John McCain On Healthcare: The Ultimate Hypocrite And Yes, Liar

Roger Hickey has a great post at ourfuture.org on the "dangerous fraud" that is John McCain's healthcare plan. As I point out ad nauseam in The Real McCain, McCain's positions are not simply fraudulent. The "straight-talker" rarely limits himself to simple dishonesty.

First, read the email The McCain Campaign sent out today on this issue:

My Friends,

Today, there are 47 million uninsured individuals in the U.S., and nearly a quarter of them are children. High costs and limited access are the underlying, fundamental problems in our healthcare system.

As you know, both Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are touting outrageously expensive and unrealistic universal health care plans -- a government monopoly over health care.

Unlike my opponents, I do not believe that all of our nation's problems can be solved by turning control over to our government, with all the tax increases, new mandates and government regulation that come with that idea.

Today, our campaign began running a television ad focused on health care -- that you can view by following this link -- to ensure all Americans hear the truth about how I plan to tackle the challenges facing our nation's health care system. To ensure this important ad is aired in as many markets as possible, I'm asking for your immediate financial assistance.

I believe the key to real reform is to restore control over our health care system to the patients themselves. Americans need new choices beyond those offered in employment-based coverage.

That's why, as president, I will seek to encourage and expand the benefits of Health Savings Accounts, tax-preferred accounts that are used to pay insurance premiums and other health costs. These accounts put the family in charge of what they pay for.

In addition, I will reform the tax code to provide every family the option of receiving a direct, refundable tax deposit -- effectively $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 cash for families to offset the cost of insurance.

The reality is that both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, in their haste to garner support for their so-called "solutions," are promising more than they can deliver. And, once again, they are simply out-of-touch with the real problems facing our health care system and how to solve them.

Here are the facts: Under the Democrats' plan, we will have all the problems, and more, of the current health care system -- rigid rules, long waits and lack of choices -- and we risk degrading the system's great strengths and advantages, including the innovation and life-saving technology that make American medicine the most advanced in the world.

My friends, this is not my definition of real reform. I hope you will join me in my fight to tackle the real problems facing our nation's health care system by making a contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, or $2,300 to help fund this important ad.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

John McCain

A good rule of thumb: When John McCain says "my friends," start looking for a bomb shelter. Another good rule of thumb when McCain utters this trite phrase: Dishonesty is about to morph into full scale hypocrisy.

Here is a man who has been on government healthcare his entire life (daddy was an Admiral) -- all seven decades -- who dares deride it by saying, "Unlike my opponents, I do not believe that all of our nation's problems can be solved by turning control over to our government...."

No, only his own healthcare is worthy of that.

In case you missed McCain's position: Government healthcare is good enough to pay his hospital bills -- with your "taxes" to quote him -- but it is not good enough for the rest of us -- oh and by the way, can you spare $1000 "my friends?" That means a lot coming from a guy who enjoys lounging at 8 different houses on his wife's inherited dime, and laughably calls other candidates "elitist."

With straight talk like that, who needs mendacity?

Cliff Schecter is the author of The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don't Trust Him And Why Independents Shouldn't. Every time you buy a copy (for only $10!), an angel gets their wings.

Comments

[wrabbitt]

We all need to build fallout shelters in our back yards, we need to find a hole to crawl into and wait out this election. Americas last great hope might be Obama, McCrazy is living in a dream world, Clinton says he is better than Obama. Looks like we get another election with pick the least dangerous candidate.

[Kashathree]

"We all need to build fallout shelters in our back yards, we need to find a hole to crawl into and wait out this election."
Oh PLEASE don't say that. Please vote first. But don't vote for McBush. If he wins, THEN it will be time to build fallout shelters. But don't vote for Shrillary because she is (I guess) a woman, or Obama because he is black, or McBush because he is an idiot. THINK before you go to the polls in November. TOO much is at stake if you don't.

[Tommygun264]

Why? WHY? WHY?! Why don't we see anything about this or any of the other McCain positions which don't stand up to scrutiny in the mainstream corporate media? When Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama make a policy statement, the mainstream press goes straight to the list of Republican of talking points on the supposed faults or "downside" of their plan without even bothering to report on the actual proposal itself. But John McCain makes a statement on policy or anything else, and they report "John McCain said" then go on to regurgitate whatever McCain said word for word without even bothering to mention whether or not any of what he said has any basis in reality. The fifth anniversary of "Mission Accomplished" was a perfect example. All I heard on the network news was "John McCain says he opposed the way the invasion of Iraq was handled all along", period, end of story. I had to listen to Air America Radio to hear his press statements and quotes from his floor speeches from a few weeks after the invasion up through 2003 praising the invasion as a "decisive victor", and giving his assurance that the last remnants of the insurgency will "be cleaned up within the next few weeks at most". This is on the public record, much of it recorded in his own voice, but no one in the mainstream corporate media even bothered to look it up.

