so many people have been harmed by the insurance industry, it's getting harder for them to make the lies stick.
It's also destroying our economy.
And their greed knows no bounds. Most policies require the patient to pay 20% of their bill, which, with a serious illness, can lead to instant bankruptcy for most.
Now, the insurance companies are wanting to up the deductables, stiffing the patients with 35% of the bill. They have no shame.
Be very glad if you don't have to live in this situation. Health care, trying to find it, trying to pay for it, trying not to lose it, dominates most of our lives. It's just insane.
I called the WH and my Reps and told them we need to push for Medicare for All in Kennedy's name, but a minimum public option is the very least we can tolerate.
Dear Senator Kennedy has gone to his reward having fought over 40 years for this moment, and now without the honor of seeing it enacted.
This is symbolic of all those who have died or gone bankrupt waiting for the demise of this barbaric for profit system.
It is symbolic of all those yet to die or go bankrupt, as we anticipate some lame compromise that may take years to implement even after it's signed.
ENOUGH!
It's time to get strong meaningful legislation passed, and get folks covered at the earliest possible date. These greedy companies have done enough damage to the people and the economy of this nation. It must end now!
Agreed, a bill without a public option would be an insult to Ted Kennedy's memory. It would simply be a mandate that expands the market. Even more money for the health insurance racketeers who have directly and "with malice aforethought" caused the deaths of countless people. They may be forced to abandon some of the evil tactics they use but it won't stop looking for any chance to pad the bottom line.
Republicans are against the public option because they know that once the American people see it working they will eventually move to the correct solution: single payer. Like many have said before me, imagine if the police or fire departments were privately financed through a similar "public services insurance". We'd be so screwed! Everyone needs access, no individual can predict to what extent they will need services throughout their lives, but we as a nation know what we as a nation need. Pay for your share when you pay your taxes - job done!
There are those that say they are in favor of the wheel, not just a round one.
And everything I've seen put forward by Congress is either a square or pyramidal wheel. It just won't roll no matter what you call it, even the Ted Kennedy Bill or the Public Option.
Everyone who is on the side of the People has said that universal single payer health care is the only solution, even Obama as recently as 2 weeks ago at a news conference.
This is a war between the People and the wealthy elite who murder us in the name of free market greed!
We can not be any less determined to have our way than Senator Kennedy would have been. We cannot be any less willing to put aside out personal interests any less than Ted Kennedy was. And to put his name on some abomination masquerading as health care would demean every good piece of work he ever worked for.
Well said!
you are one eloquent human being. I agree, and could not have said it so well myself.
Good post. I vote it be called the "Kennedy Universal, Single Payer, Non-profit Healthcare Reform Bill."
are you joking as usual or do you mean it adlib?
I'm only joking in that the chances of the bill being named that are remote, but I'm also being serious because that would be a perfect name for the bill, as long as everything in the title was in the bill.
agreed
co-sign
When I saw all the comments about naming the health care bill after Kennedy, I had the exact same thought as adlib. Anything less than a single payer/universal health care reform bill would be an insult to Teddy's memory, and everything that he stood for. Name it for him only if it represents his core values of social justice for all.
His family, I'm sure, would provide guidance to whether or not what they come up with is something they'd allow his name to be attached to.
Great comment adlib. I have been thinking about this myself. You can rivet a Mercedes logo on a Yugo, but you will still be driving a crappy deathtrap. We must make sure that this does not happen. No reform is better than bad "reform."
I agree. Those who say we won't get another shot at it if it fails this time, are forgetting something: we'll have to return to it, because something absolutely HAS to be done about it very soon. The current healthcare system that we have is destroying our economy.
My fear is, that if we get a lousy bill passed, they'll limp along with it for another 20 years. No, we have to get meaningful reform now. If not this Fall, we can kick butt and take names. Send some more deadbeats packing in 2010, and make 2011 the year of the Kennedy Memorial Medicare for All Reform Bill, or if you prefer, adlib's "Kennedy Universal, Single Payer, Non-profit Healthcare Reform Bill.".
If there is no Public Option then Kill it.
