Republicans Reveal Their Hypocrisy On Health Care, Refuse To Support Bill To Kill Government-Run Medicare
Republicans Reveal Their Hypocrisy On Health Care, Refuse To Support Bill To Kill Government-Run Medicare
For months, Republicans have been trying to scare Americans away from supporting a public option in health care reform, claiming that “government-run” medicine is akin to socialism and would be disastrous. But the government already runs several successful, well-loved health care programs — most notably, Medicare.
Yesterday, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) decided that it was “put-up or shut-up time for the phonies who deride the so-called ‘public option.’” He offered an amendment that would eliminate government-run Medicare:
Not a single member of Congress voted for the amendment, and Republicans were blasting it as a “political farce.” Last night, Weiner went on MSNBC and explained the GOP’s hypocrisy:
WEINER: Well, for some reason, I guess Republicans don’t like publicly funded, publicly administered health plans except for Medicare, and, I guess, except for the Veterans Administration and except for the health care that our military gets from the Department of Defense. The fact of the matter is, what we’ve learned is that government administered health care works pretty darn well. It’s got lower overhead and people like it.
So, when my Republican colleagues pound the drum and pound the podium about how they hate government-run health care, I guess they haven’t looked at what they get.
Watch it:
Republicans are refusing to acknowledge the hypocrisy in their statements warning about “socialized” medicine and their support for Medicare. Of course, conservatives also opposed the creation of Medicare in the 1960s and made many of the same claims that their counterparts are doing today. Forty-four years later, Medicare has helped America’s senior citizens live longer, healthier lives. By not voting for Weiner’s amendment, conservatives are acknowledging that their supposedly substantive claims about health care reform are nothing more than crass political fear-mongering.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
But, but, but Obama wants to kill the elderly.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:34 pmRepublicans were blasting it as a “political farce.”
– - Well, the GOP would surely recognize a political farce when they see one.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:36 pmDoes Congress have a government-run health program? Just asking…. and THEY should be asked if they will drop THEIR plan just to prove their point! NO? The cop out will be “we…..need….to….take….our….time…to do it right, because we represent the needs of all Americans!”
July 31st, 2009 at 12:40 pmPay no attention to the man behind the curtain! I am the great and powerful Oz!
If only the GNOP had a brain, a heart, courage.
PEACE
July 31st, 2009 at 12:43 pmHe has a good point and even those Republican Law Makers who did serve in the US Military have health care coverage. Grandpa McCain uses his Medical benefits from Military and his Senior coverage so Cindy doesn’t have to pay for Medical Insurance. Grandpa has skin cancer and memory lost he’s being treated for as well as the other stuff old people have. What the GOP is saying to taxpayers is you get nothing but we do and just make sure you pay your taxes so we can keep getting those big raises. Now the Banks will come back for money bailout money and the same Republican Party of NO will quickly pass any amount the Banks ask for even if they have to over ride the President. Now taxpayers might want to use their tax dollars toward their own Medical Care since their Representatives refuse to cover them and their families. Oh on a side note the Mayor Newsom of f San Francisco has a low unemployment rate and even Health Care coverage that is under 300 dollars a year for those who are part time employment. Makes you wonder what the problem is and the Mayor has a rainy day fund. I guess it’s all about stealing tax dollars for the GOP that’s why they wont support Health Care for taxpayers.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:45 pmBadmoodman says:
The GOP ARE a political farce
I fixed it for you :-)
July 31st, 2009 at 12:45 pmYou said “weiner”.
Heh-heh-hmmm-heh-heh-heh…
July 31st, 2009 at 12:46 pmDoes anyone know how to find the roll call vote on this?
July 31st, 2009 at 12:55 pmRight on!
The dems are beating them at their own game. This the second time the dems put through a bill making the teabagging jerks look like stupid personified.
I gonna eat Skittles hoping to speed up the teabaggin repugs aging process.
This is great!
July 31st, 2009 at 12:55 pmRep. Weiner better watch out — his repuke opponent in the next election will no doubt run ads every five minutes about how Weiner hates the elderly and the poor and tried to take away their Medicare/Medicaid until the brave repukes in congress stepped in to stop him…
July 31st, 2009 at 12:57 pm23 million a day is making a lot of people say anything the insurance companies wants them to say, no matter how ridiculous.
I say we get a list of the legislators accepting insurance company protection money and go on full campaign to make sure they are out of office as soon as possible.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:58 pmljm says:
Does Congress have a government-run health program? Just asking…. and THEY should be asked if they will drop THEIR plan just to prove their point! NO? The cop out will be “we…..need….to….take….our….time…to do it right, because we represent the needs of all Americans!”
Congress and their family.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:59 pmYes, we need more of these bills, and my whole heartedly support of this congress person.
YES YES
keep up the good fight Mr Weiner
July 31st, 2009 at 1:00 pmSo many of the repiggies have mommies and daddies that are in the Medicare program. Little repiggies might get a spanking from mommie or daddie if little repiggies vote against Medicare.
