Cantor Unable To Name Any ‘Compromises’ Republicans Are Willing To Make On Health Care Reform
Cantor Unable To Name Any ‘Compromises’ Republicans Are Willing To Make On Health Care Reform
Last night in his joint address to Congress, President Obama criticized — and praised — the actions of both Republicans and Democrats in the health care debate. While he said that he still supports a public option, he also said that he was open to “reforming our medical malpractice laws” to “help bring down the cost of health care.”
Responding this morning on ABC’s Good Morning America, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) basically pretended that none of that ever happened. He said that Obama still hadn’t offered any “guarantees” that health care reform wouldn’t “break the bank” or “ration” care. (Obama actually did address both issues in his speech last night, saying that the plan “will not add to our deficit” and insisting that claims about rationing and death panels are lies.)
Cantor also lamented that he hadn’t “heard some more on medical liability reform.” When host Robin Roberts pointed out that Obama did offer compromises on that issue and wondered what Republicans are willing to give, Cantor avoided the question and continued to attack Obama for not giving the GOP everything it desires:
ROBERTS: But the president did show some support for what you just talked about, John McCain — Senator John McCain. He did show support for that plan. And he did make some concessions. You talk about the guarantees. But are you willing to — some compromises of your own now, to go back to the table?
CANTOR: You know, Robin, I think it’s very important that we dismiss this notion of a government option. I think if we listen to the American people right now — the fear surrounds this notion that somehow the government will replace the health care system that we know in this country.
Watch it:
Throughout the health care debate, medical malpractice has largely been the only idea that Republican lawmakers have. Now that Obama has called their bluff and publicly put it on the table, they’re struggling to move on and come up with new objections. In addition to Cantor, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) criticized Obama for last night offering “essentially the same policies a majority of Americans reject.” “We need real solutions like lawsuit abuse reform,” he added.
Months ago, Obama also put tort reform on the table, asking what Republicans had to offer in return. They replied that they weren’t willing to make any concessions whatsoever, and proceeded to bash Obama for not offering any GOP compromises for the rest of the summer.
Transcript:
CANTOR: I don’t think necessarily last night that we heard in the House what we’re going to need to move forward on — on this idea of a government option.
And I think, you know, we — we went last night looking for some specifics. A lot of what I heard has been heard before.
I do think, though, that the president did leave open the door for us, as Republicans, to bring our ideas forward, and pointed out some areas that perhaps we could work together.
I think we really need to start with some guarantees, though. There need to be some guarantees that the government is not going to take away the health care decision-making from a patient and their doctor. I think we need to start with the guarantee that there won’t be any government rationing or discrimination of any kind.
And I think we need some guarantees that say we’re not going to break the bank with a trillion-dollar program.
So if we start there, I do think that there are some other areas we can work together. Obviously, the president talked about the preexisting conditions. We can fix that. Senator McCain suggested a program during last year’s campaign that would create universal access programs at the state level. Those are the type things we can do.
I wish I had heard some more on medical liability reform. Because I do think that’s a common sense way to bring down health care costs.
ROBERTS: But the president did show some support for what you just talked about, John McCain — Senator John McCain. He did show support for that plan. And he did make some concessions. You talk about the guarantees. But are you willing to — some compromises of your own now, to go back to the table?
CANTOR: You know, Robin, I think it’s very important that we dismiss this notion of a government option. I think if we listen to the American people right now — the fear surrounds this notion that somehow the government will replace the health care system that we know in this country.
And the fact is, there are probably close to 90 percent of the citizens in this country that do have insurance. Most of the people that have insurance like the insurance they have. But we’ve got to do something about the costs. There is no question that the current system is unacceptable. We cannot sustain the current system. So we’ve got to work together to find some ways to bring down those costs.
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Cantor is as slippery as the metric ton of hair gel he applies each day. What a waste.
(of hair gel and a seat in Congress)
September 10th, 2009 at 12:32 pmWhat an embarrassment.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:33 pmGuess he must have been busy texting last night to hear the important stuff.
.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:35 pmCompromise? Compromise!?!?!
Cantor doesn’t know the meaning of the word, ‘compromise!’
No… really.
He doesn’t know what it means. Can someone help him?
September 10th, 2009 at 12:36 pmNice to know the rethug posse wants no part in serving the actual voters they err “serve”. The people they choose to serve, are all the big health insurance corps, that give them money to keep you paying through the nose for care that keeps going up in cost and down in coverage. Dump the PUBS!!!
September 10th, 2009 at 12:36 pmThat’s the Repugnican’t plan:
No Compromises! Now what was the issue again?
September 10th, 2009 at 12:37 pmIt is truly amazing that some American people paying $500 for a root canal and insisting that there is no health care crisis. If I tell them the fact that a root canal is less than $100 in many countries, they just assume the quality of service is crappy, because that is FOREIGN. There seems to be no cure for those people.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pmWhat a joke. Remember when Chris (Tweety) Matthews asked that Rep. if he believed in evolution? And the SOB wouldn’t answer the question? Embarrassing.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pmWhy don’t the Repuglicans see the damage they are doing to the country with their deceitful and disgraceful behavior. Lies, Lies, Lies. Don’t they realize that WE THE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING? Are they that stupid. Well they are Repuglicans. Uggh.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pmPilotshark says:
Guess he must have been busy texting last night to hear the important stuff.
Right on…If the moron was paying attention maybe he would have some idea what was said!
