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has fought corporations and insurance companies much of his life. He is the one most likely to lead on such reforms.
Good diary, Eve.
"There is one man who knows in his heart that we have to build one America - not two - and that man is Barack Obama." John Edwards 5/14/08
by TomP on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:20:00 AM PDT
[ Parent ]
....Edwards is saying is that he is not afraid to mention single-payer in the same sentence as his plan, that his plan is a step towards single-payer. Clinton's plan, though similar on the surface, is expressly designed to prevent a single-payer system.
"...if my thought-dreams could be seen, they'd probably put my head in a guillotine...." {-8.13;-5.59}
by lams712 on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:29:23 AM PDT
I get really sick of hearing people repeat the claim that Hillary's plan is the same as Edwards' plan. Like everything else about these two Democrats, they only appear the same on the surface. But the deeper realities could not possibly be more different - and those differences are EVERYTHING.
"Fear not the path of truth for the lack of people walking on it." Robert F. Kennedy
by enough already on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:39:05 AM PDT
be a clean break.
NO MORE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR PROFIT COS.
With golden level care for every citizen.
There is no room for compromise.
Many people did not care for Pat Buchanan's speech; it probably sounded better in the original German."
by Flippant on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 11:34:07 AM PDT
...the plan all Democrats should have is the death penalty for private insurance. We tried it, we "fixed it" and tried it again, we added self regulation all with no positive effect.
Insurance companies are the problem, not the solution. Let's skip all the steps we have already tried in reform and go straight to single payer. Most human recidivists get the death penalty, I see no need for mercy with a company.
-7.5 -7.28, What's a guy gotta do to get impeached around here?
by Blueslide on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 11:50:54 AM PDT
If he were, he would have gone straight to single-payer. He has not, and that does not suggest he has the leadership qualities we need.
Unfortunately for us, neither does anybody else.
I'm not part of a redneck agenda - Green Day Neither is California High Speed Rail
by eugene on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:48:34 AM PDT
none of them do, so where does that leave us?
Fight Back - June 19 - San Francisco - Rally against AHIP
by nyceve on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:57:36 AM PDT
We have to demand they all do better. It's on our shoulders.
by little liberal on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:03:33 AM PDT
With the need to organize a movement that can force our Democratic nominee to offer a better plan, or force Congress to pass HR 676, or force single-payer to be adopted in the states.
That's why I think focusing on the candidates is a bad idea. It shouldn't be about us choosing which of a bad lot we'll support, but instead should be about us organizing individuals to own their own power, to become politically active, to unite for single-payer.
FDR opposed Social Security. True story. It was only when a nationwide grassroots movement forced it into the Congress that he turned around and adopted it as his own. That is the model we should follow. Focus on organizing the people for the issue, and the Democratic nominee will follow.
by eugene on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:04:21 AM PDT
I don't have a link handy but it's a speech with video.
HR 676 or California's SB-840 - the only health reform proposals worth my vote.
by kck on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:18:08 AM PDT
pick a president.
"It's a race to decide who the British goverment will follow blindly for the next 4 years" Kennedy/Kerry '08
by Salo on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 10:10:20 AM PDT
before: Edwards!
Economic Justice to protect and restore the Middle Class, which is the backbone of America. Real NOT hyped CHANGE!
by fayeforcure on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:17:26 PM PDT
Focusing on what the presidents are offering is a bit of a waste of time. The laws start in the House so there and the Senate are were we need to be focusing our action - along with continual public education by the grassroots.
If citizen lobbyists can get enough of the House behind HR 676 to pass it, I don't think the Senate would be that hard and a Democratic President would sign it.
Healthcare for ALL! NOW! & OneCare at MySpace
by SarahLee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 02:52:30 PM PDT
That goes straight to the heart of the matter. FDR was an aristocrat profoundly loyal to the interests of the corporate and financial ruling class that assissted his rise to power. It was only the threat of revolution in the streets that forced him to make the more radical reforms that he did and these precisely to PRESERVE the capitalist system and the rule of the rich.
Those who think that it will take anything less to reverse the present course of US policy fail to grasp that the Great Depression notwithstanding the US was an ascending empire in teh 1930s while it is clearly a declining one now.
