Senator Sanders Offers Medicare-for-All Amendment in Senate

[babsbunny]

Senator Sanders Offers Medicare-for-All Amendment in Senate

http://www.enewspf.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11955:senator-sanders-offers-medicare-for-all-amendment-in-senate&catid=88888989:health-care-reform&Itemid=88890248

Thursday, 03 December 2009 15:10 Press Release Health Care Reform

CHICAGO--(ENEWSPF)--December 3, 2009. Challenging head-on the powerful private insurance and pharmaceutical industries, Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced an amendment to the Senate health reform bill Wednesday that would replace the bulk of the Senate bill’s language with provisions establishing a single-payer, Medicare-for-All program.

Joining with Sanders, I-Vt., in co-sponsoring the measure, known as Senate Amendment 2837, were Senators Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Roland Burris, D-Ill. Other senators, including Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, have previously declared their support for single-payer health reform. The vote on the measure could take place in the next few days.

[midnight]

1. Let's get this done.

[clear eye]

62. Tollfree numbers for calling your Senators

866-220-0044 and 800-828-0498

Doesn't sound like it is planned to be allowed on the floor tomorrow either, so we have time to call.

[Skink]

2. This would really stick it to the private companies....

those companies that are looking at dismantling medicare while requireing everyone to be covered.

[Mind_your_head]

3. Kick for single-payer for ALL

:kick:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. YES.

K&R

[druidity33]

5. K&R for Bernie! nt.

[clear eye]

63. It is also being cosponsor by two Democrats

Sens. Brown and Burris.

[femmocrat]

6. The debate will be interesting!

:applause: for Sen. Sanders and the co-sponsors

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. In a nutshell - this IS the answer

Simply opening up an already exisitng and effective network to those who need coverage. What's to debate?

[rucky]

27. Seems like it would be a no-brainer

except for those who want to muddy it up on purpose.

[Kansas Wyatt]

45. Politicians do not get their pockets stuffed by the Insurance, Pharma, & Medical Industries.

I simply cannot understand why in the Hell those stupid (Democratic contolled Government) bastards refuse to accept that the American People voted for this kind of REFORM in the last election.

[Miss Authoritiva]

52. Absolutely...

Expanding Medicare is the way to go. I could understand if the switchover had to be phased in so the system didn't crash, but still.... As you say, the system already exists.

[davidwparker]

54. +1

And, let me tell you. If this were done, I couldn't start looking for a job at a small company or a non-profit fast enough.

We work for benefits ... those still lucky enough to have them.

[TicketyBoo]

8. This is the best way to do it.

Less expensive to set it up; the bureaucracy is already in place.

I just can't fathom why the entire Congress doesn't get on board with this. The hold the insurance companies have over them via campaign funds is the only reason for them to oppose this, and it's becoming so obvious that I would think the whole bunch of them would be too embarrassed to go back home and face their constituents.

[bertman]

9. Bernie Sanders is an American hero. Thank you, Senator. I wish there were more Dems

who had your dedication to the people of this nation and the world.

Rec.

[Oak2004]

43. Not a Dem, a VT Progressive Party founder who has an agreement

with the Dems not to declare an "official" party in exchange for Dem support and a place in the caucus.

-oak2004, formerly of the Burlington city committee of the Progs

[glitch]

57. Any chance of that party becoming official and national any time soon? nt

[Oak2004]

73. It would take other states organizing themselves, first, for that to happen

The Progs are a real party, one with a caucus in the state house and a mayor in office in the state's largest city. We're not a party that exists merely to make a statement. If the VT Progressive Party were to take its eyes off the business of governance and politics, and declare itself a national party without any basis in fact (no party structure on the ground, no finances to speak of, etc.), the kindest thing that could be said of us would be that we're a bunch of idiots.

If you want to make a national Progressive Party happen, it has to happen locally first. The answer, really, is to organize yourselves. Create a local progressive coalition (it need not start out as a party) with the potential to become a true party. It will never be possible to create a national Progressive Party from the top down -- only from the bottom up, and never because out-of-staters decided it would be so, but because the locals built it, precinct by precinct.

[glitch]

74. Good advice, Thanks! nt

[bertman]

58. Yes, I'm well aware of that Oak2004. Hence, my comment about wishing there were more Dems

who were like him.

Thanks for your work on the Committee of the Progs.

[Old Codger]

10. hope

Springs eternal.... that would be sooo nice

[Union Yes]

11. The best Dem in DC is an independant. Wish there were many more like Sen Sanders.

:patriot:

edit: knr

[mascarax]

12. I too wish there were more -- many more -- like Bernie

Especially as I see Olympia is back having meetings. This will end up with the trigger or whatever...more watering down. Ugh.

[clear eye]

64. Oh, they're beyond "triggers".

Now they're talking about non-profit or not-for-profit private insurance cos. being administered by the same agency that administers the federal employees' health benefits. Pres. Obama seems open to that one from what Lieberman leaked out of the caucus mtg.