September 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pmRepublicans got knocked on their asses last night. They morning GOP talkers seem shell shocked at how big a disaster was visited on them last night. Joe Wilson put the cherry on the top big time. It just couldn’t have come off better.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:43 pmIt’s kind of scary when you’re knocked off your talking points by the other side reciting facts….
September 10th, 2009 at 12:44 pmCant-or wont?
September 10th, 2009 at 12:44 pmTwittering Twit.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:45 pmThe repukes are against medical malpractice suits because that would be justice for the victim…and they certainly don’t want that.
A friend of mine was given some medications by his doctor, the WRONG ones, they destroyed his liver, pancreas, lungs….now he has to take $1,500 worth of meds every month to just stay alive, without a malpractice suit he would not have been able to afford the meds he now has to take to stay alive.
And this is just what the Repukes are against? Fcuk them.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:49 pmYou’re only listening to the “fear”, dirtbag, because that’s all your party has to offer. You incite fear because you think it serves your interest. If you’d stop twittering for a minute you might realize that inciting fear did NOT win the last election. In fact, it cost you the election. Why don’t you go back on your “listening tour”; how well did that work out for you? Circling the drain and too brain dead to do anything about it…
September 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pmCantor Unable To Name Any ‘Compromises’ Republicans Are Willing To Make On Health Care Reform »
– - Maybe he should have Blackberry’d someone for some crib notes.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pmFigures. SOS.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:54 pmCan’tor unable to name said ‘compromises’ becuase there have not been any.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:54 pmbecuase s/b because…damnit.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:54 pmCantor does not look like another female lobbyists spanker like Claiforna congressman Michael Duvall.
I bet all Republican Congressmen are told to watch carefully for their microphones from now on,and make sure nothing remains on when they discuss their sexual conquests and encounters,with reporters around.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:55 pmAs for tort reform. BS, it wont lower health insurance costs because they are rising at 100-120% every 8-10 years.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:56 pmhe also said that he was open to “reforming our medical malpractice laws” to “help bring down the cost of health care.”
I’m all for them working that in as well.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:58 pmaaronk quotes a web site that’s headline is “healthcare lie”
Now, I’m not a rocket scientist but that just doesn’t seem like it would be very credible to me……
aaronk, swirls around the drain on his way to his inevitable final destination.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:58 pmCantor is a bad mouthpiece for his pathetic side of the house…just a chat toy…He has no original thought of his own and is only told what to say and when to say it..an automaton…
It’s like the almost hour long session never even happened! What an idiot…
September 10th, 2009 at 12:59 pmwhoops, posted that on the wrong thread…mia culpa.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:59 pmAgreed. But the Republicans have a hard-on for it, so Obama is making a clever overture to them, offering this small carrot that’s so important to them and asking what they’ve got to offer in return.
Of course they’ve got nothin’.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:00 pmCantors top five campaign donations
September 10th, 2009 at 1:02 pm_______________________Total__Indivs____PACs_
Real Estate____________$113,950 $99,450 $14,500
Securities & Investment $95,350 $79,350 $16,000
Retired_________________$85,650 $85,650 $0
Lawyers/Law Firms_______$70,800 $63,800 $7,000
Insurance_______________$65,400 $35,450 $29,950
Cantor and company are on autopilot. Every one of their talking points and scary memes got shot down by an eloquent President and all they have is twitter.
They were shown publicly to be mean spirited liars and now the fun begins.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:03 pmJust like they did for tax cuts to ‘create jobs’ [trickle down theory] which it didnt.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:04 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Tort reform? It’s not the jury awards that are the problem. The problem is the premiums that are rising as another way for the insurance industry to make money.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:05 pmCANTOR: You know, Robin, I think it’s very important that we dismiss this notion of a government option. I think if we listen to the American people right now — the fear surrounds this notion that somehow the government will replace the health care system that we know in this country.
____________________________________________________________
Translation: “President Obama clearly shot down the idea that somehow the government will take over health care in this country. Now we have to work harder to ramp up the fear in the minds of the American people that this bogus meme is somehow connected to reality.”
September 10th, 2009 at 1:05 pmTundra says: The issue people are against is some of the overly outlandish lawsuit amounts for a doctors mistake which costs everyone more money.
Name one.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:07 pmWho is this idiot Noone?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:08 pmWhat ever happened to the GOPers rising star Bobby Jindal? Could it be after his questional billing of tax-payers for his private flights on a helicopter, he’s become a little embarrassing? Then again, which Republican is the LEAST embarrassing?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:08 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
I find this to be as blatant a lie as I have ever heard spoken.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pmYes, Bousant [3 malpractice suits] cost you more money yet here he is a spokesperson for the G ]\[ (O) P
How about we take doctors licenses away after the first lawsuit??
September 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pmPerhaps if Cantor had not spent the night texting on his blackberry he might have heard the president’s words.
Oh, wait, the catcalls from his fellow repugs in the congress also drowned out the president’s message.
Cantor and the repugs are just reinforcing the growing belief that they have only one plan – destroy Obama – and if the country suffers, it’s just collateral damage.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:10 pmPresumably he’s talking about caps on lawsuit damage awards. So unsurprisingly, his idea of “real solutions” is to go on protecting insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:10 pmTundra, all this lobbying [anti-free market] lobbying also costs people more money for insurance. How about we do away with the minority rule [anti-democracy] crowd?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:11 pmThe best part about the Republican rebuttal was that it reflected their attitude. It was obvious he hadn’t heard the speech and all he did was parrot nonsense.
