Ted Kennedy Speaks Out

No, not about Mary Jo Kopechne, who he murdered 40 years ago, but about health care in the US. Kennedy took to the pages of NewsWEAK to lay out his vision for universal health care. Obama and the Democrats are pulling out all the stops because this bill is on life support and is losing the support of Democrats as each day passes by.

While Kennedy uses the piece to lay out the position, one which he says he fought for for the past four decades, the message is still the same misleading information coming out of the White House. Kennedy claims that people will be able to keep what they have and that everyone will be required to have health insurance.

The first thing to realize is that the bill is loaded with language that prevents people from having their own insurance. All plans must meet the standards set by the government and if anything in the plan changes (like a co-pay) then the plan will not be legal. The entire system is designed to move people away from private insurance and to government run health care. The cost of this plan will be in the trillions of dollars and this is to provide health care to the 12 million or so people who genuinely cannot afford it.

As for the estimated 47 million not covered by health insurance, 20 million can afford to buy it, according to a study by former CBO Director June O’Neill. Most of the other 27 million are single and under 35, with as many as a third illegal aliens.

When it’s all whittled down, as few as 12 million are unable to buy insurance — less than 4% of a population of 305 million. For this we need to nationalize 17% of our nation’s $14 trillion economy and change the current care that 89% like? IBD

This amounts to nothing more than greater government control over our lives. People should be able to decide whether or not they want insurance and if they incur a medical bill they should be required to pay it. There are consequences to actions and deciding not to have health care coverage can have drastic consequences. As for those who cannot afford it, there are plenty of government plans already designed to help them.

The push by Kennedy is the latest in the saga of dwindling support. Democrats are abandoning this plan because it is costly and those who live in more conservative districts are worried about reelection. Obama and the supporters of this debacle want it passed quickly because the longer it festers the less support it has from the public. Rasmussen has a poll showing support has dwindled to 35% with 50% opposing.

Government run health care will concern itself with costs and not coverage. There is a valid argument that private insurance does the same thing. If government regulations requiring certain coverages were removed and if people were allowed to shop across state lines then there would be more competition which would help keep costs down and force companies to provide more coverage. If the government is involved there are no such worries. The government will not pay all the taxes that insurance companies pay (and if they go out of business where will that revenue come from) and the government can raise taxes when it needs more money. This will eventually hit the pockets of middle class Americans and it will lead to rationing and denial of care to those the government deems too costly to treat. A provision in the bill requires the elderly to be counseled on end of life care:

One troubling provision of the House bill compels seniors to submit to a counseling session every five years (and more often if they become sick or go into a nursing home) about alternatives for end-of-life care (House bill, p. 425-430). The sessions cover highly sensitive matters such as whether to receive antibiotics and “the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration.”

This mandate invites abuse, and seniors could easily be pushed to refuse care. Do we really want government involved in such deeply personal issues? New York Post

Some of these decisions are valid and people go through them everyday but they should be the ones taking care of this. Government does not belong this involved. The NYP piece highlights many areas of the bill that people should find troubling.

As the Democrats pull out all stops to pass this monstrosity it is important to note that the vote on an amendment to require all members who vote for it, their staff and family members to sign up for the care was opposed by almost all the Democrats. They want it for you but it is not good enough for them. They work for us and they need to remember it. If they do not want it then we should not be forced to take it. At least they have a vote in the matter as it affects them. We have no such luxury.

The Democrats are running ads targeting their own in areas where their members of Congress, who oppose the bill, reside. The ads are aimed at the members of Congress which means the leadership knows this is in trouble. They are willing to risk losing seats in 2010 in order to hang this boat anchor around our necks.

Ted Kennedy has pushed himself away from the bar long enough to have his speechwriter pen the article describing why this is important and to garner support. On the 40th anniversary of the murder he committed, Kennedy is now trying to murder the American health care system.

As has been the case for the last 4 decades, Mary Jo Kopechne is unavailable for comment.

Big Dog

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If you enjoy what you read consider signing up to receive email notification of new posts. There are several options in the sidebar and I am sure you can find one that suits you. If you prefer, consider adding this site to your favorite feed reader. If you receive emails and wish to stop them follow the instructions included in the email.

29 Responses to “Ted Kennedy Speaks Out”

  1. Blake says:

    Teddy couldn’t think straight when he DID have a brain, but since they have been scooping him out like a cantaloupe, he has been able to be led away from booze and young, underage girls- something he never could have done years ago.
    Perhaps that surgery could be performed on the rest of the Kennedys- the female part of civilization would be MUCH safer.
    Now there’s change I can believe in.

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  3. Barbara says:

    What the heck can we do about it. Whenever I contact our representatives from Maryland, they pretty much tell me they are doing what they want to do. Mikulski is a joke. This country needs God and a lot of prayer.