By the way, Lou Dobbs is a moron.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:00 pmYou really have to wonder just how low this Republican scum have to be to look their constituents in the eyes and intentionally lie to them while knowingly “fighting” to deny them access to the type of medical coverage that can allow them to provide security for their families and the freedom to seek employment whereever their dreams take them…this can only be described by three words:
Pure. F***ing. Evil.
Oh yeah. Disgusting and reprehensible come to mind, too.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:01 pmRefresh my memory, what was the first. I agree this is good.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:02 pmEmployers do deduct medicare for one’s paycheck. So this deduction is basically paying for repugs’ insurance.?
July 31st, 2009 at 1:04 pmGame of Life says:
Right on!
The dems are beating them at their own game. This the second time the dems put through a bill making the teabagging jerks look like stupid personified.
Refresh my memory, what was the first. I agree this is good.
The bill about HI and President Obama’s birth.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:05 pmJustJohn says:
23 million a day is making a lot of people say anything the insurance companies wants them to say, no matter how ridiculous.
I say we get a list of the legislators accepting insurance company protection money and go on full campaign to make sure they are out of office as soon as possible.
And where is all this health insurance industry cash coming from? From the premiums that are paid to them. Just think of how many people they could give good health care to for the amount of money they are spending so that they can continue to deny health care to the people who are paying them.
It really is too bad that all those Americans who say they love their current health plan don’t know what is going to happen to them the minute they really NEED their health plan to cover major medical expenses. That is when they will see what they really get for their premiums.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:09 pmZooey says
July 31st, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Does anyone know how to find the roll call vote on this?
__________________________________________________________
It may have been settled by a voice vote. But even with a voice vote, it’s easy to tell when nobody votes “yea”.
Also, the fact that Weiner got no co-sponsors was telling. You’d think that if government-administrated health programs were so Socialist and bad for our country, the Republicans would be lining up to get rid of it once and for all.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:14 pmExcellent strategy, Rep. Weiner!
Hopefully the Dems will stop this spin cycle and hang out the GOP’s corrupt intent in the light of truth!
July 31st, 2009 at 1:21 pmGame of Life says:
Oh yeah, thanks. Good ammo for winger squashing.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:22 pmgood job.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:25 pmWeiner may be a, well…weiner…on foreign policy, but this was brilliant.
He also proposed an amendment to the current House bill that replaces the bill (HR 3200) with the much heralded HR 676 (National Health Insurance Act)
So…Hail!
July 31st, 2009 at 1:27 pmI say Obama and congress should just make Medicare available for all, once and for all! It does work fairly well and maybe, just maybe we’ll have health care rated higher than 37th in the world. We should be number 1 in health care instead of health care profiteering.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:27 pmMy guess is most of the lawmakers who are fighting tooth and nail to oppose health care reform are doing so on marching orders from the health insurance lobbyists.
But even the health insurance industry knows just how far they can push the envelope, and they realize that going so far as to demand the end of Medicare would kill their golden goose.
So, since they aren’t demanding an end to Medicare, neither are the members of Congress.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:30 pmmisscoleopteramolly says:
July 31st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Thanks, missmolly. I wanted to know how my Blue Dog Rep voted.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:30 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins says
July 31st, 2009 at 1:09 pm
And where is all this health insurance industry cash coming from? From the premiums that are paid to them.
____________________________________________________________
Exactly. And this kind of logic should be making policyholders’ heads explode.
“Where are my premiums going?”
July 31st, 2009 at 1:35 pm“To pay lobbyists to ensure you continue to have no choice but to keep paying them to us!”
This is why I think all the polls are bogus. Do you think seniors have forgotten how lucky they are they have Medicare? Don’t they remember how Regan and the other Repugs try to kill it? Don’t they remember the same old scare tactics? If they do, then they know the Repugs arguments are bogus. If they don’t care, then they are selfish.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:35 pmCUCKING FOWARDS.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:37 pmThe message that the repubs are sending out is that, “you are only average Americans, so therefore you’re not as important as we are. You really don’t deserve the type of benefits that we have because you’re just not that important”. We will tell you what you need to have. Now will you just shut up”!?
July 31st, 2009 at 1:39 pmRepublicans were blasting it as a “political farce.”
Hopefully these Regressives will grow up so the next time they can be mature enough to plug their ears and chant, “Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah….” instead.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:39 pmSpencer’s mom says:
If only the GNOP had a brain, a heart, courage.
Because the (R)s sure as hell have the nerve.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:39 pmSo when are MSM journalists going to start asking the loudest voices opposing health care reform why they wouldn’t support an amendment ending Medicare?
I want to see these guys pinned to the wall with this one.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:40 pm“Political farce!” is just another way of saying, “we have no rational way of explaining our hypocrisy in a way that won’t embarrass us even more.”
July 31st, 2009 at 1:42 pmNot true just of healthcare but anything we buy. We’re always tithing a portion to to support lobbying against our own interests. What to do?
July 31st, 2009 at 1:47 pmThese are the people we need running the leadership in the house and senate.