Sort of like all those Republicans waving the carryout menu from Wun Hung Lo’s Chinese takeout restaurant during the speech.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:12 pmTundra, it’s called the criminal justice system for a reason.
You don’t give specifics of why it was so high and I suspect that you don’t care.
For each of your pitiful examples I could give you fifety to show that your previous statement is just a lie.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to do so. Just the fact that you make such an assertion disqualifies you from reasonable disscussion on the issue.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:12 pmCantor is paid by Israel to push for more money for Israel and hopefully attack Iran and steal more of Palestine land. Now you notice the last time the GOP pushed a fake Health Care Plan Eric Cantor was to busy to work on a plan because he had to attend the Britney Spears Concert. Cantor is in office to get pay to vote as Businesses pay him to vote against US citizens rights. The Virginia voters support Cantor self serving position of getting deals for his wife and getting kick back money for himself. When the voters of Cantor’s district start getting the high rise in their premiums and more lost their of lives due to lack of coverage you can bet the GOP and Cantor will blame President Obama.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:13 pmThere is no compromising with the right on health c are reform only surrender and the Democrats are showing themselves willing to surrender to the special interests starting with the Public Option on down. Obama is leading the Democratic Party towards a schism that will make the Protestant Reformation look tame.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:13 pmWHOA! Andrea Mitchell just got slammed down by a DEM for acting as if Obama Doesn’t have enough votes in the Senate. I love it when rich, spoiled teleprompter readers get slapped down.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pmMalpractice reform:
September 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pmInsurance companies don’t have to pay for a lifetime of care for a victim of malpractice (accidental or negligent) so they can continue to collect premiums and not pay the claims.
Bottom line — more profit, more bonus, and all it costs are regular golf outings and donations to congress.
How about we take doctors licenses away after the first lawsuit??
Sure, If someone is criminally negligent I have no problem with that.
If you want to start removing the license for everytime a doctor misses a diagnosis though and someone decides to sue them for it, we may run short on doctors.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pmAnd really, you know, the insurers for malpractice new what they were getting into, why is it that they feel a need to pass their losses unto others?
What kind of business model is that? Offer insurance, settle, pass loss off.
Its not my fault they sold insurance to less than competent doctors.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:16 pmFred says:
geee Fred, PLC asked me to name one, which I did. Move the goal posts to whereever they fit for ya though.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:16 pmTundra says:
Him and his pain was only worth 1.6 Mil though
How did you calcuate that? Go to a county fair and ask at the “Guess how much your pain is worth” booth?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:19 pmAnd this lobbying, 1.4 million a day. Thats 511 MILLION a year.
Some 10,000 people were treated, by medical professionals, for free which would have cost 2 million dollars.
511 million could have treated alot of people!!
Instead that money is whirling around the completely corrupt DC buzzards and no one, not one person got help. And then people are crying about tort reform raising prices?
RE DICK YOU LOSS
September 10th, 2009 at 1:20 pmTundra buddy,
How much is the health of your loved ones worth? How much is your leg worth, if it’s lost due to someone doing their job wrong?
When a Dr.-in-a-hurry leaves a sponge inside one of them and 2 weeks later they develop sepsis resulting in a month of hospitalization and lifelong disability, what do you want to be told to expect? You’d be content to have no recourse in Court? You’d be content to have an insurance man tell you you’re getting 5 thousand bucks, and you’d better be grateful for it?
Or would you rather have it reduced to a simple “cost of doing business” analysis, where, as long as it doesn’t cost too much, it’s ok for Dr.’s and hospitals to screw up and hurt or kill people?
Taking a high-dollar case or two out of context is a bad way to try to understand why we have tort law in the first place.
Why do so many people think that people in the past were all stupid? Because they didn’t have cell phones? Do you know Tundra, how long ago tort law came into being and why?
Tundra – I don’t mind your contributions here, but it seems they’re all tied to just a couple of stereotyped ideas based on huge generalizations.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:20 pmMalpractice reform:
Insurance companies don’t have to pay for a lifetime of care for a victim of malpractice (accidental or negligent) so they can continue to collect premiums and not pay the claims.
Marie,
September 10th, 2009 at 1:20 pmpersonally I would be against that version of any proposal, but painting the whole “Malpractice reform” discussion with that brush isn’t fair to an open discussion of what it should include.
How did you calcuate that? Go to a county fair and ask at the “Guess how much your pain is worth” booth?
I read the article which broke down the individual settlements.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:22 pmP.D.
Andrea Mitchell was very good at REPORTING news. When she has to add insight or go in depth on a subject she turns into a mushmouth.
I love MSNBC in the evening, but during the day I switched to CNN…believe it or not, they really do a better job with Tony Harris, Hiedi Collins and Kira Philips.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:22 pmSeriously, we should all thank Mr Cantor for, once again, stating the his party is incapable of compromise, not interested in compromise, can’t even spell compromise.
Good job, Eric.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:23 pmNo wonder we dont get actual reform but swash plate rhetoric from the self serving, me me me, screw you viper den that passes itself of as servants of the people.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:23 pmjackie @ 1:13
Makes you wonder how much u.s. taxpayers
September 10th, 2009 at 1:24 pmare subsidizing Israel’s universal healthcare……
.
