‘Mad Docs’ crash White House party

[Turborama]

Source: Gazette Times

President Barack Obama assembled more than 100 doctors outside the White House on Monday morning to enlist the medical profession's backing for his proposed health care reforms.

But at least one attending physician was there to express a dissenting opinion.

Dr. Paul Hochfeld crashed the Rose Garden party in hopes of bending the president's ear. The Corvallis emergency room physician has spent most of the past month on a national tour with an Oregon group called the Mad As Hell Doctors to promote single-payer medical coverage.

If he thought he might win a personal audience with the president, he was disappointed.

"It wasn't really a meeting," Hochfeld said in a phone interview afterward. "It was a photo op for the president to show he had the support of all those physicians."

=snip=

Hochfeld said he wasn't sure why he was the only one from the PNHP group who made it past the gate, unless it was plain stubborn persistence. "I wasn't invited to the meeting. I was just following the white coats," Hochfeld said. "I didn't really expect to get in, but I wasn't going to go away until it was clear there wasn't a chance."

Read more: http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_f6b1c316-b20e-11de-84e9-001cc4c03286.html

---

Here's a video of some the doctors who didn't make it in being interviewed: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x383510

http://www.madashelldoctors.com

[joeycola]

1. Keith Olbermann had him on as a guest last evening. He was

articulate and made his case well.

[Hissyspit]

4. VIDEO Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=383397&mesg_id=383397

[joeycola]

7. Thank you.

[ronnie624]

32. Smart man. Thanks for posting. n/t

[saracat]

2. Perhaps someone would like to explain WHY the president wouldn't meet with these doctors.

I thought he was open to suggestions or is that only from the GOP?

[joeycola]

5. Obama started from a weak bargaining position

by kicking single payer under the table. His behavior and that of his advisors toward single payer advocates has been shameful.

[Delphinus]

6. Ooh, yes

wonderful word to describe it - shameful.

[polichick]

11. Yep - it was pretty clear form the beginning that the goal is to tweak the current system...

...while lining the pockets of insurers and big pharma so they wouldn't fight the tweaks too much.

I think Obama has it in him to lead ~ but we've seen precious little political courage so far.

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. Perhaps the president himself would like to explain that?

:shrug: We're listening.

[joeycola]

15. My guess would be: We don't have the votes. IMHO

[dflprincess]

19. If all the politicians, including Obama, who claim they like single payer

"but we don't have the votes" or "it's not the right time" had stood up for single payer at the beginning of this debate, we'd be getting a much better bill rather than the faux reform being talked about now.

[joeycola]

51. oh, that is sooooooooo true.

[No Elephants]

31. Yet, LBJ got the Civil Rights Act passed, despite the Dixiecrats, Southern Democrats and

garden variety conservative Democrats. And Medicare. And Medicaid. And food stamps. And Vista. And Higher Education and Scholarships. And Highway Beautification. And Endowment for the Humanities. And, and and, the list goes on and on. Check it out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Society

All while he was prosecuting the War in Vietnam.

[ProSense]

22. Are they open to ideas?

These doctors are single-payer or nothing. What are they going to contribute to the debate? The entire PNHP site is a record of public option distortion.

[flyarm]

48. yeah getting Americans real health care , not welfare for the insurance corps that Obama did secret

deals with!

[wroberts189]

3. The secret super heroes amoung us. knr nt

[bertman]

8. I like the part where he said that he spoke to several dozen of the doctors who were

invited and found that they agreed with him that the only way to solve the problem is universal coverage. ((( aka single payer, but don't say it too loud)))

This past weekend I spent some time with a friend who is a doctor in his mid-60's regarding the healthcare "debate". His comment was that we need universal health care and that having so many uninsured Americans is a disgrace. FWIW.

[swilton]

9. Thanks for Posting K&R

:bounce:

[KyleA]

12. what a joke...