Yeah. I've been saying for awhile now that if the bill gets killed, those who were opposed to the public option need to be voted out in the 2010 midterms.. Then we can just pass a better bill :)
Regarding the car insurance analogue: whereas one chooses to own a car, one does not choose to own a body. Driving is a privilege; breathing is a right.
47 million un insured
20 million under insured
Subtract 10 million poor/indigent/mentally ill, etc, who are uninsured and will have to get free care = 37 mill un-insured who can pay.
18.5 million can pay $50/mo = 925,000,000
18.5 mill can pay $100 = $1,850,000,000
20 mill under insured will switch and can pay $100 = 2,000,000,000
That is a grand total of $4,775,000,000
That is FOUR BILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IN PREMIUM PAYMENTS PER MONTH. FIFTY SEVEN BILLION THREE HUNDRED THIRTY MILLION PER YEAR IN PREMIUMS FOR ONE SET OF PEOPLE.
That does'nt count the millions who'll switch from private companies if they can pay $100 or 200 per month and have their entire family covered even with pre-existing conditions. Repeal bush tax cuts asap another 700 billion.
After thinking about it more, institute a 1 penny federal sales tax on EVERY item. I can hear the opponents shouting about making the poor poorer, but my statement is 1 cent on each item NOT on every dollar or hundred dollars. From candy bars to big screen tv's to your house. 1 cent on everything. If your grocery bill was $100. for 53 items, your bill would be $100.53. That's not putting people in the poorhouse especially when we've been dealing with price increases. Also, if you're saving 300-500 per month on insurance, you have that money to spend and put back in the economy, save, or invest.
Great example of what can be. Add to this the money we are wasting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I like your ideas. We also need to take the profit out of the healthcare industry and mandate that all companies in the healthcare industry reorganize as non-profits. Even more savings for more people.
It seems as if WE THE PEOPLE can come up with better solutions than those we elected to Congress.
The stonewallers who have great healthcare (Republicans, blue dog Democrats, lobbyists et al) need to just get on the bandwagon. You know they will once the program is successful.
I sent this message to Senator Byrd this morning:
As you work to honor the memory of Ted Kennedy, please remember that it doesn't matter if his name is on the health reform bill. What matters is that the bill is worthy of his name.
well put.
Please write or call today in favor in health care reform. Let's honor Senator Kennedy in a manner which would matter to him.
Done. Senator Byrd is my Senator, and a good friend of Ted's, and of course has been very ill as well. Senator Rockefeller has been fighting for the public option, and I've let him know how much I appreciate it.
I let the WH know we want Obama to get moving on this. Enough is enough!
A mandate without a public option puts every man, woman and child in servitude to the insurance industry. No public option - no health reform.
I am always amazed as I try to explain to my friends, and pretty much everyone I meet, why a strong public option is so important, how pervasive the lack of trust in our government has become. So many people are afraid that any "change" or "improvement" will cost them more and give them less. I don't see any way around that as long as we keep electing the representatives we have now.
I've had some luck by talking about how if you go back and look at your phone bill, you find that it has gone up an average of 10% per year, no matter how many times you've changed carriers or bundled services; that is just the way business works, and the health industry is worse than most. Most people, though, just don't care.
I like the "Kennedy Universal, Single Payer, Non-profit Healthcare Reform Bill."
Surprising how often I see the old cliche "bite the hand that feeds you" being exemplified by opponents of health care reform.
There is not one sane, sensible argument against reform.
Not a single one.
Every single argument being made against reform today was heard decades ago when Medicare was proposed.
Now try to pry one of those crazy old guy's Medicare out of his arthritic hands and see how successful you are.
The only way you will learn is to get out of the way and reap the rewards everyone else is fighting hard for when this reform passes. Get on board the Smart Train and support this thing or get out of the way and let the big kids handle it. Simple.
Not only that, no medicare patient letting go of their medicare card, but now we have RNC chairman M. Steele, one day lauding medicare and how it needs to be protected from any and all revisions, the next day it's the worst government run program on earth and needs serious reform or rescission. You just have to love those wacky flipflopping repubs.
TEDDYCARE will rock.
Teddybear care! :)
Absolutely. Let us name the bill the "Edward Kennedy Public Health Care Reform Act of 2009".
And let us pass it in the Senate by 50 votes. We don't need more, but if we can get them without watering down the bill, then fine.