[G_j]

13. K&R!

[leftstreet]

14. K&R

[madamesilverspurs]

15. Giant K&R nt

[tmyers09]

16. PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!

If this passes, I will jump for joy. Even if it doesn't pass, if it gets a good amount of Yea's (30-35), there is HUGE momentum for to get something done in the near future. Let's see who could vote for it.

Definitely/Probably:
Sanders
Feingold
Rockefeller
Franken
Whitehouse
Gillibrand
Schumer
Shaheen
McCaskill
Cantwell
Stabenow
Kerry
Brown
Harkin
Leahy
Durbin
Burris
Feinstein
Boxer

Maybe/Not Familiar With Position:
Kohl
Byrd
Murray
Webb
Warner
Johnson
Reed
Casey
Wyden
Merkley
Dorgan
Udall
Bingaman
Menendez
Lautenberg
Tester
Begich
Udall
Bennet
Kaufman
Inouye
Akaka
Mikulski
Cardin
Kirk
Levin
Klobuchar

Not Likely/In Your Dreams
All Republicans
Specter
Wyden
Conrad
Hagan
Reid
Nelson
Baucus
Lincoln
Pryor
Dodd
Lieberman
Carper
Nelson
Bayh
Landrieu

So 19 Definitely/Probably, 27 Maybe/Unfamiliar, and 54 Not Likely/In Your Dreams. Feel free to edit.

[thesquanderer]

22. Kucinich amendment

I wonder if they might pick up more votes if instead of this (which has no chance of actual passage), they took the more modest approach of Kucinich's attempted house amendment, which simply adds the ability for states to offer their own single-payer options if they want to.

[clear eye]

65. My guess is that the Senators think that both amendments are equally poisonous

to their campaign treasure chests.

[valerief]

17. Bernie is the Bomb!!!!!

:applause:

[pleah]

18. K&R

[Lugnut]

19. K&R for Bernie!

Medicare for all.

[Enthusiast]

20. THIS is the single best answer.

Anything else is just delaying the inevitable, anyway, as the status quo is unsustainable.

[peace frog]

21. YES!

Good work, Bernie.

[rosesaylavee]

23. Wow!

Go Bernie Go!

[Mark D.]

24. The Self-Centered

On the right, mostly, who oppose this bill, are hard to win. They can afford the coverage they have, or haven't had to use it and face denied claims to much of an extent yet. They are doing 'okay', so what is the problem, since nothing is a problem until it's a problem for them and those closest to them. They are a hard sell. But they tend to like and focus a lot on money. They got hooked by Reaganomics (with Greenspan's help back then). They cut massively the top income bracket tax rates, and raise payroll tax (ie. Middle Class tax increase) and campaign on 'lower taxes' to fool their victims to support.

Stockholm Syndrome results. The rapist gives her flowers, so she calls for a second date. How do we win them? Passage of this by some unexpected Democratic unification (and we thought Democrats were there to represent us and support this kind of thing mostly, but too many sadly do not) would fix that too. How? Simple. The average family spends 10-14 thousand a year on total health costs. A Kucinich-like plan that includes vision and dental saving over 10 grand a year for those families would be the biggest 'stimulus' you can imagine. Imagine the 300-400 billion a year in savings as a massive tax cut too?

After being dragged along, kicking and screaming, fearing 'wait times' they see stay the same or go down under a single-payer system, and a massive EXPANSION in choice of doctor vs. the limited 'in network' shit we put up with now, that may change their tune. Currently they're deceived by the insurers. They parrot the rhetoric and propaganda the for-profiteers bombard them with. They believe the lies. Telling them how far more successful governments and societies (higher IQ, longer lifespans, lower crime, fewer homeless, etc., like in Scandinavia) have such systems for decades and do better fails.

They just don't want to hear it. It troubles them in some deep-seated resentment of helping anyone but their own. But once they realize they're not pumping $500-$1200 a month into insurance premiums, and not 'meeting deductibles' or paying big co-pays, and getting the same quality with no tax increase. Well, we may have them as the proof can't be denied. Getting there is the hard part. You can't reason with them with empathy. They have none but for their own. You can't talk about the many who suffer now, they tell you 'life is hard, that's how it is' or even lob out Christian justifications for it.

You need to remind them, how it will directly benefit them. And as a Christian I remind them the Christ I believe in didn't talk about birth control, abortion or sexuality. His focus was almost entirely on liberalism, and yes, even income-redistribution (sell everything, give it to the poor). Just imagine, try to get them to, the huge reduction in a huge cause of illness in America especially. Stress. Millions no longer worried about paying 'claims'. Getting jobs based entirely on the 'benefits' they offer. Not knowing if something is 'covered'. End that shit, and end a lot of stress.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

32. Yes, selfishness and ignorance are the two biggest enemies here

and sad to say, a lot of the suburban megachurches preach selfishness and ignorance in direct contradiction of Jesus' teachings.

[dreamnightwind]

36. +1

Not sure about the part of Christ not talking about birth control (can't imagine that there would have been much to talk about back then), but a really good post.

