Dodd: 'We are about to pass into law a bill that makes healthcare

[Subdivisions]

a right for every citizen, rather than a privilege.' (paraphrased from live press conference)

Can someone please explain how this is true?

[debbierlus]

1. Dodd is a spineless worm

[rbrnmw]

14. Has he forgotten Ted Kennedy so soon?

I hope Teddy hasn't been forsaken by his best friend

[WI_DEM]

38. Ted would have voted for this as well.

[saltpoint]

23. I like Chris Dodd. I am glad he has been a reliable liberal voice in

the upper chamber for a number years, certainly for longer than you have been debasing him.

Cheap shot, debbierlus.

[still_one]

2. I will have to read the bill first /nt

[ThomWV]

25. Just turn on C-Span 2, The Fucking Republicans are having it read alound right now.

[still_one]

26. I am not going to listen to the fuckn republican tactic of delay, but I do want to read it /nt

[billyoc]

3. No.

:hi:

[hayu_lol]

10. "...that makes healthcare"...

permanently obsolete.

Obviously we don't need healthcare any more.

:^(

[Mari333]

4. Its not.

He is saying, actually, " a mandated demand from our benefactors, the insurance companies, that you WILL BUY their health care insurance, you dumb mtherfckers, or suffer the consequences of fines, taxes , and/or jailtime. Now, go shop."

[Neecy]

5. lol

Yes, forcing you to contribute to corporate profits is now not just a right, but a mandate.

We're really through the looking glass.

[HereSince1628]

6. Ok, it works because in neologistic DCspeak "mandate" now = "right"

Since the average American citizen hasn't the education to know what mandate means this new definition will anchor the talkingpoint.

[BurtWorm]

7. BULL shit.

[saltpoint]

28. ----------

----------

-- and in that order, mi droogies.

[Lerkfish]

8. its not

[clear eye]

9. Sorry. That's too hard for me.

I guess it does it in the same way that the recent consumer credit bill was a "sweeping reform of the financial sector", at least according to Politico.

[Laelth]

11. No person can help you, I am afraid.

The truth is this:

We are about to pass into law a bill that makes the purchase of health insurance the legal duty of every citizen, and you will be a criminal if you do not.

Rights don't have to be bought. What Dodd said is a demonstrable lie.

:dem:

-Laelth

[sandnsea]

12. If they're required to give me a subsidy

to cover my premiums and keep them at a cost that doesn't bankrupt me - that's about the same "right" every other developed nation has to health care.

Nobody Gets It For FREE.

[laughingliberal]

40. It's still likely to bankrupt a lot of people. What the government calls affordable is way different

than what a family can actually afford. It, in no way, compares to what every other developed nation has. Very few other developed nation rely on private health insurance companies and in the ones that do the insurance companies are not for profit entities and they are highly regulated. I'm disappointed. I wanted the American people to, finally, have access to quality, affordable health care. We didn't get it.

And we know it's not FREE. That is demeaning and condescending and belongs right up there with Reagan's welfare queen crap.

[ShortnFiery]

13. Is anyone running against Dodd in the Primaries? I will send money to his challenger. eom

[enlightenment]

15. Hah. Ha. Ha. ha.

Damn. I thought they would at least wait until it was signed before they started the 'historic moment' crap.

x(

[SoCalDem]

16. Has insurance been outlawed prior to now?

I see clinics, doctors' offices & hospitals all over the place. There is access, and always has been access.

It's the COST, and the "exceptions to care", that have always been the issue..

There WILL be coverage "offered" to people who have been previously denied, BUT if they cannot afford it, they are still screwed, and doomed to charoty care and car washes to pay for care.
and it will be "portable", but what does that matter when you have lost your INCOME?

medicaid will NOT be the panacea that it's being offered as being.

[Neecy]

21. If you have a pre-existing condition

Then yes, they have to cover you. But they can charge up to 300% MORE for their generosity in covering that pre-existing condition (which, remember, to some insurance companies includes a teenaged outbreak of acne).

People can't afford premiums where they are now - what's going to happen with that 300% jackup? So much for Democrats freeing us from the shackles of the insurance industry.

[SoCalDem]

22. Yup,., they're such "generous" souls, aren't they?

:puke:

[Generator]

46. Damn it you've been paying attention

It's sad we have to pay so much attention. I noticed right away when you know "health coverage" is not the same as health care. It's messing with words. It's Frank Lutz territory and I am pissed beyond pissed.

[KansDem]

17. Of course, it's a right.

As in, "This is mandated so pay up right now!!!

[Gormy Cuss]

18. No, it makes health care INSURANCE a right rather than a privilege

Big difference. It's a good corrective step but I wouldn't call it progress towards a right to health CARE.

[Laelth]

20. Rights don't have to be purchased.

This lay makes it a legal duty to buy insurance. It's not a right.

