Governor Tennesee, Bredesen: Medicaid reflects socialism.

[nickshepDEM]

Bredesen: Medicaid reflects socialism

Gov. Phil Bredesen said Tuesday the nation’s Medicaid program shares more with socialism than praticality and needs fundemental reform.

“The way in which Medicaid pays for services has more in common with a socialist economy than the common-sense economic and business principles that do such a good job allocating resources efficiently in other parts of our American life,” the governor said.

His remarks came at a conference in Raleigh, NC, of policymakers studying health care issues.

http://epaper.ardemgaz.com/Default/Client.asp?Enter=true&skin=Chattanooga&Daily=ChatTFPress

[WI_DEM]

1. Just what we need a prominent democrat attacking medicaid

as socialistic.

[nickshepDEM]

3. Exactly what I was thinking.

[Tempest]

7. Prominent Democrat?

He doesn't even register at the national level.

Sounds like a member of the DNC.

I can't wait for Dean to take control over the DNC and pull it to the left.

[MountainLaurel]

20. Didn't he run an HMO

At one point? He was supposed to be my graduation speaker at UT, but couldn't come because of bad weather. I vaguely remembered reading that info in his biography in the commencement program.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. All insurance (auto, life, home, health) is socialism.

Does this douchebag want to eliminate them too?

[Festivito]

23. So is government. Democracy is especially close.

Yet we want government here to protect us from socialism? What a buffoon.

And, we fight for democracy for other countries, what a slap in the face to our soldiers.

[tom_paine]

4. So did the Sermon on the Mount

NOTE: in the pre-edited post, let me stress I was NOT calling the originator of this post an asshole, but the Bushevik in the article

Cruel, aristocratic indifference towards Imperial Subjects (or "fodder units" as Jeb Bush likes to call the Little People) is coming back in a BIG WAY.

[nickshepDEM]

5. I hope he doesnt have any plans to run for higher office...

[Liberal Veteran]

6. LibVet: Police and Fire services reflect socialism!

We should privatize both and have them be a "pay as you go" or retainer situation and if you can't pay for police protection and a firefighter service then you shouldn't entitled to their services.....

:eyes:

[DBoon]

9. the Onion once did a fantastic satire

about a libertarian who had to call a public fire department because his house was burning down.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. He says "socialism" like that's a bad thing

:grr:

[KurtNYC]

10. Lack of health care reflects amoralism

The basic law of capitalism (which of course is not a religion or theology) is supply and demand. But what is a person's demand for health? What is staying alive worth? Every single cent you can and will lay your hands on. That is completely amoral.

[American Tragedy]

17. And that is exactly the point of the medical-industrial complex.

For almost all goods and services, rising prices cause demand to decline dramatically; at some point, demand is virtually extinguished. Obviously, this inherently forces businesses to rein in prices on their products and compete with one another, all to the benefit of the consumer.

Although the capitalist model is almost always the best mechanism to deter price gouging, it cannot save mortally desperate people from being exploited. When a pharmaceutical company has a patented drug, effectively a monopoly, that can save thousands of people from dying, at what point does the line fall for that product? Where's the invisible hand?

This is why more than half of all declarations of personal bankruptcy are on the grounds of medical expenses. For things like this, there has to be a better way. The government has long been forced to recognize that institutions that serve the public interest and aren't swayed by the conventional capitalist model are different. I find it disturbing that a Democratic governor is struggling with that.

[stepnw1f]

11. Privatizing Government Programs=Fascism

Looks like a Nazi, acts like a Nazi,....

[two gun sid]

12. I respectfully request the Governor to blow me.

I am sick and fuckin' tired of these shitsacks using "socialism" to scare people.

[American Tragedy]

13. Actually, the military is the most socialized institution in America

Why don't we privatize national defense? Those free-loading commie soldiers!

[Triana]

14. Oh. Another idiot DINO?

I'm so SICK of hearing Repukes and DINOS say that Social Security and Medicaid is SOCIALISM. It's far from it. These things are basic services that gov't should provide to people who have and can afford less in the way of living expenses and basic care of some sort - a tiny public safety net for the sick, poor, and elderly does not Socialism make.

These people need to inventory their brain cells. They appear to be missing a few.

:mad:

[davidinalameda]

15. another reason to leave the Democratic Party

these are the people that are leading it?

gods help us all

[Vladimir]

16. Socialism is not a dirty word goddamnit! n/t

[Massachusetts]

18. Socialism????

What percentage of the american workers are employed by State and Federal Govt.?

[cosmicdot]

19. his email address

[e-mail]

http://www.state.tn.us/governor/

[4_TN_TITANS]

21. For what it's worth...

Bredesen knows the subject, he made millions managing healthcare providers. He even forfeited his salary as governor of TN to use in other areas. I was thinking that I'd like to see him run in 2008 as a Democrat who could secure red-states, but now I'm wondering....

[Southpaw Bookworm]

25. That's what I thought n/t

[Blue_Tires]

22. ladies, gentlemen, and the transgendered:

I present to you the future of the Democratic Party

[Wabbajack]

24. This jerk

is one of the republicans favorite "Democrats". Who can we run against him in the primary?