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Improve and Strengthen Medicare by Expanding It to All
The following text is the testimony that Dr. Margaret Flowers presented to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform at its June 30 hearing in Washington. Dr. Flowers is congressional fellow for Physicians for a National Health Program.
I am Dr. Margaret Flowers and I am here today on behalf of Physicians for a National Health Program, the leading physician research, education and advocacy organization in support of a truly universal single-payer health system in the United States. I will speak specifically about the contribution of health care costs to our national deficit and the evidence-based remedy to control these costs.
When compared to health care in other advanced nations, the United States excels in only one area - the amount of money spent per capita per year. Despite our high spending, the U.S. leaves a third of the population either uncovered or underinsured and thus vulnerable to financial ruin.
Medical debt is a leading cause of bankruptcy and foreclosure in our nation despite the fact that most families declaring medical bankruptcy had insurance when they began incurring such debt.
Our health outcomes are relatively poor, placing us 37th in the world, and we rank the highest in preventable deaths, over 100,000 preventable deaths per year, when compared to other advanced nations. It is clear that we are getting poor value in return for our health care dollar.
Health care costs, which are rising 2.5 percent faster than our GDP, are a leading driver of our financial deficit. In fact, if our health care costs were comparable to those in other advanced nations, which provide nearly universal health care with better outcomes, we would currently experience a budget surplus.
The recent health legislation, misleadingly titled the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), lacks proven cost controls and is predicted to cause U.S. health care costs to rise faster than if there had been no reform at all (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, April 2010) despite continuing to leave tens of millions out.
Given the impact of health care costs, members of this commission may attempt to decrease the deficit by cutting our public health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare; however, doing this would be a mistake because it would increase poverty, worsen health outcomes and increase costs.
Since its enactment nearly 45 years ago, Medicare has substantially lowered poverty among the elderly. Studies show that health disparities in the U.S. start decreasing when our population reaches the age of 65. And the cost of health care per beneficiary is rising more slowly for those on Medicare than for those with private health insurance.
Medicaid and Medicare have not caused our rising health care costs but are victims of our fragmented and failed market-based model of health care financing. Shifting the cost of health care from the taxpayer to the patient will not magically make these health care costs disappear or become sustainable.
The solution to our economic crisis is to jettison the costly failed market model of health care and adopt a publicly financed and independently delivered national improved Medicare for All. This is commonly known as "single payer." A national improved Medicare for All system has myriad benefits:
- Administrative savings of approximately $400 billion per year, which is enough to provide comprehensive high quality health care to all who are uninsured and underinsured.
- Ability to negotiate for pharmaceutical prices as a monopsony which would lower costs by about 40 percent and bring our prices in line with those of other advanced nations.
- Inherent cost controls of global budgeting for health facilities, negotiated fees, bulk purchasing and rational, rather than profit-driven, allocation of capital expenditures and health resources.
- Ability to identify outliers and develop quality improvement tools.
- Eliminate the burden of rising employee health care costs on businesses.
- Enhance the competitiveness of U.S. products in international markets.
- Liberate our population to pursue advanced education or entrepreneurial enterprises.
- Allow older workers to retire which would increase job opportunities for our younger workers.
- Stimulate the economy because families would have more money for discretionary spending.
- Improve the health, and therefore the productivity, of our workforce.
- Eliminate bankruptcy and foreclosure due to medical debt.
- Eliminate the spend-down required for those who need long-term care funded by Medicaid.
- Provide true health security to our population so that nobody has to choose between necessary medical care and other necessities such as housing, food, education and clothing.
Given these multiple economic benefits - and I have not begun to describe the ways in which national improved Medicare for All would improve patient choice and quality of health care - it is no surprise that the single payer approach is supported by the majority of those in the U.S. and the majority of American physicians. This was evident once again last Saturday in the town meetings sponsored by America Speaks when participants across the nation demanded single payer as an option to solving the health care crisis and 71 percent voted not to cut Medicaid and Medicare.
Private health insurance is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. There is a steady trend in fewer people being enrolled in employee-sponsored health plans. This is expected to increase under PPACA as businesses have an incentive to drop insurance benefits and pay the lower cost penalty.
There is a steady trend in people choosing high deductible plans which leave them financially vulnerable in their time of need. As people enter the individual market, those with health conditions will find it difficult to afford adequate insurance.
The trends for those who are uninsured and underinsured will continue upward. Under PPACA, billions of public dollars will be used to subsidize rising private insurance premiums for policies that cover fewer and fewer services. The result is a flow of patient and public dollars into the coffers of private insurance corporations with declining return in terms of health care. This trend is not sustainable.
