Ed Schultz: I've caved, we've gotta suck it up and pass the Senate bill in the House

[HughMoran]

"we've gotta get this done"

Just now on the ED Show.

[BlueIdaho]

1. No shit Ed, no shit...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. I'll give Ed his due --

t least he admitted he "caved". :)

[HughMoran]

3. He came right out and said it

I respect him for that as well - kudos to Ed.

[goclark]

6. It took a lot of guts to say that ~ K for ED

[kjackson227]

4. Big Ed tells it like it is...

Sad story about the married couple is being told now.

[njlib]

10. The woman whose son died because he couldn't afford a colonoscopy

has me in tears!

[mzmolly]

36. "Greatest health care system in the world...."

For whom, I ask?

[njlib]

67. Those who can afford it. n/t

[Raineyb]

75. And that won't change with this bill. n/t

[mzmolly]

76. Yes it will.

Have you looked over the subsidies and health care cost controls?

[roguevalley]

78. 20m people left out. Mike moore and rachel were talking about it.

[HughMoran]

79. Yes, 50M - 30M = 20M

What were they saying about this?

[roguevalley]

81. the bill is so bad that it won't cover 20m people and the horror

stories will keep on going. :(

[HughMoran]

92. Your pessimism is noted

:shrug:

[mzmolly]

125. That figure is based upon the fact that some will refuse

to buy in. Not much we can do about that but be thankful that they'll have an option when they really need it.

[Raineyb]

87. No it won't. We have about 50 million without health insurance. Everyone pushing

this monstrosity claims it will help 30. You're missing 20 million people for whom the horrors will continue. Like I said, it will continue even with the passage of this bill.

[mzmolly]

124. The figure you note is based on the assumption that some will not

buy in. Thankfully, under the new legislation when they need health care, they will not be denied coverage.

[mzmolly]

131. Indeed.

And for those who can afford it, from other countries.

[vaberella]

5. I'm surprised he didn't get before. n/t

[Uzybone]

7. Under the bus with you Ed

Damn kool-aid swiller

[vaberella]

9. ROFL. n/t

[CreekDog]

18. too many people under the bus, it'll have to drive around

:hi:

[tallahasseedem]

68. LOL!

;)

[Cha]

8. Watch out for the bus, Ed.

[HughMoran]

11. OMG - he's pushing people to call Kuch and push him to sign this bill!!

OMG - he's looking at some serious bus action!

[Raine1967]

15. Wow! that is huge!

Really big stuff!

Good for Ed. He's passionate and pragmatic.

[mzmolly]

30. Yes he is. Go Ed!

:toast: An unforgettable show tonight!

[Raine1967]

12. He may think he caved... I disagree.

He fought the good fight, but it's now go time - he knows that.

Go Big Ed.

K&R

[HughMoran]

13. Uh-oh, he's going OFF!!!!!!!!!!

PASS THIS BILL!!!!!!!!!! (he says)

[Raine1967]

19. You are giving me goosebumps!

Do I have to go turn on the TV? :D

[HughMoran]

24. He's moved on, but it was one righteous rant!!

I love the energy - the time is NOW!

[vaberella]

26. He looked close to crying. n/t

[gateley]

28. Agree. He said he THINKS Teddy K would have passed this. He says these

people he has on wouldn't be in the situation they're in if the bill had been passed.

How can we deny the people it will help?

[Hello_Kitty]

14. How much power does Ed think liberal bloggers have? eom

[jefferson_dem]

16. Impressive statement from Big Ed right now.

"PASS THE DAMN BILL!" Indeed. :applause:

[HughMoran]

17. PASS THE DAMNED (yes, he said damned) BILL!!!!!!!!!

He's fired up tonight!!

[jefferson_dem]

21. Oh man...

You could hear the forceful desperation in his voice. Good stuff.

[O is 44]

20. Thanks Ed!

Such tragic stories, I hope Kucinich gets the message. Please call him folks along with the other holdouts.

[tridim]

22. Feeling lonely yet Jane?

[mzmolly]

33. Jane and Dennis sittin in a tree....

:P

[kjackson227]

23. WOW! Ed's upset today. He said, and I quote "PASS THE DAMNED BILL...

DEMOCRATS"!!! He didn't like what he saw and heard on the hill today.