Kucinich responds to Obama’s health care address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if5fgI-w-CY
.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pmWhat does Peter Noone have to do with tort reform?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pmIs that the one thats right next to the “Guess how much this insurane is going to screw you” booth?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pmsorry, tom. I clicked the wrong button. I intended to add karma.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:27 pmtundra, you basically are telling us that you want socialism for the doctors but capitalism for us.
You can’t have it both ways little fella. You should really think about how stupid what you suggest really is.
If doctors are allowed to make huge profits from their practice that is capitalism at it’s ……well, best if you’re a capitalist. It’s as simple as that really and no discussion beyond that point makes any sense whatsoever.
You are not running the discussion on health care. You never have and with ideas like this, trust me, you never will.
Think.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:28 pmnp maj.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:28 pmI don’t know, but we are paying for 100% of Iraq’s.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:30 pmShorter Eric: Can’t
September 10th, 2009 at 1:30 pmtombaker says:
Most of the ones I have looked at involve a doctor “failing to diagnose” something.
Bottom line is that everytime someone is awarded money the costs of insurance go up. Insurance companies don’t pay out then say “it’s only 6 mil”, keep the things the same. They charge more, which costs you and me more when we go see a doctor. Because they have to pay more for insurance.
Claiming that everyone is “required” to have health insurance regardless if you want it or not for the greater good is one thing.
Claiming that if something happens you are limited to future care and a million dollars for pain and suffering for the greater good is bad?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:30 pmT – You’re still taking the exceptions and trying to make a rule out of them.
Were a person to subscribe earnestly to the method you demonstrate, they’d keep a lawyer and an accountant on retainer for “when they win the lottery”.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pmwhy should the PUkes compromise?
They’re winnig all the concessions anyway.
I didn’t hear a single word in Obama’s speech that posed a challenge to the Health Insurance Parasites, or would cause them a moment’s anxiety or disquiet…
September 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pmFred,
tundra, you basically are telling us that you want socialism for the doctors but capitalism for us.
No there big guy, I’m saying that if we are bringing up socialism for everyone else, the doctors should get it too. You are the one that can;t have it both ways. The whole topic was malpractice reform as a compromise in this overarching health care bill. so public option, malpractice reform sounds like both go socialist (fair enough). Unless you would rather everyone else get socialism but that socialism pays for the capitolistic greed of some.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:34 pmCantor is pushed by AIPAC to be their new Republican rising star.
He just came back from Israel after he and many other Republicans assured Israel that the money and aid to Israel in the billions of US dollars will continue to flow.
So when he talks about health cost to taxpayers it is all smokescreen.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:34 pmAgain with the tort reform. As someone who works in the health insurance industry, I can tell you which states we have to handle with kid gloves because of the lack of tort reform, and they fall to the west of Georgia and the east of Louisiana. Pretty sure those two are solidly part of the right’s traditional base. Tell them to catch up with the rest of the country (good luck with that, by the way) on tort reform so their reps and senators can find a new talking point.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pm“I think if we listen to the American people right now — the fear surrounds this notion that somehow the government will replace the health care system that we know in this country.”
See, here is another example of a Republican conveniently “confusing” corporations with the American people in order to muddy the discussion. Understand that when Republicans make statements like this one, they are intentionally equating corporate concerns with the concerns of Americans in an effort to push their meme without the outward appearnece of being a total nub. Like during the primaries when McCain would constantly say that Obama will raise your taxes. He sure looked like he was talking directly to average Americans but his statement was directly aimed toward corporations and corporate ceos. Ever since the Supreme Court ruled that corporations enjoy the exact same rights as individuals back in the late 1800’s this has been a problem.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pmCantor says:
…I think if we listen to the American people right now — the fear surrounds this notion that somehow the government will replace the health care system that we know in this country.
You, Mr. Cantor, are among those who are placing that, irrational and baseless, fear into your constituents. You and your ilk are creating that fear by lying to people who trust you. I never, ever, thought I would quote Bible Spice but, “quit making things up”!
September 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pmI recently re-read Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink and he had some interesting insights into malpractice suits.
Basically, the doctors who get sued are invariably doctors with poor bedside manners. If people like their doctor, if he or she seems to listen to them and pay attention to their concerns, they almost never sue him or her, no matter the mistake.
If a doctor is by nature arrogant, or ignores a patient’s concerns, that doctor is many times more likely to get sued for malpractice.
Hardly surprising, then that the Congressman who delivered the Republican response to the President’s speech last night is a surgeon who has been sued eight times.)
What does this mean? Well, on the one hand, it means that malpractice suits are not necessarily the last-resort course for injured patients; sometimes they may be driven by resentment as much as physical pain and trauma.
But on the other hand, it also means that tort reform is not necessarily the best way to reduce the incidence of lawsuits. Maybe doctors should just try being nicer and more considerate of the people they are supposed to be serving.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pmTundra says
September 10th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
The issue people are against is some of the overly outlandish lawsuit amounts for a doctors mistake which costs everyone more money.
_____________________________________________________________
Would you mind providing some examples of these “overly outlandish lawsuit amounts”? We get a lot of the “overly outlandish lawsuit amount” rhetoric but seldom do we get any examples of this happening.
You may be able to come up with a few. I’m sure there are some documented on the anti-reform sites. But there are a few things I’d like to point out.
