Her past hits include: Health care reform means that Americans will be "put to death by their government." "There are no Americans who don’t have healthcare. Everybody in this country has access to healthcare.." Today, on the floor of the House, Rep. Virginia Foxx rolled out another song to complete the crazy con hyperbole fear trilogy — a little ditty called "I … Read More
…. And There Are No Pictures!
Healthcare reform has focussed on the Senate bill these past few months. But as we know, there is another important legislative body: the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveild the House Democrat health care reform bill today. And what's the insta-reaction from the conservosphere? "OMG. It's 1990 pages long! That's a mega-mega-bureaucracy! Like Hitler!" Okay, first of all, if you are talking … Read More
Public Option: Back From The Dead
In case you haven't heard, the "public option" which many (including me) lamented as "dead" only a few weeks ago, appears to be quite alive. The Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill (the only one to come out of the Senate — there are several in the House), lacked the public option. Even after it came out of committee, … Read More
How Many Republicans Are Out There?
The answer may surprise you. There's a lot of meat to this Washington Post-ABC News poll. The Washington Post leads with the most relevant to today's political debate: health care. Specifically, people are warming up to the public option: On the issue that has been perhaps the most pronounced flash point in the national debate, 57 percent of all Americans now … Read More
Public Option (Of Some Sort) Looking Good
A lot of Republicans are coming forward in support of "Obamacare" suddenly. Unfortunately, none of them are current congressmen. They include Republican overnors (like Ahhnold), or former Republican Congressmen, like Bill Frist and Bob Dole. It doesn't seem to be having much effect on current Congressmen. But there is a new "compromise" solution, which seems to be catching fire — … Read More
Wellpoint Exhibits Contempt, Greed, and Bad Timing
Seriously? Watch this story about Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maine, a subsidiary of WellPoint. They are suing the State of Maine, because Maine is not letting them jack up their health insurance premiums 18.5%. That's a pretty ballsy lawsuit, especially with the health care debate raging. Dday at Hullabaloo gives the background: This story shows how silly it would be … Read More
Another Day, Another Michelle Bachmann Lie-Meme
So here's what The World's Worst Politican Evah ™ said on the floor of the House last night: For the video-impaired, here's a transcript: "[T]he bill orders that these clinics protect patient privacy and student records. What does that mean? It means that parents will never know what kind of counsel and treatment that their children are receiving. And as … Read More
I’m Shocked, Shocked That There’s Hyperbole In The House
I wasn't going to write about this, but there was some Democratic theatrics on the House floor yesterday. A Democratic congressman — Alan Grayson of Florida – got up in the House and made a tongue-in-cheek mockery of the Republican health care plan. The freshman Florida Democrat said the Republican health care plan calls for sick people to "die quickly." "It's … Read More
If Republicans Are Worried About Wasteful Government Programs….
… and that's why they supposedly oppose the public option, then why are they throwing money at government programs that don't work? That's right. The Senate Finance Committee yesterday rejected two amendments to its health bill which would have added the public option. But what amendment did the Republicans and Blue Dog Dems vote for? Providing more money to abstience education programs: … Read More
Who’s Afraid of the Public Option?
The Senate Finance Committee is debating whether a public option amendment should be added to their bill. As expected, Republicans and Blue Dog Dems are opposed. But, listening to their debate here in the background all day, their arguments against the public option are all the same: government-imposed rationing, long wait times, bureaucrats making treatment decisions, etc. In other words, … Read More
Remember Those Anti-Health Care Reform Town Hall Protests Last Summer?
They didn't speak for the majority then, and they speak for a small minority now. [Source]
Protect The Insurance Companies PSA
Will Farrell and others are looking out for the insurance companies: Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell
What Happens When Fox Pundits Get Out-crazied and Start Getting Real?
Check out this tidbit from Bill O'Reilly's show last night: O’REILLY: The public option now is done. We discussed this, it’s not going to happen. But you say that this little marketplace that they’re going to set up, whereby the federal government would subsidize insurance for some Americans, that is, in your opinion, a public option? OWCHARENKO: Well, it has massive new … Read More
Let Me Ask The Obvious
The Senate Finance committee hunkered down to come up with a healthcare reform bill. And they had a choice: either come up with a bipartisan healthcare reform bill that Republicans wouldn't vote for, or a partisan healthcare reform bill that Republicans wouldn't vote for. Why did they choose the former? (It's clear that nobody likes the Baucus bill).