Elizabeth Edwards on McCain's healthcare plan
By Steve Benen Sunday Mar 30, 2008 6:45pmMaybe it’s just me, but I tend to think this observation might resonate with voters: John McCain could be denied coverage under John McCain’s healthcare plan. It’s a point Elizabeth Edwards drove home very well.
Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Democratic presidential contender John Edwards, said she and John McCain have one thing in common: “Neither one of us would be covered by his health policy.”
Edwards lodged her criticism of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s proposal Saturday at the annual meeting of the Assn. of Health Care Journalists.
Under McCain’s plan, insurance companies “wouldn’t have to cover preexisting conditions like melanoma and breast cancer,” she said.
McCain has been treated for melanoma, the most serious type of skin malignancy. Edwards in 2004 was diagnosed with breast cancer, and announced a year ago that it had returned and spread into her bones, meaning it no longer could be cured.
McCain’s plan focuses on offering new tax breaks for individuals who buy their own health insurance. But critics say the Arizona senator’s proposal avoids giving insurers requirements on whom they must cover and how much they may charge.
At the risk of sounding picky, “critics say” McCain’s plan avoids requirements for insurance companies because McCain’s plan avoids requirements for insurance companies. It’s an objective fact, not a point of contention.
Indeed, it points to an ideological problem underpinning the debate. McCain seems to realize that his plan leaves millions of vulnerable Americans behind, but he also realize that the alternative is government regulation — specifically, telling insurers that they can’t exclude people with pre-existing conditions, and can’t price these people out of coverage. Given a choice between a large gap of uninsured and government-imposed safeguards for Americans, McCain prefers the prior.
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Too bad this won't be our next first lady.
I was so hoping that Elizabeth Edwards would be our next First Lady. I'm not looking forward to either of the remaining prospects.
I doubt John McCain would vote for John McCain as well. He'd be too ashamed for John McCain pandering up to the President, he'd be sorry for his drive to War as well, as backtracking on Torture. No, John McCain couldn't, with conscience, vote for John McCain, cause of the lobbyist running his campaign, and his Keating 5ive associations. John McCain would have helped to run the rogue out of office.
We never seem to have any problem in our country spending jillions of dollars killing people only a problem treating all sick people in this country that need our help...
I sooo wanted Edwards, but sadly he was going after corporations, and well, that's not allowed....so sad for us.
As for McCain's Health Care Plan - Same as the Bush Health Care Plan. It's the "Your on your Own" Plan. Does McCain have plans for anything other than more war?
Yeah, how is it that we have $30 billion for hedge fundies who sneer at the idea of 'socialism' but we can't care for sick people? And I'm also tired of the self-righteous who preach "Americans don't take care of themselves, so why should I be responsible?" In fact, I may dislike them even more than hedge fundies, but just a little.
Welcome to Super Bug and Ultra Error Hospital.
Your health care specialist.
We better pick a candidate soon, or Grampa is going to give us four more years of fascism-lite.
Of course such concerns are only hypothetical for McCain. As a US senator he has health insurance 95% of us could only dream about. He needn't worry about his pre-existing conditions - now or until he dies - for him and his wife.
I wonder who and when she and her husband are gonna endorse someone for president.
Bob @ 11:
And, he's eligible for medicare regardless.
Just another reason why McCain ain't fit to run this nation....That's it, I ain't gonna elaborate or rant... The reasons for my statement are all to evident....Short discriptive way to put it...He's clueless... on waay too many things.....Important things.........like health care and the economy just to name two obvious ones................JD
McCain and the rest of the repukes can stick their "tax-cuts" up their ass! You can't even buy decent health insurance as an individual, and these fuckheads know it. Like Bush the psycho, they think we are going to give-up our health insurance (if we have it still) for a couple of hundred bucks in tax breaks.
F#@k Bush, f#@k Cheney, f#@k McCain and f#@k every republican in the inner solar system! God I hate those self centered bastards!
McCain has been on the Gov't/DOD dole since his birth. He has never known any other healthcare other than Government provided.
I was just going to say that.
McCain wouldn't be able to get health insurance coverage at all, if he wasn't already getting free government healthcare.
Well, it is still true:
Government of the corporations, by the corporations, for the corporations… and their buddies.
I too wanted Elizabeth Edwards as our first lady.
Americans are too stupid to vote out the politicians against universal heathcare. They would rather make sure gays can't vote and die prematurely because of little or no healthcare.
Stupid is as stupid does.
NoGWBpolicyleftinplace @ 15:
The diarist either didn't read the whole thing or she forgot to include what EE had to say about Senator 'Hopey's' plan....
Interesting.
Elizabeth Edwards also has a problem with Obama and his healthcare plan. Here's a little "behind the scenes" of why Edwards hasn't endorsed either candidate yet.