    • Blake says:

      Your representatives ignore your concerns, because this whole Administration is about a power grab, that’s all- and even some of the Republicans think that perhaps they need to grab what they can, the heck with principles- if they had any to begin with.
      Everybody is after what they can get, and the people do not matter.
      If anyone thinks that this is about your Healthcare, or energy, or financial care, you are operating from a false premise.
      We need to vote out ALL the scoundrels.
      Replace a Democrat with a Republican, and a Republican with a Democrat, then remind them we can always replace them again, if they do not remember that they work for us, and it is OUR money, not theirs that they are throwing around.

  4. Darrel says:

    Bigd: “The entire system is designed to move people away from private insurance and to government run health care.”>>

    DAR
    Maybe the reason repubs aren’t trusted on this is because they are so serially dishonest, as you are again, here. This is not “government run health care.”

    “Obama remains more trusted than Republicans in Congress to do a better job on healthcare reform, the poll showed, with 54 percent of respondents putting their faith in the U.S. leader versus 34 percent in favor of Republican lawmakers.”

    Reuters.

    D.

    • Blake says:

      resident Barack Obama says some employers might choose a government-run health care plan over private insurance, a major fear of the industry.

      http://www.wtop.com/?nid=116&sid=1702789
      Obama Says It’s ‘Not Logical’ to Fear Government-Run Health Care
      http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=49983

      President Obama today reiterated his call for a government-run insurance option as part of his a plan to remake the nation’s health care system, saying that a public plan will provide the competition needed to keep private insurance companies “honest and keep prices down.”
      http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/06/11/obama_touts_public_plan_at_hea.html?hpid=topnews

      In addition, the bill is loaded with resrtictions and is all about government run health care. It sets up government agencies to run things. It is government run.

      Calling it a public option is the crafty way of avoiding saying government run but when they defend it by saying that the government will not force companies out of business then they are discussing a government run program.

      • Darrel says:

        BLK: “Calling it a public option is the crafty way of avoiding saying government run…”>>

        DAR
        Calling it government run is a crafty way of avoiding saying it is a public option. As with Bigd’s polls, inserting the word “government” is just a way to skew the results. The word “government” has been so demonized it’s a boogie man. If you asked in a poll if people think the government should run the military, probably 50%, maybe more, would say no, when of course, they already do. So it’s a semantic thing. A word game.

        Then you quote a bunch of sites (rather than actually citing Obama) which continue this word game. Boring.

        D.

        • Blake says:

          These sites represent Hussein’s mindset about Healthcare, why wouldn’t I repeat them- you see, this is how Hussein’s minions do this- no matter what poll you use, or what stat you find, it’s ALL not right- it never is, so why should we take anything you say as anything but a bald faced lie, D?
          You claim to have an open mind, and that is a lie- there is absolutely nothing that either Dog or I could say that you would agree with- you are a liberal symp just doing Hussein’s scut work, that is all you are. I doubt everything else about you.

        • Big Dog says:

          Public option is government run. The bill makes it clear that it will be a government run program and all others will have to align with what the government dictates. There is no doubt that it will be government run regardless of what they call it.

          The government has a Constitutional requirement to run the military so I would hope everyone should say that it should. There is no Constitutional permit to run health care.

          The poll asks if people want a government run health care (the public option) and the majority does not. The bill is bad and will cost a fortune. I think it will die for now.

        • Darrel says:

          BLK: “These sites represent Hussein’s mindset about Healthcare, why wouldn’t I repeat them…”>>

          DAR
          You are so used to spinning and less than accurately framing the issue you aren’t even aware you are doing it. YOU SAID:

          “Barack Obama says some employers might choose a government-run health care plan…”

          And then you proceeded to quote a bunch of other people, journalists, headlines, which say this. Not him. As if that means something. The truth is in the details. Be accurate. It’s not too much to ask.

          BLK: “here is absolutely nothing that either Dog or I could say that you would agree with…”>>

          DAR
          Not true. I have already agreed with you both on several things, including, as I remember, affirmative action and illegal immigration depressing wages, etc.,.

          When you are right, or have the better argument, I will agree with you or anyone. No exceptions.

          D.

        • Darrel says:

          Bigd: “Public option is government run.>>

          DAR
          If you ask people if they would like the option of going to work by “public transit” or “government transit” people will overwhelming choose the former even though it is the same as the latter. This means these people want the one thing, but they want to call it the other thing. So it’s a semantic game based upon the unpopularity, demonization, of a word. People want government help, they just don’t want to call it that.

          Bigd: The bill makes it clear that it will be a government run program and all others will have to align with what the government dictates.>>

          DAR
          “Government run” is so ill defined as to be useless. You could say it is all government run right now since there is so much government involvement. And of course “all the others” ALREADY “have to align with what the government dictates.” And they do.

