Obama's Single-Payer Flip-Flop.

Illustration 1: Ben Heine, "Barack Obama's Toughest Opponent: Himself". Ben on Articon
Illustrations 2, 3 & 4: Michael Thompson. 2: "Single Payer Insurance is the way". 3: "Single Payer Solution", 4: "NO more PAY-or-DIE Healthcare $ystem!." Michael on Flickr.

In 2003, Barack Obama said he was for single payer.

Q: What would it take to get single payer enacted?
A: "First, we have to take back the White House, the Senate and the House," Obama said at the time.

FAST FORWARD SIX YEARS:

The Democrats have taken the White House...The Senate, AND the House.

Q: So, what's Obama's position now that Dems have taken the White House, the Senate and the House?
A: In a speech this week in Chicago before the American Medical Association, Obama made clear he was now opposed to Single Payer health care. And, his lieutenants suggested that Obama would support legislation to make sure that single payer does not become a reality in America.

There's only one explanation for Obama's flip-flop on Single Payer: The health insurance and drug corporations have a hammerlock on Washington. And, Obama is going along to get along.

WHAT'S THE NET RESULT?

Sixty Americans are dying every day due to lack of health insurance (Institute of Medicine report).

Instead of getting behind single payer, Obama and the Democrats are engaged in the what Dr. Marcia Angell, former editor-in-chief at the highly regarded New England Journal of Medicine calls "the futility of piecemeal tinkering."

Earlier this week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the most liberal of the Democrats' tinkering plans would cost $1 trillion over ten years and still leave 37 million Americans uninsured.

On the other hand, single payer would cost less than we are overpaying now -- and cover everyone.

Zero uninsured.

As Dr. Angell puts it -- single payer is not only the best option. It's the only option that will both control costs and cover everyone.

- Replace 1,300 insurance industry payers with one payer.
- Save $400 billion a year in bloated corporate administrative and executive compensation costs.
- Free choice of doctor and hospital. Use that money to insure everyone.
- No bills, no co-pays, no deductibles.
- No exclusions for pre-existing conditions -- because under single payer, you are insured from the day you are born.
- No bankruptcies due to medical bills.
- No deaths due to lack of health insurance.
- Cheaper. Simpler. More affordable.
- Everybody in. Nobody out.

According to recent polls, the majority of Americans, the majority of doctors, the majority of nurses, even the majority of health economists want Single Payer. That's why almost every health care town hall event I hear about is dominated by citizens speaking out for a Single Payer system.

Last month, we asked that you help fund a new non-profit organization - Single Payer Action - to focus this citizen energy, break through the corporate logjam in Washington and make single payer a reality. And, you came through with flying colors -- blowing past our initial fund-raising goals.

The foundation was set for action. Out of the blocks, Single Payer Action led a stand up protest before Senator Max Baucus' Senate Finance Committee. Thirteen doctors, nurses, lawyers and other single payer advocates were summarily arrested and charged with "disruption of Congress" (Baucus later told single payer advocates that he regretted not inviting them to testify before his committee). The arrests of the Baucus 13, their upcoming trial, and other similar single payer actions around the country have galvanized a nationwide movement.

Single Payer Action now wants to supercharge the grassroots movement for single payer by confronting members of Congress back home around the country - laying the groundwork for a national citizen's organization that will refuse to compromise with corporate power -- inside the beltway and out.

Many progressives are now confused because they took Obama at his word. They thought once Obama was elected President, he would do the right thing.

Clearly, he's NOT.

My colleague, Theresa Amato, isn't confused. She saw clearly through the Democratic Party's duplicity and shenanigans -- and has written a new book, titled Grand Illusion: The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two Party Tyranny (New Press, June 2009). The book documents how the corporate two-party system thwarts citizen activism and blocks challenging candidates in the electoral system and beyond. Phil Donahue said this about Grand Illusion: "Theresa Amato takes the biggest swing -- not a jab, but a roundhouse punch -- at America's corrupt electoral system."

Single Payer Action needs to raise $50,000 over the next month to fund its actions around the country this summer. So, if you can, please, donate -- $10, $25, $50, $100, $500 -- or whatever you can afford. If you donate $100 or more now, Single Payer Action will send you a copy, hot off the press, of Amato's hard cover, 379-page masterpiece -- Grand Illusion (okay, since it also includes chapters about my campaign against the corporate Republicans and Democrats -- and since I wrote the foreword -- I'll autograph it).