Even Faux Noise had a good laugh at the white lab coats being handed out for the doctors photo op. More and more I have to say Obama sucks. Escalating the Afganistan mess, phoney health "reform" leads me to one conclusion : Weiner/Grayson 2012

[MissDeeds]

44. The whole event was outrageous

For the selected participants to handing out white lab coats... What should have been a meeting designed to hear concerns from all sides turned it into a staged event reminiscent of Bush and Rove. I am beyond disgusted and angry. This is disturbing, and we should be mad as hell by the attempted manipulation. I thought we were better than this. I hoped HE was better than this.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. I stand with my neighbors, the Mad As Hell Doctors

Dr Hochfeld and the rest of them are heroes.
And whoever put those doctors in lab coats for the photo op was daft.

[Enthusiast]

16. They weren't daft.

It was just another part of the scam. The only health care reform we will get will be in name only. The primary concern all along has been how to protect the insurance industry largess. This is plain to see for anyone actually looking.

[dhpgetsit]

14. We need to get organized and keep fighting for single-payer.

How about a week-long general strike?

[eagertolearn]

17. Did Obama let anyone ask questions? Why didn't these doctors take this

opportunity to stand up for what they believe in. Wouldn't it have been great if they all stood up at the same time and said "we support single payer" (remembering how we used to harrass the home ed teacher in middle school). We need more doctors like Mad as Hell Doctors who are willing to educate and fight "out loud"!

[Jakes Progress]

18. We would get more like them

if we had a single payer. We would have doctors who want to heal and practice medicine rather than doctors whose goal is three country club memberships.

[WriteDown]

21. Truer words were never spoken!

I rec your post.

[joeycola]

20. The docs invited

were those who support the WH plan which is 'reform'-whatever that means.

So, no worry that they would protest-or ask questions.

[KansDem]

23. Perhaps this is the real story?

"I wasn't invited to the meeting. I was just following the white coats," Hochfeld said. "I didn't really expect to get in, but I wasn't going to go away until it was clear there wasn't a chance."

Anyone else surprised that someone uninvited was able to get in? Where was the security?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. Saw that nut on Olbermann.

He was demanding single payer, but completely avoid the problem of getting it through congress.

[debbierlus]

27. Unlike the nuts in Congress who will pass a insurance company wet dream and not fix the system

Yeah.

Crazy doctor demanding a solution that would work!

:sarcasm:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. It wouldn't work.

That's the point. It's a pipe dream.

[No Elephants]

37. Why wouldn't single payer work? Or do you mean that it will work, but Obama seems

incapable of getting it done?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

43. Because the public option is struggling in congress.

Single payer wouldn't have a prayer.

[Jakes Progress]

46. Wouldn't work? Is that because

people in the US are stupider and less competent than the French, the British, the Canadians, etc.

I know that Congress is filled with asshats who suck the corporate teat. But saying that something won't work is not the same as saying it won't pass.

[liberation]

29. Yeah, ain't it funny when people walk the walk are labeled "nuts" by other people who so far

only manage to talk the talk?

I am willing to wager that if all these "concerned" people had been around a couple of centuries ago, we would still be debating if we could secede from the British crown, since we don't have enough votes in the house of commons.

[No Elephants]

39. They were around---until the patriots sent them packing--literally.

A significant number left over a period of time.

In Boston in particular, the Patriots finally gave the Loyalists, Royalists, Kings "Men" and/or Tories a deadline by which they had to shape up or ship out--literally. Well, except that those who went to British North America instead of England or the Briish West Indies didn't need a ship. For them, it was only "shape up or giddy up out."





Those were the days, my friend.

They thought they'd never end.

They thought we'd live the life we choose.

That we'd fight and never lose...



But, those days seem to have ended anyway.

[flyarm]

33. debbierlus , I couldn't have said it better..sure hope as hell the guy calling this Doc a Nut..

doesn't have one of the other docs who is helping fuck him!!

[joeycola]

34. I see Obama and some Dems sold you the myth. ha ha.

[No Elephants]

36. Because they are doctors and that's not their job, it's Obama's? See Reply 31.

Obama has not exactly handled this beautifully from the jump--and by "the jump," I mean the primaries, when he negotiated against himself and his party by taking single payer off the table entirely. From there, there was nothing else to give up but the public option. Of course, all his admonitions to "my liberal friends" about "reform" without the public option being very worthwhile and Rahm's "left of the left" comment didn't help much, either.

