Supporters of healthcare reform are welcome too!

Well, that'll up the attendance by three or four. Maybe even a dozen, Adrian.

The closer this health care scam gets, the worse it looks. It'll add well over a trillion in debt, and it won't cover everyone by their own admission. Plus, they won't even begin coverage until 2013.

You the sort of guy who consistently maxes out his credit cards, and waits impatiently for the next offer in the mail?

The AARP is endorsing the bill.

That's a huge plus, and this will help show senior citizens that the lies told by the GOP and the right wing media were just BS fear mongering, as usual.

Vic

Vic,
Do you verify every thing AARP says?
BTW are you a member of AARP, or do they
pay you for your "support".

Yes, I'm a member of AARP and nobody pays me for my support.

The American Medical Association is going to announce their position on the bill at a noon press conference. I haven't seen any leaks indicating which way they are endorsing.

Whichever way they go will have a big impact. It could neutralize the AARP endorsement if they go against it, and it'll be a big push if the AMA lines up in favor of the legislation.

Vic

Wish I could lear jet Myself out there like the Goracle jetsets from Continent to Continent but I have to work to pay for all this Obama recovery nonsense.

"The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network also announced its support for the legislation Thursday"

Guess they didn't buy the line that we were all gonna die if health care reform passes?

Vic, both the AARP and AMA are nothing more than organized liberals sucking dues from forever shrinking ignorant member base. They have no relevance, just like your statements.

This just in from the Hill....

President Obama, in a surprise appearance during the regular press briefing, bragged this afternoon about the support for the Democratic health care bill by the AARP and the American Medical Association, saying the endorsements bring reform closer than ever.

"This is no small endorsement," he said of the AARP support, saying it should rebut criticism that the proposals would hurt seniors.

"We're thrilled they're standing with us," Obama, who plans to visit Capitol Hill on Friday in support of health reform, told reporters.

The AMA's backing is also important, he said, because "the doctors of America know what needs to be fixed with our health care system."

The AMA backed the Democratic bill, plus a companion bill that would shield doctors from cuts in Medicare reimbursements.

"The time to make health system reform a reality is now," J. James Rohack, AMA president, said in a statement. "These two bills were introduced together, and they need to be passed together. Both are essential to achieving meaningful health system reform this year."

While the health bill is "not perfect," on balance it "is consistent with our principles of pluralism, freedom of choice, freedom of physician practice and universal access," he added. "It will significantly expand health insurance coverage to Americans to empower patient and physician decision making; institute meaningful insurance market reforms; make substantial investments in quality; institute prevention and wellness initiatives; provide incentives to states that adopt certificate of merit and/or early offer liability reforms, and reduce administrative burdens."

Earlier today, the AARP officially announced its endorsement despite concerns about potential cuts for members enrolled in Medicare "plus" plans.

The group, however, focused on the provisions that it says will "curb insurance companies' discrimination against older Americans and Medicare improvements that strengthen benefits while protecting the program for future generations."

"Our goals have always been to make health coverage more affordable for our younger members, those aged 50 to 64, and to protect Medicare for seniors," Deborah Banda, AARP Massachusetts state director, said in a statement. "Having reviewed the Affordable Health Care for America Act, we believe it meets these goals by improving benefits for people in Medicare - including closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap, the dreaded "doughnut hole" - and making health insurance market reforms to help ensure affordable health coverage for every American."
tags AARP, AMA, doctors, healthcare, Obama, seniors

That makes three huge endorsements out today.

Three huge endorsements that Obama purchased today. Big deal.

That makes three huge endorsements out today.

I wonder if these endorsements will stay bought, or if they'll go sour like Obama's $80 billion payoff to Big Pharma. I suggest waiting a few weeks to see if these blow up in the Democrats' faces like that last one did.

Also, does anyone know if the bribes the Democrats are throwing around to these SIGs are included in the CBO's $1.8 TRILLION dollar cost estimate for the bill?

