Same Old Song
By John Amato Saturday Jul 18, 2009 8:00am
You can always count on the Ben Nelsons in Congress to try and destroy any chance we have of health-care reform. He and his five buds sent a letter to President Obama and are asking for a delay in crafting health-care legislation.
What's up with all these gangs and letters?
A bipartisan group of centrist and conservative senators sent a letter to the Democratic and Republican leaders on Friday urging delay in consideration of health care reform.
The letter, obtained by the Huffington Post, was drafted by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and is also signed by Democratic Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.). Independent Joe Lieberman (Conn.), who caucuses with Democrats, signed on, as did Maine Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins -- moderates heavily courted by President Obama.
The organized effort to slow down the process is a blow to the reform effort. Obama has pushed hard for a final vote before the August recess, arguing that delaying until September could slow momentum and risk missing a historic opportunity.
It's the same old song being played over and over again by these creeps. And it's the same old tired song we heard back in 1994
If today’s demand by “centrist” Dem Senators that we slow health care reform sounds familiar, that’s because it is: Almost exactly the same thing happened in 1994, courtesy of then-centrist-Senator Bob Kerrey versus Hillarycare.
This is one of the major reasons why our health-care system has remained in shambles for decades. They use the same tactics over and over again because they work. Corporate shills and elitist views trump the hurt that the American family is feeling. President Obama needs to stop issuing orders about deficits and actually get in there and tell these people what he wants.
It's infuriating that suddenly "deficits" are more important than actual reform. Obama is planting the seeds to their own demise by talking up the deficit like it's the Holy Grail. That's just what the teabaggers and conservatives want to focus on in 2010. If you asked most people in America how a large federal deficit hurts them specifically, they couldn't tell you, but just "know that it's bad."
The deficit is obviously a sacred totem in Washington and nobody's going to challenge it. And by reinforcing the deficit fetish, the Democrats are actually sowing the seeds of their own demise. I'm sure that will be a big relief to the privileged wealthy who have successfully created a bizarre, abstract fear of a federal budget deficit among average people for whom it has no real meaning at all. What a triumph of propaganda that is.
A delay of, say, seventy days is the amount of time it takes for as many people as live in Omaha to lose their health insurance. And one doubts that if the whole city were facing that fate Nelson would be so cavalier about the consequences of delay. More generally, this is an issue America has been debating for decades, it’s not as if Barack Obama just inserted health reform into his budget as a big surprise. Even just limiting consideration to the current reform drive in the United States Senate, Max Baucus and Ted Kennedy (and then Chris Dodd when Kennedy fell ill) have been doing steady work on this issue since well before the 2008 presidential election. And the topic of health reform was extensively debating in both the presidential primaries and the general election. For anyone who’s interested, there’s been plenty of time to look at the questions.
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Nelson and his buddies are rightwing crooks, corporatist prostitutes. Labeling them as "centrists" gives them a legitimacy they have not earned and will never deserve.
On the other hand, I'm somewhat of the opinion that delays end up screwing the GOPers and the Blue Dog Prostitutes, because time favors the growing momentum that is building to do something that actually serves the People. I would be happy if nothing is passed this year, because it gives our side more time to get it's shit together and to further expand our influence.
Help the PCCC choose which senators we should target on the public option by voting here: Vote!
Ben Nelson could get the pressure he deserves!
and the others ...1.800.828.0498...tell them to read what the people want and DO IT!
Run ads in these fake Dems states that announce they don't care about the little people and are being bought off by the insurance co's.
displaying how much money the Insurance Companies has given each Senator or Representative.
were these so-called "centrists" when the Cons were pulling the country far, far to the right during the BushCo years?
The reason they are using the same old tactics is, because they worked last time. I agree with Paul, above, that delaying will give us more time to demand the single-payer option be put back on the table. Or they can all explain in detail why it was never on the table. Why is it that all or most of the countries that have a single-payer option pay less for their health care than we do now? How can it be more expensive here then any where else? I would like to have that explained to me. I will be extremely happy if nothing is passed this year, because I smell a rat. What is that saying? Marry in haste, repent at leisure? Something is very wrong here, and stopping it or at least slowing it down makes the only sense.
really worries me.
While I want health care passed this year, and think it should be, I still worry when a pimp like the AMA is on board. That means that their whores have gotten to the johns (Congress).
I heard that, if the AMA likes it it must have rat poison as it's main ingredient!
AMA, Nelson and the mainstream media="the enemies of working people everywhere"
Olbermann has "worst person in the world"
I have "enemy of working people everywhere"
Don't you also wonder why Big Pharma is backing it, too? I think, maybe, that Big Pharma wants mandatory drug coverage for all people just like the insurance companies want mandatory purchases of health insurance from them for all people. You know greed must be behind their thinking.
it will be a medicare part D only this time a double D
medicare 48DD
... that a program with public option may not eventually evolve into single payer?