So, don't delay. Let's break through the corporate barriers and make single payer a reality. Together, we can make the difference. Onward to a life-saving, cost-saving single payer.

Yours,
Ralph Nader

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

So What Do YOU Say? The Senate LAUGHS About How Many Police It Takes To Silence The American People On Single Payer Health Care.

Illustration by: Marty Coleman
Napkin Dad Daily blog

How many police does it take to silence the voice of the people?

That's a question a despot might ask in a totalitarian police state. But, this week the Senate Finance Committee thought it was a hilarious joke as they ejected one brave activist after another, for protesting that not even one spokesperson for single payer health care was being allowed to sit at the hearing table. Yes, Senator Max Baucus (MT), who had preemptively declared that consideration of a single payer option was off the table, actually joked "We need more police [1:58 on video]." And, the rest of the Senate panel just laughed their heads off.

Senator Chuck Grassley (IA), the ranking Republican ~ not to be outdone in his contempt for the people ~ then asked if there was "somewhere they can watch it on television [2:05 on video]," which elicited additional hearty guffaws. Yes, what a wonderful entertaining show that would be, the spectacle of the will of the people being excluded while corporate special interests, like butchers, carve up our pocketbooks and our bodies.

Visit the Single Payer Action Page HERE

On the action page is an extended video where you can hear for yourself those Senators openly laughing at us, and you'll be just at outraged as we are. It's time for the U.S. Senate to get the message that We the People are not just a joke to be laughed off. Why is it that not ONE senator on that committee has the integrity to stand up for a even handed debate of health care issues? Why should any of them be elected to public office ever again?

So let's see a show of hands. How many of you would like to sign up now for a commie Marxist national health care system ... like in Canada, England and other pinko Bolshevik countries such as these? How stupid do they think we are, to try to reduce the terms of the debate to such an ignorant level? Meet the new mass media scare label, "socialized" medicine. As opposed to like what ... the ANTI-social corporate medical insurance industry we have now, where patients have no role except to be cash cows, by design never to be actually cured?

If you or anyone in your family has ever been seriously ill, and as we might ALL be someday, you know the medical industry will pick your bones clean of every dime you ever earned in your life, just in time to drop you into the cheapest possible pine box.

Visit the Single Payer Action Page HERE:

Why are members of Congress fighting so hard to keep single payer health care out of the public debate? Because there are no fat profits in it for their special interest corporate campaign contributors, who maximize their profits the sicker we are. They cannot compete with a low overhead efficiently run government program, just like we have NOW with the existing proven Medicare & VA systems.

Instead, they'll line up a bunch of corporate lobbyists and stooges to tell bald faced lies. Just like Senator Jim Bunning himself who asserted that Canada and England had tax rate of at LEAST 60% to support single payer. But, they don't even want anyone around to even have a chance to call them out on their willful and malicious lies.

Yes, all those who love to preach to the rest of us about the free market and competition are shown to be only interested in a rigged market and a rigged debate. Baucus may put on a face of being slightly chastened, but ,he STILL WILL NOT allow any honest testimony on single payer.

But, WE can beat THEM.

This is the pivotal moment. We have been speaking out for HR 676 (Medicare for all) for YEARS. And now eight incredibly brave activists have been hauled away because they would not remain silent. But in doing so, in putting their own bodies on the line, they have shown up the current "debate" for the total sham that it is.

We are not asking you to put your body on the line. All we are asking you to do is submit a one click action page that we have specially configured to send your message to the Senate Finance Committee as a hard copy pdf that they can't just laugh off, because it will be part of the permanent record. Plus, your message will go to all your regular members of Congress, plus your nearest daily local newspaper as well if that option is selected.

Single Payer Action Page HERE:

At 3:20 of the video posted on the action page above you will hear a woman loudly ask, " I wonder how many there are?"

Let's show them.

Let's show them there are millions and millions of us out here who will no longer be ignored, who will no longer be laughed off. Because they KNOW we can stop them if ~ and only if ~ large numbers of us will raise our voices NOW.

Let's just do it.

