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Title: Grassley: Ted Kennedy would die if there was universal health care
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URL Source: http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/08/gr ... ere-was-universal-health-care/
Published: Aug 6, 2009
Author: Daniel Tencer
Post Date: 2009-08-06 06:44:54 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 311
Comments: 19
Ted Kennedy, the Democratic Party patriarch suffering from a brain tumor, would be allowed to die under a universal health care scheme because his health care services would be "rationed" to a younger person, says Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). As the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley is a major player in Congressional negotiations on health care. He told Iowa radio station KCJJ that Kennedy's advanced age -- the Massachusetts senator is 77 -- means that under a universal health care system, the senator would be denied treatment for his brain tumor. Grassley stated: I’ve been told that the brain tumor that Sen. Kennedy has — because he’s 77 years old — would not be treated the way it’s treated in the United States. In other words, he would not get the care he gets here because of his age. In other words, they’d say ‘well he doesn’t have long to live even if he lived another four to five years.’ They’d say ‘well, we gotta spend money on people who can contribute more to economy.’ It’s a little like people saying when somebody gets to be 85 their life is worth less than when they were 35 and you pull the tubes on them. Added Grassley: "When you run into more complicated things, in particular with older people, you find a great deal of rationing in other countries." (Audio clip follows below.) RAW STORY wonders: Who exactly "told" Grassley that this is the case? To the best of our knowledge, no country in the world that offers universal health care has a policy of denying care to the elderly because their lives are "worth less" -- or for any other reason. In fact, such a system is patently counter-intuitive: In single-payer, universal health systems, health provision is in the purview of politicians. No legislator would risk political suicide by removing health care from seniors, who vote in greater numbers, in most democracies, than young people. Grassley's comments have already raised eyebrows among bloggers. "The larger problem Grassley ignores is cost," writes Nate Carlile at ThinkProgress. "For Kennedy, access to health care is not an issue. Among most Americans, however, staggering health costs prevent more than half of US patients from gaining access to medical care. Last year, 38 percent of US patients did not receive recommended treatment compared to 11 percent in Canada and 6 percent in the U.K. And even among Americans with insurance, 43 percent of adults with chronic conditions nevertheless had access problems because of cost." Jason Hancock at the Iowa Independent notes: "None of the mainstream health care reform proposals being batted around Congress right now would entail rationing health care services based on a patient’s ability to 'contribute more to the economy,' as Grassley claimed." Nor would such an idea ever pass muster in a democracy with universal health care. However, given the limited nature of the debate surrounding health care in the United States, it seems likely that unfounded arguments like Grassley's will continue to flourish. -- Daniel Tencer
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#1. To: Ada (#0)
(Edited)
Do you really believe that health care isn't being rationed now ?! Almost anyone who has had a serious medical crisis can tell you that HMOs and insurance companies are quite willing to refuse health care for purely financial reasons. When he was Governor of Texas, Dubya even signed a bill enabling hospitals to pull the plug - even on conscious patients - if the prognosis looked unpromising and the insurance had run out (and this was supposed to be an upgrade from the previous Texas hospital practice!). In fact, just about every healthcare professional rations care - although they may not call it that and may not admit to it without a few drinks first. There are patients for whom the nurses will walk, not run. There are patients for whom the doctor spares only a minimal amount of time. There are patients who never get past the waiting room no matter what their complaint is. Now a govt program, for a government that doesn't have to (and doesn't plan to) show a profit at the end of the year, is less likely to refuse coverage or care for financial considerations.
The GOPers "jumped the shark" on end-of-life health care with the Terri Schiavo fiasco of 2005. That particular incident hamstrung Bush's second term before he even got Social Security privatization thrown back in his face. You have to admire how these insurance company whores will take any anecdote, whether it fits into a consistent policy argument or not, throw it up against the wall of cacophonous "debate" and see if it sticks. I don't know what the "solution" is to any of this. Dying of a massive heart attack in one's sleep looks very good to me. But I know what the insurance industry wants — a continued monopolization of making profits off the diseased and dying. Government health care deliberately does NOT make a profit. This is one more area in which the "free trade/free market as religion" crowd has won, whether their arguments have any logical basis or not. The good thing about a dumbed-down population is that it can be easily swayed by the side with the most money in any debate.
“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” - Sam Houston
I don't care, I'm still against it!
I don't care, I'm still against it! Boy, they're really pulling out all the stops to sell this turkey, aren't they?