Damages in a malpractice lawsuit (like all civil lawsuits) are awarded as compensatory damages (to compensate for physical damage to the victim, as well as “pain and suffering” damages), and punitive damages (in cases of gross negligence, it basically amounts to a fine to deter future incidents).
Compensatory damages to award the victim for physical damage aren’t usually controversial. If a doctor’s mistake results in the victim requiring $1,500 of meds a month to stay alive, nobody really contests that.
Compensatory damages to award the victim for “pain and suffering” is a bit more subjective. How much would it take to compensate for losing a healthy leg unnecessarily? Or for not having your cancer diagnosed until it was in Stage 4 because your doctor thought your pain was all in your head? Everybody has a different opinion on this. And many people are willing to have this type of compensation capped — until either they or somebody they love find themselves in the position of malpractice victim.
Punitive damages are generally awarded when the malpractice occurs as a result of gross or willful negligence, and less so when a doctor trying to do the right thing makes an honest mistake. There’s a big difference between a doctor having to perform an emergency life-or-death procedure and in his haste, fails to check the patient’s chart that one time — and a doctor who routinely doesn’t check patients’ charts and trusts his memory for patient information.
There have been some cases of malpractice awards — particularly in the areas of “pain and suffering” compensation and punitive damages — that would be seen by a reasonable person as “outlandish”. These are generally appealed and the award reduced.
The system works.
And one further thing — the cost of malpractice runs about 1% of the total cost of health care in this country. Even if we were to ban malpractice suits altogether (an unlikely scenario), the resulting “windfall” would only be a drop in the bucket. It’s highly doubtful any company’s premiums or any health care provider’s fees would drop. And it wouldn’t make health care or health insurance more affordable for anyone.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pmwe may run short on doctors.
or the ones we got would quit screwing up…
September 10th, 2009 at 1:37 pmT – You’re still taking the exceptions and trying to make a rule out of them.
That’s what this entire bill is all about. A majority of the people are neither sick/dying or on medications they can;t afford.
A majority of the people are healthy and able to walk around just fine (I see them daily)
Forcing people to have insurance “For their own good” is not choice, it’s taking the exceptions and forcing them on all.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:37 pmNot to defend Cantor (which would be defending the indefensible).
But I **DO** much prefer the honesty of “we won’t negotiate” to the duplicity of “negotiate in bad faith in order to add ammendments to weaken the bill that we will vote against anyway”
September 10th, 2009 at 1:39 pmTundra, when health care is not for profit then you can have your tort reform. Until then you can just continue to cry and whine as if you mattered.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:42 pmThe doctors who take medicare already get public [Socialists!!] dollars and they also get it from insurance companies that ARE subsidized by public dollars and here in Texas they get it through federal grants to keep health insurance pool costs down
September 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pmstupid
September 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pmForcing people to have insurance “For their own good” is not choice, it’s taking the exceptions and forcing them on all.
I think thats something the private insurers want…IE more subsidies for them.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:46 pmTaking a snapshot of a population and projecting that condition forward in perpetuity is a recipe for disaster.
Yes, most people are healthy now.
But most people, at some time in their lives, will face disease or injury. Some of those diseases and injuries will be serious, may even threaten livelihoods. I would even say enough of them will face these challenges to make the lost productivity and the lost financial security a threat to the wider economy and society.
Our medical system has developed to the point that its treatments are almost always expensive: expensive proprietary drugs, expensive surgeries, expensive therapies. A big part of this growth has been due to the insurance system we have. As long as insurers can reliably pass on their rising costs to consumers, there is little serious pressure to constrain those costs. The only real pressure has come from the desire to increase profitability. That’s powerful, but not as powerful as the constraints placed by there being no more money out there to harvest through increased premiums. We are rapidly approaching that point, I figure.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pmLOL, a friend just texted me, I told him I was having a meeting with governor Rick Perry, he thought it meant I was taking a dump.
Heh
September 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pmWait, Didnt I just hear some RW politico telling people its ‘irrespnsible’ to no have insurance?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:49 pmby Tundra’s beck like stats you would think that no child ever dies in America.
How about it t, do any children die in America?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:49 pmralph,
But on the other hand, it also means that tort reform is not necessarily the best way to reduce the incidence of lawsuits.
Not saying it is, the president put an olive branch out in an attempt to bring people to a compromise and several people here are completely against any compromise.
Maybe doctors should just try being nicer and more considerate of the people they are supposed to be serving.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:50 pmPossibly, but any attempt to regulate a doctors bedside manner would be futile. Offering education for them/slideshows etc as a federal program to hope to help their bedside manner is an option I suppose.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
How about it t, do any children die in America?
Quite often there Fred and as much as you don’t want to believe it they still will even if we have a full hospital on every corner and wrap them in bubblewrap.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:51 pmThen Eric Cantor will be singing from the sidelines. Except he won’t be singing. More likely whining.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pmwho cares.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pmWait, Didnt I just hear some RW politico telling people its ‘irrespnsible’ to no have insurance?
I don’t know, did you? I’m all for someone deciding they don’t need or want it. If they feel their situation warrents not having insurance, that’s a choice.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pmGeez T – You mean there are people whose premiums/deductibles/copays aren’t going up?
’cause I thought everyone’s were.
Oh, and what about all those employers who have announced they’ll be cutting back benefits and increasing employee contribution rates? Didn’t sound to me like it was the “exceptional” ones, but the “big” ones doing that.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pmFilled Your Taco
September 10th, 2009 at 1:54 pmBut will fewer of them die if we make sure they have medical care?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:54 pmI promise to vote for him, if you’ll promise to hold your breath ’til he’s sworn in.