People with a sense of political theater who know how to make the Repubs eat their own ignorant words.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:49 pmPlease-please somebody explain to me why the fact members of congress (with the exception of Ron Paul) receive government-run healthcare (for LIFE) is not a lead on EVERY news, blurb and/or blog about the current healthcare debate.
The fact so many talking heads are “torn” about the healthcare debate is one thing.
The fact the recipients of so much government healthcare are “torn” is something else entirely.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:58 pmWhen it come to Republicans the word hypocrisy has lost all meaning.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:05 pmHA!
I wish I lived in New York so I could vote for this guy.
Nicely played, sir. Nicely played.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:20 pmI don’t begrudge a single penny of my tax money going to pay for the health care of members of the House and the Senate as long as they are working to make sure I get insured, too.
This is why I don’t complain that Ted Kennedy gets the very best possible care for his brain cancer. Because he has worked his butt off to make sure every American gets quality health care just like he has, and he’s continued to work toward this goal to the best of his ability while sick.
But I sure as h*ll resent lawmakers getting their healthcare off my dime when they are working very hard to make sure I don’t get any.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:25 pmWhat’s really astounding here is not the complete and utter hypocrisy of the Regressive Party Members of Congress, but the fact that, apparently, all the trolls share their shame.
I mean, we’re already nearing 50% and not one mouth-breather has shown up spewing corporate/right-wing talking points.
Have the marching orders just not gone out yet, or do these trolls actually have a conscience?
July 31st, 2009 at 2:30 pmsmidget says
July 31st, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I wish I lived in New York so I could vote for this guy.
_____________________________________________________________
It looks like you’d have to live in southern Brooklyn or south central Queens to do so. I wonder what Weiner thinks of Giuliani’s pronouncement of how the people of New York are suffering? I know that Queens and Brooklyn aren’t quite as expensive as Manhattan, but they’re still considerably pricier than the rest of the country.
I’d be willing to be he’d sympathize more with the people who can’t afford health insurance than the people with fat incomes who claim they can’t afford to pay a little more in taxes.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:30 pmerr, I meant 50 posts, not 50%
July 31st, 2009 at 2:31 pmoops — “be” s/b “bet”
July 31st, 2009 at 2:32 pmSahu says
July 31st, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Have the marching orders just not gone out yet, or do these trolls actually have a conscience?
______________________________________________________________
Neither. The people who issue the marching orders have no rebuttal on this one, so they’re going to ignore it.
However, if they get pushed into a corner and HAVE to respond in some way, they’ll suggest that Weiner was born in Kenya and/or beats his wife.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:35 pm@misscoleopteramolly
I would bet that you are correct, as his constituents are not likely to be the $250,000/year strugglers that Giuliani (in his infinite wisdom) seems to think need help.
No matter if I was in a place to vote for him or not, I have a ton of respect for the balls it takes to do something like this. The very fact that he brought a bill like this to the floor could be used against him in the future, but he had a purpose: to reveal the hypocrisy that he was witnessing. And that’s freaking awesome.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:45 pmDoes Congress have a government-run health program? Just asking…. and THEY should be asked if they will drop THEIR plan just to prove their point! NO? The cop out will be “we…..need….to….take….our….time…to do it right, because we represent the needs of all Americans!”
July 31st, 2009 at 3:34 pmFor the past two days, I have been emailing members of the Congress and Senate because I found out that we, the tax-payer, are paying a large portion of federal employees health insurance premium.
I was outraged, because these low-lifes (Blue Dogs and Republicans) are doing everything they can to either stop health care reform, slow it down, or water the legislation down so much that it does hardly anything for the majority of Americans who have out of control premiums, mounting out of pocket expenses, and increasing co-pays and deductibles. The majority of Americans, of course, are the Middle Class.
After emailing them, what does Waxman’s committee do? They rush through a compromised bill that is watered down. Does anyone see a strong public option? Does anyone see anything that resembles Medicare (the government run program for the seniors and disabled)?
I looked at the “Federal Employees Health Benefits Program”. While Congress/Senate are haggling over quality, affordable, (not even comprehensive) health care for Americans, they are getting access to a comprehensive health plan that would make anyone salivate. And, once again, the American tax-payer foots more than half of their premium and we are paying all these federal employees wages and salary.
You will get even madder when you see the entire federal employees benefits program.
I asked these arrogant Blue Dogs and Republicans to reimburse the government (us) for the portion of their benefits that we pay. I also told them to return all or half of the salary that we pay them. I wish everyone on this blog would call these low-lifes and tell them that you pay for most of their benefits and their salary and you want a strong quality, affordable, comprehensive public option or single payer (like Medicare or the VA).
We’ve got to expose these people.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:00 pmGood political move by Weiner.
Germany had a mixed system: single payer, but you get to pick your health care provider, either a state run hmo or a private one. You get to pick your doctor and there is no longer wait than for any services in the USA. The costs for the hmo are comparable to the USA, maybe just slightly lower.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:25 pmSir, You are absolutely fabulous. Another example that the R,s DO NOT believe the B.S. that spews from their lying mouths. I say lets have a single pay plan and bury the insurance industry.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:07 am