Sen. Isakson: Health care bill's end-of-life provision not my idea

[sabra]

Source: ledger-enquirer

Georgia senator says Obama wrongly credited him with being part of controversial legislation


WASHINGTON — When Sen. Johnny Isakson takes the floor at a meeting at Macon’s Vineville Methodist Church today, he’ll no doubt face tough questions about why President Barack Obama credits the Georgia Republican as the inspiration behind the Democratic health care bills’ end-of-life counseling efforts that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and some fellow conservatives call “death panels.”

...

A remark by the president on Tuesday cast Isakson, a staunchly conservative lawmaker from a solidly red state, as an unwitting and unwilling poster child for the administration’s plea for bipartisanship in writing health care legislation.

...

“This is what happens when the president and members of Congress don’t read the bills,” Isakson said Tuesday. “The White House and others are merely attempting to deflect attention from the intense negativity caused by their unpopular policies.

“I never consulted with the White House in this process and had no role whatsoever in the House Democrats’ bill,” Isakson said. “I categorically oppose the House bill and find it incredulous that the White House and others would use my amendment as a scapegoat for their misguided policies.”
But in giving the White House wide berth, Isakson, who has long advocated end-of-life counseling and assistance in drafting living wills, points to a nuanced difference between his amendment and a similar House version.

In 2007, Isakson helped spearhead a failed attempt to provide Medicare coverage for an end-of-life planning consultation as part of initial preventive physical examinations. In July, during the Senate committee hearings on the Senate version of the health care bill, Isakson added an amendment that says anyone who participates in the long-term care benefit provided in the bill — if they so choose — may use that benefit to obtain assistance in formulating their own living will and durable power of attorney.

Read more: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/805316.html

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. Good run down of Idiot, I mean Isakson here:

http://www.blogfordemocracy.org/poli/2009/08/johnny-got-a-spanking.html#more

Johnny got a spanking
By Tom Crawford on August 12, 2009 7:23 PM
Johnny Isakson, it seems, is the latest Georgia Republican to learn that you don't mess with your most rabid supporters by trying to do something foolish like talk common sense or acknowledge the obvious.

Georgia's junior senator found himself immersed in the controversy this week over "death panels" and the "euthanization" of senior citizens that is consuming so many of the shouters and screamers at town halls on health insurance reform.

These crazies, who include former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, falsely charge that a provision in the health reform bill will empower President Barack Obama to create "death panels" that will kill elderly patients. The provision actually would extend Medicare coverage to end-of-life care counseling sessions between doctors and their patients, a cause that Isakson has long supported.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. What a coward

for throwing himself under the bus in order to appear more like the lunatics of his party! :rofl:

[WCGreen]

2. Just like any other republican, he's "strechin'" the truth a bit...

[bluestateguy]

3. Can't look soft for the base

that might attract a primary challenger.

:eyes:

[marybourg]

4. “I . . . find it incredulous "

Do you think he means he finds it "incredible"?

[nichole51]

12. re: “I . . . find it incredulous "

Isakson was correct, Mary. Incredible means not believable. Incredulous means not believing. When someone's story is truly incredible, you ought to be incredulous. He was. Hope that helps you.

[tomm2thumbs]

5. 'I didn't screw that horsey - must've been someone else'

the door to the barn is already open Senator.

[ScottLand]

7. He must have checked with

Rush about how to handle this one.

[Vinca]

8. Up is down, down is up.

Maybe if we offer them money they'll tell the truth.

[Doctor_J]

9. Limpballs must have called him after Isaakson bashed Palin the other day

Pig Boy tells all of the Repukes what to do, say, and think

[The Wizard]

10. Actually Rash Limpballs

is third in the information chain.
It all starts with Rove who sends the order to Drudge. Then Rash gets the word followed by Fox. Then the corporate media sells it as truth because they reason that Fox is a legitimate news outlet without an agenda.
The corpofascits need the Republicans to maintain their unreasonably high income for essentially being greedy scumbags.

[VaYallaDawg]

11. All this anger is just sound and fury.

But not really "signifying nothing." What it does signify is the anger of the right-wing fringe over the fact that the U.S. has gone and elected a president who is (1) a democrat; and (2) black. Either of those would be enough to make them even more nuts than usual - together, it's enough to spark them into a frenzied (and I believe, dangerous) rage. Our country has now progressed enough that spouting off about a black president (at least in a public forum) will instantly brand you as a bigoted racist.

Then - along comes the "healthcare reform" debate - an opportunity to fly your hatred under the radar and disguised as anger over "socialized medicine," "public option," or whatever "acceptable" name you want to apply to it. What it really is is the chance to throw a tantrum worthy of a two-year old in public. This gives those nuts: (1) an opportunity to show off in front of their friends and neighbors; (2) their 15 minutes (seconds?) of fame; and (3) best of all, TV coverage is guaranteed. And of course, it's irrelevant whether any of them have actually seen any reliable information on the subject they're yelling about, because that's not what they're enraged about anyway. I wonder if anybody else has noticed that these screamers are all white people?

[nichole51]

13. re: All this anger is just sound and fury

"Our country has now progressed enough that spouting off about a black president (at least in a public forum) will instantly brand you as a bigoted racist." Now, how would that be progression, VaYallaDawg? "Spouting off", expressing opinions, freedom of speech are all equivalent to "bigoted racist"? The definition of bigot is a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion. You can be a bigot and a racist in any gender and any skin color. Branding that label on someone just for having a dissenting opinion from someone of a different color, race or gender is dangerous. That is bigotry, and only fuel for more hatred.

As far as "screamers" being "all white people", the loud and obnoxious dissenters do indeed create a very hostile environment for a debate. However, those screamers throwing tantrums worthy of a two year-old include a large amount of Democrats as well as Republicans and Independents. Many of them voted for Obama. I have read about 850 pages of the house bill so far. It is exhausting to get through and includes things that I think would get your attention if you really want to know what you are debating. It is powerful knowledge to have and woke me up big time. I know we need to make some major changes, but I think people might be a little less fearful if the people pushing for the bill's passage actually knew what was in it.