If if the Republicans wish to filibuster then let them, but make them do it old school: constant attendance by a quorum of Senators as well as the physical presence of the Senators speaking on the floor at all times. Let it shut down the Senate's business, as it has no more important legislation before it this session. Filibusters don't last forever, cloture or no.
The last time real filibusters were practiced in earnest was by the Republicans in the 60s, in their attempt to defeat Civil Rights. They failed then, and will fail now.
Here's hoping that we get the "Ted Kennedy Health Care Reform Act of 2009"
and not the "Medical Industry Profit Protection Act of 2009"
without a public option, Ted will spin in his grave.
Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
You know, I just looked around and he's gone.
Anybody here seen my old friend John?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked around and he's gone.
Anybody here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked 'round and he's gone.
Anybody here seen my old friend Ted?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked around and he's gone.
Didn't you love the things that they stood for?
Didn't they try to find some good for you and me?
And we'll be free
Some day soon, and it's a-gonna be one day ...
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walk up over the hill,
With Abraham, Martin John and Ted.
Thank-you lyrical! Thank-you!
Brought back a lot of memories of the times back then.
My Congressman, John Linder (R) of Georgia, hosted a Town Hall meeting last night in which he said that people who were too lazy to sign up for Medicaid or were making $75,000 or more a year and choosing not to buy insurance were "not my problem."
I want him to stand on the floor of the House and say that. In front of uninsured homeless people who are not eligible for Medicaid because they're single. And every single person who has been denied coverage by the health insurance CEO's who are passing these savings on... to themselves.
Next Thursday is a national day of action for healthcare. Let's win this for Teddy!
help me understand why the bill shouldn't compete with the private sector. No free market?
The bill you're looking for would have to be named after Rush Limbaugh, not Ted Kennedy.
Shouldn't compete with the private sector - Sorry that is whole point of making the private sector honest and thereby reducing costs, AZ. Maybe a C level healthcare manager doesn't need to be making almost a billion dollars a year to screw us over.
Help you understand why the bill shouldn't compete with the private sector.
OK.
Think, AZ...
Who does compete with the private sector now?
No one... It's effectively a monopoly...
How many choices do you have for health Insurance where you work? How many companies?
My bet is just one...
The Private Insurance weasels need competition. They kill people every day, because it saves them money (talk about 'death panels'), and those people? Well they weren't worth it to their bottom line.
And you don't want anyone to compete with that?
Free market means open competition and no monopolies, right?
The countries with the most successful health care in the world (This is NOT us, by the way) do it through a government infrastructure.
I don't understand why so many Americans are afraid of actually being the BEST at something anymore.
We rank substantially below virtually all other developed nations (And even some third world countries) in Health Care with our system... Yet somehow, that's perfectly fine.
We'll see another 10 + % increase in health care costs this year, for no better coverage, and somehow, that's fine too...
As long as we don't offer anything that competes with the private insurers who are raping We the People daily...
They are the ones who operate the Death Panels... They are the ones deciding who lives or dies based on the impact to their bottom line in the name of the almighty dollar. Do you think that's ok AZ?
Yea... what was I thinking?! Why would anyone want to change that?
OK thankyou i see how that really needs to be reformed now. your right.
It’s simply unbelievable that the health insurers can deny dying men, women, and children life saving care, in order to assure the almighty “profit margin.” Couple that with multi-million dollar CEO salaries, and what should be a crime is then compounded with a total insult.
What a sham!
i get it. really.
Anything short of Health Care reform without a Public Option is unacceptable and it would be a travesty to put Ted Kennedy's name on it. We have lost one of our great warriors for the disadvantaged - these days it means 70% of the population.
I am so tired of living in fear of my health insurance. Living with a life threatening disease which is managed with medication is stressful enough. Everyday I wonder: am I eating the last pill which which will exhaust my insurance's lifetime limit? Just knowing a Public Option would be there as a safety net would be a great relief. Many people I know are stuck in jobs they don't want; but they stay for the health benefits or the money to pay for coverage under their spouse's health insurance. We need a Public Healthcare Option to ease the constant anxiety under which the majority of American workers live.
Remember what Eisenhower -- the conservative Republican president who wingnuts today would call socialist -- called his highway construction act: the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act.
