Bernie Sanders: kicking ass and taking names on healthcare

[jgraz]

Run time: 03:19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk   Posted on YouTube: July 14, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: July 15, 2009 By DU Member: jgraz Views on DU: 6403

 
And the first name he takes? Senator John McCain.

Once again, Bernie proves that he's one of the few members of the Senate with the courage to say things that are true. Here he invites his fellow committee members to introduce legislation to eliminate the V.A. (socialized medicine! gasp) and Medicare. Not surprisingly, no one takes him up on the challenge.

[ihavenobias]

1. K & R. We really need to keep pushing the Sanders Rule on our Senators...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/3/749502/-The-Sanders-Rule:-All-Bills-Get-Up-and-Down-Votes

[snake in the grass]

2. Bernie Sanders is awesome!

He sure carries a big hammer. I wish we had more of his sort in both houses.

[Sherman A1]

3. Sums up the argument rather well

in my opinion. We should email this video to our Senators and Representatives.

[AlbertCat]

18. We should email this video to our Senators and Representatives.

But of course,e part of his argument is....

They already KNOW what is going on. They know we already have "socialized medicine" programs that work and people like. They know they are not playing ball for their constituents, but for a tiny sliver of the financial industry. Like Dr. Dean said....this is not a debate between Repug and Dem....it's not political. It a debate between what a huge majority of Americans of both parties want, and what a small sliver of the financial industry, Health Insurance...wants. They all already know this. That's one of the points.

[lumpy]

50. Hear Hear !

v

[RBInMaine]

4. Damn Straight Bernie ! You ROCK and you TELL THE TRUTH !!

[pleah]

5. K&R

[quidam56]

6. Quality health care in TN & VA

As a former health care giver, I am shocked and saddened to see what has become of health care in America. $ 1. 4 million is being spent per day in DC by the health care lobbyists so your elected representative is getting taken care of and has quality health care we pay for and can't afford ourselves for our families, I know what is deemed, defended and supported in Tennessee and Virginia as quality health care and clearly profit care comes ahead of patient care. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 MRSA ( methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureas ) is infesting our communities because filthy, uncaring hospitals and emergency rooms are breeding them and spreading them into our schools, homes, restaurants. How many more Americans' will be diseased or die while 74 % of Americans' are begging for health care reform ? More people died in America last year from MRSA complications than AIDS. When MRSA and a flu bug start mixing, it won't be pretty and we are being infected by the very health care system we depend on and trust to keep us safe and healthy.

[LiberalLovinLug]

7. Stop making so much sense!!

My head hurts, and I might need a doctor

[satya]

8. Walter Reed Hospital is a perfect example of government-run vs. privatized health care.

The in-house bid for support services came in lower than that of IAP (the company who could not deliver ice to Hurricane Katrina victims, run by former KBR COO). When IAP protested, the in-house bid was inexplicably increased by $7 million, and the IAP bid was accepted. Walter Reed employees were not allowed to appeal the ruling. Was that a "level playing field"?

source: http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070302131606-66371.pdf

<snip>

This memorandum, which we understand was written in September 2006, describes how the Army's decision to privatize support services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was causing an exodus of "highly skilled and experienced personnel." As a result, according to the memorandum, "WRAMC Base Operations and patient care services are at risk of mission failure." Several sources have corroborated key portions of the memorandum. We have learned that in January 2006, Walter Reed awarded a five-year, $120 million contract to a company called IAP Worldwide Services for base operations support services, including facilities management. IAP is one of the companies that experienced problems delivering ice during the response to Hurricane Katrina. The company is led by A1 Neffgen, a former senior Halliburton official who testified before our Committee in July 2004 in defense of Halliburton's exorbitant charges for fuel delivery and troop support in Iraq.

<snip>

It appears that one of the factors that may have caused or contributed to the abysmal conditions at Walter Reed was the push to outsource base support services to IAP.

<snip>

[jgraz]

9. I also know a few docs who work for the V.A. They love it.

Yeah, they don't get to buy the latest gas-guzzling sports car every two years, but they help people who really need it and they get funding for their own research projects.

The research funding is a huge incentive to academically-minded physicians and a real benefit to everyone. One of my very good friends is doing some breakthrough research on schizophrenia, funded by the V.A. Sad to say, veterans provide him with a lot of interview subjects.

[ihavenobias]

10. Thanks for the link. n/t

[defendandprotect]

13. Obviously, GOP has done all they can to destroy VA health care while making soldiers sick . . .

from vaccines to depleted uranium --

And, there's no real way to trust budget figures -- we've had education budgets

which have actually had money for CIA/intelligence hidden in them!

This should be illegal!

[Bette Noir]

11. My hero.

[defendandprotect]

12. Thank you -- I missed this today - I'm watching Sotomayor hearings . . .

Love Bernie Sanders -- is there someway we can clone him?

We could use 100 of him in the House and another 50 in the Senate!

[florida08]

14. this should be on billboards across America

"Our job is not to protect the private health insurance industry"

[gorfle]

15. The guy tells it like it is. n/t

,

[knixphan]

16. K&R!

Kick them asses!
:spank:

[omega minimo]

17. Rec 51 -- Bernie rocks and Hartmann for having him on Fridays!

[TommyPaine]

19. We should look at Taiwan's system for pointers.

In the 1990s Taiwan totally revamped their healthcare system. It's one of the most cost-effective and results-effective in the world. Everyone is covered, there's competition between public and private sectors, and the GDP expenditure is much less compared to America's.

The United States should examine Taiwan's system--along with several other of the more successful ones--to come up with a sensible, universal plan. We also need to focus on preventive medicine, nutrition, and environmental factors.