The alternative scenario of a national improved Medicare for All will save lives and save money. National improved Medicare for All will place our nation on the path of becoming one of the best health systems in the world - something of which we can all be proud.
This commission has the ability to recommend creating a financially sustainable universal health system. I urge the members of this commission to recommend addressing the deficit through adopting this most popular approach: national improved Medicare for All. Don't cut Medicare. Protect it, improve it and expand it to cover everyone.
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39 Comments so far
Show AllAlthough I agree that Medicare should have, could have, been given to all Americans, it didn't happen and aint gonna happen any time soon, so we probably should stop beating that dead horse. Remember this is America. Once our government takes a stand on something, it wont change its mind on the subject for generations. Take the war on drugs, war on crime, and the Cuban embargo as a few examples.
I also agree with the statement: "Private health insurance is rapidly becoming a thing of the past." IMHO that was probably the real reason the health care bailout was passed. The private health care systems business model was badly broken, and the only way to keep the sham going was to force people to buy the crap.
Using the health care legislation as a model, maybe Congress will pass the "Save the Gulf" act, where every American will have to buy BP gas so that our money can be used to clean up the Gulf of Mexico, if that is even going to be possible.
I think we should still push for single payer. It's time may not be right now, but it is the only sensible solution. People will soon see what an expensive fraud the current health reform is for most people. If we are not talking about single payer, then those who talk about how government should stay out of healthcare will have the mike. Meanwhile we have a chance to build some momentum and vote out every corrupt nothingburger in Congress.
We should defend Medicare as a workable program and ask why only the elderly are entitled. Hint: the elderly are the demographic that votes in their own economic interest, selfishly at times. They grew up in a pre-brainwash culture in which people fought on their own behalf, a culture that provided social security, minimum wage, forty hour work week, paid vacation and sick leave. They think it is OK to be for yourself and not just slave away for the rich. Imagine that.
Joe
Push away, but I think you are going to be very frustrated in the end. I also agree with your statement that the elderly grew up in a pre-brainwashed culture. Unfortunately that is not true of the majority of the population. Remember we just went through the battle for a single payer or medicare for all and we lost. Kucinich and Sanders even caved on that. Realistically what chance do we have?
Corporations can spend millions to manufacture the consent of the masses to pretty much what ever they want using PR pioneered by Bernays. Remember the people you chat with here are the exception to the rule of the brainwashed compliant masses. So many people are so busy simply trying to survive they have no time to follow politics, and then you have the Fox news crowd.
Again I agree we should have medicare for all, it makes the most sense and would be the easiest to implement. But if you look at recent history our federal government is now completely tone dead to what the people want. Mass protests at the start of the war did nothing to stop it, millions calling their representatives trying to kill the bank bailouts did nothing to stop it.
As far as I can see we now live in a completely corrupted country that is run by corporations. I think it is wrong, I think it stinks, but unfortunately that's the way it is.
One of the few constructive acts we can take is to support the lawsuit being filed in the US Supreme Court by 20 state attorney generals challenging Obamacare's individual mandate.
Although I have never voted for a Republican in 40 years of voting, I have written to each of the AGs (most of whom are Repugs)and encouraged them.
Obamacare is a dusted off 1990s Republican program that needs to be attacked from every angle to assure its destruction. Until it is destroyed there is no way single-payer will move forward (Obamacare also prohibits states from starting their own single-payer systems).
Better still, this 1990's Republican body of legislature that passes for a "Healthcare Reform" Bill should've been done away with immediately, the Democrats, including the Obama Administration should've gone back to the drawing board, really put their heads together, and masterminded, constructed and implemented a genuine healthcare reform bill that entailed Single Payer with Universal Healthcare for all. Instead, they took the easy way out and passed this toxic body of legislature called a Healthcare "Reform" Bill, which will not only still leave uninsured and underinsured people vulnerable to financial ruin if they or a family member gets sick or hurt and ends up in the hospital, but will continue to pay exhorbitant copays, deductibles and premiums, because there are no cost controls on "Obamacare", and the so-called protection for people with pre-existing conditions won't kick in for another few years, so meanwhile, people will continue to die unnecessarily. Equally important, many people who've already bought their own healthcare insurance prior to the passing of this toxic "Healthcare Reform" bill will be forced to ratchet down what they have in the way of healthcare due to sharply rising costs.
Tom-NC,
If you put more energy into lobbying for universal health care in your own state and less in trying to discourage those of us who are trying to educate people about the possibilities nation-wide, you would do far more good.