Here's a list of all Senators on the Finance Committee, including at least a couple who you might have considered to be "liberals". Where are their voices? Is there not a single one of them who will stand up and say, "No , wait a minute, we need to hear what the single payer advocates have to say." So, if one of the below is one of YOUR personal Senator, they especially need to hear from you NOW. The list includes:

Max BAUCUS, MT, John D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV, Kent CONRAD, ND, Jeff BINGAMAN, NM, John F. KERRY, MA, Blance L. LINCOLN, AR, Ron WYDEN, OR, Charles E. SCHUMER, NY, Debbie STABENOW, MI, Maria CANTWELL, WA, Bill NELSON, FL, Robert MENENDEZ, NJ, Thomas CARPER, DE, Chuck GRASSLEY, IA, Orrin G. HATCH, UT, Olympia J. SNOWE, ME, Jon KYL, AZ, Jim BUNNING, KY, Mike CRAPO, ID, Pat ROBERTS, KS, John ENSIGN, NV, Mike ENZI, WY, John CORNYN, TX,

It's time to tell your "representative" that, "No, we don't need more police. In fact, what we need are fewer Senators with plugs in their ears, like Max Baucus." And, he and the rest of them need to hear that.

You can also respond to this action through the new Twitter gateway. Just send the following Twitter reply, and add any personal comment you like to ---> " @cxs #p982 "

(If you need a step by step explanation of how to set up the Twitter thing here is the link for that: Twitter Activism, a Step-By-Step guide HERE )

Please take action NOW, so we can win all victories that are supposed to be ours, and forward this blog alert as widely as possible.

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Eight Single-Payer Advocates Arrested & Charged with Disruption of Congress.

Yesterday morning, eight doctors, lawyers and other activists stood up to Senator Max Baucus. And, the private health insurance industry. And, the corporate liberals in Congress.

These eight activists demanded that SINGLE PAYER - Everybody IN, Nobody OUT, free choice of doctor AND hospital - be put on the table.

As a result, they were arrested, and charged with a so-called "disruption of Congress."

The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Democracy Now and National Public Radio all carried stories about the protest. C-Span carried it live. And, it was widely disseminated on the Internet.

Baucus crafted a hearing to kick off the health care debate in the Senate yesterday where 15 witnesses would be at the table to discuss health care "reform".

---> The insurance industry was at the table.

---> The Business Roundtable was at the table.

---> The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was at the table.

---> Blue Cross Blue Shield was at the table.

---> The Heritage Foundation was at the table.

---> And, corporate liberals like Andy Stern, Ron Pollack, and AARP were at the table.

But, not one person who stood for what the majority of Americans, doctors, nurses, and health economists want - SINGLE PAYER- was at the table. Not ONE!

When I heard about this corporate line-up last week, I called the office of Senator Baucus.

And politely asked that, as a matter of fairness, a single payer doctor be allowed to testify.

I was told - "No way, Ralph."

The deal is done.

So, yesterday, at 10 a.m., the Baucus Eight, led by Single Payer Action and other single payer groups, took to the Senate Finance Committee.

And, they directly and respectfully confronted a room full of corporate lobbyists - and corporate controlled Senators. They again asked that a group of doctors who were in the room to support Medicare for all be allowed to testify.

The answer again - no, No, and NO!

Remember what Senator Richard Durbin said last week?

Durbin said that the banks "own" the Congress.

To which we might add - the health insurance industry AND the drug industry own the Senate.

Faxing, writing, and e-mailing is not getting it done. Enough is enough. It's time for action. This is a winnable issue. But, the American people need to focus on 535 members of Congress - and get mobilized.

Single Payer Action is at your service to get the job done.So, donate now -- $8, $18, $80, or $800.

To honor the Baucus Eight - who all wore black yesterday in memory of the more than 20,000 Americans who - according to the Institute of Medicine - die every year from lack of health insurance.

And, to fuel a citizen action movement that will deliver single payer to the American people - sooner not later. Together, we can break the corporate stranglehold on Congress. And deliver health care for all.

Single payer. More comprehensive. More efficient. More humane. More peace of mind.Let's get it done.

Onward to single payer,



Ralph Nader

PS: Remember, if you donate $100 or more by May 14, 2009, we'll send you two galvanizing books that concisely detail the case for single payer in America.

• Health Care Meltdown by: Robert LeBow, MD, revised and updated by Dr. C. Rocky White - a Republican doctor so fed up with the needless suffering caused by the insurance industry that he become a leading advocate for single payer.
  
• Ten Excellent Reasons for National Health Care, Edited by: Mary O'Brien and Martha Livingston.
  

This two-book offer ends 11:59 p.m. May 14, 2009. So, don't miss out. Please consider Donating now.