[pleah]

25. Glad he admitted it. n/t

[customerserviceguy]

27. It would be monumentally stupid

for the House to even consider passing the Senate bill without being able to see an exact copy of the reconciliation bill that 51 Democratic members of the Senate have said they're signing on to.

If I were a Repuke, there's nothing more that I'd love to see than the House passing the Senate bill, then the Senate saying, "screw you" to the House on the reconciliation bill.

[jefferson_dem]

34. If I were a Repuke, there's nothing I would rather see than the Democrats' idiotic in-fighting.

What a fucking embarrassment! The most robust health care reform package in a generation, if not ever, and some Dems are still enabling the obstructionist opposition. I have faith reality will set in...and all but one or two will do the right thing.

[customerserviceguy]

46. If you don't get this done correctly

you'll see infighting like you can't possibly imagine.

It would be political suicide to say to the voters, "Yeah, I voted for the Senate bill, but those turkeys TRICKED ME!"

[jefferson_dem]

55. True that.

:hi:

[mzmolly]

29. Incredible show. I'm so glad he's showing how the "greatest health care system on earth" fails

so many. Ed urges progressives to call Kucinich and tell him to pass the damn bill. I personally plan to do so.

[tekisui]

31. If the Democratic Party can't show some effectivenes,

their majority will be short-lived. The voters need to see results. It is a shame that it has come to this point. We missed a real opportunity to make some real changes. Instead we made some adjustments and compromises that no one is completely happy with. We could have changed the landscape. If the Democrats had delivered a public option, it would have been a game-changer. It would have been historic.

Instead, we get a bill that many see as hurting as much or more than the status quo. It was never framed right and the Dems were never strong enough. They have to pass something or Obama is as good as a lame duck. He is too heavily invested to not produce something. But, sadly, the something is no where near the best that we could have gotten.

[DevonRex]

45. We can still get a public option. We cannot give up, just like Dean said.

It won't happen in this bill. But nothing says this is over unless we stop fighting. I'm not gonna stop. And I bet you won't either.

[GreenArrow]

50. They painted themselves into a corner

either intentionally or otherwise, though neither way reflects well on them. So now were stuck in a situation with a really crappy bill, and mounting pressure to pass it so the "historic moment" doesn't pass blah, blah, blah, and it won't amount to anything anyway, because if this bill passes or not, the Democrats are going to pay a political price for it and we're going to get a really lousy bill.

[dionysus]

73. that 60 votes we thought we have wasn't really 60. not even close.

that's the problem

[ShortnFiery]

86. The piece of shit Senate Bill that they are about to pass will make Obama a one term

President and democrats the Minority in Congress for another 4-12 years.

Bravo Blue Dogs ... corporate democrats PROMISE the Public Option but it will NOT arise.

They'll end up blaming us LIBERALS because these arrogant horses' patooties didn't have the courage to START with "single payer" on the negotiation table.

It's going to be a long cold winter of discontent. Personally, I hope all the conservadems and corporatists move on over to the GOP. Our tent's too damn big and we STAND FOR NOTHING other than Corporate Rule, lite.

[Peacetrain]

32. I have been posting my brothers story in here since August... Thank You Ed...

Just thank you..Thank you from the bottom of my heart

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/peacetrain/50

[kjackson227]

42. It's gonna get done, Peacetrain. Just hold on a little longer :(

[Peacetrain]

48. I really believe it will get done.. more right now than ever

I am sitting here crying like a baby.. It is just so hard to explain..

[Spazito]

35. Kudos to him!

It shows him to be a man with an open mind and a compassionate heart.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jefferson_dem]

38. Go ahead. Keep laughing...

While the rest of us work for and celebrate real progress. :hi:

[girl gone mad]

41. Progress?

You're so full of yourself.

[vaberella]

49. I read the comments and I don't know what you're talking about.

Based on what I've seen on this board and what he's said in the past. The man finally got the clue that lives have always been on the line and even though this bill isn't perfect many lives will be on the road to recovery despite what so many want to believe.

[O is 44]

51. When people change their postions

for the better we applaud their efforts. By the way there is nothing comedic about those two women that started off Ed's show. Maybe you should find some empathy.