I surmise that either you are a shill for health insurance companies trying to poison the well of the movement for universal health insurance OR you are disillusioned about the possibility of real change in this country and you want lots of company by dragging people down with you.
Take a deep breath and try to imagine a more positive future for us all.
Well if you took a look a few posts down you'll see I agreed with another poster that a state by state approach is the only thing that MIGHT be possible. I am not a shill or a troll just a realist that has a memory that goes back more than two weeks and knows what has happened in the past, and what we are up against.
Sure I can lobby my representatives, just like the health insurance industry can, but I can't donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to their campaigns like corporations can. So who do you think the reps are really going to listen to, me or them?
Did you happen to sleep through the last year or so for the health care debate that just occurred? Were you paying attention to politics, or were you even alive when Clinton tried to push through health care? Why didn't you successfully lobby congress just six months ago and get Medicare for all pushed through? Huh? Please let me know why if it didn't work six months ago why you think it would work now? Obama and the democrats consider what they did a political victory. They are not going back and changing it anytime soon. It would be political suicide. Again I don't think what we got was right, I think Medicare for all would have been the way to go, but there was way too much money on the other side of the argument.
nwcitizen, You may want to consider changing your posting alias from nwcitizen to pollyanna_citizen.
I think misinformed_citizen would be a better name. Sadly, most are like him. :(
"Take a deep breath and try to imagine a more positive future for us all."
Not another kumbaya lame brain talk again !
"If you put more energy into lobbying for universal health care in your own state and less in trying to discourage those of us who are trying to educate people about the possibilities nation-wide, you would do far more good."
Excuse us but we tried that already and we still are. However, did you know that the disastrous health "care" scam that passed in March actually prohibits states from setting up their own single payer by law? That said, we don't have a fighting chance for even statewide single payer let alone a national plan. Is that "change you can believe in" ?
"we don't have a fighting chance for even statewide single payer let alone a national plan"
So... what does that statement imply? Does it mean we give up on the health care issue and encourage everyone to do the same? I cannot go along with that. What we need is persistence and creativity. Nothing worthwhile is ever won without that. I am certainly no master tactician, but it is counter-productive to discourage people by accusing them of "singing Kumbaya". People who believe in something will find ways to organize. They should be cheered on and helped to think clearly, if we have anything positive to contribute.
Politically things are such that anything we attempt will be difficult and thwarted in hundreds of ways. But if we do not try, failure is absolutely guaranteed.
Joe
Joe, I didn't mean to sound like I was discouraging anyone from fighting for single payer at the state and local levels and I don't discourage the efforts but since the 2700 page federal law signed back in March legally prohibits states from providing statewide single payer, the first thing that must be done is to have that package repealed so that states will be given the freedom to provide statewide single payer. Of course, we need to elect pols who will use their power to do the right thing.
I do apologize if I sounded a little harsh on nwcitizen but telling us to "imagine a positive future" when we have roadblocks to clear first before we can do any imagining let alone planning to make it come true was what angered me. No doubt we need to fight and organize but sometimes there are roadblocks that also need to be addressed and strategies too for getting rid of them. I will try to make that clear in future posts. Thank you for the reminding me of it.
"No doubt we need to fight and organize but sometimes there are roadblocks that also need to be addressed and strategies too for getting rid of them."
The same thing can be said of legalizing industrial hemp for economic and environmental use. Currently, there are plenty of states have set the legalization of industrial hemp, DHT free, in motion. What's need is the removal of the federal prohibition of hemp. Without that, the only thing that can happen is states will have to wait for the federal prohibition to be removed. Similarly, since the federal law prohibits states and localities from enacting their single payer for their own state and local residents, all that can be done is passing legislation that can only be enacted once the federal ban is removed. There is nothing wrong with starting local and then going statewide and then making it to federal level but when stuck with a federal prohibition, removing the prohibition is the first step that must be taken before state and local governments can enact their own rules on the issue. Why people don't get this is beyond me.
Do you ever talk about anything besides hemp?
Joe
Did you read what I wrote? Apparently not. You're still hamstrung about a debate I had with you about hemp and algae vs fossil fuels. Go back and read my comment. While you're at it, go back and read my other comments before lying that I talk only about hemp. I may talk about hemp a lot but unless you weren't paying attention, you would have known that I have discussed other issues just as much before such an insulting question. Geesh !
Today I went to a reading of the US Constitution at Strawberry Fields in Central Park around the "Imagine" mosaic. I asked a lawyer there about the prohibition on state-by-state single payer because part of the constitution we read seems to allow any powers to the states that are not specifically prohibited in the Constitution. So Jennifer it made me think about your comment. As far as I know, single payer was not an issue in 1787 so it is probably not enumerated there as an exception to states' rights.
