Howard Dean: Grassley's Health Care Distortions "Despicable ... Awful" (VIDEO)

Howard Dean criticized the Republican Party Sunday morning for picking up false rumors about health care reform started by the far right.

Asked about Sen. Chuck Grassley's comment that end-of-life care could "pull the plug on grandma," Dean pointed out that the Iowa Republican had voted for a similar provision for Medicare only a few years ago.

"All the House did was essentially repeat the same thing that Senator Grassley voted for in 2003 in their bill," Dean said. "Now, how you can morph that into 'pulling the plug on grandma,' I don't know. I think it's despicable. I think it's awful, the lies that have come out on this bill that are just designed to frighten the daylights out of people. But i think the American people are much smarter than politicians in Washington give them credit for, and they're going to figure this out, and they know they really do want health care reform."

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Comments

[Levittown]

Barney Frank and Howard Dean scare the bejabbers out of the Republicans. They will fight every lie and misstatement that are issued by the whiners. We need more of their kind out in the open. And we will get a good bill out of this congress.

[FGDinVA]

Because I sort of slighted Gov. Tim Kaine a few pages ago, here is a quote from his interview with Rachel Maddow from July 29, 2009:

"What I‘m looking for among Republicans is, you know, are there any Republicans who are going to stand up and say, "You‘re right, this system needs fundamental reform and change"? A system where 15 years ago, more than 60 percent of small businesses provided health insurance to their employees, and today, 38 percent do, and that number is dropping like a stone while the percentage of GDP that we spend on health care is going up. That system is broken."

The full interview is here: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/29/interview_with_dnc_chairman_tim_kaine_97704.html

It looks like he is on the band wagon for reform. I would like to see and hear more from him though. I would like for him to put some pressure on the senators from Virginia (I already have). The thing about VA is that in primaries, registered Republicans can vote in Democratic primaries and vice-versa. So the senators could face a thre.at no matter which way they vote - if they vote for reform, GOP voters could make them lose the primary and if they vote against it, dems could do the same. Voter turnout in primaries is usually very low. Will they have better luck by appeasing Republican voters than by doing what' right? Is this a trick question?

[BuzzingAlong]

People who follow republicans are NOT smart enough to figure anything out. It requires an appreciation of education, interest in knowledge and the willingness to do the research to learn the facts.

Today, I received a right wing e-mail from a friend of 30 years. The original sender is an administrator in a large surburban public school district.

Having had enough of this foolishness, I sent a response to the 200 names listed, many I have also known for 25 - 30+ years. I don't think that many of them will be speaking to me after this.

"Why don't you people stop this foolishness. You are smart enough to research for yourselves that all of these lies being sent abound the country are just that: Lies.

There is NOTHING IN ANY BILL THAT SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT GIVING ANYTHING TO ILLEGIAL ALIENS.

We all know what the problem is, don't we? You just can't stand the idea that the President is an intelligent, educated black man. So this is what you do?

How many of you complained when George Bush invaded and destroyed a country that DID NOT ATTACK THIS COUNTRY? How many of you know the number of American soldiers that have died or been wounded in the false war in Iraq? (4,335 & 31,469), the number Iraqis that have died or been made refugees? (1,339,771 + & 4.5 million in Iraq/other countries). How many of you care?

Do not send me any more of this foolishness, please. "

[notb observer]

Good move ! If your colleagues have any sense, they might stop and think that you are putting it on the line to make a point, so perhaps that point is worth pondering.
If not, well, it's probably no great loss. Fewer Christmas cards to send :)

[smileatfear]

Good for you. I send out the same types of responses because I never want anyone to see my name on one of these mailing lists and think I agree with the sender. Actually, people just keep sending me this garbage. Don't know if they think they will eventually change my mind, but unless I get Alzheimeer's they won't. The truth is the truth and no number of right wing lies will change that.

[notb observer]

I wonder who would not have their treatment cut off or would not be denied a procedure if that $1.3+ million a day being spent by these corporations was actually used to provide health care ?! I wonder how many lives could have been saved or made better if the many millions in "bribes" paid to our elected representative was actually spent on delivering health care ?!
We shouldn't forget that these vast sums, being spent on everything but health care services with the sole aim of killing the reform process is OUR MONEY ! It is money that we pay into these corporate black holes for our coverage !
Then they have the temerity to use that money to pressure OUR elected representatives to do what is against our will and interest !
The next time they say they are doing all they can for a patient, while quietly telling a doctor to pull the plug, let's not forget how much of OUR money they used AGAINST US !
They have been given a chance to be reasonable and to compromise, but they choose to spit in our faces and treat us like bad investments. We should not be seeking "compromise" with these people. Our mission should simply be to drive them out of existence. We know for a FACT that as a MINIMUM we can get exactly the same shoddy "coverage" these thieves provide for much cheaper once the limitless greed is removed. END OF STORY !