Go tell that to the people in Canada, Britain, and France. Go peddle your Obamacrap somewhere else.
"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976 The purpose of the legal system is to protect the elites from the wrath of those they plunder.- Elliott Jackalope
nb: Congress is exempt from the single payer proposal. Just as they are exempt from most all legislation that they pass on to we proles.
Unfortunately, that isn't true. As the history of ALL Communist countries will show, the people in power were not subject to the same rules and regulations as the peons. Even in non-communist countries that have socialized health care, those at the top of the food chain have access to care that those at the bottom do not have. As the saying goes, some animals are more equal than other animals.
"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976 The purpose of the legal system is to protect the elites from the wrath of those they plunder.- Elliott Jackalope
Utter BS.
And that is different from non communist countries just how?
"Satan / Cheney in "08" There is NO Utopia. There have always been the "haves" and the "have nots", that will never change. The have nots always get their asses kicked regularly by the haves, thats history.
The difference is that in non-communist countries, the lack of equality between classes within a society is (mostly, but not entirely) a natural evolution, as cream always rises to the top, whereas in communist nations, equality is artificially created by those in charge of the government using the force of government to making everyone equal (but themselves). That's how I see it anyway. The fact that the U.S. and other modern governments use their power to try and force equality among the masses does not make my hypotenuse incorrect, instead it means that they are quasi-communist. This can also be proven by comparing the Communist Manifesto with the laws passed and goals being pursued by modern governments.
"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976 The purpose of the legal system is to protect the elites from the wrath of those they plunder.- Elliott Jackalope
this is true. we've adopted all ten planks.
Is this a campaign to turn the coservatives toward universal healthcare? There are many people who support the death of Ted Kennedy.
I was wondering that myself. It might sway a few, it's very tempting.
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that its people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms....The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson
Clean needles.
Anti-racism is code for white genocide
Hmmmmmmm.....do you think they will sweeten the deal with Sen. Dodd? When the dupes in DC were considering a tax on plastic surgery, I imagined Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi banding together in a bi-partisan front to protest. Oh the fury and outrage over the heafty bill owed to Uncle Sam by each of them if the plastic surgery tax passed. I think those two would surely sweeten the deal if death by universal healthcare were to gain some ground. : )
lol. now that is funny.
Well, I don't know but if they continue to sweeten the pot... Maybe. To be honest, if I woke to a great sucking sound and they all disappeared from the face of the earth I would not shed a tear. And the people would be better off.
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that its people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms....The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson
Clean needles. Well that is something. A little clorox goes a long way.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#2. To: Ada (#0)
#3. To: Ada (#0)
Grassley: Ted Kennedy would die if there was universal health care
#4. To: Sonovademocrat (#3)
Grassley: Ted Kennedy would die if there was universal health care
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
#5. To: Shoonra (#1)
Now a govt program, for a government that doesn't have to (and doesn't plan to) show a profit at the end of the year, is less likely to refuse coverage or care for financial considerations.
#6. To: Ada (#0)
#7. To: Ada (#0)
Grassley: Ted Kennedy would die if there was universal health care
#8. To: Shoonra (#1)
Now a govt program, for a government that doesn't have to (and doesn't plan to) show a profit at the end of the year, is less likely to refuse coverage or care for financial considerations.
#9. To: Hayek Fan (#7)
As the history of ALL Communist countries will show, the people in power were not subject to the same rules and regulations as the peons.
#10. To: tom007 (#9)
And that is different from non communist countries just how?
#11. To: tom007 (#9)
And that is different from non communist countries just how?
#12. To: Hayek Fan (#11)
This can also be proven by comparing the Communist Manifesto with the laws passed and goals being pursued by modern governments.
#13. To: Ada (#0)
Grassley: Ted Kennedy would die if there was universal health care
#14. To: abraxas (#13)
Is this a campaign to turn the coservatives toward universal healthcare? There are many people who support the death of Ted Kennedy.
#15. To: tom007 (#9)
And that is different from non communist countries just how?
#16. To: phantom patriot (#14)
I was wondering that myself. It might sway a few, it's very tempting.
#17. To: abraxas (#13)
Is this a campaign to turn the coservatives toward universal healthcare? There are many people who support the death of Ted Kennedy.
#18. To: abraxas (#16)
Hmmmmmmm.....do you think they will sweeten the deal with Sen. Dodd?
#19. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#15)
And that is different from non communist countries just how?
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