Daschle At Odds With Obama On Health Care

The Daily Beast:

Tom Daschle, Obama's original pick to overhaul the health care system, is now floating a rival plan, to the administration's chagrin. The Daily Beast's Richard Wolffe asks the president's failed health nominee which side he's on.

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[FogBelter]

Mr. Daschle, this isn't complicated stuff if you are honest with yourself and the rest of us ... obfuscation makes it complicated.

[OliverTwist]

With Tom Daschle on your side who needs enemies.

Just ask the union people he said he was going to help.

[Ruwa]

Ummm, ““This is difficult stuff,” is that the reason you didn't file your tax? And you didn't know how to address the issue so you just withdrew from your nomination? WOW!

[PaxEterna]

Things DO become difficult for liars, thieves, hypocrites, greed-mongers, and narcissists.

Take a look at the news, especially lately.

Complicated stuff? Don't patronize the American people, Mr. Daschle.

We know a crook when we see one, and we know when someone is trying to parse reality so it doesn't look like they've done anything wrong.

Perfectly legal bribes . . . so who is your REAL #1 mistress?

Seems to be the question of the week.

[Ouroboros]

Didn't Daschle get his nomination for HHS REVOKED when it turned out he was getting free limo rides everywhere from insurance company lobbyists?

[quasar]

Figuring it out is difficult. That's why you get the big bucks. Knowing what's right, however, is simple. Or, perhaps you are just confused Mr. Daschle.

[force fed up]

What's difficult Mr. Daschle? Getting the Insurance Lobbyists leash off before you talk?

[GeorgeP922]

What's real difficult for him is serving his political party in any capacity.

He lost in 2004, and like every DLC and Republican Senator that loses, he ran as fast as he could to the private sector to get PAID.

Who in DC ever made him think we had any respect for him anymore?

[Chernynkaya]

We're screwed. Any ideas on what to do about it? (I know- I've written.)

My fear is that once a public option is defeated and a crappy bill is passed, we all shrug our shoulders and go our separate ways. How many more years will pass before we pin our hopes on another political star who offers more "change"?

Our best bet seems to defeat ANY health care legislation that isn't real reform. After that?

[TovSquirrel]

"This is difficult stuff."

No, Senator, it is not. It is very simple and basic.

But then, you have to look after your contributors interests first and you constituents last.

The best Congress money can buy!

[treetracker]

Exactly! See the Sanders plan. 2.2% across the board tax. Zero deductibles, zero co-pays. Everyone is covered. Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP are eliminated as they are folded into the plan. States administer the plan (as they do now for Medicaid) for 3% admin fee. Provisions for getting more primary care providers into the system in the next 5 years.

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/healthreform_sbs_full.pdf - it's at the bottom of the document.

[JRsNana]

My question is, why is he even a part of this anymore? After not being able to be confirmed (whew!) and after he showed that he'd been bought and paid for, I could see no reason for him to even be a part of the negotiations. He's a traitor to the cause. He sold out to the Insurance companies and Big Pharma. I used to love Tom Daschle and am having a really hard time wrapping my mind around his betrayal.

[grace14]

Only and best way all are covered unniversal period..comes out of taxes or increase sales tax --continued cash flow pay as we all go...nothing is free, but a lot easier on all. Republicans have no problem spending our tax dollars on their wars in the Trillions do they. Insurance companies soldiers from wars over 40,000 come home injured....hmmmm?

[grace14]

Canadians get no bills period even flown with in province no bill ever, to any hospital if one not available for emerg or surgery etc...even to states....get your facts straight and not takes out of their wages thousands for nothing ever period..buy a coffee paying for their health care, but a toaster paying for their health care, go on vacations paying for their health care--banks did not rip them off either, strong strong government regulations...do not have that problem either..banks do not lend money if customer cannot afford it period or home period...

[tarryd]

Phooey! Even Daschle! Obama should be shouting Et Tu Brute! Except I suspect that Daschle is the guy that has Obama and Axelrod backing away from a Public Plan. Guess that means they never really believed what they said. It was all just campaign talk to get our votes. Most of us believed they would fight harder and really lead. Instead it has all be marketing. Nuanced, parsed statements that can be taken to mean various things. Plausible deniability. Singing Kumbaya to the Republicans.... who want only one thing: the black guy out of the White House. Well Mr. Axelrod i think you will find quite a backlash if there is no public plan. There are millions of us who will stir up a lot of you know what to pay back those that went against the express wishes of the majority. I for one am really interested in a third party again, tho I have been a Dem for 40 years.. A party that would appeal to both independents and progressives alike. It is worth another try perhaps. The Republicans have nothing to offer and the Dems are like herding cats.

[MaryanneAZ]

Six months in and some bloggers are working hard to drive a wedge between the President and his supporters. I find these bloggers highly suspect. In my opinion, we have to give this Administration its full term to show us their stuff. It is entirely too early to give up on the President or despair that he has not accomplished his full agenda yet. Unfortunately, rallying to a third party is not likely to gain enough support to actually win an election. We are pretty entrenched in our present system of essentially two parties. It is obviously not the best system, but it is the system we have. It would take a considerable uprising to make a third party a viable option. I just do not see that happening. I won't waste my vote because the Nation moves on and makes decisions that affect me and I cannot afford another conservative on the Supreme Court (for example).

[helen]

No, Mr. Daschle, it's not difficult.

You're just a wuss.

[ekoorb]

You always know where Tom Dashchle stands: with the highest bidder.