[Maraya1969]

39. Just called the Kucinich office and the guy said he would make sure Kucinich

knew about the Ed Schultz show today so hopefully they know about it and he'll get to listen to it personally. I encourage all to call him and tell him what Ed said. It's not perfect but it will take care of the least among us.

Washington Office

2445 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

[girl gone mad]

By serving you up on a platter to the insurance industry.

I've got about 50 relatives in Kucinich's district who have been calling regularly to let him now they oppose this bill and some of our family members' access to health care is at stake.

[Maraya1969]

63. You obviously didn't see Ed Schultz today or you wouldn't be so snide

[jefferson_dem]

54. Thanks.

I will call and pass this on.

[DevonRex]

40. Is he under the bus now, too? Pretty soon it'll just be the blue dogs left standing.

Oh, and that other guy whose name we won't mention.

[kjackson227]

43. Howard Dean's coming up next. Watch it here...

http://www.tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=2373

[vaberella]

44. I'm not in the mood to listen to Dean. In and out, in and out. He exhausts me. n/t

[O is 44]

56. I hear ya, but I have to give him

credit he has come around. One thing is for sure he would never be able to be President he is far too emotional.

[vaberella]

59. Totally. n/t

[Schema Thing]

47. He's a goddamn Howard Dean ConservaDem!

[ShortnFiery]

85. The road to hell is based on good intentions and "trust."

Howard Dean is another wannabe progressive but now is just functioning like a "useful IDIOT.

[Lerkfish]

52. bookmarking for future reference.

[tallahasseedem]

53. Dean is going to be thrown under the bus...

In 3...2...1...

[Cali_Democrat]

60. What did Dean say?

[tallahasseedem]

64. Essentially...

that we should pass the bill even as is if necessary.

[Raine1967]

57. There are SO many people under the Bus...

They could lift it up and hoist it over the cliff.

[vaberella]

58. There is no bus...with so many people it was over turned. n/t

[HughMoran]

77. They're now carrying around the bus.

It protects from the rain ya know :)

[burning rain]

61. Good admission.

Candor always speaks well of a person and enhances his credibility besides. Ed could also stand to cut the shit on trying for a public option--he knows perfectly well there isn't going to be one, and talking about it is a waste of time at best and a deceitful carrot at worst.

[Oregone]

62. I don't understand something....

People want to sit an acknowledge its shortcoming, demand it gets passed, and then promised it gets fixed.

Who the fuck is going to fix it? The same spineless party that produces an inadequate bill because either they could take a stand or didn't give a shit?

Who is supposed to fix this and when?

[Maraya1969]

65. It is much easier to write and pass bills that are small. Which are the ones

that will make this bill better. Someone will introduce a bill to correct something in this big bill later on down the line, (they can do it as soon as the bill is past). So that is why we need to pass it now. If we don't pass it now I fear we never will, especially if the Rethugs get a majority after the next election.

[Oregone]

66. OH, is that a promise. Then where do I send my money to help?

[Dinger]

71. Boy, That's A Mouthful!

My thoughts exactly.

[DCBob]

69. About f'king time..

Finally some common sense emerging in the progressive ranks.

[HughMoran]

70. yeah

He irked me a bit in the past, but I had a feeling he'd know when the time for debate was over.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

72. I never get to watch Ed...he doesn't podcast his show.

Rachel and Keith do and I watch them every day. I saw Dean on last nights Maddow Show (with Chris H.) but I'm sorry that I'm apparently missing him today. Damn. :(

[Clio the Leo]

74. About time Ed!!

I dont know what inspired this epiphany, but I'm glad he had it.

[jeanpalmer]

80. a mad rush

to go over the cliff.

[smalll]

82. Just for the "optics" -- just to get a "win" -- plus, we know that reconciliation is a mirage --

the House may or may not pass the Senate bill -- if it does, the President signs it, and it becomes law. At that point, the air goes out of the balloon, the pressure recedes, and nothing else will happen. Who can doubt this?

[JeffR]

83. Who can doubt it? I do.

I'm not wildly optimistic, but the scenario you've sketched doesn't persuade me. The House, by all currently extant accounts, wants and deserves assurances that the Senate will bust its collective ass to address House concerns heretofore inadequately addressed by the Senate.