[TylerRose]

March for PUBLIC OPTION on September 13, 2009 in Washington D.C..
If you cannot go to Washington D.C., click on events to sign up to attend an event in your state. I signed up for the event in Austin, TX on that date from 12:00P.M. to 3:00PM.

http://www.marchforhealthcare.com/

[pb28]

Hey Obama and democrats do you see how its done. Its not that hard. It seems only Howard Dean and Barney Frank have the only sets of nuts in a party full cowardly sheep

[myke3000]

Add Reps. Weiner, Wasserman-Schultz, and Waters to that list... but we need more bold action in the Senate!!

[Arrecho]

Dean / Wiener 2012!

[romavictor]

Loyal Advertisers to Fox news we must boycott and pass this list on to every soul you know, thanks.

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[Arrecho]

Thank you

[Bronxdude]

Forget bipartisanship; true reform will provide affordable options that include a public offering. Chuck Grassley is an idiot, charlatan and health insurance industry prostitute. For his efforts to embarrass the President and sabotage health reform, Grassley has received millions in blood money from insurance corporations like UnitedHealthcare, and should be censured by Congress for his treasonous lies. Real reform will end the monopolistic strangle-hold enjoyed by ruthless insurers like UnitedHealthcare. In Georgia, UnitedHealthcare executives colluded with sleazy republican politicians like Johnny Isakson to eliminate competition, with the end result being higher premiums, reduced benefits, and greater profits for UnitedHealthcare. With no real competition, UnitedHealthCare is free to rape consumers. When compared to the second quarter of 2008, profits for UnitedHealthcare increased by a whopping 155 percent, yet premiums continue to climb 4 times faster than wages. UnitedHealthcare is leading the charge to defeat healthcare reform by paying out millions in hush money to their republican whores. The health insurance industry (and the corrupt republican scumbags they bankroll) will not retreat quietly from billions in annual profits. Republicans want watered-down healthcare reform so when it fails to achieve meaningful change, they can point to democrats as the culprits and say, “see, government is the problem”; thus, to ensure success, I want access to the same options enjoyed by Congress and 8.5 million federal employees. The public option will control costs, expand coverage and end the single profiteer health insurance system bilking Americans.

[Bronxdude]

Predatory insurance corporations are spending more than $1.6 million per day to buy republican votes, gin up fear and defeat reform. When it comes to receiving payoffs from the insurance industry, of 535 Congressmen, Grassley and Conrad rank 29th and 35th, respectively; therefore, how can I trust them to represent my best interest when it comes to negotiating healthcare reform? Making money off human pain is a republican principle. Real competition is the de facto monopoly buster. 20,000 people die each year because they don’t have health insurance. This is criminal and immoral. Georgia state employees have no due process patient protection rights, a negotiated constraint that gives UnitedHealthcare carte blanche to chose who lives and who dies. If competition is the lynchpin of free-market capitalism, why is UnitedHealthcare afraid to compete on a level playing field? Limiting choice drives up cost, benefiting the insurer, which is why slime-dog republicans defend the middleclass being systematically bilked by corporations like UnitedHealthcare. Through mendacious scare tactics, lying republicans curry favor and fear monger by preaching that reform will lead to rationed healthcare and place restrictions on doctor choice. Contrary to specious talking points propagated by solution-less republicans, as it stands right now, without true marketplace competition, insurers not only dictate the cost of medical care, but they also get to pick and choose who receives coverage and care. Despicable republicans will not retreat quietly from millions in payoffs. Public option now!

[Bronxdude]

Grassley, Blount, Conrad and Coburn are two-faced charlatans and insurance industry prostitutes. President Obama is not advocating a government takeover of healthcare. He just wants to level the playing field by ending the monopolistic stranglehold enjoyed by immoral private insurers. With no competition or regulatory oversight, UnitedHealthcare is free to deny medical care, restrict physician choice and demand exorbitant copays. Consumers pay premiums in exchange for a service, yet insurance companies get to pick and chose who lives or dies. In Georgia, UnitedHealthcare executives colluded with sleazy republican politicians to control competition, with the end result being higher premiums, reduced benefits, and greater profit. When compared to the second quarter of 2008, UnitedHealthcare profits increased by a whopping 155 percent, yet premiums continue to climb 4 times faster than wages. By paying millions in hush money to their republican whores, UnitedHealthcare is leading the civil disobedience to defeat reform. The insurance industry will not retreat quietly from billions in annual profits. Repelling the Bush tax cuts for the top 2 percent and ending the Iraq War would generate $100 billion in immediate revenue. I want access to the same health exchange enjoyed by Congress and 8.5 million federal employees. The current healthcare system is wholly unsustainable and will surely bankrupt America, which is what republicans want. Conversely, a public option will force real marketplace competition, expand coverage and end the single profiteer insurance system exploiting Americans.