Perhaps I am cynical. I don't think that will happen for maybe, ever. If it did happen, it would take at least another 20 years for the proposed "public option" to tank enough so health care reform would again become an issue. Then, the argument would begin all over again. But that assumes that the public option will even become a reality. I won't cloud your question right now by asking just exactly what will the public option consist of, because it is now total crap. If you have not looked at the few details that are available, do it. You'll see what I mean.
“... Or they can all explain in detail why it was never on the table. ...”
It was not on the table, because of the bull in the China shop that we're to pretend we don't see. Single payer would address all the stated concerns, health care reform, coverage for the uninsured, and a means to pay for it all, because the taxes needed to pay for single payer would be more than offset by the elimination of insurance premiums. We would be talking about what to do with the money we SAVE instead of talking about ways to PAY.
The "bull in the china shop" is, of course, the desire by our corporate owned politicians to preserve corporate profits. Because that concern is the first and foremost consideration on the table, single payer is off the table. The desire to preserve corporate profits, best served by maintaining the status quo, is what is wrecking health care reform.
This makes it quite clear that health care reform, while a problem in and by itself, is also a symptom of a more basic root problem, which is a government comprised of influence peddlers, and lobbyists only too happy to pay the requisite bribes.
I think it might be obscured by the elephant in the room.
Didn't I hear somewhere about the possibility of suspending the Congressional summer recess? Who might authorize such a thing- Pelosi? Might that not hold these corporate owned "centrist" heads to the fire, in order to force their hand and get the damn thing done?
We are talking about the Senate which would be Harry Reid not Pelosi. The real battle is going to be in the Senate, so people living in the states with these senators need to be put on notice as well. The State Democratic Leaderships need to hear from us as it is their responsibility to keep their elected officials accountable too.
The SENATE- sorry- early here, and a few neurons still not quite firing. But as to my recess ?... (Thx :)
If Congress does not get this legislation out of committees, this will allow the special interests back in these senators states to really throw a wrench into the health care reforms.
This
centristcorporatist group is a bunch of sellouts to the highest bidder. Voting them out of office is the only thing that can compete against the moneyed politicians.Paul Krugman wrote opinion piece called "The Six Deadly Hypocrites." He pointed out: "The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, which denied Medicare the right to bargain for lower drug prices, locked in overpayments to private insurance companies, and did nothing, nothing at all, to pay for its proposed outlays. How many of these six self-proclaimed defenders of solvency voted no on the crucial procedural vote? One. (Joe Lieberman, to my surprise.)"
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/t...
supposed to be representing to get on his back. He could get so much pressure from his constituents that he would have to break one way or another.
I just switched back to Medicare and a Part D plan. The farce that is going on with Medicare Advantage plans is that you pay your Medicare premium and the government pays double or more to the insurance company and then the insurance company, true to form, doesn't pay the claim. There is more to fix than just making sure that everyone is covered.
Ben Nelson isn't paid to represent the people.
I voted for Grassley, but I can change it.
That was either too inside-politics or made a connection I'm not following. Sorry.
CnLfan. If it is not me, just ignore me.
See post above at 9:07 forrestbrown.
I believe I have caught up.
I understand that more and more people are losing their health insurance. I have felt it in my life also.
But we seem to constantly be at this imaginary point where the single payer supporters are supposed to capitulate to public options, triggers and mandates. At this point I have trouble supporting ANY legislation introduced by congress in it's current form. I am certain it will be even worse after the senate gets a hold of it.
Nelson is a dick. That is obvious. But I am for taking the debate as far as possible, because the single payer option is becoming more legitimate with time. I am open to reasonable arguements for pushing this legislation through. But for now I am having a Patriot Act moment. And this bill should be much better than it is. But at least Kucinich got the amendment to allow states to set up their own single payer program without consequences.
The pressure from the progressive left has awakened more people and significantly altered the theme of the reform debate. Hell, if it hadn't been for progressive actions, I doubt the idea of a "public option" would even be part of the dialogue. And yet I think that momentum is building to include a single payer program. The only problem is, the politicians are still paid by the few elite insiders who will screw anyone to protect their profits.
So someone please tell me. What is the urgency?
may lie with the millions of presently uninsured or those already teetering on the edge. Perhaps this might be an incremental step toward the ultimate single payer ideal.
will emerge better off than they are now after this is said and done. We will be punished for even challenging them. They want and will get mandatory coverage. That means that all people will be required by law to buy health insurance, and the coverage will be less than it is now. We began our descent into being the losers of this debate when single-payer was not even "put on the table." No one ever gave any real explanation why this is so. The "public option" was rammed down everyone's throat as if it was a good thing, and it has not had any solid details revealed to date. It is nonsense, and now the talk is that it is too expensive. It will soon disappear, too. You know, "off the table." Only the insurance companies will get what they want. Big Pharma is allegedly backing "health reform," because they want mandatory drug coverage to be part of the equation.
