Blue Dog Leader: Bush Pioneered Socialized Medicine In U.S.

The Hill:

It was President George W. Bush who presided over the largest socialized expansion of government-supported healthcare, Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) asserted Tuesday.

Ross, a leading member of the centrist Blue Dog Democrat coalition on health issues, said that it was Bush, not President Obama, who pioneered the expansion of government's role in healthcare.

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[Dark Sphere]

Actually, FDR did...foll­owed by LBJ...

[evanwagz]

This is something that always baffled me about democrats politcally. That they avoid the most glaring controversial facts about republicans that are far worse than what the republicans throw at the democrats. The republicans relentlessly attack democrats usually by pointing out an observation and spinning it and repeating it to such a degree that the feeble-minded eventually believe it must be a 'big deal'. Either that or they stretch the truth of an issue or flat out ignore it sometimes.

When GOP was yelling "socialism!" last election.. Democrats should have just laughed back and pointed out that Bush had already been one of the most socialist presidents in American history.

I remember when John Kerry was getting attacked by the whole 'swiftboat' thing back in 2004 - when the republicans were literally playing politics with their democratic opponent by trashing his war service as a Vietnam veteran and making up stories about him (a Purple Heart awarded soldier even).

If the republicans pull those same kind of attacks on democrats often. Why on earth didn't democrats point out things even more damning about republicans - but are actually FACTS? For example, Cheney's 5 deferments from Vietnam (but now he's a ultra-hawk neocon), Bin Laden's connections with the Bush family, Bush's granddaddy was the damn financial backer for Nazi Germany (you and me both know if a democrat had that baggage, the GOP would have repeated it like reverend wright.

[Dark Sphere]

John Kerry's ride was much easier than Palin's...­Palin resigned, and they are still making bogus charges against her.

This is why George W. Bush will never be considered a Conservative. Bush spent more than the socialist Jimmy Carter and brought on the biggest entitlement program since FDR, along with authoring the education bill with "the Lion" Kennedy...­.

[PatriciaB]

I think when senators and representatives speak they should be required to make a comment as news commentators do on TV---- "full disclosure--I take contributions from......­......" Just so we know who influences them.

[Chernynkaya]

I have suggested that every time a politician is on TV, there should be one of those scrolls at the bottom of the screen listing his/her contributors.

[nini516]

How much money have you received from big pharma, and health insurance companies?

Health insurance companies received an over 400% profit last year. That could pay for healthcare reform in itself. But you add in the payoffs to politicians we could probably do so much more.

So Mr. Ross, how much?

[wilray]

We're #37!

We're #37!

We're #37!

Chant it.

http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

[MrVee]

What those who currently have health care, weather they are paying for it themselves or who get it through their employer don't understand is, if Big Pharma and bought and paid for republicans and blue dogs are successful at defeating this overhaul, it is those who currently have health care who will pick up the tab.

The billions of dollars pouring into advertising to kill this effort, the millions going into senate pockets, the television airtime, radio, etc is coming out of the pockets of Big Pharma.

Where do you think they will go to make up these MASSIVE expenditures if they should they succeed in killing this overhaul of health care?

You got it, from those currently receiving it.

The premiums will sky rocket. Not to mention the changes to what will be covered and how long those coverages will last. You think having to wait 2 years before your coverage can pick up a covered option is bad now, what happens when dialysis coverage doesn't kick in for 4 years? Or a heart patient who has to wait for 4?

You can believe small business struggling to provide it, will drop it or drastically curtail what they are able to provide. What does this do for her family when she is sole provider?

Oh yes you can best believe Big Pharma is going to come back after that money and you know the names of those in the senate who made it all possible.

Sicko II anybody?

[Chernynkaya]

Mr. Vee, I just don't get it! How can people possibly be happy with their coverage? How can they be content to pay ever higher premiums- even with employer subsidized plans, they still have a co-pay, and their insurance carrier still denies claims. I really think this is a no-brainer. (Oops, I think I just might have answered my own question.)

[MrVee]

Chernynkaya, you know what this is. People are not happy with this health care system and most who have ever had to deal with insurance companies and had to chose between going into financial ruin or living out their days at deaths door already know the truth about this system.

