Rep. Alan Grayson and Ed Schultz Discuss the Public Option Act

[dac8555]

Anyone know what has happened to this bill?

[nefigaha]

Alan Grayson: congress' new best grandstander

[kidaok00]

Liberals hate the truth!? whats truth, that Jesus is going to come down and srike us all dead for supporting a bill that helps 30+million qualify for healthcare? is that your truth? wwjd? conservitives are so angry. i kinda like hearing speeches that dont include the words terrorism and evil doers over and over again. i kinda like that we are focusing on issues that we have in this country for once. this is kinda nice, no quick fix, just laying the groudwork. i am a very happy American.

[coffee396]

You know, I'm from Europe and I've been following this entire health care debate from close. I saw the teabaggers, the fox news pundits and many more, I was starting to think : these people are just plain stupid ! but than I read a comment like yours and my heart warms up, I just hope there's more of you out there, Why don't we see the smart ones like you on our tv's ?

[puddum]

We need more people like Grayson in congress.

[snarkwaupaca]

We need to ask democrats in safe liberal districts like mine why they are not like Grayson. I respect Liberal and Conservative democrats. I have no room for quiet weak democrats. Yeah, I'm looking at you Danny Davis.

[talllikelurchis]

LOL! Alan Grayson had to be put in a mental institution for his combative behavior when he worked for a law firm...He also "slapped a woman"........You think we need more whack jobs that going slapping woman in congress? This moron is in my district and believe me in person he is an complete arrogant asshole!

[puddum]

talllikelurchis needs to evaluate the credibility of his/her sources

[casteldredge]

this coming from a former aide of the opposition of his 2008 campaign..... sounds like a solid source right?

oh yeah, did you hear that john mccain fathered an illegitimate black baby?

[casteldredge]

@talllikelurchis aaaand even if it were all true..... then what? is health care reform bad based on this? i dont see the relevance. stick to the issues and wash your hands, there's shit on em.

[casteldredge]

@talllikelurchis One thing Conservatives love.....Flinging Sh#&!

[talllikelurchis]

One thing Liberals hate........The Truth!

[coffee396]

One thing GOPs hate ........ black people

[talllikelurchis]

when Grayson had just turned thirty and while working for the Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson law firm, he spent time in the Psychiatric Institute of Washington. What the cause of this stay ,Grayson was extremely combative with fellow employees, including slapping a female intern in the face.

[Spentastic]

What did the hand say to the face?

SLAP!!!

[TheMia168]

@tallikelurchis:  That's what you need! A good slap in the face! Stop talking trash.

[talllikelurchis]

@TheMia168 One thing Liberals hate the most........THE TRUTH!

[captcrais101]

@talllikelurchis

Is that why conservatives are rewriting american history text books with no mention of Thomas Jefferson because they support the truth. BULL SHIT!!

[snarkwaupaca]

And at 30 Bush was a coke hound, Did that disqualify him from service in your mind?

[talllikelurchis]

At least Bush was man enough to not to bully a woman around..Alan Grayson is nothing but a pussy......Alan Grayson wouldn't dare to slap a real man.....because Alan Grayson isn't man enough to do so!

[PackCat]

Grayson would make a great president.

[ascend555]

True. What a great ticket he and Ralph Nader would make!!! True leaders!!

[PackCat]

Only problem is that the Corporate employees of Congress would never go along with their pie in the sky ideas.

[TheArsenalfc101]

@PackCat thankfully, he got axed from political life....What an idiot not even close to being a good presidential candidate, the only good thing he's done is his Audit the Fed bill with Ron Paul and his foreign policy is actually decent. He knows fuck all about economics and doesn't understand what people's rights really are.

[Yayoballer]

@TheArsenalfc101 do yourself a favor and do research before you post baseless bs, look at the business he started, look at what he did for 3 years before law school a hint is starts with an e and ends in omist. I guess you are for war profiteer's going unchecked too.