[Bronxdude]

No matter what concessions democrats make, duplicitous, two-faced republicans never intended to offer bipartisan support for healthcare reform, as evidenced by Chuck Grassley telling President Obama he’s for reform, while telling Iowans he’s against it and that government sponsored euthanasia is real. For their efforts to sabotage reform, republicans have received millions in bribes from insurance corporations. It was UnitedHealthcare (not the government) that recently told me I couldn’t have the medication and treatment my doctor prescribed. With the public option, subscribers will pay premiums, patient care (not profit) will be the central focus and government will not use federal subsidies to create an artificial marketplace by which the public option will enjoy an unfair competitive advantage over private insurers. Real competition will end the monopolistic stranglehold enjoyed by private insurers. President Obama inherited a $2.2 trillion deficit from Bush—$700 billion (Wall Street bailout), $900 billion (Prescription Drug Bill) and $600 billion (Iraq War). President Clinton left office with a $759 billion surplus. What happen? According to the CBO, the public option will cost $100 billion per year. Per year, ending Medicare subsidies to insurance companies will save $30 billion, cutting subsidies to pharmaceutical companies will save $20 billion, repelling the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent will save $30 billion, and scaling back the Iraq War will save $20 billion. According to ten year CBO projections, the Bush/Cheney War will cost $3.8 trillion.

[Bronxdude]

UnitedHealthCare is relying on collusive and exclusionary practices to eliminate competition, consolidate their monopolistic stranglehold on consumers and corner the health insurance market. In an effort to defeat reform, UnitedHealthcare is ordering its employees to attend and disrupt town hall meetings. Under the current greed-driven arrangement negotiated by the parasitic insurance industry, 1 of every 4 healthcare dollars spent goes to insurance companies, which generates approximately $ 800 billion annually in profit that is divided amongst the top 7 seven insurers, to include UnitedHealthcare and WellPoint. The public option would cut reimbursement revenue to insurers and drug companies, not doctors. Morally corrupt insurers like UnitedHealthcare are aggressively pushing legislation (so far, the insurance industry has paid out $17 million in bribes to republicans) to shift more of the cost of healthcare (from 25 to 35 percent) to consumers, so the insurers can spend less of every premium dollar on actual healthcare, which translates increased profit for insurers. In comparison, even predatory casinos limit their profit on gamblers to no more than 20 cents on the dollar. Twofaced, shallow, hypocritical Christians: When Jesus healed people, he didn’t require precertification or verification of their coverage with BC/BS of Nazareth before curing their ills! Ruthlessly inspired capitalism that exploits the sick, downtrodden and poor represents a wicked collaboration between republicans and Satan. 50 million uninsured Americans is an evil blight upon our civilized nation. Public option now!

[Bronxdude]

As a direct result of collusive, exclusionary and illegal practices that make a mockery of the Sherman Antitrust Act, predatory insurers like UnitedHealthcare and WellPoint funnel millions to crooked republicans in exchange for preferential treatment and favorable legislation, which allows them to eliminate competition, circumvent the system and fortify their monopolistic advantage by artificially controlling—for profit—the “free” market at the state level. There is no real choice when subscribers are forced to select doctors from a list complied and approved by degenerate insurance industry bean-counters. Doctors selected by UnitedHealthcare as “approved providers” are not done so because of their demonstrated level of peer reviewed expertise, exceptional competence and professional commitment; instead, they are chosen because of their willingness to accept extremely low reimbursement fees. In essence, with UnitedHealthCare, the notion of true choice and quality care is a farce because the subscriber is deliberately steered toward low-bid doctors willing to accept low reimbursement. Pick a non-approved doctor, and, similar to Pavlov’s dog, the subscriber is punished financially to deter such behavior from reoccurring. Those who agree to accept such ridiculously low reimbursement fees are not “the honor grads” of their class, or notably accomplished among their peers, and are singularly motivated by greed, not a desire to practice their craft competently and adeptly. The public option will allow Americans to select and receive the best care from the most competent practitioners, not just those answering ads for low-bid services.

[Bronxdude]

If death panels were real, Grassley would pull-the-plug on his own mother to make a buck or get reelected.