Deal?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:55 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
From what I have seen/read the doctors time is limited to some 15 minutes with each patient due to the assembly line methodology of the MBA nitnoids.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pmRalph
September 10th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I understand your point, which also is the exact argument for limiting awards for pain and suffering. Your point is that for the “greater good of the country” people should be required to have insurance….Ok, I see that
But on the same foot “for the greater good” there should be a limit to what you can receive for pain and suffering.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Can’t say I blame them. What’s the point of compromising with someone when you’re the only one willing to meet halfway?
Especially when the other guy has no cards to play?
Republicans have shown they have no intention of compromising. My suspicion is that it’s not so much an ideological stance, it’s more just that they know any success that Obama has with a good health care bill will be a disaster for them politically, so they’re committed to stop it at any cost.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pmBut will fewer of them die if we make sure they have medical care?
Even fewer still will die if we put a fully staffed medical facility in everyones back yard.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pmDid you know that there were no illegal aliens or anchor babys until Jan 20, 2009?
Its true if you ask a freeper
September 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pmYou mean “anchor baby” like
Michelle Malkin,
or “anchor baby” like
Bobby Jindal
?
September 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pmEven fewer still will die if we put a fully staffed medical facility in everyones back yard.
Pimby!
September 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pmtom,
Oh, and what about all those employers who have announced they’ll be cutting back benefits and increasing employee contribution rates? Didn’t sound to me like it was the “exceptional” ones, but the “big” ones doing that.
I’m not saying there shouldn;t be reform, I’m not saying there isn;t a problem, I’m not saying they should do nothing. I was saying “malpractice reform should be part of a comprehensive bill”
September 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pmWilson is a liar for calling others liars.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pmTundra, you’re an idiot, I’m done with you.
Ralph, have fun. I just don’t have the heart to deal with people like tundra today.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pmSure, ’cause no one else has had the “guts” to do that, have they? Too bad the President WASN’T lying.
Must really kill you that the Congressman was forced to apologize, doesn’t it?
September 10th, 2009 at 2:01 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Tundra, you’re an idiot, I’m done with you.
Night darling!
September 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pmT – What I read (re: exceptions) was:
Then you switched to talking about “individual madate”, which is a different idea altogether (and one I don’t like), and one that was added to the mix as a gimme to the righties and insurance companies, who squealed they’d be put out of business by a National Plan.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pmThank You Joe Wilson for apologizing for you child like emotional outbursts that have no place in rational debate unlike the townhall folks that think yelling is a solution.
But now I am afraid since Wilson apologized El Jabba the Blimpblob is going to make him kiss his pylonidal arse.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pmYou’d really have something there, kws
if you could prove it.
But you can’t.
Because it’s untrue.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
On a side note you guys are the best bloggers and I enjoy making a comment because if I mess up or make a mistake you nice enough to correct my many errors. I’ve lived to see so much and I glad I’m blessed to see this stage of the US book of growth.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pmkws – why not save us all a lot of time, and just tell us how much you resent minorities?
you’re sounding more and more hysterical these days, btw.
what’s up with that?
September 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Once again, our stupid pet trolls are fiercely defending their delusions.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pmI think he was talking about fraud.
Speaking of waste, did you know the insurance bigs will spend 511 million dollars, which they will pass down, in one year for a bunch of hookers that call themselves lobbyists?
September 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pmI dont see any research in your post KWS
September 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pmGee, why didnt you think of that starting in 1994 to 2008?
September 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pmkws – if you’re really worried about illegal immigration’s impact on your tax bill (the only thing you do actually worry about), then why would you stand up for the right wing, which is run by people who profit from illegal immigrant labor??
you’ve got your causes and effects all mixed up, friend.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pmkwsventures says
September 10th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Obama’s lies
____________________________________________________________
Not only is everything on your list NOT a lie, but President Obama explained most of these in detail last night, justifying WHY they’re true.
Now it’s your turn. Please provide a convincing argument as to WHY each of these items is a lie.
Let’s start with the first one. You claim that “46M Americans not insured” is a lie. OK — how many Americans to you believe are uninsured, and can you provide a reliable source for this information?
And while you’re on a roll, go to the second item. Explain how when Page 143 of HR 3200 explicitly states that “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.” — that this means that undocumented residents will get government funded health care. (aside from emergency room care, which they already are getting with every other uninsured person, and taxpayers are already paying for)
Now just continue down your list. If you can provide a coherent argument for each item and why it’s a lie, I promise I won’t vote you down.
But I suspect this is just today’s tear sheet of wingnut talking points and you have no real backup for them.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:19 pmkwsventures says
September 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
28% of those so called 46M are illegal aliens.
_____________________________________________________________
Source, please.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pmThat’s because you’re a manichean right-winger who clings to the Law of the Excluded Middle.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pmThe sad fact is that Reichwhiners are all in favor of spending money to kill people but against spending money to help people. I think it’s because of their fundamental impatience and lack of impulse control.
You see? It’s easy to see the results of spending money to kill people. One can calculate the “bang for the buck” as soon as the shot has been fired. If the shot results in a boody count? It’s a “good investment”.
Spending money to help people, on the other hand, takes a lifetime to measure the result. In fact, we may all be dead and gone before a result can be seen. And impatient people with poor impulse control are fundamentally incapable of making an investment that has a differed payoff.