Sick of candidate diaries? Kasama!"Tell no lies. Claim no easy victories" -- Amilcar Cabral
by Christopher Day on Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 05:12:29 AM PDT
will be followed by a large and loyal opposition to anything less that reform that accommodates all Americans - we're paying for it and we want to pay for our fellow Americans, not shareholder value. Just like second hand smoke, junk ins will no longer be tolerated. And we integrate Wall Street and every outsourcing company competing globally who will benefit immensely from radical reform.
We give them a stake in the ground they need to beat - I nominate PNHP - that is impossible to meet with the ins cos in the mix.
And we must be clear that we will follow thru on every subsequent election day...
And we make sure that we have teams of people locally building the case from square 1 over and over and over again.
by kck on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:11:09 AM PDT
suggests one candidate who can win will bring us closest to that. We all have to make our own choices. I made mine back in January on this.
I prefer single payer and have for probably 30 years. (It used be called nationalized healthcare or something like that). This is the best way I see to get there.
I understand people can differ on the road they choose. Take care, eugene. You and I share far more than we disagree on.
by TomP on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:58:45 AM PDT
But absolutely noone is talking about that.
by Salo on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 10:10:57 AM PDT
healthcare is still my single greatest disappointment in my guy
but i fear the "mandatory" notion plenty more
s-chip is such a disappointing shortfall
still think single payer is do-able politically, if the folks in charge in DC (not yet, obviously) are willing to consider passing it to cover children ... it's hard to take a stand against kids
Obesa cantavit
by wystler on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:07:27 AM PDT
If he were sincere about his belief in single payer then Edwards would not have released a detailed solution plan. You can't shock the universe and get elected at the same time.
He'd have released a detailed set of requirements - not recommendations but requirements that he will relentlessly protect and a mandate for bipartisan Congressional action.
Then he'd have a foundation for change established AND a chance in the GE.
Once elected, the pathway to single payer would have been paved...
He understands this and the ramifications of his concession...
And, then the other candidates would have followed.
by kck on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:16:46 AM PDT
He proposes a selection of plans, and one of them is the government-run plan. If people vote with their feet, presto, single-payer.
See he leaves the solution up to the individuals, and end-run around the lobbyists. The only problem I see with that is an actuarial one, if not enough people switch right away.
by NHlib on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 10:03:31 AM PDT
by Salo on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 10:09:31 AM PDT
that might help pay for it. One thing that really impressed me when I saw JRE 6 mos ago was that he brouht up the (then) $500bn blown in Iraq early on in his stump speech.
JRE had the first health care plan back in 2/07. Had it not been for his plan, I wonder if others would've offered plans. JRE isn't in the same ballpark w/ HRC and Obama in health care $. JRE came up w/ a shrewd political maneuver to push health care through Congress.
The big irony here is that Obama and HRC were treated as front-runners from the start largely b/c of their warchests. Their respective warchests came, in part, b/c they're #1 and #2 in health care $. The exact same thing that made them frontrunners is what will make it hard for them to do really reform health care.
Some men see things as they are and ask why. I see things that never were and ask why not?
by RFK Lives on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 10:46:12 AM PDT
healthcare spending.
More than anyone else. That buys working class people care either way.
by Salo on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 10:54:30 AM PDT
by Flippant on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 11:36:27 AM PDT
"This system is corrupt. And it's rigged. And it's rigged against you. Announcer: Finally, someone telling the truth. And we can say as long as we get Democrats in, everything's gonna be ok. It's a lie. It is not the truth. Do you really believe if we replace a crowd of corporate Republicans with a crowd of corporate Democrats that anything meaningful's gonna change? This has to stop. It's that simple. I’m John Edwards, and I approved this message."
"This system is corrupt. And it's rigged. And it's rigged against you.
Announcer: Finally, someone telling the truth.
And we can say as long as we get Democrats in, everything's gonna be ok. It's a lie. It is not the truth.
Do you really believe if we replace a crowd of corporate Republicans with a crowd of corporate Democrats that anything meaningful's gonna change?
This has to stop. It's that simple.
I’m John Edwards, and I approved this message."
New ad in New Hampshire.
I have been saying the system is rigged for so many years. It is good to hear a contending Democratic candidate saying it forcefully.
I realy believe we can rejuvenate the Democratic Party.
by TomP on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:01:40 AM PDT
wide narrow
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