Hell just froze over -- David Gregory corrected a Republican

[travelingtypist]

On the TeeVee.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32518842/ns/meet_the_press/

HATCH: Well, I think the president realizes that a public option isn't the last answer to everything. As a matter of fact, both independent groups and others in government indicate that if we go to a public option millions and millions--tens of millions of people will go into the government plan. And the problem with the government plan is, is that Medicare, for instance, is a government plan, it's $39 trillion in unfunded liability. It's going to go bankrupt within the next 10 years. The costs of the government plan will be astronomical. Keep in mind, in Medicare they pay doctors 20 percent less, they pay hospitals 30 percent less. Guess where those costs are transferred? They're transferred to the people who have private health insurance, and the average private health insurance policy goes up about $1800 a year just to pay for what the government fails to pay for in their current government plan. So we're going to throw out--we have 300 million people in this country, 85 percent of whom have insurance. Both sides believe that--both Democrats and Republicans believe that we should reform the insurance industry. There's no problem there. The real problem is are we going to go to--in a government plan that can't even take care of what we have in Medicaid and Medicare? And, and the point is if you go to a government plan, both independent analysts and government analysts, the CBO, have indicated that tens of millions of people who go with the government plan...

MR. GREGORY: Well, wait a minute, Senator Hatch, that's not right.

SEN. HATCH: ...will destroy the private health industry.

MR. GREGORY: The Congressional Budget Office did not say that. In fact, what they have concluded...

SEN. HATCH: Yes, it did say that.

MR. GREGORY: ...is that, well...

SEN. HATCH: Yes, it did.

MR. GREGORY: The CBO said that, in fact, those enrolled in private insurance plans would go up by three million, and they estimate that about 10 million people, only 10 million people go into a public plan.

SEN. HATCH: Well, didn't I say tens of millions of people? Others have said as many as...

MR. GREGORY: Tens of millions, that's different than 10 million.

SEN. HATCH: Well, that's plenty. Others are saying up to 119 million people. It, it ranges in between. The point is, it's always more than what the government says it is. Look, I don't think people in this country believe that the federal government controlling everything is, is the best system of last resort. I think we should have more flexibility in the states to solve their own problems. For instance, New York is not Utah, Utah is not New York. We have a tremendous healthcare system that works out here, they don't in New York. Massachusetts, Massachusetts has that so-called connector system. They now haven't added people over the last two years because they're, they're almost bankrupt because of the costs of their government plan. You know, if you go down through it, anybody that believes that the federal government is going to take this over and do a better job than the private sector, even with all the faults of the private sector, I, I think just hasn't looked at the last, at the last 30 years.

So sad that I would be thrilled with such a small thing.

[kedrys]

1. Thank you for making my head 'plode.

It *is* sad, ennit. :(

[dkf]

2. Hatch turned 10 million into tens of millions? Hilarious!

Gregory must have seen Snuffalopagus correcting his guests on "death panels" a couple of weeks ago.

[Stevepol]

3. Hatch also misrepresents the MA plan I think.

He says that the MA "government plan" is going bankrupt. In actuality, as I understand it, the MA plan (which Romney helped institute) requires everybody to get into a private insurance plan. There's no state or government option like what is being proposed for national health care reform. It's pretty easy to see why the MA plan would go bankrupt, and it has very little to do with the government mis-managing it. It's private insurers scamming the government most likely.

[glinda]

4. Media totally to blame for allowing lies and inaccuracies to float by.

[madmax]

5. It's a step in the right direction

for Gregory, but he still sucks.

[Dollface]

6. Stephanopolagus challenged John McCain today too. What is going on?

STEPHANOPOULOS: The president also says that the debate has been infected by falsehoods. And probably the most notorious one is the one made by your former running mate, Sarah Palin, who said that his bill would encourage death panels that would encourage euthanasia. He called that an extraordinary lie and he is right about that, isn't he?

MCCAIN: Well, I think that what we are talking about here is do – are we going to have groups that actually advise people as these decisions are made later in life and …

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's not in the bill.

MCCAIN: But – it's been taken out, but the way that it was written made it a little bit ambiguous. And another thing …

STEPHANOPOULOS: I don't think that's correct, Senator. The bill, all it said was that, if a patient wanted to have a Medicare consultation about end-of-life issues, they could have it at their request and the doctor would get reimbursed for it, no panel …

MCCAIN: There was a provision in the bill that talks about a board that would decide the most effective measures to provide health care for people, OK? Now, we had amendments, we republican have said that in no way would that affect the decisions that the patients would make and their families. That was rejected by the Democrats and the health committee.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But that's not a death panel.

MCCAIN: So what does – what does that lead to? Doesn't that lead to a possibility, at least opens the door to a possibility of rationing and decisions made such are made in other countries?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, every single independent group that looked at it said it just wasn't true.

STEPHANOPOULOS: The president also says that the debate has been infected by falsehoods. And probably the most notorious one is the one made by your former running mate, Sarah Palin, who said that his bill would encourage death panels that would encourage euthanasia. He called that an extraordinary lie and he is right about that, isn't he?