In any case, I certainly hope your forecast is wrong. If it's right, the country's in a world of hurt, and it's hurting badly enough already.

[HughMoran]

95. Have you read the thread about "self-execution" here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x216944

It sounds like a lot more serious thinking is going into this negotiation. Your blanket statement doesn't seem to jibe with what's actually happening on the ground.

[ShortnFiery]

84. Ed's wrong on this. These "well meaning folks" are the Corporations' *useful idiots.*

No more "sucking it up" Big Ed. :thumbsdown:

Show me the robust Public Option FOR REAL or no sale.

[dkf]

88. He realizes Obama is nothing without this bill.

They are all trying to save Obama's butt now. Where else can they go? Like all liberals in the end they expect ya to get in line.

[ShortnFiery]

89. There's absolutely NOTHING LIBERAL about this shitty Senate Bill that equates to a heist

for the Insurance Cartel and Big Pharma.

No, I will not get in line to transfer more of the working classes' hard earned dollars to the bloated upper 1%. :grr:

[dkf]

91. Looks like a republican bill to me too.

Nixon would be proud.

[HughMoran]

94. Gonna save my ass and millions of other people

Too bad you're too self-absorbed stewing in your own negativity to care about your fellow Americans. You also don't know what you're talking about, so I have to assume that you believe all that you read from the negative-pants people here.

[dkf]

99. I want better for my fellow Americans and eventually me.

I need a public option because we've all seen how crappy the individual market is. I can't retire with this bill til I get on Medicare. So we are both thinking of our own selfish futures.

[HughMoran]

101. We all want 'better', but better is relative. This bill fixes 80% of issues that KILL people

Ed had a mother on whose son DIED because of the deficiencies of the current system.

Have some compassion for others - isn't that one of the key differentiators between the left and the right - compassion?

[ShortnFiery]

103. BETTER is not defined as "sucking the financial life out of the working classes." eom

[dkf]

105. Why settle for this half assed measure that keeps private assholes in charge of your medical future

Yeah the deal is that they will help out some extra people in return for being in charge of your life. Stupid stupid stupid.

[HughMoran]

108. You're obviously playing the "I'm going to pretend to be oblivious" card

You'd think they could simply waive a wand and get anything they want.

They are currently "in charge of my life" in your opinion, so I fail to see how this makes it anything but better.

Cost controls
No pre-existing condition (can't drop you when you get sick)
No lifetime maximums
Exchanges (that will save me ~$21,000/yr)
Possible public option added in later
$10B for Community Health Centers - VERY critical for poor getting primary care!
Subsidies for small businesses (also help my small company)
& more...

How can you be so oblivious to the massive good that this bill is going to do?

[dkf]

110. Better than crap you mean?

We are so pathetically grateful for crumbs. Oh thank you thank you insurance companies for giving us minimal concessions in order for us to perpetuate and extend your ability to make money by denying claims and jacking up premiums to millions more.

The rest of the world pities us for our broken system that will consume us.

[HughMoran]

112. Sorry you didn't get the perfect and immediate system YOU require

The rest of us in the real world understand that there are 435 individuals in the House and 100 individuals in the Senate, and, like you and I, they just can't agree on anything. Case closed. Re-read my above post on the benefits 100 times, you might realize something.

[dkf]

119. I do realize something.

This is a stop gap measure that doesn't change the big picture. We will still drown in health care bills. And not all 30 million want insurance. The subset of people who do is a lot smaller than that. We don't have a clue how many want it but can get it. I've never seen any numbers. The only goal is to have people with insurance not to make sure people have the health care they need

[HughMoran]

120. That's your negative viewpoint

Many of us see things quite a bit differently.

"And not all 30 million want insurance."

Pleeease! Oh, and the total number without insurance is something like 54 million, though I'm sure you'd find a way to explain how people in this country don't want insurance - they want to simply either 1) die when they get sick 2) go bankrupt when they get sick or 3) go for service anyway and jack up rates for everybody else. You're just not making sense here.

[dkf]

133. Well when we get a mandate we will see how many pissed off people we have.

The fallacy is in thinking insurance protects us. There are sooo many ways to be financially devastated that there is no real safety there.