You speak of explaining to the Christian right how it will benefit them. The funny thing is, they're often persuaded to vote AGAINST their own interests by the corporate right using fear tactics of scary left-wing agendas to confuse them into voting against their interests. We need a better way to counter this (truth doesn't seem to work, imagine that).

[Vidar]

25. K&R.

[rucky]

26. We can do this!

pleasepleaseplease

[no limit]

28. This wont pass. But its a great thing. Single payer should have been on the table from the beginning

[clear eye]

66. No one expects it to pass, but it's important political theater.

Seeing the Senators able to vote for European-style single payer, would make it real for a lot of people.

[azul]

29. If such a party as "Independent American" formed to challenge

the present two party corporate sell-outs, with like Sanders writing its platform and being its spokesman, how many people do you think would jump on board?

Sanders is a great American, and stand-up guy. Pretty much, the rest of congress are corrupt blithering idiots and shout out for replacement.

[clear eye]

67. You do know you're on a Democratic Party board

predicated on the idea that the Democratic Party can represent progressives, right?

[AllyCat]

69. I would.

[olegramps]

30. Medicare for all would provide US industry a huge advantage.

What is often overlooked is that we are completing with countries that have universal health care or absolutely no health care insurance that is not tacked on to the price of their commodities as is the case with many of our products. When President Obama talks about increasing jobs, he should consider what the effect this would have on job stimulation rather that having secret talks with the very people who are responsible for the biggest rip off of the working class.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

31. Just making a STATEMENT is a great step forward

So many times the Dems have let the Republicans and the corporations steamroller them without even making a statement in opposition.

And the DLC shills have smirked and said, "Well, it was going to pass anyway. Voting against it was pointless."

(Underlying message: "We have you coming and going.")

Too bad it's the SOCIALIST who has to get the Democrats kick-started on this matter.

May other Dem Senators find their inner New Dealer (if they ever had one and aren't stealth Republicans) and join this effort.

[HughMoran]

33. Alright - K&R!!

I wonder how the vote will turn out?

[juno jones]

34. K&R! n/t

[Bette Noir]

35. Three cheers for Bernie!

[avaistheone1]

37. Hip hip hooray.

Bernie is one of our absolute best.

[earcandle]

38. Single payer would turn the conversation around to preventive care and deep science again.

[dana_b]

39. thank you Senator Sanders and the others!!

at least they are trying to do what a lot of the people want!

[JerseygirlCT]

40. Gotta love Bernie! nt

[jpak]

41. K&R

:thumbsup:

[jonestonesusa]

42. K & R!

Good legislation starts with introducing good bills and amendments. Kudos to Sen. Sanders for giving the Senate an opportunity to vote for real reform - or to oppose real reform, so the DINO wolves in sheep's clothing can be outed.

[ooglymoogly]

44. You betcha....You go Bernie kr nt

[Stumbler]

46. Time for me to call Frankin and Klobuchar to support Sanders.

[gtar100]

47. Excellent.

Now to get it past all the insulated idiots in congress. Get ready for the predictable republican response - first laugh to try dismiss it, then hyperventilate as they get angry to try to squash it. Hopefully we get to the point where they scream about the end of days if it gets ready to pass. They won't STFU until they realize what a benefit it is to them. Just my prediction if the stupid juice doesn't overtake the debate too quickly.

Go Senator Sanders!

[glinda]

48. Heart Bernie. Medicare for all would solve a lot of problems.

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[winyanstaz]

49. K & R....oh yes....I love me some Senator Sanders too...

Her is a ticket idea....
Sanders/Kucinich or Kucinich/Sanders........either one works for me.

[CrispyQ]

50. I just contacted both my Senators asking them to vote yes on this amendment. --nt

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

51. K & R

This is a compromise that I think we could live with.

Just emailed, then phoned both my Senators here in Michigan.

[Dinger]

53. That's It, I'm Moving To Vermont! K & R!

God, he's awesome! I LOVE Bernie!!!!

[d3m0l1sh3r]

55. I want to see some real reasons against this, or any healthcare reform...

I want to see some real reasons against this, or any healthcare reform...

[DrZeeLit]

56. Thank the gods for Bernie! (my Senator!) xoxox

[bread_and_roses]

59. yes! big K&R here (n/t)

[Uncle Joe]

60. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, babsbunny.:thumbsup:

[howmad1]

61. Now, if only some other important folk got behind this:

Like O'bama and Reid. Yea, right.

[AllyCat]

68. Thanks for an amendment number. I will call them in the a.m.

How do you all call on the weekend??

[vssmith]

70. I sent emails

to my two senators asking them to vote YES

[wial]

71. why ever not?

what's so hard about this? a few white collar management jobs would be lost, actuaries would have to go back to being decent mathematicians, and the world would become a vastly better, safer place.

the robber barons siphoning the insurance companies could go rob some other people. capitalism never cared about the use value side of the equation anyway.

[muntrv]

Excellent idea. This is what Obama should have pushed right from the beginning.

I'd love to see the republicker reps. and sens. who are on Medicare try to vote against this one.

[onehandle]

72. Good. Socialism we can believe in. Which is Centralism in the real world.

Go Bernie and company.