Rep. Dennis Kucinich willing to cast the vote that kills health reform

Labels it a ‘bailout’ for the insurance industry

dennis-kucinich

Facing razor-thin margins in the House, Democratic leaders are hoping to convert the sole liberal who opposes their health care bill, but it seems they have their work cut out because he isn’t budging.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) on Monday defended his opposition to the proposal in an appearance on MSNBC’s Countdown With Keith Olbermann, citing as his central concern its lack of a robust public option to provide competition for insurance companies.

“This bill represents a giveaway to the insurance industry,” Kucinich said. “$70 billion dollars a year, and no guarantees of any control over premiums, forcing people to buy private insurance, five consecutive years of double-digit premium increases.”

The proposal the White House and Democrats are coalescing around comprises subsidies for lower-income individuals and a mandate that they purchase insurance. It also bans insurers from dropping sick people from their plans or denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions.

An ardent proponent of a single-payer or Medicare-for-all system, Kucinich reiterated his view that the current template offers private insurers “a version of a bailout” and predicted they’ll continue “socking it to consumers.”

“I told the president twice in two different meetings that I couldn’t support the bill if it didn’t have a robust public option and at least if it didn’t have something that was going to protect consumers from these rampant premium increases,” he added.

The Congressional Budget Office projected that the Senate bill, upon which the current version is closely based, will by 2019 extend coverage to roughly 31 million legal American residents while reducing the deficit by $132 billion.

Democrats and progressives consider Kucinich one of the more likely Congressmen to flip his “no” vote, as he favors a progressive health care overhaul and agrees with the broad principles behind the reform effort.

He voted against the narrowly-approved House legislation in November, which contained a public option but one that was weaker than progressives advocated for. The likely elimination of the provision altogether seems to make Kucinich’s vote all the more elusive.

The Ohio congressman left no doubt that he plans to oppose the bill again, even if he were to cast the swing-vote. “If that sounded like a no, you’re correct,” he told guest host Lawrence O’Donnell, declaring the effort was like “building on sand.”

Many Democrats and progressives insist that failing to pass health care reform would be politically disastrous for the party in the November midterm elections.

The congressman told Raw Story in January that Democrats “lost the initiative the minute that our party jumped into bed with the insurance companies.” He alleged that the proposals on the table would further escalate income inequality in the United States.

This video is from MSNBC’s Countdown, broadcast March 8, 2010.

Source: The Raw Story

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1 thought on “Rep. Dennis Kucinich willing to cast the vote that kills health reform”

  1. From: jacksmith – WorkingClass

    Dennis Kucinich http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfuFVm6QdPU

    Rep. Alan Grayson: HR4789 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy2Y5Uevisk

    WE THE PEOPLE OF The UNITED STATES – DEMAND!! an up or down vote on a Strong “GOVERNMENT-run” Public Option CHOICE!

    Every member of Congress that fails to openly declare a YES vote for a Strong “GOVERNMENT-run” Public Option CHOICE! before reconciliation or any other healthcare vote, will be branded a NO vote against the Public Option. And a NO! vote against the American People and the World.

    KNOW THIS!! We will RIP you from Office with such political ANGER! and BRUTALITY! that they will hear the Echoes of your parting screams for a 100 YEARS! You have a CHOICE! and AND SO DO WE. The PUBLIC OPTION!!

    The Public Option http://tinyurl.com/yfftf76 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj54bU0YYnk

    IGNORE THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AT YOUR PERIL!!

    TAKE THE VOTE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eob4GJSDKY

    A LINE IN THE SAND –

    Call your representatives and demand an answer. Do you or don’t you support a public option. Do you or don’t support democratic MAJORITY RULE! We DEMAND! to know.

    YOU! are dying and suffering needlessly every day http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/27055

    Why we need Government-run universal healthcare ASSURANCE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jng4TnKqy6A

    My Fellow Americans and People Of The World

    A strong Government-run MEDICARE like Public Option is STILL! CRITICAL!

    We have had a long hard struggle to find out what would be the BEST! that this congress and the Whitehouse could do to fix our highly dangerous, poor quality, most costly, and MOST! disgraceful healthcare delivery system in the world. It is clear that congress can do much more for the American people than what is proposed so far.

    It is clear that congress can pass a strong GOVERNMENT-run public option CHOICE. Available to everyone on day one. Expand Medicare and not levy any new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. LET THIS BE YOUR LINE IN THE SAND!

    Lastly, there can be NO! INDIVIDUAL MANDATES without a strong Government-run MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. Or the American people WILL! and SHOULD! revolt with an all out CIVIL WAR against congress and this Government.

    House and Senate progressives and the tri-caucuses should aggressively push for the inclusion of a strong Public Option, Medicare expansion, and no new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. If the obstructionist kill meaningful healthcare reform, it’s failure will be on the obstructionist heads. And they will be punished and replaced.

    WITHOUT A PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE, THIS BILL WILL KILL FAR MORE AMERICANS THAN IT WILL SAVE.