But now two months have passed since Edwards dropped out—tempus fugit!—and still no endorsement. Why? According to a Democratic strategist unaligned with any campaign but with knowledge of the situation gleaned from all three camps, the answer is simple: Obama blew it. Speaking to Edwards on the day he exited the race, Obama came across as glib and aloof. His response to Edwards’s imprecations that he make poverty a central part of his agenda was shallow, perfunctory, pat. Clinton, by contrast, engaged Edwards in a lengthy policy discussion. Her affect was solicitous and respectful. When Clinton met Edwards face-to-face in North Carolina ten days later, her approach continued to impress; she even made headway with Elizabeth. Whereas in his Edwards sit-down, Obama dug himself in deeper, getting into a fight with Elizabeth about health care, insisting that his plan is universal (a position she considers a crock), high-handedly criticizing Clinton’s plan (and by extension Edwards’s) for its insurance mandate.
Jay @ 12:
Most seem to think that this latest from the Edwards circle on health care is a hint of an endorsement for Hillary. I regret that and I think he will too. Personally, I always believed John Edwards would be a good President, but he reminds too many folks of Carter. Edwards just never got the "campaign" thing down, nor was he able to close the deal with the American people, and that's what it takes to get there. I hope he would endorse Obama if only for the reason that more of the same isn't likely to get us anywhere other than where we've already been. In my middle age, I'm open for an adventure.
John says 'i'd never allow a health care plan that would accept me. But since I've always had a taxpayer health care plan,I thank My friends ..er taxpayers..er ...Joe?'
It is GREAT that we still have smart people on the side of the people and consumers, not merely all on the side of corporation at behest of corporate profits; which seems to have a louder voice than the volume of those people who are suffering from the denial of failing immoral "for-profit, first-and-foremost" health care system and the politicians that have a string tied to them.
I salute Elizabeth Edwards for speaking up for the less privilege of our society. Most people who have NO pre-existing medical condition and the unprivileged can barely understand this unless they are faced with this kind of dreadful life changing circumstances.
Again AMERICA is falling behind most western civilizations in this regards. For WHAT? For corporate GREED? or Political Pow-wow?
McCain is getting demented at his old age and is forgetting that his loyalty first is for the AMERICAN people. He has become another tainted political figure willing to sell all for power, even at the expense of his people and his country......allowing corporate puppeteer to put him on a string.
yeah, Edwards was my candidate of choice, too. Bummer that he bowed out.
Brealistic @ 5:
If you have seen the movie SICKO . there is a scene where M. Moore asks a British Doctor ( who owns A BMW and A very large house/condo) "Will America will ever have ' Universal Health Care' " ???
Answer without hesitation ? NO.
In the end it's up to the people.
I was watching an Iranian documentary a few years ago ( about Iran of course) and
an Iranian said " Our government is us " ( or something like that ) .
In most , say western countries ( you can call these progressive countries) and even non-western countries ( you can call these ones progressive countries ) , societies have elected to go the ' universal health care route'.
Americans are still debating this issue , and the end game is as was stated by the British Doctor noted above.
Brealistic @ 5:
You so nailed it!
abarts @ 25:
I suspect John Edwards reminded too many Democrats of Jimmy Carter, and you what that brought us...nearly 30 years of Republican rule. We may never be able to dig out from this mess.
Proud American @ 24:
Everyone has a 'preexisting condition'. it's called Life. The terms need to be changed. From 'medical insurence' to 'medical coverage'. The terms are as far apart as the Moon. The terms and the thought process that occurs when making that transformation is the True debate. And that's were the battle lines are drawn.
I guess I bored everyone away so They can continue the Clinton-Obama sandbox pigpile.
Why don't the democrats use this? I've been wondering that for weeks now. This "republican health care plan" scares the shit out of me.
The LA Times reporter is right: only those who have read McCain's plan understand that it doesn't cover people with pre-existing conditions. Those who haven't read it have no idea what it contains.
Give the poor guy a break.
Emma Hussein Goldman @ 31:
You should be scared shitless that there is No 'healthcare plan' on either side. See My comment above.
pissed off patricia @ 27:
Is a jillion a lot?
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
H.R. 676 - covers everybody, even the people who used to work in the health insurance industry, and it's paid for by the money the health insurance industry used to make off off sick people.
H.R. 676 - It isn't just a solution, it is justice.
Rico @ 22:
I respectfully disagree with your premise about Edwards reminding people of Carter and couldn't get the "campaign" thing down. The media and the DNC decided this was the best time (after 7+ horrifying years of Bush and our country in the dumpster ready for pick-up) that we run our "first" and everyone else became invisible. Edwards had it tougher than most because he was viable and was talking of taking power and money away from the Corporations. We can't have that now, can we?
And I certainly hope Edwards will endorse Clinton. Her health care plan is better than Obama's and she will win in Nov. I think Obama will, in the end, give us a McCrazy presidency where only he and those like him will have insurance. I think Hillary would surprise a lot of people with how progressive she is on social issues and caring for people. She will fight and win Health Care for us.
Bluesage @ 37:
I'm sad about Edwards too but it was Democrats that rejected him. Remember all those debates and early primaries? He really had his opportunity to distinguish himself from Obama. Clinton was a given...she had the pass. It was really a race between Obama and Edwards for who would be the one to challenge Hillary. Honestly, I don't know why Edwards didn't stick. Perhaps my Carter analogy was a stretch, but it's the only thing I could think of to explain his inability to catch fire with Democrats. He appeared soft.