Those who are making all this noise are the same people you saw showing up at the McCain Palin rallies. In fact it is the same people who blocked the recounts that gave the election to the village idiot.

What we have to do is reach those who are clear headed and get their support.

All this is nothing but bluster and the people who are truly worried are the politicians who find they might not be able to compete in the next election by asking those who they are suppose to serve for campaign contributions. All this is, is panic. Their reign is finished and they know it.

[FoonTheElder]

President Idjit and his fellow corporatist politicians sold out the elderly to the drug companies by not enabling them to use their purchasing power for price discounts. There's a major difference between socialized medicine and corporate welfare, and Congress and Bush were definitely on the side of big corporate welfare. Free market rules supposedly only apply to the right wing when they are to the advantage of big corporations who send them big campaign contributions.

Just like today, our 'fiscal conservatives' don't think it's a waste of money when the average American has to massively overpay to big corporations. It's only a waste when the wealthy have to add a few percent in taxes.

We currently pay twice as much per person than any other developed country for health care. Our fiscal conservatives think that the $1 trillion extra per year is fine as long as it is going to big insurance companies and other health price gougers.

http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2009/7/2/saupload_health.png

[WarriorLemming]

Excellent post, FoonTheElder, makes me angry just reading though. To think the tinfoilers would rather believe the rich deserve a safety net in this country rather than the other way around. They got a scr.ew lo.se somewhere.

[Chernynkaya]

They are brainwashed into thinking that one day, they too will become corporate titans. That's the only explanation I can think of- or else they must believe the rich are more worthy than they are.

[IFTYS]

In 1930's Germany, the new socialist government of Adolf Hitler (NAZI National Socialist Workers' Party) began indoctrinating children in the quasi-military organization, the Hitler Youth, to inform on their parents should they overhear discussions subversive to the policies of the Leader.

The socialist governments of the Soviet Union, Fascist Italy, N. Korea, Cuba, Yugoslavia, and the People's Republic of China employed the same citizen informer techniques. Citizens of those societies were reduced to either silence or whispered discussion only among those they trusted the most. Of course none of those things would ever occur here in the land of the free. But wait...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/facts-are-stubborn-things/
Now on the White House website posted by Macon Phillips comes an eerily similar request for citizens to inform on their neighbors.

Does this sound like the country you know (knew)? Are these the words of people who think of themselves as public servants, or is this something darker? Does a constitutional government tasked with protecting the rights of its citizens ask them to inform on each other to the White House?

Does this sound like a good idea to get a bill passed?

Would this be a bad time to say, I F'n Told You So???

[protagonia]

Wait a sec. He has my interest. Has my attention. Interesting take. Then...

"Olbermann Slams Bill O'Reilly, Rupert Murdoch In "World's Worst Persons" Segment (VIDEO)
And you wonder WHY MSNBC's ratings are way down. olbermann is an ignoramus. what is comical is that there are people who actually like him."

Oops.

Blew it right there on the spot, paid troII.

Aw.

:(

[protagonia]

Now all your other points pass through that filter and then down the drain.

[PWM]

You are ignorant of basic ideology. Facism and Nazism were not socialism.

Go learn something.

[protagonia]

A troII does not want to learn.

A troII only wants to earn.

[DocWylie]

Apparently IFTYS philosophy is " If I can use the anonimity of the internet, and hide behind secretly funded shadow campaigns in order to lie to and frighten citizens into agreeing with our political agenda, without ANY accountability or identifying who sponsors said campaigns.­... that's free speech and fair game."

IN fact, comparing the WH's call for citizens to expose these LIARS to Nazi indoctrinations of the 30's is in itself a scare campaign, as they are no more comparable than insurers and insurees.

Sending in e-mails of questionable accuracy is NOT informing on my family and neighbors, I don't even know who sends out these insideous dishonest communications, but I do know there are wealthy vested intrests who are quite interested in keeping the status quo, and who have every reason to want to keep citizens confused and fearful, and IF they have a hand in these shadow campaigns, I would like to see them exposed, and if they are spending illegally, charged and convicted.