Protest Sign of the Day:

Don't Give Me an Opportunity for Healthcare Reform or . . .

Give Me Death!!!

So Steve, you're looking forward to living the rest of your life under socialized medicine that will be rationed. And since you're a member of
AARP who endorses socialized medicine you can expect your turn in line to be a long one.
I've had 3 immediate members of my family die under socialized medicine through neglect, abuse, and a long wait in line.
Good luck with that.

Maggie - I don't but the whole "socialized medicine that will be rationed" line, sorry.

I'm listening to the AMA, the AARP, and the The American Cancer Society Cancer, not Fox News and Sarah Palin. They say that although the legislation isn't perfect it's a step in the right direction.

You will have to live it then Steve.
May you be happy with what you wish for.

I have faith in the American system, Maggie. If it isn't working it'll be fixed.

Doing nothing simply isn't an option anymore.

and the GOP knows it. John McCain campaigned on health care reform.

And yet this year McCain did nothing to further health care reform.

Does that mean he was lying to the American people last year? or does it mean that the GOP strategy this year is to do everything they can to slow down progress?

hard to tell - because all we're seeing is what Republicans are not doing - they aren't doing anything constructive to bring about health care reform this year.

Meanwhile - we have a bill that is supported by the AARP, National Cancer Society, and the AMA. I have faith these organizations have the best interests of Americans in mind when they endorsed this legislation.

Hey Steve, read the f**king bill. Then tell me it is not socialized medicine. Just how dumb are you? I have a deal for you on a bridge in New York City. The AMA endorced the deal. If you notice, AARPs supplimental insurance provider who pays AARP a premium has a sweet deal going if this passes. Obama bought the endorcements of those who he thinks can help him socialize this country. They are trusting a snake. He will bite them it is just a matter of where and when. When the civil war begins, Steve please wear a target.

Wonder what perjorative term those dimwitted boobs on Capitol Hill will find to label you this time? I've got a couple of [purloined] pictures posted at my site. You guys are doing good!

And it is easy to see there are tens of thousands of people there! That chuckle-head Olbermann will probably say it's hundreds.

I have attempted to read the 2,000+ page bill and it is functionally illiterate and very nearly unreadable, as though written by someone with way more than normal mental impairment. Guess that would accurately describe San Fran Nan! But from what I can glean, and despite Steve's rose-colored glasses, we're screwed!

The American Medical Association (AMA) read the bill - and they endorse it.

The National Cancer Society read the bill - and they endorse it.

The American Association of Reetired Persons (AARP) read the bill - and they endorse it.

Steve,

Maggie - I don't but the whole "socialized medicine that will be rationed" line, sorry.

Can you point out any one country that has socialized medicine where it is not rationed?

"Can you point out any one country that has socialized medicine where it is not rationed?"

Sure, the United States. Medicare falls within the definition of socialized medicine as you are using it here.

The United States Veteran's Adminsitration is another example.

But then, we aren't really talking about "socialized medicine" in the health care reform - that's just fear mongering from the right.

Socialized medicine occurs where the doctors, nurses, etc are employed by government. The VA is that type of system, but not a on a national scale. American veterans aren't required to use that system, they have other options.

A single payer system, if it were ever set-up in the US, comes closer but this bill doesn't establish a single-payer system. That's just more right wing BS.

The issue of health care in the 2008 U.S. presidential election has caused a resurgence in use of the term by Republicans. "Say something too kind about single-payer and there's a Republican around the corner ready to brand you a socialist," wrote Laura Meckler in a Wall Street Journal news story. "Say something too harsh and you will alienate many on the left wing of the party."

For example, in a July 2007 campaign speech, Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani made a direct connection between socialized medicine and socialism, saying "the American way is not single-payer, government-controlled anything. That's a European way of doing something; that's frankly a socialist way of doing something. That's why when you hear Democrats in particular talk about single-mandated health care, universal health care, what they're talking about is socialized medicine." Giuliani also quoted statistics from his health care advisor, Canadian psychiatrist David Gratzer, to support his claim that he had a better chance of surviving prostate cancer in the U.S. than he would have had in England.

