Let’s Send ALL Our Money
Posted by Texas Betsy in Health, News, Politics, President Obama, Relaxed Politics, US Politics
to the insurance company executives and their lobbyists, right?
WTF?!? Universal Healthcare advocates forcibly removed from US Senate Hearing on … (wait for it) …. HEALTHCARE
Baucus v. Democracy
By David Swanson
I can’t recall a better corporate news video segment in at least the past decade than the story that Ed Schultz just aired on MSNBC in which he interviews Margaret Flowers of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) and Senator Debbie Stabenow on the topic of healthcare reform. Here’s video.
Sure, Ed slaps a gratuitous insult on the heroines of Code Pink, says he’s against protesting and “getting arrested” as a rule but thinks it’s OK if doctors in suits and “educated professional people” do it, and pretends to believe (or actually believes) that President Obama favors considering the possibility of creating single-payer healthcare. But the heart of this story is the gaping chasm between majority opinion and the corporate agenda of the United States Senate. And Ed Schultz hits it out of the park.Ed goes after the health insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, and the HMOs. He plays video of activist Kevin Zeese speaking up at the recent Senate Finance Committee hearing and being arrested. He explains perfectly what single-payer healthcare is. (I recommend this flyer (PDF).) And he denounces the anti-democratic exclusion of single-payer advocates by Committee Chairman Max Baucus.
And then Ed brings on Margaret Flowers who absolutely nails every question he asks, and he asks the right questions. Flowers lists the polls showing that over 60 percent of Americans and 60 percent of physicians want single-payer, explains that PNHP has 16,000 members and is part of the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Healthcare which has 20 million members. Flowers points out that the next senate hearing is on May 12th and that advocates are asking for at least one supporter of single-payer to be included.
That sort of mention of an upcoming event and very nearly inclusion of exactly what people can do to improve their country is rare indeed on our televisions. Let me take it a slight step further: Senator Max Baucus’s phone number is (202) 224-2651.
Tags: insurance, Universal Health Care
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I listen to Ed on the radio regularly. I would like to point out that the Single Payer Advocates did in fact follow the protocol to be included in this hearing. They provided written requests and followed the rules. They were not responded to, and when they did call to find out if they would be given a seat at the round table, then they received the “no more invitations” answer that Doctor Flowers mentions. May 12th has come and gone, and they were not included in this hearing either. Didn’t hear if they showed up or not. In the meeting to which this video refers, about 6 doctors and nurses were arrested, only the one doctor spoke up as he as arrested and removed from the hearing.
I don’t think Ed was trying to insult the Code Pink group, but it was probably an inappropriate remark. His point could have been made better by just defining the advocacy group of which Doctor Flowers is a spokeswoman. It is quite an impressive list of members from all portions of the medical community.
That they were excluded is very offensive to me, especially since the hearings have touted that they are all encompassing. Uh, I guess not after all.
Hey PB
from downstairs
@ peanutbutter:
We think alike it seems. See my comment #29 in the All things the same post or whatever it was – the one before the Feh. Petooey post!
Larue also had some good points on this in the Feh. Patooey post.
Thanks PB.
CIA director’s ‘pep talk-style memo’ challenges Pelosi
Panetta responded thusly “…“Let me be clear: It is not our policy or practice to mislead Congress,” wrote Panetta. “That is against our laws and our values. As the Agency indicated previously in response to Congressional inquiries, our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing ‘the enhanced techniques that had been employed.’ Ultimately, it is up to Congress to evaluate all the evidence and reach its own conclusions about what happened.”…”
But can he really speak for events since 2001 or 2002? I don’t think so. He can speak for now though. But he must get control of the “Bushie Moles” that have been left behind.
I’m not actually an Ed fan in general, but he’s right on this one.
@ Pellora:
Of course…great minds and all, doncha know??
Having a bit of a nap. Back later.
good place for a nap
Yes, PB – great minds!
Sure is a big stink over this attack on Pelosi and her big dog attack back – Newton Gangrene called her despicable – like his opinion is worth any thing.
he and some of the others calling names are making me 
Fear Run Away Fear
Dems are after you
Steele: Dems Want To Take Away Our Guns, Move Terrorists Into Our Communities – addressed the National Rifle Association’s “Celebration of American Values” in Phoenix today, leveling some harsh rhetoric against President Obama: That Obama could end up appointing left-wing ideological Justices to the Supreme Court — and Dems want to away Americans’ guns while moving Al Qaeda terrorists to our neighborhoods!
Pellora, nothing about dems letting teh gayz get married?
Nope, BUT Randi Rhodes read and celebrated a lot an e-mail story sent to her, that said the California Supreme Court had ruled 5 to 4 that all laws that took rights away based on gender etc. were patently unconstitutional. So she thought this was a Prop 8 ruling… problem …. yep, it was a 2008 story
she was a bit embarrassed! to say the least 
and sorry and very apologetic. I admit I was looking for a story about it thinking it would be big news… found the old one and I wondered.
Steele was talking to the gunslingers, so he didn’t need to threaten ‘em with the gayz… that will be tomorrow or something
How you feeling?
Foodish post upstairs.
Back hurts a lot. Trying to distract via blogging & listening to the Horn & hanging out in the Horn chat room.