This is the solution: put together a great health reform bill that includes the public option and call it the Ronald Reagan Defense of America Act. GOPers will vote for it without even reading it.
It's all in how you position it. We could do this all day and get tons of reform passed :) Seriously, what GOPers would not vote for the We Love Our Troops Green Environment Act?
Eisenhower cries in his grave at what his party has disintegrated into.... he'd view the whole me,me,me-neocon faction with horror.
Let's get universal health care pushed for Kennedy's legacy. This should be our battle cry ' universal health care for all let's get it done for Ted!"
also the legislation needs to fix the flaws in Medicare Part D and must not be a windfall for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries -- we need the single payer national health care plan that Teddy envisioned more than 45 years ago
My wife is struggling with arthritis and may soon be disabled, she just found out that she will not be covered by her employer's long term disability policy, because she was diagnosed as having arthritis before her employer added the long term disability benefit. That creates a serious problem because she will not be eligible for medicare for 25 months after she is disabled and to keep her current insurance on Cobra would cost over $1,300 an month. But, we are comparatively lucky. We own our home and can get a reverse mortgage to cover the extra costs. Most other people in this situation would be facing financial ruin. Too many have been ruined already.
We need health care reform now. Personally I think we a single payer system. It would cut the profiteering out of health care, save billions of dollars annually, and help our manufacturing sector compete in the world market. A public option is a relatively poor stop-gap remedy for the health care crisis. It will lower costs by forcing insurers to compete. We do need to prohibit insurers from covering pre-existing conditions and denying coverage on other grounds. But, we also need to promote competition among insurers and reduce their costs by eliminating state regulation entirely and creating a true national market for insurance.
God I love this man along with everything that he stood for. This man was what a true Democratic Senator should be. They just don't make them like this anymore.
I see no purpose for even having a private insurance sector. All they are is a racket that is raping American families and destroying lives. As long as there's a monetary incentive for not insuring people, there will be the hell we go through now. We should have a truly socialist universal healthcare reform. Take capitalism out of saving people's lives. I have no faith in our Democrat "leaders" to have the strength of courage and conviction to stand up to the nay-sayers and get a real reform bill passed. I think whatever they do pass, they'll call it "reform" and pat themselves on the back, but it will wind up being bad for all of us.
now help me understand why socialism is OK, because everyone i know and all i read says its not.
socialism does not equal communism
socialism means government run programs funded by taxpayer dollars.
I'll bet if you give it some thought, AZ, you'll see that it covers everything that isn't in the private sector, and that's a LOT
Federal, state, and local programs paid for by your taxes are 'socialized'... education, the armed services, highways, dept of public works, medicaid, medicare, schip, social security, defense and security, police, firemen, health care for thousands of adults and children, education grant programs, higher education, assistance for the disabled, medically indigent hospital funding, county assistance, family planning and teen pregnancy prevention, mental health, prenatal care for immigrant women and dental, hearing and vision care for poor adults, on and on.....
taxes pay for civilization, AZ.
you are living in a socialized society funded by property taxes, state and federal taxes... the private sector makes a profit true, but the profit is taxed as well.
Say your house is on fire, you call 911 but they make you give them your credit card number before they call the fire & police, who arrive and take your credit card as well. You will receive a bill for services shortly. Don't like that? you like the free services....all not for profit in your already socialized civilization.
I totally agree with JUNIOR. It is a racket.
thats funny. no one I know has been raped or destroyed.
You right wingers don't understand the word metaphor do you? lf you honestly believe the crap we have right now is worthwhile, you really have a lot to learn about what justice is.
People who have insurance have to pay 35% out of pocket on top of their premiums. Families have to spend most of their income on insurance, if they have it at all. Nothing about our broken system is funny. It's quite horrific.
AZ INDY = Arizona Independent, so im not a right winger, OK?
your saying were being 'raped' (metaphorically) financially and economically by rightwingers who get paid big bucks by insurance cos and pharmacutials to keep things as they are, profitable for them.
but ok, aren't they entieled to make a profit?
