Health Care

Surveying the current state of health care reform, I'd say it resembles nothing more than a version of 'Medicare Part D'. I mean, the outcome is bound to do a lot of good, no doubt about that, but it's going to be at a terrific cost because the original structure of the thing, as inefficient and cumbersome as it is, is being left largely intact.

Media Matters has already pointed to the yeoman service Fox News Correspondent Juan Williams is performing for right-wingers everywhere by going on NPR and spouting GOP talking points.

Having heard the segment in question, what struck me was his comment on the possibilities of Democrats 'going it alone' on health care reform:

Co-ops are the new HMO's. HMO's were going to save us the last time round. They were new -- nobody knew much about them -- but we were all assured they'd be cheaper and would manage health care better.

In reality they were nothing but a bogus distraction whose chief accomplishment was to run real health care reform off the rails.

Sound familiar? We've been here before.

This quote by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) was played over and over again by WBBM radio yesterday:

SHELBY: Well, I think rationing is underlying all of this. There's a lot of denial out there, but you look at the other plans -- you look at the Canadian plan, the British plan and so forth, and you have long lines.

A commenter at Steve Benen's abode predicted the following as the next lie that right-wing nuts will come up with:

Obama's "Cash for Grandma" program where the government will give you up to $4500 towards the cost of childbirth if you euthanize your grandmother."

To which I replied:

"Cash for Grandma"? Is it true? It must be true!

So if the Medicare plan pays for vasectomies, does that mean everyone has to get one -- that some 'government bureaucrat' is going to be empowered to tell you and your husband, your daughters and your sons, 'go out and get a vasectomy or else'?

We haven't heard much about a 'Health Care Czar' since Senator Dashle got into trouble because of his tax returns. But listening to Howard Dean debate the issue on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, I think I'd like to nominate him for the job. I loved the comment about health care reform helping small businesses.

[h/t ThinkProgress]

If there's anything you can take away from yesterday's wildly successful rally, it's this: 'They've Got the Kooks, We've Got the People!'

I'll have some pictures to add once I get home [added!] but I just wanted to say that the HCAN people put together a great rally with several hundred people in the Federal Plaza.

William McNary led off with his usual rousing style. First Gov. Pat Quinn then Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Danny Davis spoke passionately about the need for health care now and what to do to make sure it passes. A number of other people spoke -- everyone from Lou Lang (who was in wonderful form) to Alexi Giannoulias, Julie Hamos, Toni Preckwinkle, Lou Harris and David Orr.

If you're in the Chicagoland area, you can show the teabaggers "Brooks Brothers Brigade" what a real grassroots movement looks like by coming to the HCAN Rally in the Federal Plaza (8/4, 4:30p-6p).