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When you get to this point you are on your own as insurers pick your wallet. (photo: Pickersgill Reef via Flickr)
Proving once again that he may be the most cowardly President ever to occupy the White House, President Obama ordered the folks writing the regulations that would have compensated doctors for providing voluntary end-of-life counseling if requested by their patients to delete that regulation. From the New York Times:
The Obama administration, reversing course, will revise a Medicare regulation to delete references to end-of-life planning as part of the annual physical examinations covered under the new health care law, administration officials said Tuesday.
The move is an abrupt shift, coming just days after the new policy took effect on Jan. 1.
Many doctors and providers of hospice care had praised the regulation, which listed “advance care planning” as one of the services that could be offered in the “annual wellness visit” for Medicare beneficiaries.
The excuse the White House gave for this capitulation to the unscrupulous right wing propagandists — meaning every conservative columnist and political hack who ceaselessly misrepresented the rule — is incoherent, a clear sign of lack of principle and political courage. Notice it’s from another anonymous White House official.
An administration official, authorized by the White House to explain the mix-up, said Tuesday, “We realize that this should have been included in the proposed rule, so more people could have commented on it specifically.”
“We will amend the regulation to take out voluntary advance care planning,” the official said.
Worse, the White House blamed their reversal on Donald Berwick, the man Obama chose and the White House trumpeted to bring humane, rational administration to Medicare. “He didn’t tell us what he was doing,” the White House seems to be saying, “so it’s not our fault he did the right thing.” Pay attention, Liz Warren; watch your back.
Why should anyone ever believe this White House? Remember, this is from the same President Obama who just last month promised us “okay, I caved on extending tax breaks for the wealthiest this time, but gosh darn it, just wait until 2012, and I’ll be really tough.”
No, he won’t. He’s a coward and cannot be trusted to keep promises to the American people. When this man is done, the entire New Deal and dozens of humane, progressive principles and programs will have been compromised or crippled. He’s not a Democrat.
One term and out.
John Chandley
82 Comments
So the already-gutted, so-called HCR is now being further picked apart? How nice. O sure is quick to trot out the HCR “win” when he wants to wag his finger at the left, yet he now cancels one of the very few acceptable parts of HCR?
I’m interested to see how the cheerleaders spin this, or if they stick their fingers in their ears.
The “Death Panel” notion is a strong political message, and however false it is, it could have become a major issue in the 2012 election. Don’t underestimate the ignorance of the American voter.
I think that meme is adaquately nullified. The real-life denials of service suffered by multiple Arizona residents, at the hands of their state’s version of HCR, created by Republicans, is a tasty and sensational story ripe for TV. If right-wingers started screaming about death panels again, it would be easy to counter with real-life examples of people who are suffering due to denials of service caused by right-wing policy.
Further, if right-wingers tried to scream about death panels again, the public would be bored with it — been there, done that. The MSM may suck, but they don’t want to talk about things that bore the audience. The MSM would rip the meme to shreds rather than recycle it yet again.
And finally, two points:
1. I and most progressives think that the so-called HCR sucks, and would welcome it’s prompt replacement with a government-run single-payer system, paid for through taxation.
2. I and most progressives think that Obama sucks, and would welcome his prompt replacement with a progressive, liberal, or sombody more-than-marginally-left-of-center.
Let the whackos scream. They discredit the whole of the right-wing with their constant psychobabble.
He’s just smoothing the way for the GOP HCR repeal propaganda, all in the name of comity and bipartisanship you know.
More seriously, this is a surprising and especially cowardly move.
Terri Schiavo.
Why the heck didn’t they give it a different name? The White House walked right into this ambush, eye wide shut.
Did I miss the moment during the 2008 campaign when he said Neville Chamberlain was one of his heroes?
Heh. What’s the problem. I think everyone should approach their own death with the smallest amount of information possible. /s
I have a strong feeling that it is the Professional Left’s fault that Obama had to make this hard, hard decision.
Wonder what the wingnuts would call letting 50,000 Americans die from lack of health care. Oh wait, those folks are most probably poor and the deserve it. never mind.
I haven’t said it all year, so it’s time.
Obama ia a worthless weasel.
Or as I will be corrected here,a very worthwhile weasel to the other side, the one that is craven, filled with greed and has as it’s agenda ending the middle class. Obama wants their love and vote.
The next thing O will do is offer his unconditional surrender to Rep. Issa before the first subpoena is issued.