:dem:

-Laelth

[HuckleB]

30. Is it a legal duty to pay taxes?

[Laelth]

34. Yes. Not a right, but a legal duty. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[HuckleB]

36. Exactly!

So under single payer (which I support) we're mandated to pay.

This mandate is nothing new. Similar programs exist in other countries, and while they are better, some of them likely started similarly.

[Laelth]

41. Dodd said this law would make health care a "right." It doesn't.

It makes buying insurance a duty. Dodd lied.

:dem:

-Laelth

[HuckleB]

42. That's how you want to interpret it.

I think Dodd is more accurate than you are on this matter.

[Laelth]

43. You are certainly entitled to your opinion. n/t

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.1

:dem:

-Laelth

[HuckleB]

45. The status quo rocks!

:eyes:

[Laelth]

48. California will probably pass single payer on its own in 2011.

All they need is a Democratic Governor. The legislature has already passed the bill. Schwarzenegger vetoed it. Once California has single-payer, most (if not all) states will follow suit.

It's likely that if we pass a new law now, the new law will preempt single-payer, i.e. the Federal law will preempt state law and prevent states from enacting a single-payer system.

THIS is what the health insurance companies fear. THIS is what brought them to the bargaining table. THIS is why they are not fighting Obama's tepid reforms, and THIS is why it is extremely important that we do not pass any health insurance reform bill this year.

Let's not settle for a bail-out of the health insurance industry. Let's insist on the eradication of it. In all likelihood, California will lead the way in 2011 ... if we can just give them time.

Canada got its single-payer system one province at a time, and it looks like that's the only way it can happen in the United States.

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[HuckleB]

49. I hope so.

But I very much doubt it.

[DireStrike]

51. We are mandated to pay into a system that we have no control over

that exists for profit rather than to provide a service.

[Gormy Cuss]

32. Even without the mandate however the bill makes it a right to be able to purchase health insurance

For those who are considered uninsurable this is a huge step forward. It's a hollow victory however for those who can't afford to purchase it.

Is this a health care reform package? No. Does it guarantee a right to health care? Hell no.

[rucky]

19. We have the right to be forced to buy insurance.

Well, since you put it that way, Senator...

[jdlh8894]

27. In so many ways

This is just WRONG !!!!!

[Sheri]

24. we are screwn. n/t

[Golden Raisin]

29. Don't you speak Beltway?

The world inside the halls of Congress bears NO relation to the real world of the average American citizen. They'll tell you up is down, black is white and dogs meow.

[Tom Rinaldo]

31. That's like saying we got a right to serve in the military during the draft

Maybe we can create a new federal exchange where other worthwhile rights can be purchased under federal mandate.

[zorahopkins]

33. Dodd -- Connecticut -- Health Insurance Corporations

Dodd is from Connecticut.

Lots of Health Insurance Corporations are headquartered in Connecticut.

Of course Dodd is a Happy Senator.

Do the math.

[Subdivisions]

