Rockefeller On Health Care Reform: "The Good Guys Versus The Bad Guys"

The Charleston Gazette:

"There is a very small chance any Republicans will vote for this health-care plan. They were against Medicare and Medicaid [created in the 1960s]. They voted against children's health insurance.

"We have a moral choice. This is a classic case of the good guys versus the bad guys. I know it is not political for me to say that," Rockefeller added.

"But do you want to be non-partisan and get nothing? Or do you want to be partisan and end up with a good health- care plan? That is the choice.

Read the whole story: The Charleston Gazette

Comments

[ncmom54]

THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PLATFORM
RENEWING AMERICA’S PROMISE

excerpted from page 6:

They promised reform but allowed the oil companies to write our energy agenda
and the credit card companies to write the bankruptcy rules.

These are not just policy failures.
They are failures of a broken politics –a politics that rewards self-interest over the common interest and the short-term over the long-term, that puts our government at the service of the powerful.
A politics that creates a state-of-the-art system for
doling out favors and shuts out the voice of the American people.

So, we come together not only to replace this President and his party –and not only to offer
policies that will undo the damage they have wrought.

Today, we pledge a return to core moral
principles like stewardship, service to others, personal responsibility, shared sacrifice and a fair
shot for all –values that emanate from the integrity and optimism of our Founders and
generations of Americans since.

Today, we Democrats offer leaders – from the White House to the State House –
worthy of this country’s trust.

http://tiny.cc/lBWNM

[lovethesinner]

The People vs. The Corporation.

Yea, he got that right.

[Mikeeee]

Lobbyists should be outlawed except as an opportunity to speak before the government in "public" hearings on proposed legislation. If their arguments have merit, surely they can be made in front of the peoples representatives, publicly.

[TheBaffler]

Finally, someone who gets it. There can be no compromise on matters of such importance.

[jerichoj8]

They're bugs, Wyatt. All that
smart talk about live and let live.

There ain't no live
and let live with bugs.

[Veeve]

Finally! This is how you frame this debate!

[TJCole]

Just think of the insurance Companies as the Taliban, and claim the Republicans are weak on defense of good Health...!

[Lorianne]

Forget the Republicans Democrats can pass any plan they want.
Why don't they just get on with it?
This is misdirection.

[twwv8]

So WV (Rockefeller's adopted home state) has the highest government paid healthcare (Medicare, Medicaid and VA) and the worst health, and he wants to share that with the rest of the country.

[jmpurser]

If they have high government paid health care it's because it's one of the poorest states.

[Mikeeee]

Of course the fact that many work in one of the dirtiest industries (coal) wouldn't have anything to do with their poor health would it?

[smiththomas]

in the forum when asked if he would go along with the same plan as everyone else had if his family member was in peril.He made a statement that seemed like he had mush in his mouth. I could not understand what he said. I dont believe he agreed to have the same plan as everyone else.

[huh234]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the public option will be "crappy-care". Crappy-care is better than "no-care". But I'm gonna hope to hell I can keep my current plan.

[jmpurser]

I would say it was the good guys (Senator Sanders and the few others for single payer) the mostly worthless people (President Obama and the rest of the "public option" people) and the bad guys (blue dog democrats) and the crazy as rats (republicans).

It's generally more complicated that two dimensions allow.

[judesuper]

Why aren't the dems shouting to the roof tops that they will pass health care legislation that includes the public option without the repubs. Then when the repubs start their whining (which they always do), the dems need to shout "we are for the American people, why aren't you?" and "why are you for starting wars, getting our kids killed and spending away our last dollar, but you won't help pass health care legislation?"

Then during the 2010 elections advertise their complete lack of interest and involvement. The party of no will be the party of nobody.

[Tom Payned]

Hmmmm,

Did the winners of the election have the Bipartisan party next to their names?

They certainly weren't on the Ballot in Oregon. In fact, we voted against Bipartisan, by tossing out a so called "moderate" republican, Gordon Smith.

The senators really don't care about a Bipartisan bill, they want to use that as an excuse to keep from having to vote against a public plan which will irritate to voters, but thrill the folks senators really care about, big, greedy, selfish lobbyists.

As Durbin said when the credit card bill was being "debated", the banks own the senator.

The same can be said for the for profit insurance premium collectors who stand between us payers and our doctors.

The senate is full of Whor@s.

I want reform not a Kumbya, feel good senate.

[ChelseaC]

co-signed.

[DrPneumann]

The healthcare industry is spending upwards of $1.4 million each day on average to lobby members of Congress on health care legislation, a report issued by Common Cause this week reveals.

Industry spending has nearly doubled since 2000. Healthcare interests contributed $94 million to Congress members during the 2008 election cycle alone " up from $40 million in 2000.

Common Cause"s report has received almost no treatment in the press " with a single article in Bloomberg News and one in the National Journal.

The industry is attempting to alter the course of Democrats" plans to provide universal health coverage for most Americans.

"The top recipients of health industry campaign contributions from 2000 to 2008 are new Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) at $7.3 million and $6.3 million respectively," National Journal reports. "All of the campaign finance data used in the report came from the Center for Responsive Politics

"The report concludes that members of Congress face a disheartening conflict of interest: side with their large campaign donors or back reform measures that have support from the public, like the public plan option which would create a publicly-funded health insurance entity to compete with private insurers"

http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/06/26/healthcare-spending-14-million-a-day-on-lobbyists/

[huh234]

Get out the vote movements seem to have become irrelevent. If you really want to have any sway in Washington, find a lobby that supports your interests and give them money.

[Firbolg]

I agree: Get out the vote movements seem to have become irrelevent.
So how about a VOTERS’ REVOLT.
Democrats now control the White House, the House and the Senate. They are supporting a veto power for insurance companies over proposed changes in healthcare. The American people would be better off keeping what we have than supporting any of the plans now emerging from Congress committees.
The ONLY THING THAT WILL GET THEIR ATTENTION is the prospect of loosing their majorities in the mid-terms. There is NO OTHER WAY available to voters.
I urge Democratic voters serious about changing the current position to make it crystal clear to their representatives standing in 2010 that they will ABSTAIN unless a single payer system with a private option – similar to the vast majority of developed nations – is not on the stature books.

[ChelseaC]

We don't just have the Repugs to worry about but the Dems too.
No support for "a public" option from Democrat Sen. Mark Warner ( VA).
I called his office today, the staffer was so rude to me. She made me feel as though I was in intruder calling the office of a Senator I helped get elected.I asked the question about a "public option" and got the run around.
Nice......­..........­....


Call your reps--see what they tell you.

sign this petition for real health care reform:
http://sanders.senate.gov

Call the White House comment line:
202-456-1111
202-456-14­14--switch­board

[kjstjohn]

Thanks for the link. I signed the petition.