[Labsmim]

My question is : How can we get the media to focus on McCain's untruths ?
I am so tired of hearing about Rev. Wright, and how the Demoncratic candidates fight over petty stuff - let's hear about the issues like healthcare, Iraq, and the rest of the things we want to hear about.
MSNBC, Fox and now CNN with Republican talking heads telling lies and hype. Sick, sick, sick

[davidpeace]

What we need is SERIOUS anti-trust suits to break all these mega-monopoly "main stream" news organizations. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening even if Clinton or Obama get into the oval office. I think this election will mark the beginning of the long, decline of the experiment called America.

[Kashathree]

You'll never get the media to tell the truth. Thanks to Bush, that trait has gone down the toilet. We have been fed lies for at least 7 1/2 years now. It's not going to change. Politicians - liars. Respectable journalism and media news is no longer available.

But I agree with you. Let's deal with the issues as the candidates promise to deal with them. But keep in mind, they tell Americans what they want to hear--not the truth..

[saami]

I think all Americans should have the same insurance the John McCain has. I think we deserve the best too. After all He and the rest of the Senate and Congress work for us; we are their boss!

[LewisWalsh]

I once thought that John McCain was just a dishonest opportunist and hypocrite. I am now coming to believe that he is worst than that since he seems to view his “friends” as his fools.

Look at the socialized programs that he approves of for himself while he says that they are bad for the rest of us. Socialized health care, full paid retirement after 20 years, guaranteed employment for life, paid higher education, preferential treatment for entrance to military academies for family members and the list goes on.

For us, he proposes Health Savings Accounts, adjustments to Social Security so we might retire after 50 years, free trade agreements to send our means of livelihood to other countries etc.

The McCain family has been on the public dole for at least three generations. The American taxpayers have subsidized their socialized life styles to the tune of $1700 per capita per year for the maintenance of the entire military establishment that he loves and supports. The rest of the world spends only $123 per capita per year.

This individual is a dubious hero who represents a grave danger to the American middle class.

[madmaggie57]

What about Americans whose employers don't offer healthcare or those unemployed souls who don't qualify for Welfare. I worked most of my life & the insurance that the companies offered were considerably better & cheaper than private insurance. This man is so out of touch! It's another case of what's good for McCain is not good for others. Like you stated, he has been taken care of all of his life by the VA. So what does he really know? It's like his constant voting against bills to help veterans. I'm sure he gets many benefits from his vietnam experience. It's like the saying: "What's good for the goose is good for the gander". He's the goose and Americans are the gander. So why does he continually vote to deny us the same benefits that he enjoys?

[ReElectNoOne]

This video from Michael Moore sums up a lot. http://reelectnoone.com/what_health_care.php

I would like to challenge all politicians in Washington to voluntarily give up government paid health care, write a law removing that perk and placing themselves in the same situation most Americans are in. Buy it yourself, do without, or apply for medicare if you can show you are poor enough.

Likewise, place themselves in the Social Security system with the rest of us. Drop their gold lined retirement packages.

PROVE you don't consider yourselves above the people you are elected to serve by being one of us.

I DARE YOU !

[wrabbitt]

good for you! now if we can find 1 with a backbone to get behind you, America home of the brave land of the sheep

[Stirner]

Yes, McCain is nuts. Agreed -- but not the only nut in the jar. Last night, on "Countdown" Keith Obermann & Co. spent almost the whole program loudly bemoaning the recent rise in troop killings. McCain came in for his "100-year" remark, and Hillary and Obama for their avoidance of any clear statement as to troop withdrawal. Much grumbling and heavy breathing from Keith & Co. However, there was not one, no not one, mention of the only candidate who has consistently opposed Bush's war and wants our troops out NOW. Come on folks, let's face it, all of the MSM is in the pocket of the neocons -- and Oberman's noisy expressions of concern are all scripted. McLieberman will be the next President. We will go to war with Iran. The "Ron Paul Threat" will be consigned to the "memory hole". All is well, keep consuming.

[ahornick]

So get the government out of all issues that seem to be basic rights. Let the market take care of police protection, fire departments, education, roads and bridges, food safety.... Yeah, let's instill a profit motive for all of these items to make them interesting. That would be much better.

[madmaggie57]

I completely agree, except for the food safety. The government now has departments to monitor our food...the­y just aren't doing it very well. Thanks to this administration & the Republicans, those same departments can't afford to hire enough employees to do the job successfully. Can u say cutbacks? The only place this administration(and john mccain) are capable of investing money is in a illegal war that is bleding us dry!