If people like you, AZz, are so against anything government, why don't you demand the privatization of national defense, emergency response, garbage collection, public schools, police, postal services, libraries, national infra-structure, and things like diplomacy. There's a major difference between a program being under-funded, and it being dysfunctional. The problem with 'your side' of the political spectrum (well one of them anyway) is your refusal to accept our democratically elected government as legitimate. Surely you must realize government isn't the problem, inept people in government is the problem.
I believe obama is legitiamate and he's far far from incompetint, but except for him, our country's being run by 'C' students.
LOL that's a good one...our country's being run by 'C' students.
Kudis, AZ
I sent emails to Feinstein and Boxer. Both dems for CA
While I love Sen. Boxer I told her the same thing I told Feinstein.
I don't care how you vote, but if I don't get a "robust public option", I will vote against ALL incumbents.
Either you get the job done by knocking Senate heads together, or you lose.
A bill that carries Sen. Kennedy's name can be no less than universal coverage, a single payer system. I don't know why we as a nation are so thickheaded that we have not yet recognized that health care (including prevention) is a right due any citizen of a nation that purports to be as great as ours is.
Anything less is an insult to his legacy. It would be great to have such legislation carried by Sen. Feingold and other progressives who did not waiver in their core values. Max Baucus is no Ted Kennedy.
Keep doing what you are doing, doc, you are damn good at it.
"It breaks my heart to stand mute as our party operatives honor Senator Kennedy by sabotaging health care reform," one Republican senator said, "but you should see the campaign donations I received from drug and insurances companies in the last cycle. Jesus, it was unbelievable."
Fucking priceless, doc. Kudos!
While I think most would agree that the most progressive healthcare plan we could have would be a true universal single-payer, let's be serious.
The current proposal which includes a public option is facing huge odds- not because it lacks support from progressive Congressional leaders, but because spineless Blue Dogs won't get on board.
So let me ask, what exactly do you think would happen if single-payer were put out there as the favored reform?
That Chuck Grassley would immediately hop on board? That conservative Democratic Senators like Ben Nelson would fall in line?
If we're fighting to get 60 votes to stop a filibuster for the public option plan, we would be struggling to get 30 votes to keep a single-payer proposal from being laughed out of Congress.
Single-payer isn't on the table because there is exactly ZERO chance of this Congress passing such a bill. Zero, zip, nada.
While you're dreaming about a fantasy land of cotton candy, ponies, and a Congress that would actually pass a single-payer plan, I'll stay in reality where a strong public option plan at least has a feasible shot of being passed.
Seeing a single-payer healthcare bill get Congressional approval would be fantastic. Winning Powerball would also be fantastic.
I'm not holding my breath waiting for either of those things to happen, nor am I gonna give up on the "really good" plan just because we can't get the "perfect" plan.
WOW... excellently said!
But I'm sure Kennedy would agree that the REASON the health care reform must not suck is because the American people deserve to be covered and to no longer be overcharged by more than twice the going rate for health care in advanced countries.
When I had an ultrasound in November, there was an ovarian cyst. The doctor never told me. When I had blood in my urine in December, I had a CT scan which revealed the cyst. I had a bladder biopsy which revealed no problems. What was it then? Who knows?
In February I had abdominal pain and went to my Ob/GYN. She saw the cyst on the report, felt it, and declared it "nothing to worry about." In July, I had abdominal pain again and went to my Ob/GYN. She ordered another ultrasound and said not only had it grown to twice its size, I had more on my other ovary!
When my blood test for cancer came back fine, I was relieved. But that was TODAY, August 26th! I have been waiting since November to find out why I have pain. This is not because I have universal health care, either. I have insurance...paid for by my husband's employer and us.
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I hope all turns out well for you. How scary to be worried about cancer from December until August. This is something I have noticed with our healthcare system for the last 20 years. They will tell you what it's NOT but rarely tell you what it IS. About the only thing I've had positively diagnosed in the last 10 years are sinus infections. Anything else, they'll rule out the worst things then just chalk it up to a fluke.
something else going around is the public health care systems in Canada and Europe is broken.
You really need to find another channel to watch other than Fox News or listen to someone else other than Rush Limbaugh and his ilk. You say you don't, but then if not, where are you getting your ideas from??