[saracat]

40. Anyone with a different point of view is a"nut" to those who

have no critical thinking ability. Helen Thomas is a"nut". Frank Rich is a "nut".Paul Krugman "was a nut". RFL Jr. was a"nut".

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

42. RFK Jr.'s crazier than a shit-house rat.

People who think single-payer would pass congress when the public option is having so much trouble have a loose grip on reality.

But RFK Jr.? Whole other level of kook.

[Chisox08]

45. I'm glad to know that I'm nuts and have a loose grip on reality

Single is the solution to our problem, not handing millions of new customers to the same insurance companies that has ripped millions of Americans off for years. I wish that Obama would have listened to the people to his left instead of ignoring them in favor of the people who wants to stop him by any means.

[eagertolearn]

49. The kind of partial option that Obama will end up with won't change the problems.

Most of us have given up on that and want either a true strong public option that anyone can buy into or we have moved onto fighting for a single payer. My husband is a doctor and he believes single payer is the only way to go (and he used to be republican).

[saracat]

50. Really? So I guess you won't be supporting him when the Dems run him for higher office?

And they are going to.

[Iowa]

47. There's always someone around who is eager to defend power...

...and undermine/slander anyone with the guts to stand up to power and corruption. They're usually the same types who cross picket-lines and suck-up to management.

[debbierlus]

25. There were those yesterday acting like Obama was inviting these doctors in...

In reality, one snuck in & he didn't get to speak with the President.

The MAHD have repeatedly asked to speak with the President, but he has rejected all meetings.

Amazing, he sure has had PLENTY of time for the insurance executives and big pharm reps.

Sickening.

[flyarm]

35. that's the Obama Transparency for ya!! eom

[SandWalker1984]

26. news flash: Insurers fight bid to ease penalties in health bill

Insurers Fight Bid to Ease Penalties in Health Bill
By JANET ADAMY and GREG HITT

WASHINGTON -- Hospitals and insurance companies are pushing back against changes to the latest Senate health-care bill that ease the penalties for Americans who don't carry health insurance.

The Senate Finance Committee could vote late this week on a sweeping bill designed to expand health-insurance coverage. Senators refining the legislation last week narrowed the scope of a new requirement that all Americans carry health insurance out of concern it penalized people who can't afford to buy it.

read more at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125475868691465003.html



So if you can't afford the insurance, they want to make sure you are punished severely for failing to give the corporations their payola.

This is why mandates for private insurance are WRONG and Obama should have stayed with campaign pledge that he did not believe in mandates. These people will keep pushing until we are all indentured, corporate slaves to them.

[flyarm]

38. Isn't the mandate the reason so many of the Youth hated Hillary? am i wrong here?

I remember right here at Du so many young people bitching their heads off about hating Hillary because she was going to impose a mandate..

I read yesterday ( i wish i could remember where but i can't) that the Senate has backed off of the penalty and now would only impose a $1,500.00 penalty for those not carrying insurance.

Well seems to me..if the insurance costs way more than $1,500.00 a year, alot of youth would say ..fuck it and pay the $1,500.00 penalty..

And it is the Youth that the very insurance corps are salivating over getting that youth payola from..to keep their boat afloat.

Seems to me..the youth of this nation could have learned something from their elders!..we told them they were being conned ..but they thought they had all the answers..

They have been sold down the river ..and the insurance corps have all the boats!

[No Elephants]

41. With single payer, the mandate makes perfect sense. With either no public option or a very limited

one, the mandate is like stealing from people who can't afford health insurance to make the obscenely rich insurers even more obscenely rich.

IOW, the worst of both worlds is on the table right now.

[colsohlibgal]

30. Kudos To This Guy

He joins my new hero list right under the current champ, the esteemed Mr. Grayson. Progressives with a spine, what a concept. Watch, listen and learn spineless democrats.

Obama should have met with the Mad As Hell doctors but off what has already happened it is no shock he wouldn't.