          Years ago I read the by the time a doctor is finished his education the government had about $200k invested in him. If you want to define “government run” loosely enough, it applies to everything in the US.

          Bigd: “The poll asks if people want a government run health care (the public option) and the majority does not.>>

          DAR
          I have provided eight polls showing medium to strong support for a public option, you have not provided *a single one* showing a majority not supporting a public option. Inserting the word “government” into a poll question is a well known way for pollsters to skew things. You can see seven polls examined here. Some of them even use the word “government.”

          A public option of course allows people to keep what they have now and the only pressure on the private companies will be to reduce prices (and profits). Hence the constant misinformation we are enjoying from them currently.

          D.

  5. Mike Radigan says:

    Isn’t Sweden held up as a model for government run healthcare and other socialistic entities? If so, one should listen to their Finance Minister Anders Borg. The first paragraph of the August 3rd issue of Forbes states:

    ANDERS BORG HAS A MESSAGE FOR those who look to government to take over health care, rescue the financial system and run troubled corporations: I have seen the future-and it doesn’t work.

    Forbes article:

    http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0803/international-invest-guide-obama-sweden-public-downsizing.html

    • Darrel says:

      You should read past your first sentence.

      “Like many societies, we went too far in our welfare-state ambitions,” say Borg.

      He’s right of course. You can go to far. The Swedes probably do, in several categories. So they will scale it back a bit.

      This says nothing about whether we have too much or too little since our situation is so incomparable. There is some good evidence we need more.

      For instance, in the Human Development Index, which is a “comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living for countries worldwide. [And] is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare.”

      Canada comes in third.

      Sweden is seventh.

      The US is 15th.

      As a society, we could do a lot better.

      Link.

      D.

      • Mike Radigan says:

        “Like many societies, we went too far in our welfare-state ambitions,” say Borg.

        Way to cherry pick Darrel.\

        Later:

        His hippie appearance hides a dyed-in-the-wool free marketeer who champions the idea of “making work pay.”

        But why argue with someone who is too cowardly to admit he’s a socialist. Some excuse about the word’s history and communism. Grow some, Darrel.

        • Darrel says:

          MIKE: “Way to cherry pick Darrel.”>>

          DAR
          Please excuse me for cherry picking a comment that completely agrees with you (and me).

          Sheesh.

          MIKE: [insults snipped]

          D.

        • Mike Radigan says:

          DAR
          Please excuse me for cherry picking a comment that completely agrees with you (and me).

          Mike Radigan
          Yes cherry pick, Darrell, as Borg went on to argue the Swedes have gone WAY too far. He calls for a “night watchman’s state” in which the government provides security but little else. His Boss, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, compared the effects of Sweden’s welfare state to the plague and AIDS.

          If you think that favors your point of view…
          You’re either cherry picking or agreeing with what followed. You can’t have it both ways.

          Darrel, do you honestly believe that anyone here believes you don’t believe in socialism? That would make you a socialist. If I believed in socialism I would call myself a socialist, labels be damned. But I believe in conservatism, so I’m a conservative. You can can me one. It’s OK.

          BTW, I am not anti poor. Quite the opposite. I believe conservative policy helps all classes.

          The following have been attributed to Abe Lincoln. This is false, but I still believe in them.

          1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
          2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong
          3. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
          4. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
          5. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
          6. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
          7. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
          8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
          9. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
          10 You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

        • Darrel says:

          MIKE: “Darrel, do you honestly believe that anyone here believes you don’t believe in socialism?”>>

          DAR
          Why on earth would I care what “anyone here believes?” I am not in the least interested in what other people can bring themselves to “believe,” I am interested in what people can SHOW. I am not a socialist, I have never been a socialist.

          MIKE: “That would make you a socialist.”>>

          DAR
          You are confused. Let’s try this. If a group of people are so far to the right that they think all sidewalks should be privatized, and they think publicly owned sidewalks are “socialist,” does that make you a socialist if you think it’s fine if sidewalks are publicly owned?

          I don’t think so.

          Stop the name calling. It’s not useful.

          MIKE: “If I believed in socialism I would call myself a socialist,”>>

          DAR
          Label yourself as you wish.

          MIKE: “I believe conservative policy helps all classes.”

          DAR
          I know you “believe” that.

          MIKE: “The following have been attributed to Abe Lincoln. This is false, but I still believe in them.”>>

          DAR
          Thanks for admitting your quotes are false in advance. Saves me time.

          D.

        • Mike Radigan says:

          MIKE

          “The following have been attributed to Abe Lincoln. This is false, but I still believe in them.”>>

          DAR
          Thanks for admitting your quotes are false in advance. Saves me time.

          Only false that Lincoln said them. That’s all.

          DAR

          I am not a socialist, I have never been a socialist.

          Coward!

