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Rep. John D. Dingell

Rep. John D. Dingell

Posted: March 24, 2010 11:37 AM

Another Pathetic Attempt to Trash Health Care Reform

What's Your Reaction:

Right-wing bloggers are attempting to take my words out-of-context in another pathetic attempt to destroy the historic step taken yesterday for our country. During an interview on Paul W. Smith's show, I said:

"The harsh fact of the matter is when you're going to pass legislation that will cover 300 [million] American people in different ways it takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people."

If one were to listen to the entire interview, and not just a clip creatively chopped up for political gain, it is obvious that by 'people' I was referring to the insurance companies who we must do a better job of overseeing. Specifically, we are going to end the deplorable practices of those who rescind the health insurance policies of people on gurneys heading into emergency rooms.

We have a lot of work ahead of us to bring the insurance companies in-line with the new law and to ensure that they are doing what's right for the American people. It will take time to make sure the system designed to make sure the companies are accountable is up and working as it should be - for the benefit the citizens of the United States of America, not to control them.

The bill signed into law Tuesday by President Obama is a tremendous step forward for the United States and its citizens. This legislation will slow the growth of out-of-control health costs, introduce competition into the health care marketplace to keep coverage affordable and insurers honest, protect people's choices of doctors and health plans, and ensure all Americans have access to quality, stable, affordable health care. Our families, small businesses, and seniors will feel positive effects of reform immediately and building until 2014.

 
 
 
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This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
12:21 AM on 03/25/2010
It just strikes me as so sad to see our country reduced to people begging the government to take care of them. I was raised to take care of myself and others around me. When this country elected our congress and president I fear it lost those ideals.

Ben Franklin said, "Once people give up freedom for temporary security they deserve neither."

Shame on America
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damilitantone
Fed up with politicians
09:58 AM on 03/25/2010
Yeah well the GOP seems to run up the highest deficits when they are in control so as long as they keep spending our money with nothing to show for it, I'll side with the democrats who at least want to spend our tax money on ourselves. Since you a such an individualist I hope that you and your family have never Medicaid or Medicare, federally funded student loans or any other federally-backed funding to support yourselves. I highly doubt it. If you have elderly relatives getting Medicaid get them off of the public dole right now so the rest of us don't have to support them.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Garilia
10:40 PM on 03/24/2010
As George Harrison said to John Lennon in "For You Blue" "Go, Johnny, go!"
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
maybealittlecommonsense
kick it root down
09:59 PM on 03/24/2010
Hey John - I thought you were quoted or someone from you office after the interview as saying the reason you said "control the people" was because you were tired.
08:05 PM on 03/24/2010
Thank you to you and your father for all the wonderful years of service. Can't imagine how a family could produce two men of such integrity. Keep up your good work and best of health to your family. Thank you.
07:49 PM on 03/24/2010
Thanks for your service, Congressman Dingell. Please know that your efforts are not in vain.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Puller58
Man of Mystery
06:27 PM on 03/24/2010
Healthcare reform is trash. Lets not pretend we have a silk purse when it's actually a sow's ear.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Smithn
Different strokes for different folks.
09:39 PM on 03/24/2010
Au contraire mon frere! It is, indeed, the masterpiece our illustrious POTUS described when he said:

"A good compromise, a good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence; or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognize it. They say, 'Huh. It works. It makes sense.'"

Generations upon generations will be hearing the uplifiting music in this piece of legislation. sweet.
10:02 PM on 03/24/2010
You MUST have heard Rep Louise Slaughters impassioned speech about the woman who was forced to wear her dead sisters dentures because the woman had no healthcare insurance?
The problem with Louise Slaughters speech? THE "HEALTHCARE BILL" DOES NOT COVER DENTAL, PROSTHETICS ETC. So that poor woman who has to wear her dead sisters dentures WILL STILL have to wear her dead sisters dentures. Did anyone in mainstream media ASK Rep Slaughter about this? Nope. Did any Democrats point out the truth to America? NOPE. Mainstream Media just played the clip to the gullible masses
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
MaeScott
Nubian Queen
06:00 PM on 03/24/2010
Thank you sir. I am proud of you and take care of that gavel, you hear?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
justoverit333
make art not war
04:02 PM on 03/24/2010
The Party of Distortion is on it's way out.
They are frightened.
03:07 PM on 03/24/2010
Congressman Dingell,
Congratulations on this Sunday's historic achievement, and thank you.
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cornelison
College grad. Life-long liberal.
02:58 PM on 03/24/2010
This health care bill is only the beginning of change. If economic success is to happen then more Republicans need to be unseated. The following link contains statistics on how many Americans vote. The country cannot afford to have more voters sitting at home like they did in 2008.