This lawyer, who specializes in civil rights, had not read the 2700 page health bill cover to cover and was not familiar with that provision. In any case, if it is indeed there, it is probably unconstitutional. He said he would look into it.
If we were somehow able to get a state to institute some form of single payer, then the Fed. Govt. would have to challenge it. I think they would lose, preferable in court or at least in the court of public opinion. So I would not focus on overturning that provision as a pre-condition to getting health care, as much as building support for a useful public health structure first, and then dealing with possible legal challenges. I think public consciousness, organization and public support are the foundations of any change that is ever going to happen.
Joe
I am not referring to the Constitution because that is not what is prohibiting. I was referring to that 2700 package that went into law in March. The Consumer Watchdog group feared that the new health care reform bill will prevent states from adopting a single payer system at least until 2017. Under the heading "States Rights to Innovate," the letter states, "Under the current law, states must wait until 2017 for waivers from the federal government to use federal Medicaid, Medicare, tax subsidies and other funds to support state alternatives to the private insurance market, whether that be by adopting a state single-payer model or a state public option."
Then, there is also Kucinich's amendment. Why would Kucinich have to go through the trouble of inserting an amendment to give states their rights to provide their own single payer unless something in that bill actually prohibited it? Pelosi of course killed off on that amendment.
"If we were somehow able to get a state to institute some form of single payer, then the Fed. Govt. would have to challenge it. I think they would lose, preferable in court or at least in the court of public opinion. So I would not focus on overturning that provision as a pre-condition to getting health care, as much as building support for a useful public health structure first, and then dealing with possible legal challenges. I think public consciousness, organization and public support are the foundations of any change that is ever going to happen."
Joe, I would like to share your optimism but it isn't the Federal government who would challenge it by itself. Big Insurance will use the bill to knock down any attempts at providing state wide single payer. In the past, they had to lobby state legislators against statewide single payer and fight statewide ballot initiatives just like the ones Oregon from winning on getting single payer passed but now thanks to our corporatized SCOTUS, they can just go all the way to SCOTUS and get those "justices" to strike down statewide efforts that do pass. Maybe I am a bit too skeptical on this but public consciousness, organization, and support will have to involve not only the majority who recognize that we really don't have a universal health care system despite what passed in March but that this 2700 page fraud must be repealed to restore states' rights on passing their own single payer plans. I still believe that all levels of government cannot be ignored as there have been several assaults by the federal government on local and statewide progressives measures in the past. If every state could be like NYC, we would be much closer to single payer.
Jennifer, Joe is aware of what Big Insurance now has the power to do. It is true that thanks to forcing citizens to the insurance wolves, the insurance profiteers will be guaranteed their endless profits and will abuse that money to pull out at all stops. Most of the country is totally unaware of the fact that Obamacare prohibits statewide single payer and will remain that way until at least one state gets it passed and invokes Big Insurance to play ugly against the public. That alone would alert more people to what Obamacare is really all about and possibly spread the word to other states so that we might elect more politicians who will in return choose to repeal the package. The big insurance companies will keep an eye on Obamacare and see to it that it does not get repealed. They are already working on removing the already toothless regulations and accountability measures against the insurance companies even as we speak. I don't agree with Joe either on ignoring the road block but I do agree with him that attempts to pass state wide single payer should continue.
There will be no medicare-for-all in my lifetime and the lifetime of my children. Exactly the opposite will happen. In order to pay for two wars the Obama administration will support huge cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security a recommendation to emerge from the "Presidential Commission For Saving The Nation". That will be easy going for Obama especially after "Tea-Party" Republicans will win too many seats in the House and Senate.
PNHP doesn't get it.
The single payer movement in this country right now is toast.
PNHP should be putting all it's efforts into one state where single payer has a slight possibility of becoming law and that state is California.
The national legislation purposely made sure that no state single payer programs would be able to take effect until 2017.
As it is, even if we elect Jerry Brown governor (forget Whitman), he has said he would veto a state vote for single payer because, "There's no way to pay for it".
And even if he signed it into law, California would have to fight with the federal government to change the date from 2017 to 2013 and the federal legislation has a POISON PILL that says the only way to even change the DATE is with a SUPER MAJORITY IN THE SENATE.
And even if all THAT happened, the insurance corporations would put an initiative on the state ballot to kill the legislation.
California is the only state in the union (except perhaps Pennsylvania or Vermont) that could be a true litmus test on all this and work.
