Clinton: Without mandate, universal health care impossible

[DeepModem Mom]

Run time: 01:39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvKIVPB5mmg   Posted on YouTube: December 02, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 03, 2007 By DU Member: DeepModem Mom Views on DU: 1741

 
Sen. Clinton said in her speech on 11/28 in Ankeny, IA, that it's impossible to get universal health care if there is no mandate

[aquart]

1. But how can she get a mandate IF SHE DOESN'T PROPOSE IT?

Some days I get really tired.

[groovedaddy]

4. Not only that, at what percent of support do you declare a mandate?

I don't have the exact number right at hand, but the support for universal healthcare is very high.

[aquart]

10. Hey, George declared a mandate with less than half the vote.

So the bar is clearly lowered.

[Spryboy]

14. Different kind of 'mandate'

She's using the word specifically related to her proposal. Don't assume something she's not saying.

She doesn't mean "there has to be a mandate from the voters before we can do this", she means that her proposal has "mandated insurance coverage for everyone", and that that is the only way to get universal coverage.

[Spryboy]

15. You aren't understanding what she's saying

It's pretty clear that she didn't mean "mandate from the voters to do something"... she's referring specifically to her proposal which mandates insurance coverage, meaning everyone HAS to buy insurance.

[groovedaddy]

27. Which is the only way the insurance industry will support it

and keep giving money to campaigns of the candidates who are willing to pursue this route.
I suppose the issue here is whether or not coverage is paid as an out of pocket expense for those covered or paid for through taxation.

[Michael101]

2. Fake Hillary..

Oh I see so she's going to bring more customers to the insurance company by mandating it.

[ProfessorPlum]

3. What is she saying here?

That Democrats in general should be for universal coverage? That she is for it? That we should be willing to "fight" for it. Is she willing?

Outlining the problem is not a solution.

Also, forcing everyone to buy health care insurance is not universal coverage. Pumping more money into the corrupt insurance industry's hands will not solve the problem by a long shot. (Presumably they would then lower everyone's rates out of "gratitude" for the huge influx of profits).

Universal health care is _giving_ everyone insurance. The government becomes the health insurance industry, and we have universal policies on what we cover and what we don't. Everyone knows the rules, and we can debate and change them in a transparent way.

Ugh. What a mess. Let's hope she never gets her hands on this problem - her solution is even worse.

[kenfrequed]

5. Additionally

Any compulsory insurance is going to be over-pricey and undercovering. The companies will short patients in service creating 'special' plans to accomodate it (sort of a medical liability). They will also defraud the government quite a bit.


Universal coverage is the only plausible answer.

[datavg]

9. Uh...

...but how do you do that when Richard Mellon Scaife is the banking and insurance guy who served as the behind the scenes bag man for her husband's impeachment?

You don't...and you won't. That's why you'll never hear her stump for single payer. She doesn't dare.

[datavg]

17. But...

...you can't give something of significant value away to 300 million people! The AMA won't stand for it, the insurance companies won't stand for it and the unions won't stand for it. The taxpayers won't stand for it! Southerners won't stand for it...and they've got enough money and power to turn your lights out.

What's even more interesting is that Hillary's plan (from what I am told) is the same plan offered up by House Republicans during the late nineties. It was rejected by the Democrats because half of them have his religious attachment to single payer and the other half rejected it for political reasons. They wanted to have the issue to run on in subsequent elections.

I think we're gonna find out that Hillary doesn't have much of a plan. She'll get the nomination because she has the money and the whole game is about money...and then she'll get beaten up in the south by a 'Pub.

I think the Democratic party is dead. They're active in California, the upper midwest, New England and the mid-Atlantic...and that's all. With a thousand people per day moving to Florida and five hundred people per day moving to Arizona, that's not going to be enough.

[JDPriestly]

22. All you have to do is get a couple of border southern states, Florida and Ohio,

and a Democrat can win. I think Edwards could do it. Voters are really sick and tired of Bush. He has so mismanaged the country. Right now he is barely staving off a recession. What stability there has been in the economy during his regime has been due to the housing market. Now, even that is taking a downturn. He is in big trouble. People want a better health care system. The only Republican proposal that I am aware of is Romney's Massachusetts plan. It "mandates" that residents buy insurance, and allows them to choose among several plans. The Massachusetts plan is not a big success as a I understand it, primarily because it is proving too expensive for too many people.

[datavg]

28. That Is Certainly True...

...but it won't happen. Clinton only won because he was so strong in the south, and Edwards couldn't even win North Carolina for Kerry.

And as long as Ohio remains a pro-life and pro-gun rights enclave, it'll also remain largely red. Strickland is a pro-life, pro-gun rights Democrat who also happens to be an ordained minister...and any state that would vote for a guy like that will never vote for either John Edwards or Hillary Clinton. Zell Miller, maybe but not Hillary and certainly not anyone acceptable to the Democratic base for nomination to run for the White House.

We're gonna get another 'Pub. You just watch and see.

[JDPriestly]

29. Does anyone think that Hillary has a chance to win in any red state?

Even though she lived in Arkansas for some years, she just is not southern, not in her demeanor, not in her attitudes. She is clearly a yankee, and not a particularly pleasant or courteous one to boot. I understand that one-on-one, she is very nice, but not having met her myself, she comes across as strident. Compare Edwards' extremely likable and very courteous demeanor. That goes over in the south. Southerners like a ready and broad smile -- like Edwards'.