The urgency is based on how Congress works. In order to get legislation as important and large as this, Congress must get it done this year. Next year is an election year and historically election years are not years in which alot of legislation gets passed because the focus is on maintaining seats and trying to pick off others.
Should know better. I'm calling his ass again today. Oregon is 100% behind healthcare reform. The only reason he could be doing this is in the interest of cash from the HMOs.
You seem to forget that outside of Portland, Salem and Eugene, the rest of the state is swarming with the most ignorant of Cons. Thankfully those three cities (and their surrounding areas) have large enough populations to offset the rest of the state.
This sounds out of character for Wyden. I'm confused, but I am defintely going to get an answer from this politician on Monday. I can't believe it.
I can see ben nelson being a butthead. he has been a butthead his whole career. Apparently, the good people of Kansas are content being represented by this ass.
One confused citizen here.
Here. Please distribute..
NOTE And here's another good one. The administration wants to talk away Medicare payment settings from Congress and give it to an "Independent Advisory Council." Guess they're serious about that "entitlement reform" stuff. Nobody could have predicted...
So anytime a Republican gets into office, he can dick with the system at will. he'll just appoint corporate whores to the board and screw it all up.
Like they can do with the Election Assistance Commission.
So...is this the part where I call Ben Nelson a cocksucking stooge whore of the big lobby interests and get deleted?
had no problem voting yea on Bush's tax cuts only 3 months into his first term.
This is obstructionism, party treason, back-stabing and stupidity. Plain and simple. They all should be targeted at re-election time.
and the thread here that discusses it?
Enlarge our problems with the health care system and many other aspects of our american society are due the lack of accountability for our own health, our families health. We vote everytime we open our wallet, we need to be made more responsible, more accountable when we vote and not continue down a path of missed placed accountability.
The bigger issue with the Health Care System is not being addressed. Therefore any solution which does not address the root problem will only create new challenges and/or make the existing problems likely worst or at best somewhat better.
The root of the health care solution has to make accountability for one's health incredibly important.
With little to no exception, EVERYONE should be required to seek & acquire health insurance on their own instead of through benefit packages provided private and public institutions as is done today. Which will put accountability squarely on the shoulders of where the responsibility of the root problem and more effectively address the following problems and drive more effective solutions.
Here are some problems and benefits.
* Families will be made more responsible for child development of a life style for a better quality of life.
* The medical system would be forced to provide a higher quality of health care at more affordable cost
* The medical system would be able provide higher quality care when not overwhelmed by the cause and effects of poor life styles.
* Group insurance could no longer penalize individuals who choose a life style that does not require higher level of need or use of the health care system.
* Reduced tax payer burden through alleviating government involvement.
* Force the systems that provide food services to provide more affordable healthier choices which will also drive down these costs for niche-market option through making healthier choices no longer niche-market but rather standard options at your local restaurant, convenient and regular grocery stores.
Could this be a real cure for like many of the cancer cases handled today? You bet! and there is would still be room for a socialized medical system that the less fortunate to have access to some form of medical care.
The list could go on and on... but this is a start for hopefully meaningful discussions which can work towards the best solution.
You have to be kidding!! Maybe you should try listening to Bill Moyers and his interview with the former CIGNA Exec!!]\
If you DO take the time to listen you will see just how the health care companies treat their policy holders. You had also check your facts better much of our health problems are directly related to our polluted environment!! Why else are rates of such things as Asthma are increasing by leaps and bounds!!
Where will the healthy food come from? You want to get to the "root" of the problem? Try Monsanto. GM corn, soy, etc. causes cancer. Don't get me started. It is abundantly clear whose side you are on. Here's a "meaningful suggestion" for you: GFY.
“With little to no exception, EVERYONE should be required to seek & acquire health insurance on their own instead of through benefit packages provided private and public institutions as is done today.”
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/08/25/b...
86% of large corporations are "self insured", which is the single payer option for companies. No one in their right minds are going to pay insurance "premiums" because that would drive up costs. So, setting a nation to buy hundreds of millions individual policies is a prescription for maximizing costs.
The fact is, we should be "self insured" as a nation for the EXACT, SAME reasons large corporations are self insured.
However, I do thing that personal responsibility has to be addressed somehow. In my own work group, we pay $10s of thousands to treat morbidly obese people, while the root cause, improper diet, is off the table. I'm talking diabetes, accompanying heart conditions, gall bladder removals, and so forth, The diet is bacon & eggs for breakfast, wings & fries for lunch, or double cheeseburgers, or chili, or pizza and so forth. Somehow, this stuff has got to stop.
Our current system revolves around "enhancing shareholder value". The best way to do that is to drive up costs, and we've been witnessing the success, as health care inflation has more than doubled inflation generally.