We're building one million Americans strong for single payer. Please share this post with friends and family. Urge them to sign up and donate @ singlepayeraction.org.

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Obama 'gearing up for a fight'

Posted: Politico

by JONATHAN MARTIN | 2/28/09 12:05 PM EST

President Barack Obama is beginning the salesmanship of his far-reaching $3.6 trillion budget with a populist blast at powerful interests he says will fight it – all but challenging his opponents to bring it on.

“I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak,” Obama said in his weekly radio address Saturday.

“My message to them is this: So am I.”

It’s a return to the sort of rhetoric he deployed in his anti-status-quo presidential campaign, and it reflects the pivot Obama has made since spending his first few weeks in office reaching for bipartisan consensus.

Having faced almost unanimous Republican opposition to his stimulus plan, the president is now embracing confrontation over conciliation. Republicans already are tagging him with the “tax and spend” label, for his proposed $1.3 trillion in higher taxes over 10 years and broad expansion of a government role in health care and other areas.

But Obama made clear he doesn’t consider it merely a partisan fight, taking on some of the capital’s most politically muscular groups in some of his most pugilistic rhetoric, a preview of battles ahead.

“I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families,” he said.

“I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries.”

It’s a strategy undergirded by the poll-reinforced assumption that Americans are inclined to side with the popular new president over not only the weakened GOP but also entrenched interest groups.

As if to remind people he believes he won a mandate last year, Obama told listeners on the broadcast that his proposals represent “the change I promised as a candidate for president.

“It is the change the American people voted for in November. And it is the change represented by the budget I sent to Congress this week.”

His language was a departure from his past radio addresses, which have usually been more restrained. But Obama making his case for the budget struck an unmistakable us-versus-them tone.

“The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t,” he said. “I work for the American people.”

Obama’s plans to expand health care coverage, develop cleaner energy and spend more on education by raising taxes on the wealthy and businesses are unmistakably bold, at least the most ambitious since President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society.

Though his rhetoric is carefully calibrated to blur such big government activism, Obama was candid about his audacious goals.

“I didn’t come here to do the same thing we’ve been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November,” he said.

WE SHALL SEE...

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Drug Lobbyists & Right-wing Nutcases are Lying to YOU.

Drug companies have teamed up with right-wing ideologues like Rush Limbaugh and Republicans in Congress to fight the health care measures in President Obama's economic recovery package.

They are perpetuating the lie that these measures will "[reduce] options for patients and doctors." ^[1] Can you help fight back?

Click to call your Members of Congress and tell them not to listen to drug lobbyist lies and keep health care measures in the economic recovery package!

This week, the House and Senate will combine their different versions of the recovery package into one bill to pass and send to the President. The bill likely will include assistance to allow people to keep their health insurance after losing their job (called COBRA) and billions in aid to state Medicaid programs for the uninsured. Another important part of the deal is new investment in health information technology and comparative effectiveness research (a wonky term that just means giving doctors and patients information about what treatments work best).

Conservatives are tearing their hair out, claiming these measures would ration care and limit choice. They're calling on Congress to strip these provisions from the recovery package. And they're being helped by PhRMA and the rest of the drug industry, which has mobilized their army of highly paid Washington lobbyists to oppose these measures, which would cut into their profits. ^[2]

The only problem? It's all lies. Here's the truth:

• Health information technology (health IT) would convert paper medical records into electronic records, meaning less medical errors and less time and money spent by your doctor on paperwork
• Comparative effectiveness research would help doctors and patients understand which therapies work and which don't, which could save your life

There is nothing in the economic recovery legislation that was passed by the House that rations care or makes decisions that are best left to you and your doctor. ^[3]

Click to call your Members of Congress and tell them you want Health IT, comparative effectiveness research, and health care aid to states in the economic recovery package.

Oh, and another thing. These investments in health care would create thousands of jobs.

Call your Members of Congress and ask them to stand up to drug industry lobbyists and right-wing ideologues!

Thanks for standing up against the lies.

To your health,
Health Care for America Now

[1] House Republican Leader John Boehner: "That's right, congressional Democrats plan to 'stimulate' the economy by reducing options for patients and doctors."

[2] The Wall Street Journal: "Drug Makers Fight Stimulus Provision"

[3] Media Matters for America: "Limbaugh repeats health IT falsehood from Bloomberg "commentary" on House recovery bill"

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.