Blue Dog Democrats Wreck Health Care Reform
They’re calling it a deal to save health care reform, but if you look at the details of what happened today with the Blue Dogs on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, it becomes clear that there isn’t really much of a deal, and that what’s happened has wrecked health care reform – not saved it.
The bill the committee has been considering for the last several weeks started out as a watered down version of the health care reform that was promised during the 2008 campaign season. Single payer universal health care has not even been allowed for consideration. Instead, from the start, health care reform plans offered by Democrats this year have been severely compromised, seeking only to make adjustments around the edges to the health care system as it exists, protecting for-profit medical interest groups, such as insurance companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Now, under a supposed “deal” announced by Blue Dog Representative Mike Ross, the value of the health care legislation would be eroded further.
- Blue Dogs claim that the changes they’ve coerced from Democratic leadership would reduce the cost of the health care legislation, but the truth is that most of the costs would merely be shifted to state governments, which are already teetering on the brink of financial ruin.
- Working families living under the poverty level would be required to carry more of the cost of health care
- Business owners would be allowed to contribute less to health care
- The public option health care plan would be made less competitive by having costs at a higher rate than currently available through medicare
The worst thing about this supposed deal is that it isn’t a deal at all. Congressional Democrats are agreeing to these weakenings of the health care reform legislation without any guarantee that Blue Dogs will actually vote for the legislation. In essence, the Democratic leadership is agreeing to give the Blue Dogs what they want, and getting nothing in return.
In 2008, there was a great deal of hope for meaningful health care reform. In 2009, those hopes are evaporating, as it looks like the “reform” legislation is little more than a shell game that won’t provide Americans with the coverage that they need. This time around, the Democrats don’t have the Republicans to blame. It’s the Blue Dog Democrats who have wrecked the reform process.
[...] News reports this evening are talking about a “deal” on health care between congressional Democratic leadership and the right wing Blue Dog Democrats. What’s the deal? [...]
LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. (Thomas Paine)
We have the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed world. Conservative estimates are that over 120,000 of you dies each year in America from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Insured and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies. This is what being 37th in quality of healthcare means.
I know that many of you are angry and frustrated that REPUBLICANS! In congress are dragging their feet and trying to block TRUE healthcare reform. What republicans want is just a taxpayer bailout of the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry, and the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare industry. A trillion dollar taxpayer funded private health insurance bailout is all you really get without a robust government-run public option available on day one. Co-OP’s ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION. They are a fraud being pushed by the GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry that is KILLING YOU!
YOU CANT HAVE AN INSURANCE MANDATE WITHOUT A ROBUST PUBLIC OPTION. MANDATING PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTH INSURANCE AS YOUR ONLY CHOICE WOULD BE A DISASTER AND UNETHICAL, CORRUPT, AND MORALLY REPUGNANT. AND PROBABLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL AS WELL.
These industries have been slaughtering you and your loved ones like cattle for decades for profit. Including members of congress and their families. These REPUBLICANS are FOOLS!
Republicans and their traitorous allies have been trying to make it look like it’s President Obama’s fault for the delays, and foot dragging. But I think you all know better than that. President Obama inherited one of the worst government catastrophes in American history from these REPUBLICANS! And President Obama has done a brilliant job of turning things around, and working his heart out for all of us.
But Republicans think you are just a bunch of stupid, idiot, cash cows with short memories. Just like they did under the Bush administration when they helped Bush and Cheney rape America and the rest of the World.
But you don’t have to put up with that. And this is what you can do. The Republicans below will be up for reelection on November 2, 2010. Just a little over 13 months from now. And many of you will be able to vote early. So pick some names and tell their voters that their representatives (by name) are obstructing TRUE healthcare reform. And are sellouts to the insurance and medical lobbyist.
Ask them to contact their representatives and tell them that they are going to work to throw them out of office on November 2, 2010, if not before by impeachment, or recall elections. Doing this will give you something more to do to make things better in America. And it will help you feel better too.
There are many resources on the internet that can help you find people to call and contact. For example, many social networking sites can be searched by state, city, or University. Be inventive and creative. I can think of many ways to do this. But be nice. These are your neighbors. And most will want to help.
I know there are a few democrats that have been trying to obstruct TRUE healthcare reform too. But the main problem is the Bush Republicans. Removing them is the best thing tactically to do. On the other hand. If you can easily replace a democrat obstructionist with a supportive democrat, DO IT!
You have been AMAZING!!! my people. Don’t loose heart. You knew it wasn’t going to be easy saving the World.
God Bless You
jacksmith — Working Class
I REST MY CASE (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)
Republican Senators up for re-election in 2010.
* Richard Shelby of Alabama
* Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
* John McCain of Arizona
* Mel Martinez of Florida
* Johnny Isakson of Georgia
* Mike Crapo of Idaho
* Chuck Grassley of Iowa
* Sam Brownback of Kansas
* Jim Bunning of Kentucky
* David Vitter of Louisiana
* Kit Bond of Missouri
* Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
* Richard Burr of North Carolina
* George Voinovich of Ohio
* Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
* Jim DeMint of South Carolina
* John Thune of South Dakota
* Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas
* Bob Bennett of Utah
“there are a few democrats that have been trying to obstruct TRUE healthcare reform too”??
Actually, if you count them up, there have been scores of obstructionist, right wing Democrats in Congress doing this.
[...] is using industry flack Bruce Hensel as moderator Mailboxes today were full of the news that Blue Dog Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff will be holding a “Health Care Townhall” in Alhambra on [...]
[...] and Democrats in Congress are the reason we don’t. In the House of Representatives, the Blue Dog Democrats wrecked health care reform. In the Senate, five right wing Democrats joined the Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee [...]