Add that to their many delusions and it becomes clear that debate is futile. There’s no way to plan for the future when one includes those who lack the intellect and insight to believe in the future.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:27 pmmisscoleopteramolly,
I haven’t checked out Drudge (I already showered and don’t want to waste water) but, from what I’ve heard on the radio, it sounds like our trolls are getting their talking points from the dropout himself.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pmAs pets, our trolls make lousy companions. They are constantly peeing on the drapes and crapping on the carpets, and they’re always barking at the TV.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pmTrue, ralph. They’re worse than a feral cat with distemper. They spit and hiss. But? They’re cute when they’re little!
September 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pmWhat happpened to the 10th Amendment? Tort liability for medical malpractice is a state issue. The Republicans want to nationalize something that should be left to each state. A prominent Dem needs to point out this inconsistency to the public to show what the Republicans are really about–BS.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:41 pmdid anyone ask eric who he was sexting last night during the President’s speech?
September 10th, 2009 at 3:22 pm135. pags2 – you seem to miss all the other things that are regarded as interstate commerce.
To take a strict interpretation of the Constitution (none of them constructionist judges) to show the 10th amendment as being fully applicable you would have to have a patient living in a single state (fairly easy) going to a doctor licensed in a single state (not as easy, but doable) practicing in a hospital that is not part of a multistate corporation (rather difficult) using drugs provided by only in-state pharmacy chains delivering only drugs manufactured in the state (essentially impossible) and the payment being made by an entity which is not multistate (either patient or insurance company)
Fail on any of these tests, and you have an uphill climb to claim the 10th (or even the intrastate commerce clauses in the main body of the Constitution).
September 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pmMapleStreet says:
135. pags2 – you seem to miss all the other things that are regarded as interstate commerce.
I know that it may be interstate commerce but that analysis could be extended to auto accidents, products liability, or any other tort liability that results in medical treatment. My position is that malpractice is just an opening for the Republicans. Corporations would love for the feds to take over products liability and severely restrict the right to sue and damages. I do not favor the federalization of tort liability.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:34 pmIf President Obama doesn’t get it by now that the Republics aren’t going to do anything to pass a decent health care reform bill, he’s never going to get it. He needs to tell them to pound sand and then go for reconciliation. He also needs to pound heads of Democrats who try to stand in the way. Either that or the DNC and DLC need to put them on notice that if they stand in the way of real health care reform, they will receive no financial help the next time they run for office.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:40 pmmisscoleopteramolly says:
kwsventures says
September 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
28% of those so called 46M are illegal aliens.
_____________________________________________________________
Source, please.
I agree with you however i think we confuse our trolls here (which is not very hard to do) we should start asking for :real fact checked sources, as well they go to there fact less source sites and get there talking rebuttal sources:
So troll we will accept all fact checked sources.
oh trolls and you all know who you are he`s some thing for you to help out
names
dates
places
just three words that should help you narrow down what makes a good fact.
Thanks
September 10th, 2009 at 3:44 pmkwsventures says:
28% of those so called 46M are illegal aliens. But they need to pad the statistics. Do some research and get back to me.
You trolls never get it, do you. It’s not up to us to prove you are wrong, it’s up to you to prove you are right. Did you have your friends do your homework for you when you were a kid?
September 10th, 2009 at 3:50 pmmisscoleopteramolly says:
kwsventures says
September 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
28% of those so called 46M are illegal aliens.
_____________________________________________________________
Source, please.
They have no source. If they did, they would post it. These fools just go to the RNC talking points website and load up with their latest lies.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:51 pmTundra says:
ralph,
But on the other hand, it also means that tort reform is not necessarily the best way to reduce the incidence of lawsuits.
Not saying it is, the president put an olive branch out in an attempt to bring people to a compromise and several people here are completely against any compromise.
Would that be anything like the entire Republic party? You know, the party that thinks compromise means the opposition party gives them everything they want.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pmObama said last night that he will listen to any reasonable idea. Then why is it he hasn’t talked to the republicans since april and why hasn’t anyone said anything about HR3400.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:17 pmOh wait I know it’s because it isn’t their government plan that they want.
“Cantor Unable To Name Any ‘Compromises’ Republicans Are Willing To Make On Health Care Reform”
That is because Britney Cantor and the Party of No got nothing. Zero. Nada. And the GOP still as of yet come up with numbers and an economy plan to their GOP pamphlet that they polticially displayed back in April. This is all political theatre for the GOP. And Cantor, Boner, and the rest of the GOP were chastised, spanked, put in their place, and put on notice by President Obama that game over.
Much of the media and wingnuts are still trying to figure out President Obama. And the GOP didn’t see what was coming to them when Obama simply called them out. The American people not only saw the Republican party for they are last night but so did the entire world.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:20 pmTundra, I’m sorry I did not respond right away to your providing an example of an outlandish malpractice claim but I’ve been busy today (and I have to leave soon). I did want to offer the following comments, however:
- You chose as an example a 2007 award from the largest state in the union and specifically labelled the highest award in that state for that year. That’s hardly representative.
- This award was by a jury – regular Americans looking at the facts of the case and making a decision. We are only looking at the summary.
- As the article stated, limits are already in place in California as the award was going to be reduced by existing law. Therefore, there is no need for tort reform in this case.