[parose10]

The free market will solve all of our problems. Government is never the answer. But, when people can’t afford health care, letting the market solve the problem would result in a loss of profits. So, it’s time for government to step in and absorb the high costs by giving tax breaks which are basically subsidies to the health industry. This is such a good idea, we should do it for all businesses. Whenever there is a threat to our profits, give a tax break so people can continue to pay our high costs. Wow, we’ve managed to help business and at the same time give a tax break to ordinary people. We Republicans are so smart.

[Tommygun264]

HuffPost's Pick

Setting aside the fact that there is no true "free market" - every business system is regulated by some form of societal construct such as contract law, health care in the free market is health care for profit and you don't make profits by treating the sick, you make profits by insuring the healthy and excluding the sick. Comparison shopping is great for television sets or automobiles, but when you are sick or injured or have a child born with a chronic illness, you don't have time to shop around and weigh your options. We need to take the profit motive out of health care. Our fire departments and police departments aren't run on a for-profit basis (at least not yet) so why should our health care system be for profit?

[Melizzy]

Michael Moore? Is that you? The only sane voice out there talking about this and GETTING IT RIGHT?? Loved Sicko. I only wish more Americans could really see the truth behind this. It might require a trip to Europe or Canada. It's too bad our "free press" has been bought and sold so many times even they don't know how bad they are.

[oafishcad]

Bush - McCain

Same old - same older

[BTN]

Healthcare insurance is not a right. It's a privilege you must pay for.
The struggling worker shouldn't pay for your health insurance.

http://theglobalwarmingtruth.com/

[knighthowl]

No, like the Europeans and Canadians, all struggling workers and employers should pay so all of our citizens have health care. As to the issue of rights, we all have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.­" At least two of those rights are impaired without health care.

[k8eeyore]

Excuse me? You want to tell that to all the uninsured children out there?

[Tommygun264]

BTN, you win the "Let Them Eat Cake" award! I hope you never suffer the misfortune of ending up on the short end of the stick and needing to rely on the good will of others. But if you do (or perhaps when you have had to do so) I'm sure you will find some way of telling yourself that you are in some way pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps.

[dadele]

Not until Americans stand up and say "enough" will anything change. Health Care is not commodity, it is a right. If he really believes that eliminating employer-based health care will improve the system, he should start with government employees.
See the latest polls "his values are most like mine" 54%. Where do they get the people to answer these questions?

[Mack20]

Read it again. He said nothing about eliminating employer-based health care but offering choices. I don't believe healthcare was covered in our constitution by the founding fathers. But I do agree employees, like government and union, should have to pay SOMTHING for health insurance. I work for a small company and pay $400 per month for a family plan for four. My boss, the owner, also pays $400 toward my plan. That's $800 per month! Five years ago the costs for my family plan were half of today’s.

Meanwhile our local, non-profit community hospital has gobbled up half a dozen smaller hospitals in the area in the last 10-15 years. Being "non-profit" they are constantly spending extra money on such vital necessities as a huge waterfall to greet all the sick and visiting sick, beautiful hardwood flooring in every elevator and many hallways, and a premium sound system piping soothing music throughout the property. The dirty little secret is they have so much money they have to do something with it. But instead of lowering overall costs to the patients, they continue to charge $5.00 for a Tylenol pill and rake in enormous profits. Woops, I mean revenue.

[Nooneyouknow]

So McCrazy's plan would allow the hospital to keep gouging us while allowing the insurance companies to screw us even more. Employees already pay something toward their health care: their taxes. A universal plan would allow the (Democratic) government to oversee health pricing to prevent profiteering by hospitals, and it would cut out the insurance companies completely. You'd be paying a lot less than $400 per month. You're right though; the founding fathers didn't cover health care in the constitution. They didn't cover space travel, nuclear arms, or slavery either. They left that up to us. Meaning, we who aren't crazed wingnuts.

[Tommygun264]

All the more reason to embrace single-payer health care, also referred to as Medicare for All. Cut the administration fees and the greedy private administrators out of the picture and make health care, not profit (or revenue) the goal of the health care system.

