Dean says if Democrats want to survive the midterms...they must expand Medicare

[madfloridian]

Run time: 02:01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZVSzCG9X60   Posted on YouTube: October 20, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: October 21, 2009 By DU Member: madfloridian Views on DU: 1595

 
"Former Gov. Howard Dean says that Democrats must enact some sort of healthcare reform to maintain their majorities in the House and Senate. Dean was one of the featured panelists at the Politics magazine Healthcare Roundtable at Charlie Palmer Steak on October 7, 2009. Visit politicsmagazine.com for more."

He says they must not wait until 2013 for people to see benefits. Says Medicare is in place, open it up to some other age groups to show real progress being made.

Says people need to experience it right away, probably by July of 2010 so the other side can't keep using all the "boogeymen" like death panels, rationing, can't see your doctor.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. and THAT'S the truth!!!!!!

[madfloridian]

18. Yes, it is.

:hi:

[pundaint]

2. Wouldn't we really have a leader than a manager?

Let's have a party for the people. Think of how much power a people's party with 6 senators could wield if Sen Snowe alone has so much power. Gov. Dean could make this happen, there are enough disenfranchised of us to support it.

[scentopine]

4. Agree - democrat/republican are very similar these days

there is some distinction but differences are getting harder and harder to spot over the years.

Today's neo-dem is like the early neo-con, not that different than the Reagan neo-con. Its just that the right-wing has moved farther to the right, sucking dems along in the slip stream.

There is near zero representation for the less than $250K a year population.

Republicans and democrats like throw out a "wedge" issue to keep the under 250k crowd busy. Gay marriage, religion, abortion, etc.

What this does is give people desparate for a representative form of government some way to be "involved". But neither party could give a rat's ass about you as an individual and while you are arguing about whether its OK for kids to have guns in school, they are gutting banking rules and regulations.

Rahm Emanuel brought that sort of "fuck what's right, just follow the money" sensibility to Obama's administration.

In the few times I've heard Rahm discussing health care I've been stunned by how out of touch he is with the typical insurance company experience. He doesn't understand the desperation.

Time to form a new party.

[man4allcats]

11. +1

I read a post by someone sometime last week I think (unfortunately I didn't make note of the author) positing that within twenty years the Republicans will be history and the Democrats will have split into two separate parties with the Blue Dogs representing the conservative party and the true liberals representing the genuinely progressive party. Sounds like a plan to me. I would prefer it didn't take twenty years though. This man4allcats is ready for a truly progressive party now.

[Angry Dragon]

3. I AM TIRED OF ALL THIS FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!`

Yea.. lets worry about how we can stay in office without doing anything. I have always thought that the way to keep your job is to actually DO IT!! All I have heard since the election is how the democrats have to do this or that to stay in power and the republicans saying the needed to do this or that to gain the power back. Maybe if they actually did their job they would not have to worry about their jobs because the people would be fools to vote them out of office.

I do not care who is in office as long as they do their job which is to do the best they can for the country AND the American people. The parties are one of the major problems with this country at this time. The parties worry about the party and not the country. I am REALLY TIRED OF ALL THIS BULLSHIT.

They need to look at the needs of the people, what really are the needs, good schools, affordable health care for everyone, responsive government, honest leaders, fair pay, tolerance, freedom of religion is also freedom to believe what you want without cramming it down someones throat if they do not believe what you believe, protection from inside and outside threats and probably a host of others.

It is my belief that congress, large corporations, government could all be sued for fiscal irresponsibility.

Do the job and you will not have to worry about getting re-elected.

[knixphan]

5. Dam right!

[OHdem10]

6. Dean is correct. To the average person, waiting 3 years to start

the program--looks fishy or suspicious??? To Joe and Jand
Sixpack, they wonder quizzically, the Govt tells us Health
Care is in such dire straits, we must do this now.
Medicare Recipients are older and it is very difficult for
them to deal with uncertainty--just a part of being older.
They have heard so many stories about Health Care--tghere
will be trouble for our party

Then suddenly, it is not even starting once it is passed?

I am sure Dean gave much deeper and real reasons to support
his recommendation--I just describe emotuonal gut reactions.

[eridani]

7. Unlike proposed public options, this would expand the demand for Medicare for all

I mean jeebus fecking keerist--even the TEABAGGER elderly don't want to lose their Medicare! We need a number of people that could not be ignored getting visible benefits sooner rather than later.

[madfloridian]

13. You are right...it would help expand a demand for Medicare for all.

[The Wizard]

8. With the insurance lobby

bribing Congress to the tune of 1.4 million a day Congress will extend this political theater as long as possible. When their numbers indicate voter unrest to the point of their removal from office the appropriate legislation will get passed.
The question is: How long can the insurance lobby keep spending 1.4 million a day on bribery?
We vote and the lobbyists bribe.

[Wizard777]

9. Amen! The democrats should know to listen to this wise man.

He is the Architect of our current Majority. I think he knows how to best preserve and expand upon his work.

[vaberella]

10. Brilliant. I couldn't agree more. I heard about the 2013 and always saw it as tentative.

Currently the new bill is going to be written. To expand medicare in that fashion would be a brilliant mnove and then it would also work to put the actions in place until 2013. Dems would their seats, people who are 50+ would be in paradise. And Obama would win presidency by probably 65% of the vote. Dean's plan is great.

Madfloridian I have a question? Has there been any talk of Dean being invovled with the President on stuff of this nature? I've heard in the past and this goes all the way to March that Dean has met with the President, hence the reason Dean joined his support for the PO--other than probably agreeing it's fairly effective. However, I've not heard much since.

[Faryn Balyncd]

12. Expanding Medicare is the only workable solution - - w/o this we will LOSE OUR MAJORITY!!

K&R

[madfloridian]

16. It is just about the only way.

:hi:

[change_notfinetuning]

14. He's absolutely right. But in D.C., only the good ideas die young. n/t

[madfloridian]

15. Heh heh, ain't that the truth.

:hi:

[bobbolink]

17. This is so obvious....... what the hell is wrong with the Dems? They WANT to lose?

Grayson has PROVED that speaking up strongly for health care will increase donations and positive responses.

What's up with you, Dems?? If you can't get your collective act together, we'll sic Michael Moore on ya!