Sure scarecrow – this proves Obama is one of the MOSt cowardly presidents ever – afterall, the media has been so strong in clearing up right-wing distortion – thus, half of all republicans think Obama is a Muslim – and more think he’s a socialist – and those democrats have been right there with Obama’s back – even Chris matthews said Obama should produce a birth certificate! This is not a matter of cowardly, Obama is choosing his battles.
Is death the same thing as end of life?
The “next thing”?? I thought the Great Pretender *surrendered* to Issa a looooooong time ago. I could say something even ruder, but I fear the lurking mod would make my post go away.
Not sure if the Death Panel meme is adequately nullified. There have been conservatives posting here recently ranting about “government run Death panels that will practice euthanasia.” Never underestimate the stupidity of the conservatives and their amply willingness to knee-jerkingly react to any/everything that RushGlennSarah tell them.
FWIW, I find the whole situation beyond execrable, but I’ve come to *expect* nothing else, nothing more low, nothing more waste of mother-loving time than complete JUNK like this.
How many ways can we spell PATHETIC????
what a spineless New Democrat!
The perverse grand standing and breach of US Congressional ethics with respect to that poor woman will live in infamy. :(
This is why (A) The Secretary of Health & Human Services should be a physician, (B) “The Secretary” should be re-titled “Surgeon General” (and the existing SG given some other title), (C) Hey, isn’t Howard Dean a doctor.
Rightly or wrongly, the public expects a doctor to step in to answer medical questions. There was absolutely no reason for the President to step into this issue… except that he appointed a HHS Secretary whose last job before public office was lobbyist and not, say, practicing medicine.
No
onitgoes: Sorry, you’re right, of course. Must be that last ember of hope speaking; there, it’s stubbed out. I feel better now.
Most Cowardly? No doubt!
But now I cannot get it explained to me.
heh… you’re “forgiven.” Surrender hope all ye who live under the despicable reign of the Great Pretender. It’s the only way to maintain sanity.
boo hooo
I’d say he’s a con man, but the conclusion is the same – he can’t be trusted.
I disagree, the right-wingers will simply blame the Arizona death panels on Obamacare. Ditto with every premium hike or employer who drops employee coverage
I agree. Obama is NOT a coward at all. But the Great Pretender is definitely a con-man, flim-flam artist, corporate shill and a hack. And the end result is the same: cannot be trusted.
This was the perfect opportunity to spin the GOP ‘repeal’ as removing things everyone wants. If he can’t sell end-of-life counseling as a reimbursable Medicare expense, how can he sell anything?
I think this president most fears a Palin candidacy, despite their supposed glee over that eventuality. I don’t think he, or the rest of his team, knows how to deal with the truly stupid.
God! What a spineless weiner.
I’m going to take an extended nap now. Please wake me when Obama endorses Sarah Palin for president.
I don’t buy any excuses coming out of the White House. The President isn’t a coward. He’s just another lying, deceptive, thinks-he’s-so-clever-and-we’re-so-dumb two-faced American fascist.
He gutted HCR to get what he wanted. Same as everything else his administration touches. They didn’t want end of life counseling or they would have fought for it. Period. He only has 4 years per term and he knows damn well this one is likely his last.
What does this administration fight for? Bankers rights. Lawyers profits. Gun runners. Assassins. Endless wars for resources our corporations and our childish population squander. The gutting of civil liberties. The gutting of the Constitution. The collapse and elimination of America’s middle class. The start of the NWO promised by his political doppelganger, GHWB. The death of unions. The collapse of the environment. The end of civility. The incarceration of millions. Food wars. Water wars. Wars, wars and more wars.
All the while the President seems miffed we don’t appreciate his tireless efforts on behalf of the constituents who matter – soulless, faceless multinational corporations hell-bent on establishing universal fascism.
So he’s bleeding staff and Howard Dean snarks at them for not being progressives (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/05/howard-dean-endorses-bill-daley-obama-aides_n_804627.html). He blames the aides around the man for his problems. I think Dean missed the mark. Obama surrounded himself with the men he wanted; men who would seize the moment and implement his agenda. It’s not the aides who were elected based on a campaign of Obama’s lying his ass off to the party’s base.
Unlike Two Face on the bridge, the aides know when to leap from the deck of the Titanic. It’s before you rip the hull of the ship of state on that gigantic financial iceberg ahead; an iceberg our political class is deliberately and painstakingly steering us into the path of.