39. Dodd's Top 100- Contributors

1 Citigroup Inc $265,694 $260,694 $5,000
2 SAC Capital Partners $262,800 $262,800 $0
3 United Technologies $255,800 $250,800 $5,000
4 Royal Bank of Scotland $223,700 $211,700 $12,000
5 ActBlue $209,000 $209,000 $0
6 Bear Stearns $190,500 $190,500 $0
7 American International Group $187,900 $167,900 $20,000
8 Merrill Lynch $129,950 $129,950 $0
9 Goldman Sachs $127,950 $120,950 $7,000
10 Credit Suisse Group $114,800 $107,300 $7,500
11 Morgan Stanley $110,600 $110,600 $0
12 Travelers Companies $104,700 $94,700 $10,000
13 JPMorgan Chase & Co $103,550 $99,550 $4,000
14 The Hartford $94,800 $94,800 $0
15 Hartford Financial Services $90,300 $80,300 $10,000
16 St Paul Travelers Companies $88,750 $88,750 $0
17 General Electric $86,800 $78,800 $8,000
18 FMR Corp $83,950 $68,950 $15,000
19 Ernst & Young $82,750 $72,750 $10,000
20 Bank of America $80,350 $60,350 $20,000
21 Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu $78,250 $70,250 $8,000
22 Liberty Mutual Insurance $74,600 $59,600 $15,000
23 UBS AG $68,800 $58,800 $10,000
24 UST Inc $67,400 $67,400 $0
25 Taconic Capital Advisors $65,700 $65,700 $0
26 PricewaterhouseCoopers $64,800 $49,800 $15,000
27 Apollo Advisors $62,600 $62,600 $0
28 KPMG International $60,900 $60,900 $0
29 Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder $60,800 $60,800 $0
30 Lehman Brothers $58,300 $52,900 $5,400
31 Patton Boggs LLP $55,200 $50,200 $5,000
32 Capital One Financial $54,400 $44,400 $10,000
33 Bank of New York Mellon $52,600 $49,600 $3,000
34 Aetna Inc $51,800 $41,800 $10,000
35 Citadel Investment Group $50,300 $50,300 $0
36 ING Group $50,000 $40,000 $10,000
37 Time Warner $49,600 $48,600 $1,000
38 General Dynamics $49,550 $40,050 $9,500
39 Blackstone Group $48,100 $48,100 $0
40 International Assn of Fire Fighters $47,150 $32,150 $15,000
41 DLA Piper $45,800 $40,800 $5,000
42 Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation $44,850 $37,550 $7,300
43 Pfizer Inc $44,700 $29,700 $15,000
44 Brown Brothers Harriman & Co $44,600 $44,600 $0
45 Arnold & Porter $42,550 $33,050 $9,500
46 Prudential Financial $39,850 $34,850 $5,000
47 Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett $39,400 $39,400 $0
48 Sullivan & Cromwell $38,700 $38,700 $0
49 Manafort Brothers $38,400 $38,400 $0
50 Host Hotels & Resorts $37,800 $37,800 $0
51 Northeast Utilities $36,950 $29,450 $7,500
52 Shumway Capital $36,500 $36,500 $0
53 Walt Disney Co $36,300 $28,800 $7,500
54 American Express $35,800 $30,800 $5,000
55 Thermo Fisher Scientific $35,200 $30,200 $5,000
56 AON Corp $34,800 $27,800 $7,000
57 Nixon Peabody LLP $33,967 $28,967 $5,000
58 Carpenter & Co $32,300 $32,300 $0
59 AQR Capital Management $32,200 $32,200 $0
60 Pitney Bowes Inc $31,100 $6,100 $25,000
61 Venable LLP $30,981 $23,700 $7,281
62 IntercontinentalExchange Inc $30,800 $25,800 $5,000
63 Freddie Mac $30,500 $25,500 $5,000
64 Corstone Capital $30,400 $30,400 $0
65 Farallon Capital Management $29,900 $29,900 $0
66 Boston Properties $29,400 $29,400 $0
67 CME Group $29,100 $24,100 $5,000
67 Fortress Investment Group $29,100 $29,100 $0
67 Skadden, Arps et al $29,100 $23,600 $5,500
70 Kynikos Assoc $29,000 $29,000 $0
70 Washington Mutual $29,000 $24,000 $5,000
72 Madison Dearborn Partners $27,850 $27,850 $0
73 KPMG LLP $27,500 $27,500 $0
74 Brownstein, Hyatt et al $27,400 $24,400 $3,000
75 Carlyle Group $27,300 $27,300 $0
76 Kleiner, Perkins et al $27,000 $27,000 $0
76 NASDAQ OMX Group $27,000 $27,000 $0
78 Berger & Montague $26,950 $26,950 $0
79 Waterford Group $26,400 $26,400 $0
80 Select Equity $26,100 $26,100 $0
81 Ben Barnes Group $25,900 $25,900 $0
82 Paulson & Co $25,700 $25,700 $0
83 Monness, Crespi et al $25,300 $25,300 $0
83 NYSE Euronext $25,300 $13,300 $12,000
83 Och-Ziff Capital Management $25,300 $25,300 $0
86 Wilmerhale Llp $25,200 $25,200 $0
87 Sterne, Agee & Leach $24,900 $24,900 $0
88 Edwards, Angell et al $24,844 $24,844 $0
89 Fannie Mae $24,350 $19,350 $5,000
90 WR Berkley Corp $24,200 $16,200 $8,000
91 Willkie, Farr & Gallagher $24,100 $24,100 $0
92 SAC Capital Advisors $24,000 $24,000 $0
93 Major League Baseball Commissioner's Ofc $23,850 $5,350 $18,500
94 Hogan & Hartson $23,600 $21,600 $2,000
94 Paul, Weiss et al $23,600 $23,600 $0
96 Beacon Capital Partners $23,100 $23,100 $0
97 National Westminster Bank $23,000 $23,000 $0
98 Itex Co $22,800 $22,800 $0
99 First American Corp $22,450 $12,450 $10,000
100 Goodwin Procter LLP $22,400 $22,400 $0

[valerief]

35. I guess it was a privilege to not be able to afford health insurance. Now it's a right. nt

[kenny blankenship]

37. You have the right to buy heinously expensive healthcare or face punishment by the lawful authority

What's unclear about that?

[Generator]

44. Let's face it they all learned well from the last eight years

Is Frank Lutz on the payroll now? Propaganda works. You never have to tell the truth anymore in America. I see clear skies and we are bringing freedom to Afghanistan.

[David Zephyr]

47. Mortgage Whore Dodd is worse than Lieberman.

Worse.

[smokey nj]

50. No, Senator Dodd, it makes health INSURANCE an OBLIGATION of every citizen.

[Odin2005]

52. No, Santor, it makes us SERFS of the Health Insurance Industry.

KILL THE BILL!!!

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

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