According to cancer experts cited in fact check articles by the Annenberg Public Policy Center's FactCheck.org, the St. Petersburg Times and its PolitiFact.com, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Times, Giuliani's statistics were "false" and very "misleading" and his conclusions were complete "nonsense".

Sorry - false, misleading nonsense isn't really relevant - but nice try.

"Can you point out any one country that has socialized medicine where it is not rationed?"

Sure, the United States. Medicare falls within the definition of socialized medicine as you are using it here.

Are you really claiming that medicare and the veterans administration health care don't ration care? That's you're example???

I suggest you go hang around some vets. I can tell you from personal experience with my stepfather that the VA rations care.

Now, back to the question at hand, Can you point out any one country that has socialized medicine where it is not rationed?

"I can tell you from personal experience with my stepfather that the VA rations care"

So does my HMO.

My HMO isn't "socialized medicine" either.

Steve,

So you don't believe that socialized medicine will be rationed, yet you can't point to any example where it is not rationed.

To a rational mind, this appears logically inconsistent. Could you enlighten us?

I'm sorry your HMO rations your care. My insurance has never rationed or denied any care I needed. May I suggest you look around for another alternative (I'm pretty happy with Blue Cross, your mileage may vary due to state regulatory differences)

Green, you've got a very broad definition of ration
I've never heard of an HMO turning down care because it was the end of the financial year. But I have heard of it in Brit hospitals...

"So you don't believe that socialized medicine will be rationed, yet you can't point to any example where it is not rationed."

I know for a fact that this bill has nothing to do with "socialized medicine".

"To a rational mind, this appears logically inconsistent. Could you enlighten us?"

I don't consider you "rational" if you swallowed the Fox News kool-aid and think this health care bill is "socialized medicine." It's not socialized medicine. That's just another right wing lie.

Apparently some people can't see past the boogeymen that the right wing media is waving at them, or want to believe it so badly they lose their objectivity, and become irrationally fixed on the term "socialized medicine" because it scares them.

The GOP has done an excellent job of controlling a sector of the population by scaring them. I see signs of that around here - irrational folks clinging in fear to the buzz words fed to them by the right wing media.

little stevie,

You're the one who doesn't believe that socialized medicine will be rationed, yet you can't point to any example where it is not rationed. And you think I'm not rational?

If all you do is throw insults when one little inconsistency in your argument is pointed out, well, guess I've wasted enough time trying to have a civil discussion with you.

Feel free to throw red herrings all you want, but using red herrings like "socialized medicine" -- when it has become clear that you don't understand the meaning of the term -- is just a diversion away from the facts. You lost the right to a "civilized discussion" with me once it became clear that you wanted to derail the discussion towards some mythical "socialized medicine" meme - and its clear that that you don't even understand the definition.

Whether socialized medicine is rationed or not is irrelevant, because what we're talking about here isn't "socialized medicine".

Glad you FINALLY figured out that yes, it was irrational of you to press that point further.

little stevie,

You're the one who said: I don't buy the whole "socialized medicine that will be rationed" line, sorry.

You're the one who brought up socialized medicine.

All the red herrings since then were you trying to avoid the issue. I was just trying to clarify a point YOU made.

But now I know, little stevie can't handle facts, and like most good little liberals, they change the definitions of words to suit themselves.

Adios,

Mr.Green,
That you would put your faith in any man made
organization, or man, is folly.
You would allow any one or entity between you and your doctor is foolhardy, and in the end
fatal.

As to the republicans, they've been shutout by the democrats on every offer they've made. Doing nothing and being denied are two different things.
Plus you moving the blame of this on the republicans is disingenuous.
No where in the Constitution is there any hint or writing that national or personal healthcare is mentioned.

Kenny,
My husband is 100% and uses the VA system.
Care is indeed rationed.