Barack Two Face is a fraud and no friend of the Constitution or the people of this country. He’s a corporate man. A 21st century slave to mammon. A liar. A dishonest, corrupt, deceitful man like the Troll who ruled us before him.
Personally, I’m sorry Bush couldn’t run for his third term. With Obama managing it instead, too many voices of dissent were silenced for too long.
AARRGGHHHH!!!!!!
There, that felt good.
On a lighter note, I propose we force our corrupt politicians (by bribing them, of course – how else can you get their attention for more than a millisecond?) to mount all government offices in D.C. on a giant dumpster bed. We can then start what would be a hugely popular cable show where people vote each day on whether to pull the lever on the dumpster, releasing the bed and dumping the whole lot of them head-first into the Potomac.
I’d call it “Election Night” and run it on Comedy Central just before the Daly Show. Anybody with me here?
Two years in and all the pretense is “gone with the rahm.” They’re just slapping us around for laughs at this point.
Great post Scarecrow! I loved the first line, “Proving once again that he may be the most cowardly President ever to occupy the White House,”
I am so thankful that I can finally laugh at all this now and can finally let go of all the anger. One more New Year resolution accomplished! I guess I should go cancel that appointment for the sanatarium now.
Here’s to two more years of Democratic hilarity and all the fun posts it will bring. And I also have to thank Obama for being such a tool. Without his ineptitude we might never have seen the day when Soros and the rest of the Democratic money interests finally realized that democratic ideals should be the recipient of their largesse and not the Democratic party. The two are currently incompatible.
Here’s to a brighter future for the progressive movement!
Agree with everything you say. Obama is not a coward. He is contemptuous of the proles; sucks up to the elites; and everything he’s done has been by his choice in order to please the PTB. Thinking the Great Pretender is a “coward” is just giving him the “cover” that he doesn’t deserve.
It is bad enough that the GOP/Teabaggers lie but now so called Progressives are lying too?
Patients can still have these discussions with their MD’s but the MD’s cannot bill medicare.
“The withdrawal of the Medicare regulation on advance care planning does not prevent physicians and patients from talking about living wills, hospice care, or other end-of-life issues. However, physicians cannot bill Medicare for this service. Proponents of the regulation maintain that reimbursement for such involved conversations will encourage more physicians to have them with patients.”
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/735288
“Proving once again that he may be the most cowardly President ever to occupy the White House, President Obama ordered the folks writing the regulations that would have compensated doctors for providing voluntary end-of-life counseling if requested by their patients to delete that regulation.”
the most cowardly President ever to occupy the White House, President Obama
the most cowardly President ever to occupy the White House, President Obama
*continues to write on the board*
No argument from me.
The HUGE problems for Progressives (& all Democrats) is that they (it used to be WE) are unable to see who’s hiding under the masks the Democratic Party leadership wears. Guess what? Obama & team & the Dem. Congress we witnessed for two years are amoral, short-sighted, self-centered con men who dispise their kids & grandkids. WHY would anyone assume, two years into his term, Obama is cowardless? He’s not a coward, he’s out there every day, working hard behind the scenes to do everything he can to forward his agenda! WAKE UP, Obama’s agenda is NOT the one he campaigned on. WAKE UP, PEOPLE, “Clarence Thomas” Obama is doing his very best to help those who are burying the Democratic ideals we elected Obama to fight to protect.
I keep thinking, “What politician ever did what the other guys wanted, once elected?”
Bush II? LOL.
Clinton?
GHWB?
Reagan?
Carter?
Dole?
Nixon?
Johnson?
Kennedy?
Oh, sure. It was “I like Ike, especially because he does what Democrats demand.”
Truman?
FDR?
Geez, Louise. How far back must I go to uncover a CIC who did what his opponents wanted him to do, turning his back on his party’s base and insulting them?
He’s not cowardly. He’s a professor in the vein of my old engineering chemistry professor. He thinks we’re stupid.
Spot-on. He’s neither Kenyan nor Hawaiian. Based on his actions, he’s Manchurian.
Is there any other kind?
I am expecting Obama to cave on the Republican’s symbolic repealing HCR.
We’ve had death panels: the committees that rationed dialysis back in the day. Does the death penalty count? Texas has the Texas Advance Directives Act, signed by then Gov George Bush in 1999. To get the flavor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Directives_Act
“The Texas Advance Directives Act (1999), also known as the Texas Futile Care Law, describes certain provisions that are now Chapter 166 of the Texas Health & Safety Code. Controversy over these provisions mainly centers on Section 166.046, Subsection (e),1 which allows a health care facility to discontinue life-sustaining treatment ten days after giving written notice if the continuation of life-sustaining treatment is considered medically inappropriate by the treating medical team.”