MCCAIN: Well, I think that what we are talking about here is do – are we going to have groups that actually advise people as these decisions are made later in life and …

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's not in the bill.

MCCAIN: But – it's been taken out, but the way that it was written made it a little bit ambiguous. And another thing …

STEPHANOPOULOS: I don't think that's correct, Senator. The bill, all it said was that, if a patient wanted to have a Medicare consultation about end-of-life issues, they could have it at their request and the doctor would get reimbursed for it, no panel …

MCCAIN: There was a provision in the bill that talks about a board that would decide the most effective measures to provide health care for people, OK? Now, we had amendments, we republican have said that in no way would that affect the decisions that the patients would make and their families. That was rejected by the Democrats and the health committee.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But that's not a death panel.

MCCAIN: So what does – what does that lead to? Doesn't that lead to a possibility, at least opens the door to a possibility of rationing and decisions made such are made in other countries?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, every single independent group that looked at it said it just wasn't true.

[Lex]

15. wow

:wow:

[valerief]

19. Holy cow. How come these journalists-in-name-only are behaving like journalists?

Has the GOP stopped lining their wallets?

[onethatcares]

21. jeebus on a harley, this guy could have been our president

where would the country be now if that happened? Doesn't that lead to the possibility,small as it might be, that we'd have to put up with that kind of reasoning?

Gaud, I take back everything I've said bad about President Obama.

[hedgehog]

7. Umm, Orin......

10.7% Of Utah Residents Uninsured, Annual Survey Finds

According to the Tribune, health advocates believe the report underestimates the number of uninsured because the study includes responses only from people with landline telephones, which is not as effective in reaching low-income families and young adults who use only cell phones. Utah Health Policy Project Executive Director Judi Hilman said that based on national data, the state's uninsured rate likely is closer to 15%.

Hilman said, "We're headed in the right direction but if you look down at the detail, we are much less impressed. ... We're not doing a very good job with the poorest of the poor." She added that the state needs to continue efforts to adopt best practices to maintain and attract state residents to Utah's public insurance programs (Mccann, Salt Lake Tribune, 3/23).

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/143789.php

[blondeatlast]

8. Even Gregory can sense which way the wind blows. nt

[Libertas1776]

9. Sen. Hatch-et

what a piece of shit.

[RagAss]

10. Hatch - You loser !

[Algorem]

11. he's tryin to keep them rachel maddow ratings

[Gman2]

12. The problem is the new Fox News political correctness.

If you dont give EQUAL time to blatant lies in service to the elite, you are discriminating against white males. And you cannot challenge them. That would show a liberal biases press. They have cowed us all to watch our steps, lest we succuumb to their charges of hating all whites. So, we allow them to be filthy fucking liars to our faces, cuz they are not under oath. The clinton refrain,, of his lies being enough to impeach and imprison, cuz he did it in a perjury trap, instead of garden variety, publically approved lying. Until a figure rises to that supposed level of guilt, no stigma. It is insane.

[tomm2thumbs]

13. they love to add numbers when it suits them, and then complain about inaccuracy when it doesn't

if there is no difference between ten trillion and tens-of-trillions Hatch, then stop worrying about the deficit.

[Catshrink]

14. Gregory still let Hatch go on and on spewing lies without challenge

and when Schumer went to rebut, asked Schumer question so he didn't have a chance to refute Hatch's lies. He did the same thing with Rachel and Dick Armey last week -- let Armey spew and spew and spew. He allows the RWers to talk unimpeded and talk over others, giving them the bulk of air time. No wonder MTP's numbers are tanking. He's horrible.

[librechik]

17. It's his job to insist on a he said she said format--no rebuttals allowed

that might imply that there is a truth hidden somewhere in there, which he is keeping from getting out?

[Catshrink]

22. Then he needs to give each side equal time.

He's not doing that. He showed his hand when he was trying to get Sanford on his show:

"NBC's Gregory to Sanford's Office: "Meet The Press Allows You To Frame The Conversation As You Really Want" "

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/nbcs_gregory_to_sanfords_office_meet_the_press_all.php

[CitizenPatriot]

16. what is deeply satisfying

is watching the utter shock as these republicans slowly realize that they can not lie.

I'm sure they think it's just a fluke:-)

[valerief]

18. Yeah, I nearly fell off my seat when I saw that. nt

[sendero]

20. Unfortunately..

... he deflected Schumer from rebutting numerous ridiculous claims made by Hatch.

And Schumer, by the way, should just stay home if that is the best he can do. He was pathetic, I could do better.

Thank god for the Dean segment, he seems to be one of a handful of people who can frame this debate properly. If I hear one more Republican idiot talk about "rationing" health care, my head will explode. It could hardly be rationed more than it is right now.

[patrice]

23. Buying into Medicare could proceed in timed segments, so not everyone hits it at the same time.

[MadMaddie]

24. I wonder if Rachels appearance made the bigwigs realize

that they are screwed if they keep on the same path of letting Repugs ramble on about nothing?

[Atticus]

25. I heard that this morning also---just as a formation of pigs flew over our house. nt