California is the last best hope for the single payer movement, because once all the obstacles that have been placed before us by Obama and the Democrats have been surmounted then we would have the chance to show the rest of the country what REAL HEALTH CARE LOOKS LIKE FOR A SOCIETY.
Dr. Flowers should re-locate the PNHP office to Los Angeles/San Francisco and put ALL efforts into helping California get to that place.
All the other efforts/speeches I see coming from PNHP are just so much hot air.
"PNHP should be putting all it's efforts into one state where single payer has a slight possibility of becoming law and that state is California".
I agree that is probably the only practical way of POSSIBLY pulling it off. That's how Canada did it, province by province. But it is NOT going to be easy. Once they see a realistic threat, the health insurance, and drug companies will load their PR cannons with money and will start shooting indiscriminately.
New Mexico : I can't say how it is now but ten years ago it was impossible to pay more than $15 for excellent health care in rural clinics.
Dr. Flowers, you've committed a Capital sin!!! You've omitted the Insurance scammers from your suggestions!
We're the most stupid country in the world - because we are actually being governed by Corporations. Our whole form of government is nothing but a charade to benefit Corporations, SUCH AS INSURANCE COMPANIES, by their congressional lackeys!!!!
It's time our population stops being fooled by this charade and makes our Congress get in sync with modern medical care for all as experienced by real citizen-centerd countries around the world.
We need to vote ALL the corporate lackeys OUT of Congress and catch up with the rest of the world!!!!!
The U.S. is in its death throes because of the charade being acted out by our Congressional shills. VOTE THEM OUT!!!!!!
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS FOR WAR - BUT NONE FOR HEALTHCARE!!!!!
I agree completely. The hardest thing, though, is getting rid of Blue Dog Democrats running for re-election. They vote like real Democrats on some issues, but NOT on health care for all or other programs designed to ease the pain of being poor in a rich country.
Would that there were a way we who donate to the DSCC, DCCC, et cetera, could earmark our contributions to be used ONLY to support with our money the candidates who support real reform.
I must be uninformed. I thought that President Obama had "fixed" health care.
"Private health insurance is rapidly becoming a thing of the past."
What ?!?!? After Barry's Mandatory "Care" passed forcing citizens to purchase from private insurance companies, there is no way that privatized health care will be a thing of the past any time soon. If Medicare for All is to ever come to pass, the first thing that must be done is to repeal what passed in March and completely scrap the entire health care system and start from scratch. I know you mean well and I haven't forgotten your fight for single payer health care but we have more roadblocks ahead than ever and some people just don't want to admit that. It is possible to have a single payer health care system even in a nation that does regulated capitalism but this is DISASTER CAPITALIST AMERICA where the cornfed electorate says lame brain things like "Single payer is not practical because it will take 7 years to implement" or "Single payer is commie care". Besides, the Obamabots out there are now ready to say crap like "look, the economy is improving and single payer is on its way". Sorry Ms. Flowers but we are in a situation where Medicare itself is about to get more funding cuts to pay for warfare and more corporate bailouts. The unemployment rate will have to be at least 50% and society will have to learn how to treat the unemployed with respect just like Europe before Medicare for All will ever see the light of day in this nation.
Some options to move towards single payer could include:
-working on national legislation to standardize all medical records, something that would be necessary for single payer. (Unsexy, but necessary.)
-towns and neighborhoods setting up non-emergency, alternative health clinics that charge a low fee and are run by nurses and healers.
-Encourage a few brave souls who are in the medical field to create a non-profit manufacturer of common medical supplies - to bring the price of these items down.
It just takes a few small towns, and/or a few bold entrepreneurs, to start shifting the way we think about healthcare.
Those of you with medical backgrounds - what can you do with the skills, knowledge, experience and connections you have right now to be part of a positive, progressive local solution?
Especially those of you who are retired and have some twilight time on your hands - Start with something small and let your best idea(s) go viral.
.
I'm in favor of 100% Health-care coverage, just like the Members of Congress and their families have.
Ok, spend an additional TRILLION TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS to make this happen.
Before, you start raving about socialism;,,,,,,,,,This could create the greatest Business/industry on the Planet.
3 or 4 times as many employees (Hugh Payroll & INCOME TAX Bonanza). Medical innovations, revolutionary new equiptment, vast new schools & training centers, new drugs and breakthrough proceedures,,,,,,,,,
As a nation we will all be healthier, and as an economy the U.S.A. will be #1.
Better Health +++++ Healthier Economy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/
"the contribution of health care costs to our national deficit"
Dr. Flowers doesn't seem to realize that the congruss-chumps want hellthcare costs to reach astronomical heights, for the same reason they want defenz costs to reach astronomical heights:
Both of these destructive mega-rackets, along with most other USan industrial sectors, are gargantuan mechanisms for wealth transfer from the poor to the rich, from the people to the elites.
The congruss-chumps want to reign in only those mechanisms that transfer wealth out of the elites' greedy claws and back to the people where it belongs.
Her basic message that singer payer healthcare greatly outperforms the market is sound. The message should be directed at the people, who will have to take matters into their own hands, sooner or later, hopefully sooner.
abbybwood wrote: "PNHP doesn't get it.
The single payer movement in this country right now is toast."
No abby you are a fool.
Anyone that worked on SinglePayer in 1994 and worked on it this year are impressed by both the growth in structure and membership of the Single Payer as well as the increased level of Public Conscienceness on the matter. The difference between 1995 and 2010 is amazing ! The only weakness we have is the DemocRAT PUNKS like John Conyers and Dennis Kucinch who curled up in a fetal position when Bobo put the heat on them !
To abby and FrankS. Margaret Flowers is one of the few that really have an understanding of the sufferring and misery wrought by BOTH political machines in Washington. The Republican Machine grounds 1500 children into hamburger a day while the Democrat Machine grounds 1200 children a day into hamburger. So in the name of stopping Ralph Nader you pull a lever for the "Lesser Evil" and fill your ego with False Consciousness. Now you turn your venom on an activist who has dedicated her life to stopping the murder machine by getting in the face of your cult hero !
Margaret Flowers speaks the truth !
POUR IT ON SISTER !
What's your fucking point anyway? PNHP can grow its membership and Flowers can keep talking but that doesn't stop Congress from blocking single payer. There's no difference between 1994 and 2010 except that Hillarycare just became Obamacare but passed this time. Single payer is now outta reach so shut the fuck up and vote Republican to repeal Obamacare.
Whether they win or lose is irrelevant. They're trying to raise public awareness and confidence which I see you lack but you're not alone. For now single payer may be out of reach but that doesn't mean it is permanent. As soon as the public realizes the scam that insurance is which the bill signed on March 23,2010 will likely do, then single payer will have a chance.
Freddy my point is the size and strength of the Single Payer Movement in 2010 TOWERS over what it was in 1995. There are 3 strong organizations, Healthcare Now, Singlepayer Action and Healthcare4all, speaking on behalf of it's members. 2 of which are growing very rapidly. There are statewide Single Payer Initiatives underway in over a dozen states. In Minnesota there is a gubenatorial candidate from a dominant party that has endorsed Single Payer so it will be a Campaign Issues that will garner large scale media attention. In California the organization pushing Single Payer "Single Payer Now" is adding between 500 to 1000 new names to it's database every month. they are pushing their own legislation through the state legislature for the third time. A coordinator from SPN attended the US Social Forum in Detroit last month and showed activist from around the country how to set up similar systems in their own states. In the few days they were there that group netted 800 names signed to postcards which will give the local operation a respectable start. That accomplishment came AFTER the passage of Obamacare.
NONE OF THAT EXISTED IN 1995 !
Maybe the corporate suck-up DLC Democrats that run that sorry excuse for a political party do have the upperhand right now. And maybe it will take a little 2000 Election Ralph Nader Action to bring them to their senses. If they have any left. But that requires more than hand wringing, or cheap talk ! And that is all your doom and gloom trash amounts to Freddy.....CHEAP TALK ! It is based purely on ignorance !
Now Freddy to you ! I couldn't give a RATS AZZ about Obamacare or Hillarycare. Both are or were little more than vehicles to bailout the insurance industry. If the Movement is smart it will be doing everything in its power to distance itself from Legislation it had nothing to do with. And thus distanting themselves from the inevitable implosion that will come in the next 2 years. What we care about is the 45,000 that die every year from preventable causes because they lack healthcare. You guys on the Right really are a curious lot. You're all full of fire and brimstone crowing away about the "Sanctity of Human Life" when you're baracading yourselves in front of a womens clinic but when it comes to saving innocent human life after birth you're nowhere to be found ! There is a word in the English dictionary that is reserved for people like you.
HYPOCRITE !
Check it out.
"Now Freddy to you ! I couldn't give a RATS AZZ about Obamacare or Hillarycare. Both are or were little more than vehicles to bailout the insurance industry. If the Movement is smart it will be doing everything in its power to distance itself from Legislation it had nothing to do with. And thus distanting themselves from the inevitable implosion that will come in the next 2 years. What we care about is the 45,000 that die every year from preventable causes because they lack healthcare. You guys on the Right really are a curious lot. You're all full of fire and brimstone crowing away about the "Sanctity of Human Life" when you're baracading yourselves in front of a womens clinic but when it comes to saving innocent human life after birth you're nowhere to be found ! There is a word in the English dictionary that is reserved for people like you.
HYPOCRITE !"
You don't know me dumb shit. I may have voted twice for Nixon and twice for Reagan before but I reformed and later voted twice for Perot and thrice for Nader. I've done more to fight the rightwingers out here in South Carolina than you'd ever do in your yankee "liberal" city. Your PNHP is just there to collect membership but what do they give a shit about health care? They don't lobby for health care in cities and states when they should have done that for the last 20 years. You couldn't even stop the anti-abortion amendment from passing so you can shut the f*k up now. Take your latte "liberal" shit talk and stick it where the son don't shine sonny boy !
I don't have to know you Freddy. All I have to do is read what you type. "Hillarycare", "Obamacare", "single payer is out of reach", "vote Republican to repeal Obamacare". You can run your line of drivel about voting for Perot and Nader that is nothing but a smoke screen. Ralph Nader has champion Single Payer healthcare since he ran for President in 1996 on the California Green Party Ticket and has never waivered since. I should know I helped found the California Green Party in 1992 and have worked in all of Nader's Campaigns since that time. The fact remains the coding in your langauge clearly shows the Republican Machine leads you around by the nose.
Regarding PNHP their mission is twofold. The first is to educate and organize doctors on the issue and secondly to do research on healthcare issues. The research arm of the organization is headed by two teaching Professors of Medicine at Harvard, Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein. Their work is unparrallelled and very revealing. They compile WHO and OECD data as well as do research of their own. They have carefully documented the extent of Medical Bankruptcies in this country showing that 43% of all such cases occur when people had health insurance at the time they were diagnosed with the illness that bankrupted them. They crunched the numbers supplied to them by the CDC and found that preventable deaths in this coutry had risen from 18,000 per year to 45,000 per year. Their work forms the intellectual foundation that makes up most of the health care debate.
Regarding Doctor Flowers she has demonstrated the commitment to her work that few ever do. She has left a lucrative profession as a pediatrician to work on advancing Single Payer at her own expense. She is a tireless worker. She does it all. No job is to big and no task to menial for Margaret. If the Movement had more like her rather than loudmouthed critics this issue would have been settled a long time ago.
Regarding myself I obtain signatures on postcards to 47 state legislators this weekend. Our crew picked up 212 such cards. All of those names will be entered into the Single Payer Now Database. And will be accessible for SPN Initiatives in the future. What you don't understand Freddy is voting in and of itself is a futile act. Change comes through altering structures of power. In order to do that one needs to mobilize people. Your hand wringing Freddy is part of the problem. If one believes Single Payer is "outta reach" then one has surrender before the battle has even started. Freddy despite your vitriol and venom about Washigton you clearly display your subserviance and deference to your selected leaders. You sit around powerless waiting for those leaders to give you permission to act.
So Freddy why don't you tell us what you did with your holiday weekend ? Outside of banging out ascerbic messages on your computer ? Show us you good for something more than pulling a lever on the first Tueasday in November.
"I don't have to know you Freddy. All I have to do is read what you type. "Hillarycare", "Obamacare", "single payer is out of reach", "vote Republican to repeal Obamacare". You can run your line of drivel about voting for Perot and Nader that is nothing but a smoke screen. Ralph Nader has champion Single Payer healthcare since he ran for President in 1996 on the California Green Party Ticket and has never waivered since. I should know I helped found the California Green Party in 1992 and have worked in all of Nader's Campaigns since that time. The fact remains the coding in your langauge clearly shows the Republican Machine leads you around by the nose."
You're acting like a dumb f*k, "Truthie", or shall I say LIAR? Don't you ever read the comments on this site? Most people say Obamacare for different reasons. Are they rightwing to you? You can lie all you want about helping Nader but you sound like an Obama shill. I can kick your sorry ass any day. You just find a place to meet. Meanwhile, your Green Party in CA has been falling apart. Poor failure you ! LOL !
"Regarding PNHP their mission is twofold. The first is to educate and organize doctors on the issue and secondly to do research on healthcare issues. The research arm of the organization is headed by two teaching Professors of Medicine at Harvard, Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein. Their work is unparrallelled and very revealing. They compile WHO and OECD data as well as do research of their own. They have carefully documented the extent of Medical Bankruptcies in this country showing that 43% of all such cases occur when people had health insurance at the time they were diagnosed with the illness that bankrupted them. They crunched the numbers supplied to them by the CDC and found that preventable deaths in this coutry had risen from 18,000 per year to 45,000 per year. Their work forms the intellectual foundation that makes up most of the health care debate."
There's your problem. Any organization that works with Harvard is working for elitists. Rarely do IVY League colleges produce good leaders like Ralph Nader. PNHP sounds more like another country club special interest that has no interest in single payer for Middle America. Screw you coastal lattes. You're the damn reason the Republicans keep winning.
"Regarding myself I obtain signatures on postcards to 47 state legislators this weekend. Our crew picked up 212 such cards. All of those names will be entered into the Single Payer Now Database. And will be accessible for SPN Initiatives in the future."
Oh sure. Keep contacting your state reps in CA. Keep collecting names into the database and watch what happens when that database gets confiscated by big government. Single payer in that bankrupted state couldn't pass. It's too expensive to live there, taxes are high, prisons are growing, state debts are piling, damn yuppies think they know it all, and no room for law abiding gun owners. South Carolina may be a rathole but I'll stick here instead of yuppie land anyday.
"What you don't understand Freddy is voting in and of itself is a futile act. Change comes through altering structures of power. In order to do that one needs to mobilize people. Your hand wringing Freddy is part of the problem."
Damn f*king LIAR, voting matters and it aint futile. Duck f*ks like you voted for the status quo and now you want the taxpayers to play superhero shit? You can "mobilize" all you want but the Civil Rights Act of 1965 wouldn't have existing without government passing it and signing it into law. You still don't get it do you? The politicians don't give a shit about health care except for their own varmits. Freddy voted for single payer when he pulled the lever for Ralph. You voted for Hillarycare and Obamacare and against single payer so you could play superhero for your special interest.
"If one believes Single Payer is "outta reach" then one has surrender before the battle has even started. Freddy despite your vitriol and venom about Washigton you clearly display your subserviance and deference to your selected leaders. You sit around powerless waiting for those leaders to give you permission to act."
There you rightwingers go again. You think you can play hero and substitute for politicians. You're a paid shill for Washington as you admit or you wouldn't be shitting like this. How much are you getting paid to be an Obama PR troll? Leaders are supposed to lead, not tell people to make them do something, dumb f*k. You can collect signatures and steal people's identities all you want but you ain't never succeeded either so hit the road jack ! LMAO !
"So Freddy why don't you tell us what you did with your holiday weekend ? Outside of banging out ascerbic messages on your computer ? Show us you good for something more than pulling a lever on the first Tueasday in November."
There you go again. You rightwing motherf*kers getting personal again, eh LIAR? What I did on the 4th of July has nothing to do with what we're talking here dipshit. You're just trying to make yourself look big by lying about what you did. I know you rightwing bastards and your dirty tricks to keep the status quo going. Voting is a powerful tool. Use it or lose it, chump.
My viewpoint is that advocacy of a public policy position which I regard as morally right and fiscally responsible should never be moderated or determined by the prospects of its acceptance by our present system of governance. As Single Payer advocates we should continue our work to educate the public and to influence elected officials at the state and local level where the corrupting influences of money are not as powerful. We should not support candidates Democrat or Republican who are sold out to these corporate interests. We should not support sold out Democrats on the grounds that the Republicans are even worse. I will not support Dan Onorato for Governor of Pennsylvania when he talks about what an excellent public citizen UPMC is as UPMC closes hospitals in poor communities and hands money to Dan at the same time. Let Tom Corbet be Governor. I would rather oppose him than someone who says he is on the side of working families but sells us out at every turn. Ditto Joe Sestak who opposes Single Payer and is for the war in Afghanistan. Let Toomey be Senator. He has never said he is on our side but he isn't two faced either. Better to have an enemy you can openly oppose. If Toomey wins let him try to govern and deal with the consequences when the policies he advocates fails. Ditto for Jason (Bluedog) Altmire. I'm going to exercise my constitutional right not to vote. I want the Democratic party to fail if the best it can do is nominate such candidates. In its electoral failure let it recognize the inherent failure of its ability to represent the real needs of the American public and motivate what should be its base. Perhaps in failure the Democratic Party will recognize that it will have no chance in 2012 if it nominates more candidates of this Bluedog ilk. If not, if it continues on this path let it face real third party opposition that will destroy it. For now I will work outside the corrupt politics which control this country to advocate for what I think is right until the rest of the public and its elected officials come around. If they never do at least I will go down fighting.
Why do you vote for one abusive party or the other? Why not vote third party or at least write in someone of your choice?
She thinks Republicans will make Democrats fight by coming to power. That shit hasn't worked since 1984 and it never will.