21 Responses to Everybody In, Nobody Out — Single Payer Health Care Plan — HR Bill 676 (Expanded Medicare for All) — Short Videos To Enjoy, Learn From and Pass Along

1. masslib August 25th, 2009 at 4:34 am «

   This is the only solution worth pursuing. I can’t believe how easily the leftward blogosphere got suckered into supporting a huge behemoth private, for-profit expansion of the system simply because the words “public option” were uttered. We could have at the least fought for an expansion of Medicare downward. It’s really sad. The prog blogosphere is ignoring all the abominable trade offs to get any sort of public option, even though an even cursory reading of the legislation crafted thus far render the option useless.
• letsgetitdone August 25th, 2009 at 8:12 am «

  All true. Have you seen the discussion here?
• pjack August 25th, 2009 at 9:25 am «

  No one wants to face the music.
  We can not afford to expand medicare. It is broke, just
  like Social Security. We are about to face a major dilemma
  with both of these issues.
• Evelyn August 25th, 2009 at 11:56 am «

  Saying Medicare is broke is like saying the Defense Department is broke. Or the Transportation Department is broke. A country takes care of its citizens by allotting the proper amount of resources to do it. It’s not a business. People are not “unfunded deficits.” But based on the experience of other countries that prioritize the health and welfare of its citizens, making sure the people are healthy also happens to be a good investment.
  What we cannot afford is to continue pouring money into the coffers of “health insurance” companies (and banks and “financial service” companies) who provide nothing productive, no service, nothing of value, in return.
• pjack August 25th, 2009 at 6:37 pm «

  Yes they are broke. Our government estimates 9 trillion over budget
  for the nex ten years
  At what point will it be enough?
  All the more reason to not put another program in the hands of
  the government?
  At some point working people will say no more.
  Financial companies, banks and insurance companies do nothing?
  Where do you think the capital comes from for homes, cars
  start up money for new business, covering loses from health
  care to homes. The list goes on and on
• letsgetitdone August 25th, 2009 at 8:49 pm «

  pjack, you’re incoherent. The Government’s not broke. It can print money. And if you think the money’s no good, you don’t have to accept it in return for your products or services.
• pjack August 26th, 2009 at 5:19 am «

  I assume you are being facetious when you say we can print money.
  Much of the problems we are having with our economy is from
  a run away printing press. Remember Alan Greenspan.
  There comes a point when you can not just keep printing money because
  the problems of inflation are devastating.
  It will take us years to deleverage because of excessive liquidity.
  This is one of the reasons China is not buying as much of our treasuries
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 9:58 am «

  Our bloated military budget is obscene given our bankruptcy state. If we began to liquidate some of our unwelcome bases all over the world it would be a relief to us as well as the countries who don’t appreciate the environmental problems as well as the unaccountability among the US personnel, lawlessness in particular when it comes to sexual assaults which is chilling (Chalmers Johnson writes extensively about this).
• DWBartoo August 25th, 2009 at 11:58 am «

  But we can ‘afford’, with the people’s money, to bailout Wall Street.

  And the banks ….

  And the insurance “companies” …

  ?

  ?

  ?

  (Not to mention “conduct” some dubious “wars”)

  Yes, something is “broken”.

  What might it be???
• pjack August 25th, 2009 at 7:11 pm «

  Yes, something is “broken”.
  What might it be???> Government
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 9:52 am «

  My #15 is to you, pjack. :)
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 9:44 am «

  I agree. Why are we compromising before even beginning? Why was single payer off the table from the get go? My only answer is that the campaign lobby bribing seduced the Dems as well as the Reps as well as Obama and his adm. The vendors get protected as did the banks, their needs for profit honored over what should not be such a profit making scenario. The right to a quality of life in America is not regarded as a right in our “free market” even though we are taxed and taxed… deregulation and lobbying means our reps aren’t really working for us anymore. They are working for the slush campaign funding sponsors.
2. DWBartoo August 25th, 2009 at 11:56 am «

   Great collection, lilly.

   (And I did appreciate the laughs).

   Haven’t been commenting at lot recently, but I have been reading.

   Appreciate your pieces immensely.

   DB
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 9:55 am «

  DB,

  Thanks! So great to see you as well. So much to keep abreast of. I spend time on information clearing house, too, and Glenn Greenwald at Salon. Both sites really sober me as well as here about the depth of amorality and avarice and betrayal going on among our leadership. They really connect the dots and are very passionate about lawfulness and ethics.

  Take care! best, lib
3. Cujo359 August 25th, 2009 at 1:10 pm «

   Might want to add this to your list. I believe it was mentioned here a couple of weeks ago. It’s a video of Real Time’s Dana Gould at the RAM clinic in LA. It’s not a YouTube, but most computers should be able to play it inline or download it and play it.
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 10:00 am «

  Thanks so much cujo. Will check it out!
4. selise August 25th, 2009 at 1:14 pm «

   thanks libbyliberal!
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 10:01 am «

  selise, ty!!!!! :)
5. spktruth August 25th, 2009 at 7:25 pm «

   Tonight, blue dog Tom Carper, Delaware Senator had a “telephone call in” town hall meeting. This fool is spouting Coops! Even when told there were 4 co ops started in 1995, they all went bankrupt in 2000! He kept quoting the republican talking points, and avoided any callers who supported single payer! This moron hasnt a clue about health care. He spouted the Puget Sound Co op, which is a pool where you have to take their doctors (no choice), can not go out of the co op or you pay yourself. He touted the VA (a single payer system) but says he does not support ANY public option, that we can control costs through co ops. Either this blue dog doesnt get it…that it costs $12 Million to start a co op, or he is refusing to accept any facts. Carper is from West VA, a military brat, both parents were in high levels of the military. He has taken $l.8million in campaign contributions from the biggest insurance companies, big banks and credit card companies. A militarist a neo con and a democrat in name only. He like Joe LIeberman should just say what they truly are…corporate whores and ultra right republicans.
• libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 9:59 am «

  They are so corrupt they no longer seem to have any conscience left about the degree of betrayal. Wow.
6. libbyliberal August 26th, 2009 at 9:50 am «

   In 2003 Congress made sure that Medicare could NOT negotiate for discounting drugs. The Vet Adm. can and gets drugs at a 59% discount. But Congress gifted the drug companies re Medicare just as Obama has made such a deal again. This and other fraud on Medicare is what the prob is, it is not the structural system. We need an honest and efficiently run Medicare for all system.