Bill Clinton: Would Be "Tragic If The Democratic Party Walked Away From Universal Health Care"

Dallas Morning News:

Former President Clinton on Friday offered voters an image of his wife as the only Democratic presidential candidate with a plan to offer universal health care....

... "It would be truly tragic if the Democratic Party walked away from universal health care for the first time in 60 years when we finally got the business community and the medical community in line behind us," Clinton said, drawing applause.

Read the whole story: Dallas Morning News

Comments

[ariadne1]

this is what is tragic!

well, heres a trap! from the nytimes:

Unofficial Tallies in City Understated Obama Vote

www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/nyregion/16vote.html?hp

here we go again; rove tactics... clinton style!

[KQuark]

The link is broken. Please repost if it has moved.

[barackoblogger]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/nyregion/16vote.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[OETKB]

On the health care issue the only necessary ingredients at this point is the notion that all must have insurance at reasonable and, in fact, reduced cost. It has recently shown that preventive care, although adding to the quality of life, does not save money as older Americans that are so produced add to the cost. Further the EMR will produce more accurate data and information for betterment of communities but this option again adds to cost while enhancing quality. The only way to truly bring down cost and ensure access is Single Payer, Medicare For All. Sen and Pres Clinton fudge this issue every chance they get. What is true, is that no one running gets it, or chooses not to, because of hitting the headwinds of the insurance companies and certain providers who will have a dip in their incomes if it is made so. The fact that providing health care to all is on the agenda is what is most important right now. The details will be a hash-out between the legislative branch, the people, and the executive branch.

Sen Clinton waited for all comers to put out their health plan policy and then comes out with a plan that continues to support the high overhead insurance companies. One side(Clinton) has tuned into access, the other cost(Obama). It's a tie. No brownie points for either.

[Snoman]

Amazing how the Clintons view 15 million people not having health insurance _by choice_ as a bad thing. I guess personal freedom doesn't supercede the insurance companies' desire for profits.

The big picture: 45 million uninsured by circumstance and/or choice to 15 million uninsured only by choice is a huge leap forward. Fewer late diagnoses, fewer bankruptcies, fewer forclosures.

Now is not the time to let "good" be the enemy of "perfect", since neither plan is "perfect" i.e. neither is single payer.

[Kim445588]

Well said. Families that want it should not have to decide not to eat for the month or have insurance. If the cost is affordable, why would 15 million people turn it down anyway??

[barackoblogger]

Obama is the only candidate to have released his tax forms. (neither McCain or Clinton have)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/opinion/15fri1.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Obama has released his earmarks. (Clinton has not)

http://obama.senate.gov/press/070621-obama_announces_3/

Hillary Clinton reigns as the Queen of Federal Pork

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aXWIZU3DOyr4&refer=home

Obama was rated #1 in environmental policy by the League of Conservation Voters

http://presidentialprofiles2008.org/

Obama was right about Pakistan, back when Hillary was calling him "naive"

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/06/navarrette/?iref=mpstoryview

Washington Post gave Obama's economic plan an A- and gave Hillary's a C.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012202614.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Wall Street Journal preferred Obama's healthcare plan over Hillary Clinton's

http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120234937353949449.html

Judge Obama by his legislative achievments, which are quite impressive, according to the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303.html

[KQuark]

Bill you wife denied us health care for over 10 years because she would not listen to anyone but her inner circle. Do people actually believe that she will be able to pass it again?

[Kim445588]

Of course not. How could she pass anything when she has created so many enemies during this "vetting" process. We will be in the same boat as with George Bush and a bunch of "non-binding resolutions" will be the only thing that gets done.

We are in too much trouble to put someone in office who is totally divisive to a large chunk of the country, and can't compromise and work with republicans.

[jacklambert]

Hillary has to deliver to the insurance Companies. She took their campaign money.

[AnninCA]

What the uniformed posters here seem to ignore. There is a federal law that has been in place now and isn't going away that ALL patients MUST be treated.

This notion that if you support Obama's plan, you're cutting out illegals?

You're wrong.

That's against the law.

His plan does NOT address the major issue for those of us actually dealing with the flood of illegal immigrants.

His plan will kill us.

Now, what that really means?

We'll just move forward on our own plans that are a lot more like Hillary's.

The STATEs will lead the Goverment by the nose.

His plan appeals to states that aren't dealing with the real problem.

It's perfect...­...forgive me......bu­t it's true, for the caucus states that are going to vote Republican anyway.

[ChimpmasterDJ]

Considering his wifes' "health plan", that is a poorly disguised, 'bought and paid for" plan to boost the bottom line of the very companies who should be kicked out of this business, and worse, does so through coercion, he is singularly ill-positioned to criticize anyone's plan.

I guess that this "gift" from Hillary to insurance companies is completely unrelated to their massive support of her campaign..­. right?

[MPeter]

Bill is back with his lies. Bill and Hillary had the WH for eight years and all they did was immerse the country in sex scandals, corruption and triangulation. They governed like moderate Republicans. Now they are back, lying and smaering Obama for daring challenge them for power. Enough lies Bill, your time is gone.

[KQuark]

Hillary gets a bulk of her support from drug companies and the health care industry because mandates are a boom for such industries. Obama's health care plan will actually lower costs much more by not having the mandate so these lobbyists to not support him as much. It's economics 101 if you dramatical increase the demand for health care insurance and products like drugs as with forcing a government mandate prices go up. Get with it people.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

To every Obama supporter who throws out the failure of the Clinton administration to accomplish health care reform in the early 90's so neener-neerer, I say this:

Times have changed. The country is more receptive now. Big business IS more receptive now*. The AMA is more receptive now. Only the MEDICAL INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE NOT. They get healthier when they leave us LESS healthy. (*Google "GM" and "health insurance.­")

If the Clintons' plan had been implemented in the mid-90's, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE CURRENT CRISIS. A different one maybe, but not the current one. :-)

Either way, regardless of what Obama and Hillary are proposing, the final product will have to get through Congress (which means bigger majorities needed) and a Democratic President.

