Jim Cooper On House Health Care Bill: 'One Of The Best Votes I Ever Cast'

The Washington Post:

Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) knows as much about health-care policy as anyone in Congress. He teaches the subject back home in Tennessee, promoted his own plan (to the anger of many Democrats) in 1994, and has been both a vocal advocate and critic of this year's reform fight. On Saturday, he voted for the House's health-care bill. Earlier today, he told me why.

Read the whole story: The Washington Post

Comments

[TheBaffler]

Has he not cast that many votes or is his judgment seriously out of whack?

[Nutcase]

Old Jim claims credit for having defeated the Clinton plan back in 1994 because they wouldn't support his plan. Many others also give him credit. It's difficult to see him as a champion of healthcare reform.

[WANSU]

Yes, this guy in the past has opposed to health care reform bill..even last night when he was guest at Hardball with Mathews..he did not make clear sense why he voted for the bill!!! he kept on saying the Senate will improve the bill a lot!!!!

[Nutcase]

My impression of his appearance on Hardball was the same as yours. His district is basically Nashville. I live in a suburb of Nashville in a district adjacent to his, so I see his performance at fairly close range. He is just one more proof of the need for term limits.

[RustyPatina]

WHY is the majority of Congress anti-abortion, when the majority of Americans are pro-choice? This is not a theocracy.

[PhilipTaylor]

EARLIER IN THE DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE:

“The lobbyists are winning,” said Rep Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat who teaches health policy.

Lost to Lobbyists:

1. Everyone gets Medicare as a Single-Payer=Lost on Day ZERO to Baucus
2. Government/Medicare Negotiation of Health Care Costs

[alumtrix]

It's sad reading comments from people that are just plain ignorant about what is about to happen. I don't think they are stupid, just ignorant about where this country will be in less than 10 years. How can so many people not look at the state of social security, medicare and medicaid, our education system and believe that something positive is taking place. We have a VA medical system that has been in place for decades and no one can find one single quote from a democrat saying anything good about the Vets healthcare system. So why are they so intent on providing the same style of healthcare to the rest of Americans. As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

[kemo]

"So why are they so intent on providing the same style of healthcare to the rest of Americans?"

They are intent on no such thing. So, who is "just plain ignorant"?

[axt113]

I think people don't realize, having a Dem controlled congress means nothing when many, many of those dems are moderates and conservatives.

Did anyone really expect we'd get single payer or a robust public option? Seriously, the progressives fooled themselves into believing that having a D next to the name would mean they'd push through a progressive agenda.

Until the day that most of congress is made up of progressive dems, you can forget about things like single payer and a strong public option

[MathIsTruth]

There are so many people who would love, sometime in their lives, even just once, to do something REALLY, REALLY important. Something that really makes a difference for the better in the lives of millions of people. People they care about.

And then you have all these Democrats. With the privilege to be a position to do a great thing. To do what's right. To save thousands of lives and to improve millions more. To be heroes.

And what do we have? Selfish, greedy cowards. Sad. Tragic, really.

[TheAnti-Bush]

I agree, however it's not just Democrats who can choose to do what's right. I know there's GOT to be SOME reasonable Republicans in Congress. It's too bad they're silent now.
I guess it's naive to think that those we send to Congress to represent us should ALL( Dem & Repub) have the best interest of their country and its citizens at heart and in mind at all times.
You're right, how very tragic.

[ChelseaC]

Oh, I bet it is the best bill you have ever signed--to feather the nest of the insurance cartel!

[mcvet]

It feels so good to see this nation engaged in OPEN honest debate about something like this instead of, should we allow the Religious Right to make a decision best left to the family and the family court system. ANYONE who doesn't appreciate THIS after George W. Bush AND his pals in the Religious Right? You need to seek mental help!

[VotingPresent]

It will be one of the last votes he casts.

[mcvet]

I don't think so! I think the people he represents are going to see at the end of this that He did the right thing, the moral thing. I don't buy that the people in ALL the south are stupid and want the nation to fail. If not then they will again have proven that they can't get over losing. That will make the Republican Party appear even MORE radical to the rest of the nation.

[Ifticar2]

Yep. His political life is effectively over.

[not one of the sheep]

Votes for sale! Votes for sale! He sold his soul to Peloser. Maybe the Senate can craft something with common sense instead of this 2000 page paperweight.

[kemo]

Interesting how they speak their minds and truth, when the career winds up.

Hagel was a great example, doncha think?

[Icantbelieveher]

I do think that one thing that people are not talking about is the medical loss ratio in the house bill. Aside from the public option, it's one of the most important parts of this bill. The medical loss ratio in the house bill is 85%, which means that the insurance companies would have to pay 85 cents out of every dollar in medical benefits. Right now they pay from 55% to 65% and the other 35 - 45% is kept for administrative costs (CEO salaries) and profit. That will bring down premiums immediately as this part of the bill would go into affect immediately.

Insurance companies fought and won legislation in 2007 that would have been a 70% medical loss ratio. Just this and the anti-trust law being over turned would be huge reform. I'm all for a strong public option, but why is no one talking about this? The public option is not the only thing in this bill that will bring down costs!

[ChelseaC]

Icantbelieveher,
Nobody is talking about the "public option" because they've been dumbed down--they think this is "real" reform when it's really a giveaway to the insurance cartel.
It's sad, really.

[melodramy]

Want to bet it comes out all nice and compromised away in the Senate?

[Imago]

Icantbelieveher -- fanned for actually paying attention to the contents of the bill!

Thanks. I hadn't been paying attention to the cost ratio issues at all.

[jinxed]

Don't worry, Lieberman and his Republican friends will see that it is either removed or mandated at 50% of the premium will go to actual health care.

[Lori Bowles]

wow thats a really great point

[dadw5boys]

Fork the Wallstreet Journal and their Polls.

Remember how great Leham Brothers was the day before the went Bankrupt according the to Wall Stret Journal !!!!!!!!

[dadw5boys]

There is a Bill now that can be worked with.

If the Senate does not pass one with the Public Option then we vote them out !!!!!!!!!

[unscum]

WSJ: Do you agree with the House passing the bill to overhaul health care?

http://online.wsj.com/community/groups/question-day-229/topics/do-you-agree-house-passing

Please Vote.

[mcantwell]

As much as I'm disappointed with a number of aspects of this Bill, I do recognize how difficult it was to even get to this point.......for better or worse.

Quote: " I think the actual number was closer to 210. The leadership had to move heaven and earth to get to 220. The achievement of the leadership was to corral the votes at the last minute, and that is a great achievement that should not be diminished, and they did that by making major concessions they didn’t want to make."

[mcvet]

This debate has been going on for me my entire life, over 60 years now. Anyone who thought this was going to be easy... for the DEMOCRATIC PARTY?? But they will get us there and it will be in a situation we can work from. We are just dealing with a New Generation and they want change and they want it NOW! LOL

[mcantwell]

Yes, I agree. Good Post. Fanned!

[smiththomas]

200 + others. "This is a terrible bill. I voted against it"

[widdles]

220 - "This is a great bill - I voted for it"

See how easy that was? And the ayes had it!!

[GunneraGirl]

It's called - wait for it - DEMOCRACY!

It's a process whose rules dems are willing to play by, even when it's not in our favor.

And the repugs aren't.

[Oldwave]

It's a great bill...if you're an insurance executive. For the rest of us, it sucks.