[truedelphi]

18. I just clicked off before the final ten seconds of her talk - sick

To my stomach.

This is not very visionary. I had the same, "Why do they find it necessary to even address us, if they only have lies to feed us?" reaction that I have when Bush speaks.

I'm with you for every word you said:
*Also, forcing everyone to buy health care insurance is not universal coverage. Pumping more money into the corrupt insurance industry's hands will not solve the problem by a long shot. (Presumably they would then lower everyone's rates out of "gratitude" for the huge influx of profits).*

But a gal has to finance a campaign somehow.

I'd like her more if she would just admit it: Edwards and Kucinich are racking up the points with the voters who understand the issue - but they can't get the financing that she feels she needs to be the forerunner.

[JDPriestly]

21. As I understand it, Edwards' plan offers a Medicare-type alternative to the private

plans. The Medicare or government plan will pooled and will be affordable for everyone. The private companies will have to compete with it. That seems fair to me. Lots of people want to keep paying for private insurance. If your employer willingly pays and is large enough to get a good group rate, why not?

Personally, I'm quite happy with Kaiser. It's an HMO, but does a good job.

[catnhatnh]

6. Really....

you mean there was a mandate to repeal 800 years of habeus???

[salib]

7. Yep, right up there with the mandate to bring back indentured servitude

Via the Bankruptcy Bill.

[Spryboy]

13. No...

That's not how she's using the word 'mandate'. She doesn't mean "A mandate from the voters to do something", she means "A bill that mandates that people buy insurance".

Huge difference. I can't believe everyone in this thread is misinterpreting her like this.

[rAVES]

8. This isnt aimed at the Peons! this is her interview with the corporations..

they all stroke there chins and say "she'll do nicely"

over half the US population want universal health care.. is that not a mandate? what percentage of that is Democrats? "her party"

Of course there is no Mandate when she's covering her pretty little ears yelling LALALALA IM NOT LISTENING!!!

[Spryboy]

12. You're misinterpreting, along with most other people in the thread

She's not using the word "mandate" as in "A mandate from the voters to do something".

She's refering to it as a legal requirement in a piece of legislation... people are MANDATED to purchase insurance. Without that mandate in the bill, people will remain uninsured.

[D23MIURG23]

11. No wonder she failed the last time she had a chance to establish it.

she was against it all along.

[rAVES]

16. Shes a run of the mill politician..

I have no Idea how the US standards have dropped so much.. but here we are.

bask in the mediocrity!!!

Up is down down is up... Dennis Kucinich is "unelectable" and this Shill power grabber is top tier..

Breaks a lot of hearts to see I imagine.

[Puppyjive]

19. Health care should be a civil right

I don't think any kind of universal coverage will work as long as the hmo's are in the loop. Forcing people to pay for health insurance will not work because too many insurance companies are unaffordable because they discriminate over one's prexisting conditions. Doctors offices already discriminate because they decline to render service to people who are on medicare and state funded health plans. Universal health care will only work if we can get discrimination out of the industry. When the playing field gets even, then we can talk about universal coverage. Hilary and all of the presidential candidates need to quit blowing smoke and treat health care as a civil right.

[L0oniX]

20. IMO health care is a human right...and welcome to DU

[JDPriestly]

23. This speech was not aimed at voters. It is actually aimed at corporations.

Translate: Give me more money, big corporate donors. I'm the only one who understands your needs and feelings. I am the only faithful servant in these fields.

[defendandprotect]

24. HRC might have mentioned that there is a MANDATE for single payer health care ---

HRC might have mentioned the voters ---

HRC is making clear that she is voting for keeping insurance and drug companies in the game . . .

We need to simply extend Medicare to EVERYONE --- period!

And we need to move HRC and the DLC out of the way ---


Agree, health care is a human right --- UN agrees with that --- !!!

HRC might mention that from time to time, except the GOP has had such an intense campaign
to make the United Nations a dirty word ---

"Constitution" seems to be next on their list --- !!!

[nightrain]

25. Dear Hillary, There are millions of us who

would like to be covered by a health care system/program/service. We don't have the money to pay in. Mandating coverage, unless it is very reasonably-priced will only backfire as people will be forced to buy health insurance instead of--food, shelter, education, gasoline, clothing, etc.

What I want you to understand is that we need universal health care coverage by a national system, a single payor, not some conglomeration of the already rich insurance corporations. If we give them even MORE of our money, they will still not provide a SERVICE, you can bet they will find ways to deny payments/procedures/medications, etc.

Take the profit motive out of health care, and we may have a chance. Learn from Canada, France, Scandinavian countries, Cuba, China. We need a health care SERVICE, not more health insurance coverage. And pay the providers well-enough, not some discounted amount!

[maxanne]

26. let us be clear in our language

Clinton is proposing Universal Health Insurance - which would be bought through private insurance companies. The TAXPAYERS would pay the insurance companies for those who can't afford to buy into the private system.

Clinton is NOT proposing universal health care. Health insurance does NOT equal health care.

it's a damned shame the Democratic candidates have perverted the term "universal health care." That used to mean "single payer." Now it just means more of the same - Big Insurance getting taxpayer subsidies.