Democrats can make a difference;
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html
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03:50 PM on 03/24/2010
you need larger majorities to turn the economy around? REALLY?
04:14 PM on 03/24/2010
Lincoln freed the slaves.. over 145 years ago. Today's GOP ceased to be the Party of Lincoln in 1964. The Democrats "won" WWII.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
MoreDimensions
06:17 PM on 03/24/2010
Lincoln was a liberal.

All hail the liberals.
04:29 PM on 03/24/2010
Any senator can propose an amendment to the reconciliation bill. Over 50 Democratic senators said they'd vote yes on the public option. The public option would save over $100 million, so it relates to the budget and just needs a simple majority (50 + the VP). The language of the senate and the house bills must match word-for-word, so the House will probably have to vote on the senate bill again anyway. The house passed the public option before, and since Supak got what he wanted, there's no reason to believe they won't support it now.

Besides, even one change in the wording of the reconciliation bill, however minor, would force it to go back to the House for another vote. While if the changes are indeed minor, getting 216 votes on it again shouldn’t be too heavy a lift, the entire premise of the Senate leadership whipping against amendments was predicated on the idea of avoiding another House vote. In this case, whipping against amendments that may make the bill more popular seems like a terribly short-sighted strategy.

If the Democrats in office want it, they'll do it now. Otherwise Democrats AREN'T different. Better to lose congressional seats for 2 years so we can get people who are sympathetic to our real needs in 2012.
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02:50 PM on 03/24/2010
The context you were speaking in was "300 (million) American people."

You can apologize for misspeaking. You can clarify your remarks. But you can't (with a straight face) say that you were taken out of context.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
cloudjungle
03:22 PM on 03/24/2010
I have not had the opportunity to listen to the clip. But, given the choice of believing Mr Dingell or the nuts that are the right wing bloggers, I will go with anyone but right wing bloggers. I think we have seen absolute proof that there is nothing that even resembles the truth that comes from that sector of the population.

But, I would love to listen to the clip. So, Old Henry if you know where it is let us decide for ourselves.
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04:35 PM on 03/24/2010
You can read the transcript near the top of this page.

And you should avoid absolutes where possible.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
MaeScott
Nubian Queen
06:02 PM on 03/24/2010
He said he meant the insurance company people. Get it?
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06:27 PM on 03/24/2010
That is what he says.

My point is that it is unfair to accuse anyone of taking him out of context. In the context of his remarks, controlling the "300 (million) Americans" is the only reasonable conclusion one can reach.

I misspeak from time to time, there is nothing wrong with that. However, I don't blame the listener for hearing exactly what it was I said!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
OBroadhurst
My politics do not meet guidelines.
02:35 PM on 03/24/2010
Thank you, John, for setting the record straight on this.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mij13
They only call it class war when we fight back.
01:59 PM on 03/24/2010
You, Rep. Dingell, sir, are a national hero. I just read that Sen Grassley is now trying to take credit for the bill. Democrats have to make them OWN the lies and hate they spewed during the debate.
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09:08 PM on 03/24/2010
http://www.freep.com/article/20100324/NEWS15/100324067/1008/NEWS06/Granholm-faults-Cox-for-fighting-health-bill

i don't know if i'm allowed to use links, but governor granholm does not agree with mike cox's use of the lawsuit against health care reform.
01:46 PM on 03/24/2010
Thank you for your hard work to take us in the right direction of providing heath care, kind sir.

I just have a question about those attorney generals who are fighting the bill. Are they being paid with federal stimilus money given to the states? They really are wasting tax revenue.
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08:57 PM on 03/24/2010
i can't answer your question, cat, but our michigan attorney general, mike cox, has misused the taxpayer dollars at least twice before: he led the fight to take away partner benefits from gays serving the state of michigan and its universities, and he took years of investigation to learn that he couldn't prove that kwame kilpatrick had a felonious party at the manoogian mansion in about 2003.

congressperson dingell is my rep in congress, and i want to take this opportunity to thank him again for his unstinting efforts to reform health care insurance in this country. i would love to hear that he supports grayson's bill allowing any american to buy into medicare.
11:40 AM on 03/25/2010
Grayson is a guy to watch, must have to heartily agree with you. Did I write it down correctly? www.WeWantMedicare.com. My family lives in his his district and they are very pleased with Grayson. Thank you for replying. It would bite if our tax dollars are funding the fight against heath care equality.

Things are rough in Michigan and you have my best wishes for endurance and recovery.
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kathy001
Don't bogart that duck
01:45 PM on 03/24/2010
Thank you, Representative Dingell. Not for clarifying your meaning because that wasn't necessary. After all your years of service, only a very dishonest person - or a complete fool, would believe that your goal all along was to bring the people of this country under "control."

No, my thanks is for all those years of service that you have given us and for your decades long work in trying to brink health care reform to this nation. Your success is our success.