A few good articles about Taiwan's system:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89651916
http://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=985
http://www.thrf.org.tw/EN/Page_Show.asp?Page_ID=124

[Uncle Joe]

20. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, jgraz.:thumbsup:

[kevsters]

21. Got to watch this clip

You have to watch this clip of Tom arnold and Sean Hannity debating issues like Sotomayor, Health care, Sarah Palin, etc. Arnold does quite well.

http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2185

[midnight]

30. Good exhchange.

[GivePeaceAchance]

22. Sanders really took it to them on that one. Total respect to Vermont for putting him in the senate.

[RoccoR5955]

23. K & R... Bernie is THE MAN!

He is ALWAYS doing what's good for WE THE PEOPLE, not them, the corporations.

[valerief]

24. Gotta love Senator Sanders!!!! nt

[DuaneBidoux]

25. This is the kind of Democrat we need. Oh, that's right, he's not a Democrat.

[d_b]

28. =/

[GivePeaceAchance]

26. TRANSCRIPT.

Bernie: I don't want to shock anyone here but the VA is a socialized healthcare system. Right Mr. McCain, socialized medicine.
McCain: Not exactly my description, but...
Bernie: You know the VA has its problems we all know that, but by and large we go home we talk to our veterans. You know what they feel pretty good about the VA, they go in there they're treated. The staff is usually dedicated to them, they are not busy raising money or charging them money. At least in the state of Vermont people want more VA, not less VA. Right that is socialize medicine in the United states of America. Anybody want to bring up an amendment to get rid of the VA, I would suggest the chairman would accept that amendment. I don't hear too many people. Let's talk about single payer in the US we have a strong single payer it's called medicare. And does it have problems, sure it does. But if anyone wants to go out and compare peoples attitude towards Medicare. That doesn't throw people off for pre-existing conditions, doesn't throw you off for the crime of being sick the previous year. Contrast it to how people have private insurance and let's have that debate. And I suspect that those who want to improve medicare, rather that improve private insurance would win that debate. The function of what we are doing here is not to support the private health insurance industry, I know that's a shock. The function of what we are trying to do here is provide the best insurance in the most cost effective way. In 2007 just to make the point, 64 percent of respondents thought that it was government responsibility of federal government to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage. 2007 AP/yahoo poll 65 percent of respondents said the US should adopt a universal health insurance program, in which everyone is covered under a program like medicare that is run by, the, GOVERNMENT. And financed by tax payers end of quote. In every gathering across in the United states of America, most people think the government should play a strong role in providing healthcare to people, except in the United states senate. Probably the only institution in America where people think the private insurance should be playing a dominant role. That's all that I wanted to say I don't want to get into a whole lot of details of the debate. But I think that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, to defend the who wonderful those private insurance companies are, and what a great job they're doing. That's not what I hear in Vermont or what I am hearing all across America. Should we improve public health in all respects, of course we can. But I would just conclude that our job is not to defend the private insurance industry, it's to provide quality, cost effective health.

If anyone can spare the time transcribe all clips the gesture means the world to the audibly impraired. TY. :)

[crickets]

45. Thank you so much for the transcript.

My computer doesn't have sound at the moment, so I really appreciate it. Welcome to DU, GivePeaceAchance!

K&R for Bernie telling it like it is. :thumbsup:

[GivePeaceAchance]

51. Glad to help. =)

[elocs]

27. VA Health Care/Medicare are the examples I always give of socialized medicine/single payer.

Those are 2 programs with which everyone is familiar, or should be, and it puts the naysayers in their place.

[SleeplessInAlabama]

29. Isn't that right, Mr. McCain?

K&R

[KansDem]

34. And did you see McCain's somewhat sheepish grin...

:rofl:

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[defendandprotect]

31. Looky what happens when you are freed from corporate BRIBERY and can speak truth--!!!

Love you Sen. Bernie Sanders!!

[jgraz]

32. Well, usually that means you die in a small plane crash

See Cheney, assassination squads commanded by...

[defendandprotect]

40. Well, let's hope Rep. Bernie Sanders doesn't fly or walk in the woods, either--!!!

[defendandprotect]

41. kick

[jgraz]

42. Here's hoping that's no longer a problem.

[PSzymeczek]

47. I love me some Bernie Sanders!! n/t

[KansDem]

33. Sanders for President! (>2012)

">" means "sometime after 2012"

[BREMPRO]

35. Right on Bernie!!! a MAN with the courage to speak truth to power .

You can see the Senatorium squrim as they hear the truth and try to pretend they care about us over the insuance "industry" and drug companies.

[DeeDeeNY]

36. He gets right to the heart of the matter

Are we looking to prop up the profits of the private healthcare industry or provide quality health care to Americans? Why is this such a difficult concept?

[Hotler]

37. Kicking! n/t

[HughMoran]

38. He's really fired on on this issue

And I'm glad!

[Better Believe It]

39. K & R

[varelse]

43. Someone in Congress who represents the people who sent him there

it is so damned sad that this makes him stand out, and quite often stand alone, in the Senate.

[DrZeeLit]

44. So PROUD of my Senator!!! In fact, I'm proud of BOTH Leahy and Sanders... LOVE VT!!!

Glad I live in such a wonderful state.
Yippeee

(and you know what's neat? i can actually call Bernie on the phone and get him or a real person aide.... that's what it's like to live in Vermont, population 650,000)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

46. best ever

video on the health care issue and Senate's pandering to insurance coes,
as well as VA and medicare as socialized medicine.

[Krashkopf]

48. K & R for "AMERICA'S SENATOR!"

[Mithreal]

49. Kick nt

[tbnorthcarolina]

52. VA

Anyone been treated in a VA? Sadly underfunded. Our veterans deserve better.

[mdmc]

53. Bernie rules!

:patriot: