Category: Health Care debate

The American Association of Retired People, according to “officials” in Congress, has decided to endorse the health care legislation work it’s way through Congress (AP Link);

In a coup for House Democrats, AARP will endorse sweeping health care overhaul legislation headed for a history-making floor vote, officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

An endorsement from the seniors’ lobby was critical when then-President George W. Bush pushed the Medicare prescription drug benefit through a closely divided Congress in 2003. House Democratic leaders are hoping it will work the same political magic for them as they strive to deliver on President Barack Obama’s signature issue.

It was just a few months ago, the AARP denied they were endorsing any healthcare legislation;

“We have the AARP on board because they know this is a good deal for our seniors,” Obama said. Later, in response to a question about whether the health care plan would reduce the availability of medications through Medicare, Obama said, “Well, first of all, another myth that we’ve been hearing about is this notion that somehow we’re going to be cutting your Medicare benefits. We are not. AARP would not be endorsing a bill if it was undermining Medicare, okay?”

AARP chief operating officer Tom Nelson immediately fired off a press release saying: “Indications that we have endorsed any of the major health care reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate.”

So, I guess they decided that they don’t need members anymore. 60,000 left after the last endorsement.

The Washington, DC delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, in an interview with the Washington News Observer says she warned the Democrat Caucus that the public option is too popular with her constituency;

If anything, I said yesterday to some of my friends in the Democratic Caucus, we better watch out because the public option is becoming so popular I think more people may think they’re gonna get it than are supposed to get it under the bill because it’s for a fairly limited number of people.

But who is surprised about that? Everyone thinks they deserve more than they are entitled to – especially in the District. And that’s why the public option polls so high – everyone wants free stuff.

Organizing for America farmed out their propaganda creation to America. They asked Americans to make some 30-second commercials to distort the health care debate and they’ve narrowed their submissions down to twenty for the judges to choose from. Who will be judges?

The top 20 ads will also be voted on by our panel of experts and artists, including Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, animator and director Seth MacFarlane, actress Kate Walsh, Obama for America campaign manager David Plouffe, and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine.

Yeah, Family Guy just fell off my list of programs. Anyway, I watched all 20 videos and all I learned is that the submitters don’t understand what’s at stake here and they don’t understand economics…and they don’t understand that there are no do overs after they inflict this mess on America.

Take this one, for example. It’s supposed to tug at your heart strings with a bunch of potentially sick kids whose parents are too irresponsible to buy them healthcare – so they want you to buy it for them;

Videos below the jump;

(more…)

I went looking for the “Million Meds March” today and I found two protests. The first appeared to be Puerto Ricans in Upper Senate Park advocating for free healthcare for Puerto Ricans. I might have been sympathetic, but somehow, calling themselves Americans while chanting in Spanish didn’t endear me to them – not to mention the “Viva Puerto Rico” while they’re all standing squarely in the center of Washington, DC;

Then I went down to the park where the “Meds” were supposed to be and I found quite a bit fewer than a million – about 999,900 fewer.

I should have been clearer – these doctors and nurses oppose the health care bills working their way through Congress. They were in DC to confront their representatives;

But they were there. I don’t know which protest was better. You decide;

Thanks to Tankerbabe for alerting us to the Million Meds march last week.

Remember this summer when we were told that we had become scary? That we were spreading lies? So Alan Grayson, Florida Democrat decided to elevate the discussion with this;

Yes, Republicans want you to die from a lack of health care – that’s why 86% of Americans have health insurance they have purchased themselves. So Republicans demanded an apology today and this what Grayson considers an apology;

Yes, he apologizes to the dead and dying that we haven’t ended this “holocaust in America”. Can you tell that Disney World is in Grayson’s district? I think Goofy has escaped.

Politico quotes some reactions;

“This is an unstable man who has come unhinged,” NRCC spokesman Andy Sere said. “The depths to which Alan Grayson will sink to defend his indefensible comments know no bounds.”

Grayson told reporters he’s not worried at all about a backlash from voters and instead thinks his chances for re-election have been boosted.

“It improves them,” he said. “People like elected officials with guts who say what they mean.”

But in the same interview, he wavered between suggesting he meant what he said Tuesday night – “Republicans want you to die quickly” – and saying it had been a tongue-in-cheek satire.

I’ve got some satire for you, Al.

I just got this in my email when my BFF Mitch Stewart emailed me this message that the cavalry is coming;

Their timing is somewhat unfortunate, though. Tomorrow a crowd of doctors, nurses anf their supporters are decending on Congress in Washington. They call themselves the “Million Med March“.

The doctors and supporters will meet at John Marshall Park for a press conference and discussion. The group will then march to Upper Senate Park where individual doctors will be meeting with their legislatures to voice their disapproval of the current health care bills in Congress.

Since it’s only a few blocks from my work and during my lunch, I’ll shoot over tomorrow and get you some pictures.

Thanks to 1stCavRVN11B who also sent me his email from our mutual BFF at Organizing for America.