I have relatives from my mother's side in the Czech Republic, relatives from my father's side in Norway, friends in Sweden and another cousin living in Edmonton, Canada. They each think that such beliefs are crap (see how I didn't say YOU were full of crap, just such beliefs)
I also have personal experience in that a few years ago I was visiting those relatives in the Czech Republic. I came down with food poisoning and was taken to a hospital in Prague. There was no waiting time. I was given professional and thorough treatment in a medical facility that I could not distinguish from hospitals that I have visited or to which I have been admitted in the United States. I paid a $55. insurance premium to the Czech National Health Service and not a dime more.
It is well past time for health reform containing a strong public option in the United States.
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: dont give up the fight!
(right on)
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I just signed this petition (below) to honor Ted Kennedy, which will be delivered to senators on Monday:
"Ted Kennedy was a courageous champion for health care reform his entire life. In his honor, name the reform bill that passed Kennedy's health committee 'The Kennedy Bill' -- then pass it, and nothing less, through the Senate."
Kennedy's bill includes a public health insurance option, and it would be an honor to Kennedy's memory if it passed the Senate. Will you sign the petition? You can sign here.
Thanks! Here's the petition (pass it on!)
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5649/t/4922/content.jsp?content_KEY=2763&tag=hk2_auto1
Thanks for the link , I have signed and am passing it on. Who does this go to , in the end, and how does it help?
As it stands now, I see congress pushing forward HR 3200 which is a terrible bill. This bill is a giveaway to the insurance companies. I would rather have no bill than HR 3200.
HR 676 on the other hand would be an excellent bill to sign into law and would be a law Senator Ted Kennedy would be proud to have named after him.
Totally agree!!
But, I mean Obama will veto a sucky bill, right? He won't settle then tell us "baby steps" right?
Hopefully....
Balderdash. I worked on the campaign, I voted for the man, he's still better than McCain, but if there's one thing I can't stand about Obama, he comes out of the gate with a compromise in his hands. He gives himself nothing to haggle with and the end result is wishy-washy. Obama is letting the repubs call the shots and letting center-right policies pass all day long.
JFK said "Ask NOT what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!" Teddy LIVED that!
Teddy Says IT BEST:
“The Republicans are looking after the financial interests of the wealthiest individuals in this country.” — Edward Kennedy
“We are giving assurance to the American families that help is on its way.” — Edward Kennedy
“For 10 years the Republican Leadership have refused to raise the minimum wage... $240 Billion for tax breaks for big corporations.... What is the price we ask the other side, what cost, how many Billion Dollars more for the corporations, when does the Greed Stop we ask the Republicans! ...Do you have such disdain for working people! What is the Price the Workers have to pay to get an increase in minimum wage! ... What is it the Republicans have against the workers of America!” --- Edward Kennedy
"But quality care shouldn't depend on your financial resources, or the type of job you have, or the medical condition you face. Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to. –- Senator Teddy says!
Bless you Teddy. Say hello to Bobby and Jack. Watch over us and direct us in our daily comings and goings. Inspire us to be as selfless as you were and to place others well being as a priority. Help us to be kind. When you speak with the angels, tell them how much we all need healthcare. If anyone can present our need, you certainly can. Don't worry that it wasn't passed in your lifetime, your work will inspire all of us to do the right thing. When it finally passes Teddy, I will lift one in your honor and remember you.
I think Brian Williams said: "in lieu of flowers, pass healthcare". All of "my" flowers are coming your way Teddy. Bless you.
What a lovely farewell! I got a lump in my throat.
Beautifully said. Thank you.
empathy from AZ. Thank you. Really.
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By most measures, France has the best public health insurance system in the world - pretty much everybody has access to excellent free or very cheap health care. The French health insurance system covers everything from routine check ups to cancer treatment to end of life in home hospice care.
France also has one of the best health care system - by far better than the US for measures like rate of avoidable deaths, infant mortality, life expectancy, etc.
So how is it possible that the American public chooses to believe our system is "the best in the world?" The vast ignorance of the American public never ceases to amaze me...
A measurable number of Americans actually believe the World is flat; they believe the Earth is the center of the Universe; that men and dinosaurs walked the Earth together; that it all began just 6,000 years ago over a course of 6 days.
That much is victimless ignorance.
Unfortunately, the "Stupids" refuse to live alone in the 7th Century. They insist the rest of us join them in the asylum.
