Arianna Discusses Health Reform, Why Biden Should Resign On Larry King (VIDEO)

Arianna was a guest on Larry King Live tonight, along with Ben Stein, to discuss her recent blog in which she advises Vice President Joe Biden to resign from the Obama administration over his disagreement with the upcoming escalation of the war in Afghanistan.

She and Stein also talked about the prospects for passing meaningful health care reform.

WATCH:

Comments

[anasha01]

I agree that competition is the essence of capitalism and am typically a proponent of antitrust actions, but I am not sure about it for insurance companies. First of all, there are lots of other industries which should be subject to it first (the financial industry just to name one). Secondly, insurance works better the larger the pot is, the more people we spread the risk out over, the better the insurance works. This is why I support a single payer option, where the entire country would be in a single pool. I think it is very sad that democrats have given this vision up. I see that a public option could definitely become a single payer option because it would be able to compete better and eventually take over the market (especially if we broke up the insurance agencies with antitrust legislation), but I think it is terrible that we have to mask our intent like this. We are giving up so much by using these tricks an euphemisms to get what is really best. We elected Obama because of his leadership ability, and we elected a filibuster proof democratic majority because we wanted them to get stuff done. Why do we have to hedge and mask and compromise on everything to the detriment of all?

[dadw5boys]

Ben money will not be taken away from Doctors in the end. They will not be able to OVERTEST just to bill Medicare.

In the end Doctors will make more money !!!!

[imsrui]

Nonsense.

The true healthcare reform we need is where we have direct B2B
relationship between Patients and doctors and then some catastrophic
health insurance coverage.
We need something like we have for auto insurance. I pay for Oil
change, tire changes, and other maintenance work. The only
difference...it should NOT be mandatory.


If people show up at emergency rooms, let them pay for it.


There is one thing common between the democratic plan and the
republican plan...Both do NOT address the cost and quality of medical
service (Not insurance - There is a difference).


B2B relationship between patient and Doctors/Hospitals.


Let them compete to get our business. Let the dentists/O­BGYN/Hospi­tals
compete on price & quality just like hotels do.


That is FREE MARKET.


Republican argument of having INSURANCE companies compete is a smoke
screen. The users/patients never see the effect of that competition.
Demoractic plan of the Public option is a disaster.

[dadw5boys]

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A FREE MARKET IN THE USA .

Traiffs, BARRIER TO ENTRY LAWS, Tax Cuts --- all prevent competition !!!!!!!!!

[Mij13]

What we should be asking is: Why does health care reform have to be deficit neutral, but not the war?

[GhostofBillHicks]

You always hear about how no one has been able to conquor Afghanistan,BUT,do you think Russia could have done it if we[U.S./CIA] did not arm and train the Taliban?Just curious...

[robotfog]

it's important for us to arm our future enemies so that we not only have a market to keep weapons manufacturers rich, but also so it doesn't look like we're committing war against unarmed peasants.

[pinhead71]

wow Im in bizzarro world, I cant believe Arianna's lapse in judgement.
the fact of the matter is those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it.
one could argue it was Afganistan that brought down the Soviet Union(with a little help from the U.S arming them.) don't think they wont try the same to us.regardless, how many empires have tried to take Afganistan.
We probably could win with an additional 200,000 troops, but i for one would rather have that money spent on someone's health care.
Why don't we try using the carrot, you can make more friends with carrots than you can with bombs.
P.S. I support our troops, but they may be dying in vane,which i will never support.

[IanToronto]

Tech note: Many of Huff Post's videos have low audio. Please boost to normal level.

Thanks

[naschkatze]

Arianna, I would like to remind everyone here of the spot on op-ed you wrote some months ago in which you stated there would be no real health care reform without two things: the government's ability to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharm and of course a real public option. We know the former has fallen by the wayside, and from appearances right now, it appears the latter will also fall.

As for Joe Biden resigning, I agree in principle, but it is way too early for such a move to have any impact. His is a voice in the wilderness being drowned out by the shrieks of hawks.

[ktchvl]

Without mandatory coverage, the public option won't have a chance in h3ll. Even with mandatory coverage, the govt will have to be ready to fork over huge subsidies.

[AlteSoldier]

Call Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid at 202-224-3542 and tell him to include a public option and public option plus in the merged Senate bill.

Get as many signatures on Governor Dean's http://americacantwait.com/ as possible, so that it increases the impact when the signatures are delivered next week.

And of course, you should contact your public option supportive Senators and tell them thank you and insist they stand strong.

[naschkatze]

I am signing any and every petition which gets linked for the public option. There is also a good petition at FDL for Harry Reid to stop the silent filibuster he has going.

[Project4NuBostonTeaParty]

I just called Harry Reid but I also called Sen. Dodd's office (202-224-2823) to leave word with a staffer that I supported Dodd's lonely position on the reconciliation panel and that I was calling as a representative of the 60%-plus Americans who want a strong public option.

