HuffPost's Sam Stein Joins "Ed Show" Panel To Debate Al Franken, Healthcare Reform, Sarah Palin (VIDEO)

HuffPost reporter Sam Stein joined an "Ed Show" panel with Katrina vanden Heuvel and Tim Griffin, former Deputy Political Director for the Bush White House, to discuss Al Franken coming to the Senate, and what that means for the passage of health care reform, as well as the political fallout from Sarah Palin's sudden resignation as Governor, and the possibilities for her political future.

WATCH:

Part 1 (panel begins at 8:00)

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Part 2

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Comments

[Jeff Passick]

Every time I see the Health Care debate waged on cable or network news, I'm struck by the lack of clarification on behalf of the participants. First of all, a “public option” in the current House bill is in no way close to being “Single Payer Health Care”; it’s not even subsidized care. It is subsidized insurance. Second, providing health care as a public service is not the same thing as mandating the purchase of health insurance, which is the big push of the current House bill. If this bill in its current state does go through, even with a public option, people will still be left uncovered, costs will still rise, and care will probably remain uneven. Insurance companies will have to stop many of their more idiotic practices, but in exchange they will have a guaranteed pool of obligated customers, the American Public. The best, most efficient solution is a Single Payer expansion of Medicare, possibly combining it with Medicaid and VA, that covers every man, woman, and child in the country. Progressive Democrats and Independents need to push for Single Payer now and not settle for the current House bill’s public option. If it passes, it probably won’t be successful. And if it’s not successful, Republicans will blame “Socialized Medicine” and we’ll be back to square one.

[Logicalthinker5]

Dear Ed,

I think it would be a great idea to take your show on the road and do town halls in cities like Toronto, Sydney, and London. This way the American people can see how badly they are getting ripped off here and will be more at ease about a government option. There are way too many ads out by healthcare lobbyists trying to make Americans scared of universal health care from other countries.

[SuzyQuzyMuzy]

This is blatantly ripping off the people. The lawmakers must put a stop to this. The people pay for it all. Millions per day to lobby so the people AREN'T taken care of? Drug lobbiests have never lost? The people are doomed to not have good health care. If the elected officials don't follow the will of the people, I fear all the hard work to elect Obama and others will be lost, all will be lost because I don't think we'll have another chance.

Dems are too nice, yes. The right-wing media's propaganda weighing on the minds of the people, putting in the fear factor, is swaying the conservative Dems. Too nice, yes. Better not lose this opportunity. They wouldn't waste an opportunity. The Bushies never thought twice about it.

To the Republican of Wyoming, I want a lot more from my insurance than you said. I think we have the human right to have the same full care they have in Canada and in Congress. I lobby you, now, that I want more from my insurance -- the list is too long to state here. The greedy should not profit from the suffering of others. While you guys are lobbying and spending millions, people are still getting poor care, no care, have stressful debts while they are sick and dying. This should be a no-brainer. You should be spending your time and energy talking about the breakdown of our food that's causing so much disease.

[learntofly]

Why would MSNBC give Nancy Snyderman and Dylan Ratigan their own shows, and not Katrina?

[ritenow]

Or Lawrence O'Donnell

[sueno]

Ed's great, but,
Katrina needs her own show-

[Virgil Kane]

Does anyone even watch this show?

[deadcustodian]

Katrina is hot!

[roger37]

Look at Barasso in this interview. He does what all the corporate interests and right wingers do: he refers to a government-offered option as "Government control of health care." And nobody call them on it.

[modwiz]

I really applaud Ed for staying on the subject of health care but unless it is single payer not for profit we will all be crying in our beer. People have to realize that it is single payer and not a public option that will give them what they want instead of another mandatory monthly bill. Knowledge is power.

[macohmz]

Those senators and their cohorts experience the unbearable lightness of being with the thought of all that money coming their way.

[Vishal Singh]

Why do they call it lobbying....i think bribing is an a more appropriate term...wouldnt you agree.

[pizzmoe]

No question about it. I'm also fascinated that the Supreme Court considers money to be "free speech".

[toggan]

Greed...gr­eed...gree­d. Shame on these senators. Thank goodness for Ed, Katrina and Sam Stein for keeping us informed.

[Boadicea]

I always knew Sam was smart. Now I know he's also hot!

[Wolves50]

Didn't catch that segment...­........Ne­ither did anyone else seeing it was on MSNBC.

[deanimal]

Katrina improves the quality of any show she is on(including morning Joe). Sorry I missed it. Good for Sam.

[hopefull2008]

I agree, she's a joy to watch.