    What is proposed in the Senate compromised bill is the worst case scenario for health-care reform. It would shift trillions of taxpayer, public and private dollars into the hands of the private insurance industry (The single most costly, deadly and dangerous product sold in America). And it would compel by law millions of Americans to financially support this oxymoronic criminal enterprise. You cant have a individual MANDATE WITHOUT A STRONG PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE!

    You will have NO! realistic way of controlling cost and quality. Cost will continue soaring through the roof bleeding the American people dry, and KILLing our economy. And our quality of healthcare will continue to decline below our current ranking of “WORST! quality of healthcare delivery in the developed World”.

    From the very start, the American people have been crystal clear about what they wanted. And the American people are CORRECT!! They wanted a humane single payer system like the rest of the developed world has (HR676). Or at least a humane strong GOVERNMENT-run public option CHOICE!! This is what the American people gave the democrats control of the house, control of the senate, and control of the Whitehouse to do. Including at one time a SUPER MAJORITY in the Senate.

    Those of you that can, should prepare now to remove every member of congress that fails to support YOUR healthcare reform with a strong Public Option, Medicare expansion, and no new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. Run against them in teams if you have to. But take them out. And replace them with a strong single payer or PRO PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE candidate.

    Now! is the time to bring maximum pressure on your members of congress. Contact your representatives and spread the word.

    H1N1 IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION!

    I have to tell you now that the H1N1 virus is a man-made WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION! and TERROR! It is a WEAPONIZED version of a flu virus. It has swept the planet infecting millions. And causing a global pandemic that has killed tens of thousands, and injured millions.

    The H1N1 virus is the product of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! It was released in the U.S. in Texas in early January of last year, but not recognized until around April 2009 in California. The reason I know this is because when it came to America, it came to see me FIRST! How sweet…

    This was around the time the MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! assaulted the Whitehouse with all their devils deals to cripple and weaken YOUR! healthcare reform. Especially your right to have a single payer system like HR676 (Medicare For All) which most of you wanted.

    They don’t even want you to have your HUGE!!! compromise position of a strong government-run MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. To compete with their DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, MURDEROUS, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT PRODUCT (The single most costly, deadly and dangerous product sold in America).

    They also wanted to take away your rights to have your government meet it’s responsibility to use it’s full power to regulate, negotiate, and control drug cost, healthcare cost and quality. Something every other civilized country in the developed World has done for it’s people. Their Greed! moral degeneracy and lack of patriotism knows no bounds.

    Many of you will remember that before we knew about H1N1. I posted a open message to the President and Congress warning them to be vigilant about their health, and cautious about any medical advice they received. As I said then “they will not hesitate to try and hurt you”.

    The U.S. and the World have been under a BIOLOGICAL TERROR ATTACK! for over a year now. It is CRITICAL that We The People Of The United States take away control of our healthcare system from the GREED DRIVEN MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!

    For our own National security, and the security of the world.

    A Strong, government-run, MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. Available to everyone on day one, with the full unfettered power of the federal government to regulate, negotiate, and control cost and quality. Would be the most workable way to deal with this global crisis at this time. Including patent suspensions as needed for national security or the greater good.

    As an American I invite the peoples of the World to help us fix our healthcare crisis. And bring pressure on our government to meet it’s responsibility to protect global security by controlling, and removing the corrupting influence of GREED and the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT motivations from healthcare in the U.S. and around the World.

    I call on the governments of the World and the global intelligence community to track down these MASS MURDERERS, and bring them to justice. CONNECT THE DOTS! And be vigilant that they don’t slip in another viral strain on you under the cloak of H1N1 sequestration.

    Further, the proposed patent protection on biologic’s must be stripped from the US bill. And greatly shorten/restricted, or abolished completely. This is a grave danger to humanity and global security.

    We must be strong and insist that healthcare reform be done right for the American people. Or everyone loose’s.

    This is all I can say in a message post. I’ll try to find a way to tell you more later.

    God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings

    jacksmith – Working Class

    p.s. The so-called nominal H1N1 virus is designed in such a way as to make it more lethal to children and young adults. The medical community must be more vigilant of secondary bacterial infections in the young caused by H1N1. And remember, a viral infection is also a transfer of genetic code to you. Think about it, and be vigilant. 🙁

    MADAM SPEAKER, tells it like it is. 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S15BQgELDAQ

    We Want A Strong Government-Run Public Option NOW!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSdU4zKOgjs

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-U6RV8oTMU

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPIPxjLH0DQ

    The Voice Of TRUTH! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIyUVltB0F4&feature=player_embedded

    SHE’S BACK! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9-ktTz2Uw&feature=player_embedded

    http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/01/30/debbie-wasserman-schultz-senators-lied-about-supporting-public-option/

    http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/fixing-health-reform-through-the-reconciliation-sidecar-13-improvements-6-ways-to-save-money-4-important-benefits/

    http://firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/ma-voters-seek-more-and-faster-change-economy-jobs-top-concern-taxing-health-insurance-very-unpopular-poll-says/

    http://firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/ma-voters-seek-more-and-faster-change-economy-jobs-top-concern-taxing-health-insurance-very-unpopular-poll-says/

    Reply

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