So... BOTH sets of boosters need to get ready to bury the hatchet -- in McSAME, not each other.

As the AMA site says, 1 in 7 is 47 million too many.

[KQuark]

Times have not changed enough to force a mandate on health care. Mandates are plainly and simply un-American no Republicans and many other people will see them as socialism because for better or not people prefer choice in this country when it comes to health care.

Obama's plan we leave much less then 15MM without health care as long as it's affordable and the proper incentives are applied. Obama already said in a debate that if you do not choose health care and you need it you will have to pay for past premiums. He also said their will be an open enrollment period where you can get the health care much cheaper than if you opt out and want it later. The American people want choice, the program will give the proper incentives and if you are willing to take the risk you will pay the penalty. This is what America has traditionally wanted.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Mandates are unAmerican? Depends on the rhetoric, NOT the principle.

Like taxes to pay for the fire department?

More to the point, like car insurance?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I am puzzled that the same people who attach Hillary's plan for not covering illegal immigrants (true or not), do NOT attack Obama's plan for the SAME FLAW.

What, are those particular critics advocating free / on-demand health care? Fine by me. But just SAY so.

This is NOT a differentiating point between the two.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

ack... "attack"

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

How many times must the "affordability" canard be lanced?

Poppycock.

But I'll let an expert explain:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-tyson/the-crucial-link-between-_b_86136.html

[darlamc]

I just found an interesting video from 2001. Obama again appears to love the republican­s...and the people they pick to lead...you know, like Donald Rumsfeld..­.

www.politicalamnesia.blogspot.com

[xufapemu]

I'm going to post this again because it needs to be thought though.

How will mandated insurance cover undocumented workers?

If you don't cover these folks they will still have to use the emergency room as a PCP. How do you force people who are being paid "under the table" into the system?

There is a great book by the same author who wrote Fast Food Nation titled Refer Madness. It looks at how huge the black economy is in America. How do we move these folks into the system? Say it again and again, mandated insurance is NOT universal healthcare.

Mandated health care is NOT universal healthcare.

You may force more people to go unwillingly into the system, but in the end its just a boon for the Clintons' new masters; the insurance lobby.

After 1992 she figured "If you can't beat them, join them"

Watch Michael Moore's "Sicko".

[xufapemu]

Mandated health insurance is a surrender to the insurance lobby; the Clintons might as well just write the proposal on a white flag.

It effectively kills any chance of ever having single payer healthcare in this country.

[AnninCA]

I'm in So. Cal. Let me explain. This is how it works now and will work under Obama's plan.

They just show up.

And they flood the emergency rooms.

And we've lost 8 major medical centers in 3 years.

So make no mistake.

He offers no solutions.

Just more of the same.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

In fairness, I haven't heard how HillaryCare would be any different on this front.

[Independent voter]

Please tell us, president clinton. What exactly did you and hillary do to deliver universal health care to the American people in the last 14 years?

Need some help remembering those marvelous times from the 1990's wille?

Well you did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING !!

So close your perverted yap, stop lying out your rear end and do what you do best - go have sex with a file clerk.

[joselopez]

EXACTLY!! THE CLINTONS HAD THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO PASS UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN 90'S, WHEN ACCORDING TO THEM, WE HAD A SURPLUS, 30 MILLION NEW JOBS, RELATIVE PEACE, ETC...YET THEY FAILED TO GET IT DONE. WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE THEY WILL GET IT DONE NOW!!!

THE CLINTONS ARE DEVISIVE FIGURES AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET ANYTHING DONE IN A SPLIT SENATE. ACTUALLY THEY WILL NOT EVEN GET THE CHANCE, BECAUSE IF NOMINATED WE WILL LOSE THE GENERAL AND WILL FAIL TO WIN SOME CONGRESIONAL SEATS WE WOULD HAVE PICKED UP WITH OBAMA.

FINAL POINT: DO WE RALY WANT TO RETURN AN ADULTERING LIAR BACK INTO THE WHITEHOUSE!!!

[indc]

The Clintons are slimy people always on the make, always ready with the lie... look people in the eye and lie..sleaz­y low lifes, both of them.

[darlamc]

There are a lot things Obama will deny. Or sorta explain away or sorta not answer.
Yes, Mark Penn was a consultant for Exelon.How much money has Exelon contributed to Hillary's campaign?
Yes, David Axelrod was a consultant for Exelon. How much money has Exelon contributed to Obama's campaign?
www.politicalamnesia.blogspot.com

[PhyloSeFiser]

There are a lot of things Hillary won't explain:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw&feature=related

[ChimpmasterDJ]

Ah but there are things she WILL explain! Like her vote against the Levin Amendment. Of course, it required some pretty awful lying that made her look as if she were incapable of understanding a simple document.

[darlamc]

There are a lot things Obama will deny. Or sorta explain away or sorta not answer.

Yes, Mark Penn was a consultant for Exelon.
How much money has Exelon contributed to Hillary's campaign?

Yes, David Axelrod was a consultant for Exelon. How much money has Exelon contributed to Obama's campaign?

www.politicalamnesia.blogspot.com

[PhyloSeFiser]

Why won't Hillary explain this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw&feature=related