      • Mike Radigan says:

        Yes cherry pick, Darrell, as Borg went on to argue the Swedes have gone WAY too far. He calls for a “night watchman’s state” in which the government provides security but little else. His Boss, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, compared the effects of Sweden’s welfare state to the plaque and AIDS. If you think that favors your point of view…

        And as far as my insults, I was merely presenting facts. You espouse socialist ideas, yet you were the one who stated you wouldn’t call yourself one because of the word’s history and communism. YOUR WORDS, Darrell, YOUR WORDS. That defines cowardly when you won’t own your position.

        • Darrel says:

          MIKE: Yes cherry pick, Darrell, as Borg went on to argue the Swedes have gone WAY too far.>>

          DAR
          He may be right. Perhaps the Swedes have gone way to far. That’s one man’s opinion. How does Sweden rank in the world under normal measurements of quality of life? See above. Third. So he can’t complain too much. I doubt people will pay him much attention.

          MIKE: He calls for a “night watchman’s state” in which the government provides security but little else.>>

          DAR
          Well then he is way out of the mainstream and an extremist. Again, his is just one man’s opinion. I don’t doubt that Sweden has a few thousands of these. We should listen to this people and then move on to something useful.

          MIKE: “…as far as my insults, I was merely presenting facts.”

          DAR
          You might try presenting facts without relying upon the insults.

          MIKE: “…you wouldn’t call yourself one…”

          DAR
          Right. I don’t label myself a socialist. Best to allow people to label themselves. Anything else is almost always ad hominem.

          MIKE: “YOUR WORDS, Darrell, YOUR WORDS.”>>

          DAR
          Yes, and according to my normative understanding of the word, I am not a socialist. So you can stop the childish name calling and stick to the issues.

          MIKE: That defines cowardly when you won’t own your position.>>

          DAR
          I don’t call you by labels you don’t accept. It’s not unreasonable that I expect the same consideration.

          D.

  6. Blake says:

    I just LOVE how Hussein tells a woman that her mom would not “qualify” for a pacemaker, and should just “take a pain pill” instead.
    Our Gutless Leader is sooooo compassionate.
    Come on, D- defend that- if it is your mom, what do YOU do?

    • Darrel says:

      BLK: “[Obama] tells a woman that her mom would not “qualify” for a pacemaker, and should just “take a pain pill” instead.>>

      DAR
      I have no idea what you are talking about but I watched a movie about something similar this evening. It was an extra on Sicko called “Uniquely American.” This lady, without insurance, got cancer in her spinal cord. They wanted $12k to do the necessary tests to see if it could be treated. She had income problems so they told her they would do it for half price. She didn’t have that so she made calenders with a theme about her life and sold them. She got enough money.

      Okay, goes in, finds out she needs surgery and radiation treatments. They set up the appointments. Oops, doctor comes back and says he didn’t realize there were payment concerns and recommends she take ibuprofen and go back to her GP, he would be the best person to help at this time.

      She goes to pay for THAT visit and the test bills and they say, hey, where did you get the six grand? Apparently you were able to raise the money, and thus do have an income, so you don’t get the half price, you owe us $12k.

      Now go home and DIE.

      God bless America eh?

      BLK: Our Gutless Leader is sooooo compassionate. Come on, D- defend that-..>>

      DAR
      Defend what? Be specific.

      D.

      • Blake says:

        Hussein was having an ABC town hall, and a woman asked our gutless leader if, on his plan, her mom, who needed a pacemaker (she has since gotten one)would qualify, at the age of 100- (she is now 105). Hussein said, after hemming and hawing, that probably not, and people like that should seriously just go home and take a pain pill instead.
        Is that specific enough?

  7. Blake says:

    BTW- just wondering- does Teddy boy have enough brain left to speak, or does he just sit to one side and drool?

    • Darrel says:

      I think we can know Christians by their speech and by their actions.

      D.

      • Blake says:

        No- serious question, since he is supposed to be in charge of a part of governing us, I would like assurances that he is not brain dead- that would not lead to a good outcome when it comes to passing bills.
        If he had the good of the country in mind he would step down- but then so would Biden, Pelosi, Hussein, et al.
        The question is legit- did they scoop out just the cancer, ( and hopefully his preoccupation for scotch and young girls), or did the scalpel slip? We do not know.

  8. Big Dog says:

    Darrel believes that we are Neo Cons and that we do not know what we are talking about. He does not show it. He uses straw men arguments and he attributes an incorrect statement to you and the attacks that statement.

    Darrel is interested in what you can show until you show it. He is interested in what can be shown until he has a belief, and then the belief is important.

    Darrel has many Socialist beliefs. He used the sidewalk analogy to go off on a tangent. He claims some capitalist beliefs (and his sole reason for being in the US is because he can make money here) but he wants government to take care of everything and he has not said one bad thing about what is going on.

    If he is not a Socialist, he is a Socialist sympathizer.