The real answer is "single payer" health coverage, aka Medicare for all, like most other countries offering universal health care do.
Fact is, we can't afford to spend 1 of 2 dollars spent worldwide on the military playing the world's policeman, and spend for some corporate welfare within the health care industry, and afford to cover all of the uninsured. Something has to go. I think our corporate owned politicians will see to it that it's the uninsured.
Bluesage @ 38:
Now how do you plan to get rid of all those built in negatives she brings with her? Fair or not, she's got them. She starts off with 48% of the likely voters against her. Give me a break. It's time to roll the dice.
NoBuddy @ 40:
Again-as i explained above -The 'real change' has to eliminate 'medical insurence' and create medical coverage. Two concepts that requires One to be distroyed and the other accepted.
Rico @ 41:
Jesus! I sThis gonna turn into an Obama-Clinton pigpile? Yawn
McCain has a plan besides war? Whoda thunkit?
ConcernedCanuck @ 44:
Hey c ! Rescue Me here.
David Hawes @ 43:
It's not my intent. I'm just puzzled why playing "What if Edwards..." gains any value. His endorsement or Elizabeth's endorsement now has lost its value.
GOD Damn folks wanna bash each others brains in,while The Thugs laugh at Yew.
Rico @ 46:
I has value to raise the debate about health insurence OR health coverage. See My comments above.
Let Me put This plainly (to those that are left) My wife was injured on the job and her employer was clearly at fault. Now. IF she had benn injured somewhere else,her 'insurance' would have covered those injuries. And all would be well. BUT She covered by 'workmans comp' which auto matically under law put her in the care of 'doctors' employed by said insurence company. Two years later WE were homeless.
OMAMA CLINTON NO YES YOU SUCK NO YOU SUCK You guys had the election 'easy'. Now it's like Easy Red on Omaha beach. I shake my head. whatever. When November comes, I'll spend it at the beach. I don' like whineing or crying.
McCain's healthplan sucks. Tell me something I don't know.
Edwards isn't in the running because Dems don't give you a second chance at the White House. He's unfortunately tied to the failed run of Kerry.
We can't afford to pick the wrong nominee when it comes to Universal Healthcare. The idea of another 8 years with no progress toward this goal is what I consider a criminal act against the American people.
Hillary was at the point of the last big attempt at changing the healthcare system and knows that the institutions that are overwhelmingly profiting from the current system will spare no expense at attacking any "big" system change. It has to be done in increments and the first step is to get everyone in.
Barack's plan leaves 15 million people out and that is why it fails the Universal test.
If your interested to know more of why we'll be talking about the same failed health delivery system 8 years into an Obama presidency read this article:
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/02/04/krugman-if-obama-is-president-th...
Who can get us closer to Universal Healthcare? That is the question.
Direct link to Paul Krugman's article...which answers the question:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/opinion/04krugman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=sl...
Rico @ 28:
No. He reminded the corporations of FDR. They reminded us of his $300 haircut. Oy.
jsparrow @ 52:
The only difference is the mandate part (Clinton's does). But neither Clinton nor Obama is "single payer universal".
They both have huge HMO $$ in their campaign coffers. Pity...on us.
You don't need to be covered, you live in a mansion, get a damn job..
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People in the industry have been saying it for years:
It's cheaper to let some people die than to pay for their treatment.
Economics at its cruelist yet.
Someone who makes too little to pay taxes and can't afford health insurance for his family, what kind of 'tax break' will he get that will cause him to be able to afford McCainCare?
I don't like any health
carecoverage plan if it includes insurance companies in any part of it, whether it is McCain's or Clinton's or Obama's plan. There is no way that the insurance companies have any right whatsoever to participate. We need universal, single payer healthcare. Pressure your elected representative to support HR676.There is no way that the cost of healthcare is ever going to be contained, or the temptation to cut corners and ripoff the customers is going to be removed, so long as healthcare is being delivered for profit. It's not going to happen. All of these so-called healthcare plans that include insurnce companies are nothing more than corporate socialism and welfare for the insurance companies. Same goes for the pharmeceutical companies; they must be given no say or participation in it. If they don't like what government purchasing power is willing to pay, somebody else can have the business.
It don't hear McCain screaming "socialism" about the social healthcare he has benefited from since the day he was born. He can't naysay it, because it works, and it works well and cheaply.
Rico @ 39:
Nope. You're giving voters too much credit, and letting the media off the hook at the same time. The media took down Edwards the same way they took down Howard Dean, with the voters totally buying the media's b.s. about haircuts and big houses. Fortunately, a John Kerry-like candidate is not our only remaining choice this time.
Before I moved to this allegedly civilized nation from Canada, I'd never even heard the term 'pre-existing condition.'
Of all the stupid things that go on in America, the sick farce that passes for 'health care' is the stupidest.
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