[ShortnFiery]

100. Unless you're part of the filthy rich or abject poor, it won't save your ass ...

it's going to force anyone who gets a serious illness into bankruptcy because there's NO COST CONTROLS.

This bill is total BUNK! Corporate Welfare for the Insurance Cartel.

[HughMoran]

106. ShortnFiery (angry?) - it's going to save me $21,000/year!

I work in a small business and the President and I nearly fell out of our chairs when she told me that my family plan would cost $36,000/year!!!!!! The Kaiser Foundation numbers show about $15,000/year for the same plan in my high-cost area - that's huge!!

I had to refuse the insurance and stay on Cobra @ $700/month - but it runs out in August! What do I tell my family after that - "sorry, I can't afford insurance even though I worked hard to become a halfway decent payed engineer."

Fuck that shit. Your ridiculous rantings have caused me to put you on ignore, so this is why I had to respond to my own post.

[wroberts189]

90. Integrity is hard to find knr/nt

[depakid]

93. He finally realized that Obama didn't have his back

More and more people constituencies who work their butts off are starting to figure this out, too.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

96. ...that doesn't make sense. If that's the case, wouldn't he be AGAINST the bill?

[depakid]

104. Ed's been one of the biggest voices in the media in support of responsible health care reform

and unlike Obama- had no trouble going after insurance companies as the cause of the problem- and using them to drive home the solution.

For that, what did he get?

Much the same as many other advocates and constituencies.

Don't look for them to keep going out on a limb and openly trusting and supporting the President without watching their own backs.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

107. Again, if that is the case, WHY is he supporting the bill now?

[depakid]

109. He's basically given up- that's what happens to some when the leadership lets them down

or sells them out- as the case may be.

As I said (and I say this from personal experience with several groups during the last Democratic administration) don't expect constituencies to trust the administration to keep its word or fight for them when push comes to shove.

[kjackson227]

97. Looks like the NAYSAYER BUG has infected the thread...

Oh well, let them proceed, but HCR IS GOING TO HAPPEN, in spite of you guys :) Anyway, I'm too happy about the prospect of millions of people AND those with pre-existing conditions will have the opportunity to become insured. Not a great bill, but sometimes "PROGRESSION" happens in small steps :)

[TheKentuckian]

132. But you fail to deal with affordability and all but fail to regulate

thus any positive impact will be found in smaller circles than the vast majority of Americans who get nothing, fucked, or both.

You don't get to call trillion dollar every five year expenditures "baby steps", this is it for a long time and it isn't enough to change the individuals burden in a widespread way. Millions and millions even with pre-existing conditions won't be helped either because most people's entire income won't cover the premiums and out of pockets though those with means will be allowed into the market. These subsidies have limits. Not to mention 85% of the country still outside the exchanges 10 years from passage to make sure the buying power is very limited, especially in conjunction with state pools.

So, unfortunately for the vast majority of struggling Americans no health care reform is coming and what does come will be take whatever your job offers at whatever cost for whatever coverage or the IRS is put on them.

If a trillion dollars worth of progress is a mandate to buy from some of the worse corporate criminals in history and allowing everybody with enough money to buy coverage then keep the change and let the cartel crumble under the weight of it's own heinous practices. Soon the upper middle class will be priced out and then they will have no market which will lead to their demise and more lives save with a higher quality of living for all of us rather than a way to extract wealth for a few.

[NorthCarolina]

98. I like Ed, but Ed is wrong on this one.

Over 70% of the public wants a public option to compete with for-profit insurance. Obama led the majority of voters to believe he supported a public option in order to get their vote. If Obama's position on a public option now is not a flip-flop, then it is at a minimum deceitful. I personally believe it to be both.

[ShortnFiery]

102. Exactly. And we can't pass the Senate Bill and HOPE based on PROMISES that any alteration will

be done via reconciliation. Look how NAFTA has worked out for us? Any changes at all?

We'll be stuck with mandates and increasing premiums without ANY mechanism for price control.

