Former GOP Majority Leader Bill Frist on Senate health legislation: I’d vote for it.
Former GOP Majority Leader Bill Frist on Senate health legislation: I’d vote for it.
In an interview today with Time’s Karen Tumulty, former Republican Senate Majority Leader Dr. Bill Frist dismissed the GOP’s balking over health care legislation. Underscoring how much Republicans have become the “party of no” and how much the Senate Finance Committee legislation has been watered-down, Frist said that if he were still in office, he would vote for the bill. “I would end up voting for it,” he said. “As leader, I would take heat for it. … That’s what leadership is all about.” Frist has already come out for the individual mandate and has said that Democrats would be well within legal and ethical guidelines using the reconciliation process to pass health reform. In his interview with Tumulty, Frist also took issue with his party’s fearmongering, saying that “death panels and public plan arguments have been overblown.”
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Heh. Evidently Bill Frist was part of the first wave of Republican Crazy…
That tide has since come all the way in.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:33 pmOh no! A republican preaching a little sanity? What’s this world coming to?
By the way Frist, better get ready to apologize to Limbaugh and Beck…
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:34 pmSure but conservative guy thinks Frist is a RINO….
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:34 pmNice going, First…too bad you’re about 3 years too LATE.
Once a GOP Congressional Leader, Always a GOP Congressional Leader: always looking to bolster their image, in whatever way possible (see also Armey, DeLay, Gingrich)
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:37 pmIt takes something as venal as shrivelled up Mitch McConnell to finally make Bill Frist look mildly statesmanlike. Wow. Just wow.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 pmOh, who cares what Bill Frist would or wouldn’t do, as long as he keeps his fingers out of the political cookie jar.
He’ll proably be Mitch McConnell’s first pick to head the GOP sponsored Death Panels in 2011 after the Democrats screw things up and the Republipimps get the Senate back. Now that they’ve had the Death Panel idea out there for a few months, the Republipimps are sure to decide that it’s a good idea, as long as 1) they’re in charge of it, and 2) they can blame it on the Democrats.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 pmPersistent vegetative state.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:46 pm…I wonder and hope that Karen Tumulty is asking the REALLY hard questions.
If I remember correctly, she should be, as her brother was going through hell, without insurance, when he had a very serious health issue (his kidneys I think…I heard her report on this on NPR and saw an interview on TV…last year I believe).
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:47 pmShorter Frist: PLEASE LOVE ME!!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:47 pmIt’s pretty safe now that you’re out of office to say what you “would have done.”
On the other hand, Frist diagnosed Terry Schiavo via remote videotape.
Frist and his father formed a for-profit health care
corporation.
Also, when the repugs of today make Frist look reasonable, that shows how low they have sunk.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:48 pmdbadass
O/T
I hope you have been taking notes on the usual psychos.
backedup has admitted to gender identity confusion.
aaronk can’t find his balls to quit his affiliation to a loser party.
Jeffy Bovine is still playing hide-and-seek then comes out bursting his homosexual obsessions when nobody pays attention to him.
All of these three losers also rejoice at the thought of America’s defeat.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:49 pmThe hell he would. He would be in lockstep with the rest of those fools.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:50 pmHow many hundreds of millions of dollars did his family health company make off the status quo? How many millions of dollars did they pay in fines for fraud?
Death Panels overblown? If you mean corporate insurers deciding how many must die—then no, it is not overblown. If you mean public healthcare will choose who dies—-then YOU LIE!
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pmjohnny dol1ar
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm—
I am getting old. I hope my notes and ideas will help a very promising grad student some day….
.
Just like sliced bread…
… The G(no)P is beginning to claim it is their loaf!
.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:59 pmSince he’s an MD the Dems should hit the Reptilecons hard on this. Then like Fristie, they all should all retire….see the real world…. cash in on their payoffs….see the light….and pass on.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:01 pmfrist walked lockstep with the republicans. This is just posturing and means absolutely nothing.
It does put the gop in a bit of a snuggy position though. heh.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 pmIs “The Hive Mind” is losing it’s grip?
Doubt it, once a scumbag always a scumbag.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:06 pmIsn’t it fascinating how the only Republicans who can sound at all reasonable are all retired and no longer seeking re-election?
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:11 pmOh goody. Now that the Dems have permission from a former somebody in the GOP, maybe they’ll actually do the job we elected them to do.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 pmO_o
Ever since the Republican Party began pandering to the fundies, it has been nothing but down hill for them. Look at the “Stars” of their party… Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman, DeMint, Sanford, and Jindal. Everyone of them are bat poop crazy.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:18 pmBill Frist and his father helped turn out Health Care system they way it is now. They started the whole for profit crap in the 80s.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:23 pmPattP,
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:26 pmYou know how it goes…
… If the G(no)P says jump, ask how high, YES?
.
I see Frist is diagnosing things from a distance, AGAIN.
.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:26 pm#19,
ralph,
yes he does sound a lot like our friend backup.
i don’t trust backup.
i don’t trust frist.
**
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:34 pmFrist’s position on this doesn’t Surprise me at all.
Big Pharma and the Insurance Companies stand to make Huge $$$$ from Health Care Reform IF they can charge whatever they want .
Without the Public Option to Control Costs, this Is A Huge WINDFALL for the Health Care Industry.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:50 pmFrist has made a point that he would vote for health care reform. Well Frist is not in office so his comment doesn’t mean much. I am reminded of the old Archie Bunker line: “it is easy to be generous when it doesn’t cost anything.” It is easy for Frist to say he is for something, when he doesn’t have a vote in the US Senate anymore.
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:06 pmMarie says:
I concur 1000%
RIP
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:48 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
ralph the wonder llama says:
Isn’t it fascinating how the only Republicans who can sound at all reasonable are all retired and no longer seeking re-election?
Its just shows you how cowardly Republicans are, they wont go with their conscience, or do the right thing, it’s all the party or nothing with them.
RIP
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Those that have no vote are meaningless. Was it the thought that counts?
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 pmThis just in from Fox News:
Bill Frist (D) supports Obama’s socialist healthcare reform.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:35 pmIntrepid says:
This just in from Fox News:
Bill Frist (D) supports Obama’s socialist healthcare reform.
Dammit, I Googled that and everything!
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:27 amThis is not news. I would expect Republicans to vote for corporate welfare that includes a mandate to make for-profit insurance company rich by forcing Americans to buy it.
The question is, would he vote for HR 676?
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:55 am“As leader, I would take heat for it. … That’s what leadership is all about.”
Whatever. As if you know what leadership is all about. You certainly led the Republicans down the road to minority status, and it took you only 3 years.
Oh, and I, too, call Bulls*** on his announcement that he’d vote for the hc bill.
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:02 pmSo, Dr. Frist, how getting off your fat ass and convince the rest of your greedy, money-hungry collegues to vote YES!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:09 pmsouthrnbelle says:
So, Dr. Frist, how getting off your fat ass and convince the rest of your greedy, money-hungry collegues to vote YES!!!
Talk is cheap. Republicans, cheaper.
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:17 pmHere’s some fresh, steaming Michelle Bachmann spewing forth on the health care bill:
She just keeps on giving.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:25 amThank you for your sharing.!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:35 pmFormer majority leader even criticized his party. saç ekimi
October 9th, 2009 at 9:26 am