In particular, I don't see a lot of incentives to produce cures, as opposed to maintenance regimes, because maintenance regimes produce recurring cash flow, which is good for enhancing shareholder value.
So, there is a governmental role in counteracting financial incentives that work against patient interests, particularly in financing research to produce cures.
Let me guess, you saw that "theWalrus" had a comment used on Countdown. In an attempt to look credible or confuse people, you created an account on C&L with the name "TehWalrus". It is clear that what you posted is B.S. and only reinforced as such because you did not have the courage to post a comment without attempting to pass it off as someone else.
They're a pack of filthy, greedy, money mongering ass h*les.
Ben Nelson included.
The Congress is a pack of WHORES.
Filthy greedy, money obsessed WHORES, who have traitorously sold out the nation.
let the system get so bad, now they're afraid the system will become overloaded with back-logged sick people, which it will at first.
Insurance companies = making sure people die so they can make obscene profits and the pain and suffering of the policy holders pain and simple. Profit and Health Care are antithetical of each other.
not for birth control. The GOP freaks out over abortion payments, wants people to bring unwanted, unaffordable babies into this filthy greedy world, then buy health insurance until they get sick, and then just die. What a system. Then some sanctimonious ass comes here and blames it all on each individual for not pulling themselves up by their bootstraps.
nelson is a douchebag. he plays both sides against the middle for his own gain. or so he thinks. when he was governor of nebraska, he spent more time on field trips than he did governing the state. he was just like W in that regard.
anything that LIEberman (I. tel-aviv) is for, i am against. he is the worst human being to ever grace the senate. he has sold out every american citizen again and again by putting israel first and foremost in any legislation he has a part in. he has sent american men to die for his homeland, israel again and again. when did YOU serve, asshole? where are YOUR sons?
do they sell glasers in CT?
I will keep this post short....
I am not surprised whatsoever....
I am a proud member of the Green Party....Laugh at me if you will, but, I no longer expect much from the Democratic Party when it has the likes of Ben Nelson, Bob Casey, Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln, Arlen Specter, Maria Cantwell and Bill Nelson in it.
Bob Casey--also crossed over the aisle this week....
Don't be so surprised---EXPECT IT to go down this way!!!!
There are other choices like joining the Green Party and actually making change from the bottom-up. Depending on these people for "real change" is like trying to lift cement with a pencil.
Instant runoff is a system that permits multiple choices and prevents a candidate from winning through a plurality. If instant runoff had been in effect in Florida, likely, the Nader voters would have chosen Gore as 2nd pick, and Gore would have won the state, and the election. Instead Bush won, without a majority in Florida.
I think, under the current system, the best place to meet the corporate Democrats are in the primaries. By the general election, the deck is stacked between two corporate owned choices.
Regardless of how this health care plays out, I'm glad we're getting Obama's choice of supreme court justice, rather than McCain's.
I notice that the Supreme Court is set to rule on a ban on corporate spending in federal elections. The internet has allowed for grass roots organizing, both within the Democrat and Republican parties. The religious right has taken over the Republican party, and the Democrats actually listen to us once in a while. The Supreme Court could very well rule for unlimited corporate spending in Federal elections which could restore the former status quo disturbed by the grassroots on the internet.
or a One-Party system with two wings is not a "democracy."
The "democratic system" in the U.S. is a joke. Anyone still thinking that the U.S. has a "great democracy" is high.
I am a proud member of the Green Party and will remain so. The Democrats are frauds and sellouts too....Sorry....but that is the sad case and harsh truth of the present days Dems who are more loyal to the corporate interest and the DLC than to the masses of people or workers of America.
As far as Sonya Sotomayor and other picks for the USSC? We don't know how Sotomayor will necessarily rule yet. Sotomayor might rule in favor or opposition of liberals most significantly-held issues. I believe she is a centrist, despite all the right-wing hysteria, over her nomination.
I think she's a centrist too. But, it'll be better than another Scalia. In an ideal world, the 3rd party would be great. Just as the "public option" is promoted as adding competition, the political arena needs additional competition. However, when the choice is bad or worse, and worse is far more worse, a 3rd party on the left would probably help the "far worse" side.
That's why I think a takeover of the Democrat party has better chances of success, and that occurs in the primaries, where people normally ignore the process.
There is also the aspect of the media. Instant runoff has no visibility, the initiative to elect the president by a majority of the popular vote has no visibility and so forth. People only think and say what they see and hear.
In the last race for Governor here in IL, Rich Whitney got 10% of the vote when Blago ran. I voted for him, and he is going to run again in 2010.
I wish him well.
Diebold drove it home for him in 2004. You do raise an interesting point, though. Who do you think McCain would have appointed if he had won? I think it would have been Palin so she would have gotten off his back.
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