My senator, Bill Nelson, is pretty much worthless on this. He was the former insurance commissioner of Florida, so he's protecting industry profits.

But you're right -- Reid has the power. Unfortunately, he is acting like a Nevadan instead of the Senate leader who should be concerned with what the majority of 307 million Americans want. Not the stalwart leader we need at the forefront right now for true health insurance reform.

.

[Suntio]

Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT) on C-Spa pulling the wool over voters' eyes. Most Republicans calling have similar questions: "If this Bill passes and we don't agree with it, what can we do?" D'uh, keep buying insurance from insurance companies and being fleeced by insurance companies; you have every right to be s.t.u.p.i.d. in this country.

[Lane4411]

Ben Stein has ZERO creditabil­ity-cluele­ss on economics

[PaleMail]

So true.

[PaleMail]

Arianna's best point was why are Democrat senators kow-towing to Olympia Snowe. Just to say the Bill is bipartisan?, what a joke that is. Snowe is a brave woman indeed to vote against the dictate of her Party of No, but what is reform without a public option? Without it all the taxpayers are doing is handing over more billions of dollars to the health insurance industry.

[sc300nc]

Obama doesn't care what kind of bill it is, as long as he can say he reformed healthcare and add a big carat to his resume. What we will get is bigger bureaucracy, lower quality care, longer waits, and higher costs.

[naschkatze]

Bingo!

[BBackSoon]

Yes health care could be worse, but it pretty much sucks just as you said right now. Perhaps we should be demanding specific changes so we come out better not worse.

[AlteSoldier]

I feel I need to scream this as loud as I can. No one seems to talk about this fact and time is the factor here. Right now Harry Reid and his office are the main place to fight for the Public Option now. Harry Reid will try to hide from this responsibility but we as voters and donors of money need to let him know Reid is being put on notice.

It is as plain as day. Harry Reid can add a robust Public Option on his own to the Health Care Bill. Then the Senate will need 60 votes to REMOVE the Public Option from the bill. If Harry Reid leaves the Public Option out then it will take 60 votes to put it in. The whole Public Option concept depends on what Harry Reid does. Call Harry Reid's office right now and tell him he needs to include a robust Public Option concept in the final Senate bill since the Public Option concept will control health care costs for the consumers. Without the Public Option Harry Reid has sold out the average American. It is all dependent on Harry Reid's actions!

[Mij13]

Yes he can! He has said he is in favor of it. We all need to get busy and call and write his office and tell him that the American people are sick and tired of politics as usual. WE VOTED FOR CHANGE in the last election. WE WANT CHANGE!!! Harry Reid, if you don't use your majority, you LOSE your majority. It is as simple as that. There are other people who will do what we want them to do, it you do not have the guts to stand up for us! Primaries, don't ya know?

[AlteSoldier]

It seems people do not know how it all depends on Harry Reid's office now!

[oneanddone]

Reid will not push hard for public option. Majority of folks in America do not want it. Plus Reid is up for re-election next year, and is down double digits in the polls.

[ljc]

Do you have a link to majority of "folks" (O'Reilly ?) do not want it ?

[scottowego]

Actually the majority want a public option. CBS/New York Times: Sept. 25th, '09. http://crooksandliars.com/node/31549

[StJames]

A lie, repeated often enough becomes the truth? The majority of Americans DO want a public option.

[weatherwaxx]

Over 70% of Americans -- including many Republicans (and FORMER Republicans) DO indeed want a public option.

Do you understand what "majority" means?

[uglygnome]

Harry Reid only cares what his constituents think AND he is NOT in favor of simply adding the public option. In fact, he chastised Schumer for mentioning it. Not only that, but Reid is insisting that the bill have 60 votes! Why? With Rahm Emanuel, Max Baucus, and Olympia Snowe at the table we can kiss the public option good-bye.

[nurseattorney]

You are absolutely spot on in your assessment. The only person at the table right now who gives a hoot about the public option is Dodd. And he's hardly going to carry the day.

The "reform" we get with this bill will be a gift to the insurance companies and the drug companies. It is proof positive that our elected officials, from the lowest to the highest, is bought and paid for by corporate business interests. But you also have to give the Republicans credit. Only a few months ago they were declared dead as a national party, yet they came roaring back against the Dems who were in control of the House, Senate, and the WHite House, and they managed to get legislation that is exactly what they wanted and what their major donors could only have dreamt of last November.

[northstar11]

ben stein will never be confused with his brother ein

[PhilipTaylor]

Lets Remember NOT even Bush PROMISED anyone we would STAY FOREVER in Afghanistan!

This is NOW a W@R of CHOICE as Ar!anna said!

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

Yeah, he just decided to stick his successor with the problem of when and how to get out.

What a guy.