- The man’s wife is likely to be the man’s caregiver now, perhaps having to give up her own job and drastically limit her activities to care for him. Compensation/damages seem appropriate for this.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:20 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins
According to the Pew Hispanic Center there are 11.9 million Illegals in this country.
http://pewhispanic.org/
September 10th, 2009 at 4:33 pmSo I guess what kw was saying about the Illegals is right. Of the “46 million that are uninsured 11.9 million of them are illegal. Don’t it just suck when the facts get in the way.
138. pags2
It appears I took you at just the reverse of what you were saying.
While I would question a federal take-over of tort, I also have to note that the repubs seem to want a federal take-over of tort but use the 10th to keep insurance a state issue.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:46 pmExcept that you both missed the part that denies payment for treatment of undocumented immigrants.
So you and your friend are both still wrong.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:54 pmMapleStreet says:
…but use the 10th to keep insurance a state issue.
That is not correct. The Republicans want the feds to step in and take over regulation of insurance companies which is and has been always a state matter. Every insurance company must adhere to state regulations where they do business. The state regulations prevent consumer abuses. If the feds come in and allow insurance companies to sell cross state lines without compliance to states rules, then they avoid liability for abuses. Republicans were responsible for deregulating financial services and that ended in a disaster. We do not want to go there again with insurance companies. Obama wants to legislate minimum federal requirements for health insurance, but the states still have regulatory authority.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:59 pmCantor and other Republicans are nuts when they say people “like” the insurance they have now. I have been with my current employer 11 years now and I am with the 4th insurance provider in that 11 year period. I am grateful for the health insurance I have but with the high turn-over, high premium costs, high deductable and constant squabbles with the insurance company I certainly don’t “like” them. They are more like a necessary evil that I endure. I’m guessing that I am far from alone in this regard.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:37 pmOutlaw284 says:
Obama said last night that he will listen to any reasonable idea. Then why is it he hasn’t talked to the republicans since april and why hasn’t anyone said anything about HR3400.
Nobody said he hasn’t listened to it. Of course he’s listened to it. It’s just that it’s dumb.
.
Outlaw284 says:
So I guess what kw was saying about the Illegals is right. Of the “46 million that are uninsured 11.9 million of them are illegal. Don’t it just suck when the facts get in the way.
Nope, that’s not part of the 46m. Including undocumented immigrans, it’d be 58m.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:04 pmCantor – another genius in the republiKlan party.
He’s got the “No Plan” plan. ;)
I wonder what happened to his plans to get the KKKonservanazi party in touch with the people. Remember when they staged a “party” to reach out to people. Another KKKonservanaz ‘astro turf’ fiasco.
buck fush.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:30 pmrepugs lie when they state they are concerned about the spending. That is a bald face lie.
The government has a bottom line also. It’s not like a public option won’t save money and cut cost. For one thing, the public option doesn’t have to pay citizens for astroturf racist rallies. That’s a giant saving.
If the private sector can’t make money then they are doing something wrong.
President Obama brought up cost saving facts, hospitals are now responsible for preventable ails such as bedsores and in-house infections.
Technology will play a huge part in saving money and improved healthcare.
Can someone please explain to me what a Cadillac healthcare plan is.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:02 amtombaker
Illegal’s will be covered in this bill. Reason being there is nothing in the bill to require anyone to check for citizenship. And since hospitals are required to treat people they are not allowed to refuse treatment then they will be covered.
Now you want to show me where in the bill it says that illegals are not going to be treated and how they are going to be able to prove they are illegal then i will believe what you have to say. But since it isn’t in the bill I guess you can’t show me how they are going to keep illegals from getting the care.
ElBruce
So i guess you are saying that your pres. was lieing last night to. Since he said that there are 30 million uninsured.
Not to mention that the Democrats are the ones that have been saying that there are 47 million uninsured in this country and that has been adding the illegals to.
By the was Factcheck says that the number of total uninsured is 45.7 million and that is both citizens and illegals. So that means that your 58 million number is wrong.
And as for HR 3400 and Obama not hearing it because It’s just that it’s dumb.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:23 amThat is the biggest lie there is yet. He didn’t even read HR3200 so there is no way that he even thought about reading HR3400.
And since Obama doesn’t want a bipartisan bill that would explain why he hasn’t talked to them. Not to mention that everything in his speach was a repeat and lies anyway.
Obama was told the house republicans wanted to talk about health care reform and he is the one that said no.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/57859-boehner…%20thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/57859-boehner-gop-leaders-havent-met-obama-for-health-talks-since-april
Just another Lib lie. Het Obama is getting good at that. The more he talks the more that all that comes out is lies. He is worse then Clinton ever was.
Outlaw284 says:
They wont be covered. It specifically says so. You are a liar a fool and a moron. You are brainwashed to an astonishing extent and you are spewing the stupid you have been programmed with. You are too stupid to understand plain English apparantly for instance the plain langauge IN the bill that says illegal aliens will NOT be covered. Why dont you just STFU until you have some dim idea what you are talking about?
They will probably still be treated in embergency rooms. I say still since THAT IS HOW IT IS NOW. That is emergency treatment that is NOT HEALTHCARE you insufferable moron. Since you are plaingly too stupid to even understand the basic language of what we are talking about you are too stupid to contribute to the adult conversation.
September 12th, 2009 at 3:59 amThank you for your sharing.!
September 13th, 2009 at 11:16 amHe is a hater not a debater like most of his side of the isle estetik.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:33 am