The time for ACCOUNTABILITY is NOW! and is an EXCELLENT way to get this bill past the crooks and liars who have been gaming the system.

PS. Insurance companies have NO proper place health care, they add expense and contribute nothing but more problems.

[WarriorLemming]

IFTYS, take your little tinfoil hat and trot on over to "The Tree of LIberty" forum. Life much be pretty boring for some people that they have to sit around thinking up this conspiracy cr.ap.ola, lol

[phoenix86]

Bush's fault. Bush did it too. etc.

Apparently the "Blue Dogs" are just as retarded as the rest of the democrats.

[protagonia]

Ever so slightly more, I would say.

They instantly lose IQ points for acting like republicans.

:)

[ntmessage]

Excellent points. Bush and many those with oil backgrounds are well versed on how to get special deals from the government they claim they despise. The point is of course, this is still bad for the taxpayer and the citizen if it is a complete give away and not fiscally responsible.

If the Democrats can get beyond the “they did it so I can too” complex they will see that what Bush did and doing the same will accelerate bankrupting the country. The reason is, when government does it, there has in history, been no imperative to innovate, but instead keep the old models in play way past their fiscal usefulness.

If the democrats can in fact use a Cost and Quality model, it can free up even more money to do even more things. One hopes that the government with a bald-faced obvious give away to the unions and automakers will in fact press for innovation there in practice as they have done in rhetoric.

Just getting “yours” now does nothing if we do not change the actual models at the same time.

[LeftCoastLarry]

Why are these Blue Dogs referred to as "centrists"?
There is nothing "centrist" about Mike Ross's views. He is very right wing and a Democrat in name only.
Functionally, he's as Republican as they come.
I am really tired of them being referred to as centrist when they are as conservative as they come.

[hegdehog]

Health insurer Humana, Inc. just posted a quarterly increase of 34% in profits, based almost solely on increased premiums. Americans must realize that in most local markets, a single provider usually has a total monopoly. Don't like your health insurer? Try finding an alternative where you live.

If we don't reform the health insurance industry, your premiums will continue to rise. Five years from now, your employer will either quit providing coverage or go out of business. I'm currently paying $768.00 a month for coverage. At today's rates of increase, I'm looking at paying well over a grand in five years.

Do not make the tragic mistake of thinking that, since you're happy with your health insurance today, you'll be happy with it tomorrow, or next week or next year. Without health insurance reform and a public option, your premiums will continue to rise until you can no longer afford them. And when you can no longer afford insurance? Add yourself to the list of millions of Americans who burden taxpayers by using free services like emergency rooms.

[WonderfulLife]

Excellent post.
I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield and they raised my premiums twice within a year to the point where I could no longer afford them . All I got each time was a month's notice that the rate was going up and no further explanations. I am convinced that they watch certain patient records for doctor's notes about whether or not you may be needing a major surgery in the near future. If they find some indication that you are-the rate increases start and continue until they can get you to drop the insurance. Americans would probably be shocked to the core if all their unethical actions were brought to light.

[Humana Plough]

Reduce your premiums. become a "volunteer" Your neck chip is already waiting for you.

[hegdehog]

Bush essentially presided over the socialization of Wall Street as well. Let's not forget that the poorly implemented TARP "plan" was Bush's doing. The fringe right want to blame Obama for the current situation, but that's like blaming your doctor because you smoked too much and contracted lung cancer.

[phoenix86]

Don't forget that Bush gave only half of TARP. The rest he turned over to Obama, who gave the rest, borrowed, then gave more.

[poaster]

Apparently this is Ross's head fake after he got eviscerated by Olbermann on Monday. Nice try.

[Bpeirce]

Ross took $921,OOO from Health Care Industry. WHO'S YOUR DADDY?
This guy and the BLUE HOGS are pathetic.

[WonderfulLife]

Why not make government more transparent by having politicians sell themselves on Ebay?

That way we would know exactly who owns them and we wouldn't be wasting our time with those who are clearly going to vote on for the Health Care Industry's interests. The committees and voting on bills wouldn't take as long as the American public wouldn't get their hopes up as we play this game of thinking what we want really matters to them.