I’m sure there are other instances I’m overlooking. Privatized implicit death panels are a prominent feature of our private insurance health delivery system. I can’t bring myself to use the word “care” after “health.”
not cowardly, its not cowardly to refuse to fight for something you care almost nothing about.
making it a billable service was the WHOLE POINT texas chick. so whats yours?
yes, he chooses his battles. no doubt about that. but in the rare instance he fights, its for the other side.
And I was so looking forward to Republicans being euthanized en masse — they being collectively stricken by advanced cases of senile dementia.
“Ditto with every premium hike or employer who drops employee coverage”
Yes, but in those two examples, Obamacare is either the cause of the problem, or the reason the problem isn’t solved.
Zing. No more calls folks, we have a winner.
So far, he only seems interested in choosing the battles he wants to lose.
I just read that former VP Cheyney has no pulse; he really needs a new heart via transplant. We know he has a serious problem.
Obama has a worse problem; he has “no balls”.
Just because the right-wing noise machine wants to TWIST voluntary “end of life” planning to be “life rationing”, Obama and his crew take a hike.
The Dems need to increase THEIR noise machine, not backdown everytime the righties say “Boo”.
LOL.
“One term and out.” This is that hope he was talking about!
Actually, it would be nice if the people who supported someone for president had an easier means of removing that person before the end of their term than would be available to their opponents. It’s harder to put up with a betrayal than an opponent who gets elected. Obama sucks less than Bush, but I find him even less tolerable.
This insignificant event proves President Obama is “the most cowardly” president ever? Methinks you are off your meds dude.
Leaders stand up for sound and humane policy. They explain to Americans why what they are doing is the right thing and good for people. And the American people understand. Once, they understood FDR. I do not think we have got any stupider since then.
wtf? Wtf?? WTF? WTF,? Did he really say that? Please pardon my outburst, if you can, it is just so far out I can’t believe it and I’ve had only one glass of wine since I got home…
It is true Blue Dog/Republicans do stick together, they also do the following together.
1st Obama endorses the Bush agenda of spying on and killing americans
2nd Obama attacks Unions (the F! the UAW moment screams republican)
3rd Obama double downs on Bush Wars, (now they are Obama wars)
4th Obama attacks Teacher Unions (teacher unions now hate OBAMA)
5th Obama does not attack the Banks? he bails them out? (sorta like what the GOP does)
6th Obama passes the Bob Dole Health Care Bill (Bob Dole is a republican)
7th Obama kills the Public Option
8Th Obama kills Drug Importation
9Th Obama APPOINTS an insurance executive to manage his health care Bill
10th Obama does not APPOINT Dawn Johnsen
11th Obama hand picks the cat food commission to destroy Social Security
12th Obama supports Blanche Lincoln, a candidate who hates Unions, and has no chance of winning
13 Guantanomo still open for business
14.Patriot Act renewed
15. renditions continue
16. Bernanke reappointed
17. Americans targeted for assassination
18 Obama is all for sending more USA jobs off shore
19 Obama is for tax cuts for the RICH!
20. Obama and the TSA porno Scandal
21 Obama freezes federal wages for 2 years
22. OBAMA TARP Funds for Legal Services for Foreclosure Victims Blocked By Treasury
23. Obama lowers estate tax for the rich
24. Obama tax bill of 2010 GUTS Social Security
25. Obama wants WikiLeaks Assange charged with espionage.
26 Obama Fake Net Neutrality Caves to AT&T,Comcast
runfastandwin you have to say old OBAMA THE BLUE DOG, made himself the KING OF ALL Blue Dogs the last 20 months
what make Blue Dogs better than Republicans?
what good qualities do Blue Dogs have?
I love the way Obama lies and than smiles :)
is this a quality all Blue Dogs have?
Agree.
Maybe, if you look at the whole picture, Obama is neither cowardly nor manipulative and deceitful nor Manchuriann or ‘bought’ nor a suck-up. Maybe the best descriptor for him is the old-fashioned four letter word, ‘evil’
I like your strategy, figaro. Mental hygiene, first!
