Politics Daily: Bill Clinton to Democrats: Health Care 'Doesn't Have to Be Perfect'

[flpoljunkie]

Patricia Murphy
Columnist

Bill Clinton to Democrats: Health Care 'Doesn't Have to Be Perfect'

Former President Bill Clinton went to the Senate Democrats' weekly policy lunch Tuesday to talk about climate change legislation, but health care reform was also on his mind.

"It doesn't have to be perfect," he told reporters on his way out the door. "Just remember that the economists at USC and Harvard said that if any version of these bills passes it will bend the cost curve in health care so much that it will add 250,000 to 400,000 jobs a year in the economy for a decade."

The former president speaks from hard-won experience. His efforts to pass health care reform in his first term went down in defeat and are blamed for Republicans' huge victories in the 1994 midterm elections.

Still, Clinton said Democrats must push ahead.

"Maybe Hillary will be the happiest person on earth, and I'll be the second-happiest person on earth -- even more than President Obama, even more than Rahm, even more than all the people who have been laboring for this for so long," he said. "I just want it to pass."

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/03/16/bill-clinton-to-democrats-health-care-doesnt-have-to-be-perf/

[goclark]

1. Thank you President Clinton

Your opinion counts with me.

[damonm]

5. He said in an Esquire interview

late last year that the Democrats should not worry about the Republicans - just deliver on what they promised, and the Republicans will implode on their own. We're starting to see that play out.

[KoKo]

18. When you have clear evidence that Repugs are Imploding please Post an OP!

Many of us will be waiting for that one. It will be DU :party: DAY FOR SURE!

[damonm]

2. Bill Clinton - under the bus in 5...4...3...

Oh, wait - he's there already...

[xultar]

7. ROFL so true. Even if he were to some how get the PO through they'd stil hate him.

Please note that I know he doesn't have the power to do shit about the PO I was just using it as an example of the depth of hate for Bubba.

[DrToast]

3. I hope they've got him working the phones, too

[IndianaGreen]

4. Thank you for NAFTA, DADT and DOMA Bill

We are forever grateful to you!

:sarcasm:

[ibegurpard]

12. yeah, the last person who should be championing reform of anything

edit: don't forget welfare reform

[jonnyblitz]

16. and the repeal of glass-steagall act plus the telecommunications

act of 1996. :crazy:

[IndianaGreen]

19. and... (drum roll please) HAITI and PLAN COLOMBIA and SOA

Who can forget Clinton's duplicitous role in Haiti?

Clinton came up with Plan Colombia, a counter-insurgency program disguised as the war on drugs.

Clinton also kept the torture school at Fort Benning open.

[Moochy]

21. All great stuff full of Neo-Liberal WIN!

MORE AWESOME STUFF FULL OF NEO-LIBERAL WIN!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_Crime_Control_and_Law_Enforcement_Act
Elimination of inmate education!

Federal Death Penalty Act

Title VI, the Federal Death Penalty Act, created about 60 new death penalty offenses, for crimes related to acts of terrorism, murder of a federal law enforcement officer, drug trafficking, civil rights-related murders, drive-by shootings resulting in death, the use of weapons of mass destruction resulting in death, and carjackings resulting in death.

[elocs]

6. Or, even better, "Bill Clinton to DU", although I guess we have Democrats here too. n/t

[Renew Deal]

8. Bill is smart to talk about jobs.

That's where he was always most successful.

[Cha]

10. Yeah, I don't know about them being

happier than the Prez, though..maybe equally as happy?

[Oregone]

9. It doesn't even have to be good apparently

[timeforpeace]

11. Doesn't have to be so horribly screwed up, either. Start over and split the difference.

[mkultra]

15. the last thing we are doing is starting over.

that is the worst right wing talking point they have.

[kenny blankenship]

13. And he should know imperfect!

After all, you're talking about the Democrat whose claim to fame is NAFTA, deregulating banks with the repeal of Glass-Steagall, and getting hummers from somebody not his wife at a time when he already knew Republican witch hunters were trying to nail him for sexual harassment of an Arkansas state employee and funny real estate deals.
He's NOTHING if not imperfect.

[mkultra]

14. USC and HARVARD under the fricking "progressive" bus

that's right you dumb bitches. they said it will REDUCE the cost.

[KoKo]

17. Aboslutely, Bill! Triangulation is good...and you certainly weren't "Perfect."

BLECH!

[bvar22]

20. Bill also said NAFTA would be GOOD for the Working Class.

Thanks, Bill.


I have some compassion for poor Bill these days.
It won't be near as much fun being the 2nd Best Republican President ever.
Who remembers 2nd Place?

[NorthCarolina]

22. Will these new jobs be for insurance salespersons and claims adjusters? eom

[ShortnFiery]

23. That's easy for a former President and Multi-millionaire to say. eom

[Sebastian Doyle]

24. Fuck what Bill Clinton thinks about anything

Seriously, do you really think we would be speaking in terms of desperation about a corporate mandate bill being the "best we can do" (not that I even believe that) if NOT for the 30 years of degradation of the Democratic party, caused directly by Bill Clinton and his friends at the DLC.

STOP TAKING ADVICE FROM THESE GODDAMN REPUBLICAN INFILTRATORS AND ACT LIKE GODDAMNED DEMOCRATS! :grr:

[dflprincess]

25. Easy to say when you don't have to worry about how you'll pay your health care bills (nt)