In 21st Century America , there are parents who won't inoculate their children or allow them to receive life-saving transfusions because they don't trust science - or government - or believe matters of life and death are exclusively the domain of "God. Defibrillating a heart attack victim interferes with Divine Providence. Of course, Government is evil. Our public schools, roads, railroads, bridges, armies, police, electric grid, drinking water trash pick-up and Medicare are merely examples God's endless miracles and not your tax dollars at work.
If you believe the World is flat, chances are you believe France exists only in myth.
As I watch the Healthcare Reform "Debate," I'm beginning to agree.
If "France" actually existed, there would be no healthcare reform debate. We would follow France's lead and institute real healthcare reform without a single (sane) dissenting voice.
Of course, I would never voluntarily announce to a mob of Stupids that on various occasions, I have traveled to that mythical land called "France."
They wouldn't believe me.
They know I'd never survive the sea monsters.
Have you ever considered that the reason we have continents separated by vast oceans could be so we can isolate our global population based intelligence?
We can even put the people who believe that a Sky God created the world in 6 days close enough to the Islamic extremists, so they can reach each other in their arks or caravans, and we can watch the action on our magical satellite televisions. Hilarity would ensue. Much popcorn would be consumed.
He's got it! By George I do believe he's got it! Kudos to AZ
There's hope for AZ yet. An LOL is friggin MAJOR!
so now what. just when az has a breakthru, doc has more 'computer issues'? Yoo hoo, doc, where are you....?
It's OK, this blog satirizing the repub 'honoring' Sen Kennedy is a big one... just read it again or look at some of doc's older blogposts until he's back online.
It's apropos to remember the Shakespeare quotation R F K used in his speech about J F K at the '64 Democratic convention.
It applies to all three of the brothers.
"When he shall die take him and cut him out into stars and he shall make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun."
It's also worth noting that R F K got a 22-minute standing ovation before he could even begin to speak.
i loved this bit of obama's eulogy.
"He was a product of an age when the joy and nobility of politics prevented differences of party and philosophy from becoming barriers to cooperation and mutual respect – a time when adversaries still saw each other as patriots. "
republicans have demonized the president so much, and the few who have not do nothing to reject the foul attacks on the president.
Great post I loved that too
Thank you
Courage: Standing up to 48 years of right wing attacks and standing firm for what you believe in.
Cowardice: Quitting 1/2 way through your first term because the media is picking on you.
Be back when doc posts a new blog.
An Irish blessing....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7O9OqBd2us&feature=related
Amen and Sláinte.
I'm sure there's no blog because of Ted Kennedy's funeral coverage that's been going on all day.
The motorcade is on its way to the Capitol - just crossing the bridge now on CNN.
Mrs Kennedy's arrived and is greeting the senator's staff. I'm glued to the TV all day. Cya
Mrs. Kennedy is out greeting people. How does she find the strength?
Wow, what a tear jerker today has been... good day for doc to have respected Sen Kennedy by forgoing his normal satirical blog. Kudos for doing nothing, doc. We should all be watching today's history. MSNBC and CNN are the best.
They couldn't find anyone else to sing "America the Beautiful: just saying....
I have been too overwhelmed to post any thing meaningful.
My first campaign was for J.F.K.
Too many tears to see the key board.
My best to all.
You said it all. No more words are needed. Very touching. Thank you!
cspan said that the motorcade followed the same route as the motorcades for JFK & for Bobby.....
sigh
so moving
so sad
I thought I read the burial at Arlington was going to be private?
It is, but starting tomorrow, anyone can visit the grave site to pay their respects.
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In recent years many people have come to identify politicians with corruption, law breaking, selfishness, dishonesty and egomania. Blagoevich, Burress, Spitzer, McGreevey, Sanford, Ensign, Kilpatrick, Fossella, Foley, Craig, Vitter...
Consequently we often forget that public service is honorable. That many politicians are decent people who do good things. That politicians and their families sacrifice greatly when serving.
These past few days have helped me to remember how I felt when President Obama was elected. Teddy Kennedy was a great man, flaws and all, because he helped to improve the lives of millions of Americans and he truly walked the walk.
God Bless Ted Kennedy, his family, and America...
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