We liberal/leftists really, really, need to back a 3rd party candidate in 2012 —someone who supports our principals and has some chutzpah. Begging the democratic president, whomever he/she may for a few morsels, is b.s. We need to stop it!
Politics is a RUTHLESS GAME!
What we liberals and progressives need to do, is take the gloves off.
Obama lied his way to the White House.
Liberals and Progressives need to develop PUPPET candidates like OBAMA.
The elites kick our tails in 2008
Hillary Clinton was really the chosen one
Obama was the back up plan
think about it, OBAMA campaigns against Hillary for a year, Obama beats Hillary, Obama wins and hires every CLinton Person he can find to put in his WHite House.
Progressive got beat up, in 2008
What if Progressives created stealth candidates, taught them to talk like Sarah Palin, Ben Nelson, and once they got elected they became cold blooded Liberals. :) It is going to happen. It is to easy to do.
You don’t need a Third Party to play this game, you just need to do what the Elites Crooks do, win by any means necessary.
Plus no 3rd party would survive the Elite Media machine
SUN TZU
ALL WAR IS BASE ON DECEPTION
What the Republicans don’t realize is that Obama’s the best buddy they’ve got right now, and that they’ve ever had. Who’re they kidding?
It’s not surprising that Obama pulled the plug on the End of Life councelling for elderly people.
I don’t know, dick c. I think that Obama sucks just about as much as Bush for the stuff that he’s pulled since taking office 2 years ago.
Really?? If the Democrats want to resort to that sort of underhanded crap, then they’re no better than the Republicans.
I’d like to see this post repeated daily, until EVERY visitor to this site reads & comments to it. I can’t believe how many Democrats are STILL making excuses for Obama. Obama, cowardly? Huh? He’s certainly not cowardly about attacking Democratic ideals & Progressives who dare challenge him, that’s for sure! I certainly don’t believe the Polls showing Dems STILL support him!
Of course Cheney has no pulse-he’s not human. He’s actually a defective cyborg, hence the succession of alleged hospitalizations so that the Disney engineers could tinker with the old bastard machine.
As for Obama, I don’t think the man would recognize a principle if one walked up and kicked him where his balls should be. He made it into the American elite, and he’s been doing his best to make sure they get what they want.
Really. Ad Age named Obama Brand of the Year and Creativity cited the campaign as one of the top Creative Marketers of 2008.
What was his Political Advisors name? .. Oh yeah.. David Axelrod…the message manager for Barack Obama’s nearly flawless 2008 presidential campaign.
Perhaps his company, AKP&D Message & Media is all tapped out of those creative ideas. How unfortunate for those sick old people..
The Surgeon General is Regina Benjamin. Sanjay Goupta the TV star which was OBombers first choice- lied about Michael Moore and disqualified himself, as Moore’s agent is Rahm’s Brother, Ari Emanuel.
Perhaps it’s time for Eric Holder to direct that “Nation of Cowards” speech towards his boss.
Sanjay Goupta apologized to MM.
There’s no reason why he can’t put Benjamin out front in the media to answer questions at press conference. Remember C. Everett Koop under Reagan?
Krugman says he didn’t.
You forgot fascist. No, I take that back, you did say corporate shill, which is a synonym.
Not Manchurian either. Afro Turf.
I was trying to be sardonic or something :) ….
Don’t forget torturing Bradley Manning with solitary confinement.
They know it, but the kabuki show must go on. If they appear the least bit satiated, they’ve reached the end of their agenda.
Yes.
the last 20 months = the following
Dems control WH
Dems control Senate
Dems control House
what do progressives get for helping DEMs control DC
1. Hoover Economic Policies
2. Bob Dole Health Care Bill
3. Bush Tax Cuts
the last 20 months the republicans who control nothing in DC got the following!
1. Bush Tax Cuts
2. Bob Dole Health Care Bill
3. Hoover Economic Policies
Do you think we have some honest Dems in DC?
who are they? and where are they?
“Obama is neither cowardly nor manipulative and deceitful nor Manchuriann or ‘bought’ nor a suck-up. Maybe the best descriptor for him is the old-fashioned four letter word, ‘evil’”
I’m a member of one of the entertainment guilds and as such get to be on a private guild-affiliated bulletin board. You have no idea how much crap I’ve taken on that board for using that very word, “evil” to describe Obama. Blind fucking hypocrites. Amazing how many smart people can be so fucking stupid.
So what is my what? Read this please before you continue to spread BS.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/01/05/132680683/the-many-lives-of-the-death-panel