[NorthCarolina]

111. It is obvious thahe best interest of the public was never a factor in health care negotiations.

As much as I want reform, it is health CARE reform I seek and that this nation needs, not health INSURANCE reform. I hope the progressive caucus in the House hold firm to their convictions and not "cave" as Ed implies is the thing they need to do. The progressives had made their argument against the Senate bill and I agree with their conclusions, and will support their refusal to vote for the Senate bill unless a robust public option is passed in reconciliation.

[Bullet1987]

113. Seems to be Big Ed has been given his marching orders from his higher ups

Media talking heads are only as liberal as they're ALLOWED to be.

[HughMoran]

114. If you read what KO wrote a couple days ago, you'd realize how utterly ridiculous that statement is

People like Ed and Keith will gladly lose their jobs before giving up on their principals.

Your post is horseshit.

[Bullet1987]

122. Let's see it happen then...

Then we'll see who is full of horsehit.

[HughMoran]

123. He, unlike you, knows that this bill will stop killing people like the family he had on his show

You may not care that people are dying daily due to lack of coverage, but compassionate people on the left (like me) do. Not only that, but this bill will not only save me $21,000/year, it may save my company and therefore my job. You are out of touch.

[Bullet1987]

126. I care so much about people dying...THAT I WANT EVERYONE COVERED!!!

What part of that don't the supporters of this bill fucking get? We want the BEST bill possible! Not this shit that WON'T be fixed after it passes.

[HughMoran]

128. Ummmm, so you are for the bill.

OK, that's cool.

[Bullet1987]

130. I would be if it covered everyone without mandates to force them to buy insurance

[graywarrior]

115. D'oh!

[leftygolfer]

116. I need something. Anything.

Better than what i have now...nada.

[felinetta]

117. Af f@#$ing last. Sometimes Ed just lets his hysteria go overboard the way Fox does!

[HughMoran]

118. I usually don't mind him pushing hard for the little guy

...but I'm glad that when push comes to shove, he realizes that this is a huge improvement over what we have now, even without a PO (which can easily be added later.)

[asdjrocky]

121. Yes We Cave! Yes We Cave!

[HughMoran]

127. & some are man enough to 1) admit when they are wrong and 2) admit this will help people

When engulfed in a sea of rage daily, it is difficult to see the forest for the trees.

[asdjrocky]

129. Hey look, I'll take the bill.

I mean, what choice do I have? I called, campaigned, gave money, knocked on doors, traveled across the country in the middle of winter and I'll take what I get, just like always.

Somehow trying to hit me with the whole manhood thing, I'm not sure if that's projecting or what, but the plain fact is we all here know the bill could have and should have been so much better. And we all know who is in the White House now, and most open minded people could look at it clearly and see President Obama has not done enough.

I feel like he caved and that really sucks because I had such high hopes.

[SandWalker1984]

134. I was an Ed fan, now I'm thinking "controlled opposition"

Ed has made such a remarkable change in the last couple of days regarding the Senate bill that I am now thinking that Ed was really a means of the corporations to control the opposition to the CORPORATE MANDATED PROFITS bill, aka the Senate health care reform bill.

He is the left's Glenn Beck. (Chew on that one for awhile.)

[Jakes Progress]

135. So pass the damned thing. Just don't call it a victory.

We lost. America lost. Our party lost.

We got beat by ignorance and greed -both Democratic and republican.

Odds are that this bill will bite us in the butt big time next year. You don't celebrate having you ass handed to you for a bill that will cost you the election.

Fighting for real health care reform while making a point of who is trying to stop it and why would be a winning strategy. Caving and making back room deals are not the things people love.

[freddie mertz]

136. Ed tried to fight the powers.

I feel sorry for him that he feels the need to concede.

Oh well....

[hulka38]

137. Two days ago Ed said, "It (the PO) is out of the President's hands. It's in the people's hands."

He was clearly absolving the President of any blame for the failure of passing the public option while simultaneously attempting to blame "regular folks" as he might say. Yes, Ed Schultz was part of the recent campaign that stated the PO could happen but only if the people wanted it bad enough. I hope he got some good access for that betrayal.

[uponit7771]

138. Oh No's Ed is now teh corporatist pony!!!!!

[DailyGrind51]

139. If we don't pass this version, we will not see for another 20 years!

As weak as it may be!