[FloaterBall]

Question: Which is more profitable to an insurance company, collecting premiums and paying for expensive health care, or collecting premiums and deciding not to pay for anything? HELLO! ANYBODY OUT THERE? THAT IS YOUR FREE FUCKING MARKET AT WORK. I'm sick (pardon pun) of these assholes who think "The Free Market" is some kind of natural law like gravity, or the seasons changing, that will magically make everything come out alright in the end. BULLSHIT. Capitalism itself will not survive our coming era of resource scarcity without intensive care, if at all. Totalitarianism has a much better prognosis. (And greater support, evidently.­)

[julianne]

They call it "government" health care but there are an array of private companies which compete every twelve months, usually in November, to insure government employees at 4 to 8 times LESS than the premiums they charge the civilian sector for the same services, or less services. The Post Office, which is unionized, pays 1/2 the premium for the same health insurance as other government employees. If you work at a Post Office, you can insure your whole family (children under 22 years of age) for approximately $70.00 every two weeks (2006 prices). The civilian sector is being ripped off of 100's of billions of dollars by many of the same insurance companies that compete for business for government employees right in front of the nose of the Congress and Senate. It is the Congress, Senate, and Executive branches, the same scumbags that refuse to negotiate lower prescription prices for our parents and grandparents. The government is a gutter of lies and money and a significant number of our representative, all lawyers, are the scum of the Western World.

[Perplexed1]

This seems to be the only comment that directly addresses the basic falacy of the article. Civilian government employees are covered by PRIVATE health plans, not a government plan. The government employee can elect between competing PRIVATE plans. I'd like to see an extension of this system so that non-government employees could also select from the same plans, at the same cost. This seems a heck of a lot better than putting the government into the insurance business. As you may have noticed, our government doesn't have a very good record of being financially efficient, or keeping political issues/ earmarks/ etc out of the administration of government programs.

[JustMyWords]

Of course, technically for at least a large part of his life, McCain wasn't covered by the private health plan choices, either - the military is covered separately, through the VA. Only civilian employees are covered

But either way, trust me. I speak from experience, and there is a huge difference between the privately administered plans offered to government employees and the private insurance that is available to the rest of the population.

[Producer1]

I'm mystified that any thinking person regards McCain as anything other than a jerk. This is a man who has never not sucked off the government tit from the time he was born. His entire military career (save his POW years) was one of total mediocrity and I'm sure (although I have no proof) that nepotism probably saved his backside several times. He quit the Navy because he knew the Navy was not going to promote him. In a twenty plus year career he had no important command experience except for a training company. The Navy didn't regard him as command material such as his father and grandfather were.

He's also not distinguished himself in his 25 year congressional career to any great degree. this is not a man who should be giving anyone fiscal or health care advice much less be commander in chief.

[Mack20]

I'm glad you are such an expert on McCain's career. Let's see your mediocre butt flying a fighter/bomber from an aircraft carrier into a VERY hot war zone. But I agree with one thing you said: "I have no proof". This should be expanded to add "and since I'm a liberal democrat, I'll trash anything and everything the republican candidate stands for". It looks to me like you forgot your own salesmanship rule about not trashing the competition. I guess your character only takes you as far as the democratic candidates.

[primusinterpares]

One HAS to be both extremely mediocre and criminally inclined, cretinous even, to attend one of the so-called service academies -- Annapolis, in the case of McCain (who "graduated" at the very bottom of his class), his father and grandfather, those two beribboned and bemedaled buffoons, with one of the senator's sons now following in their collective footsteps, Cretinism does run in that family, it seems.

[liberalghost]

Muck20, obviously you confuse physical skills (flying) with mental skills (leading troops). But then you're a rethug. So this can be expanded to "I worship every rethug no matter how screwed up they are and how badly they screw up the government­." But then you're a rethug.

I'm a liberal but I don't have to trash any rethug position. That's because all retug positions are trash. There's not one idea a rethug has that's honest, ethical, or moral.

No democrat is perfect, but each is better than any rethug.

Your post demonstrates you are as dishonest, immoral, and unethical as any rethug office holder.

Question: What's the difference between McCain and Cunningham?

Answer: One got convicted.

[mariemburns]

It isn't that government health care isn't good enough for the rest of us, it's that McCain thinks the rest of us aren't good enough for government health care.

And don't forget, we're not just providing him health care benefits & a full Senate salary & staff & the franking privelege & whatever other goodies come with the Senate package, he also receives $58,000 a year TAX FREE because the military considers him fully disabled. Yet this taxpayer-funded 'fully disabled' man claims to be 'able' enough to take on the toughest job in America & says he is so fit he can hike across the entire Grand Canyon (with his disability checks in his pocket, I guess). Since the days of the Keating Five, McCain has been a fraud & he continues to cut ethical corners, even probably violating his own vaunted McCain-Fiengold campaign finance reform bill. He has no shame.

[primusinterpares]

Let us hope that come Nov. 5, we won't have to exclaim, reprising the London's Daily Mirror screaming headline of Nov. 3, 2004, the day after the 2004 U.S. presidential election, "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?"

[goodneighbor420]

mariemburns--That's a good question! Why is he still receiving disability? I know a guy who lost all of his disability for taking a part-time job driving truck and getting reported. How does that work?