[mmlrpp]

You should know that Medicare A,B,C, doesn't have drug coverage and Medicare D does with a $4000 deductible (called the Doughnut hole). Ask your family members on Medicare. This is in addition to your premiums. Also you are responsible for Co- Pays and 20% of any equipment you may need. (oh yes tax on med equipment in the bill). Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy private insurance? But if your poor you will be subsidized so how will this help our debt? Short answer make it easy to buy private ins

[finerbiner]

If you are in support of this, then your argument is great. People would, and should buy the least expensive and most beneficial insurance. Come on private ins co's, blow away medicare. this is only true competition though, if both have access to all the same customers . Thus a public option.

[mmlrpp]

No Private. Without boundaries where it can be sold. The government plan will be 125/ month with 4000 pharmaceutical deductible. So 6000/year you will be required to pay. Think it can't happen? Ask someone on Medicare over 65 and Social Sercurity. ie my mom and dad each pay this.(12000/yr) An HSA is a savings account with only 2600 out of pocket a year. Thats a no brainer and the Republican Plan. For some reason no one is telling you this. GOOGLE "HSA average deductable"

[finerbiner]

I'm all for selling across state lines. But, only with some rules, and that is the problem. Who makes them. We cannot have it be a race to the bottom. Which is what it will turn in to if it is left totally up to the states. One state(that wants ALL the ins co's operating out of their state) will allow anything. Solve that issue and I think you got a winner. Any ideas?

[mmlrpp]

I think the plan should be clear on what they cover and which doctors are on their list. There should be some standard minimum coverage. (none of these door to door sales and rip offs) Once the competition starts people weed out the overpriced plans. The price will fall similar to Cell phone or Sat/Cable TV plans. It cannot just be price but product. Again I am not for forcing anyone to buy insurance. and not the Govt. medicare.

[kellythesinger]

Congressman Greyson is the Steven Segal of the Congress.

No one is Above the Law.

[amimouni]

Grayson President!

[Screenman5]

I still have a hard time forgiving Chris Matthews for the weay he treated Sen. Grayson on ther issue of reconciliation - esp. now that so many are saying that reconciliation is a viable reality. I would really love to know who put Matthews up to that hatchet job. Cant trust Matthews 100% ever again.

[finerbiner]

Why? For having an opinion that is probably right. If you want group think, join a church. Politics is supposed to be volatile.

[Screenman5]

Politics is supposed to be volitile? Who are you? A brownshit or a blackshirt?

[finerbiner]

I'm a student of history. Tell me a time in American history when the politics was not volatile and I will retract.. By the way, WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE mr brownshit. For the record, Matthews is right about reconciliation.

[witbcoedus]

Brilliant in its simplicity. This is 'the' example of a great solution to a real problem.

[teleutube]

Public Option Act = The OPTION to buy the Government's Medicare Insurance AT COST.

True competition, true capitalism,

What a deal !

However, The force of the private insurance industry's lobbying is too strong...on this one.

[optimisticinal]

Alan Grayson for President.

[celestialsalamander]

when i first sore/heard Ed i thought he be conservitive. i'm not sure why.

[urgk]

(cont.) to ignore my conscience and help "cheat people a little" and I'd "stand to make serious bank." The more I went on about it, about how I could "learn to bend my conscience a little" and maybe earn myself an SUV" and asked to be put in touch with their investor relations, the more the operator's voice got shaky. She knew what they were doing was wrong. They all do.

[urgk]

(cont.) I can't switch companies or policies because of the elevated cholesterol. So, I pay United more than a smoker my age with better coverage. And have no option to switch. And they have the power to do that, why? Because I had the audacity to move to a state with LOWER average cost of care.

At one point, I became so frustrated trying to explain it to United over the phone that I started asking how I could get in on the money-making. I told the operator that all I had to do was....

[urgk]

Rep. Grayson,

I'd like to add my story to the mountain you've already heard. I'm 37, and in good health except for high cholest., which I'm treating with diet and exercise. When I moved states, my health premium tripled. Tripled. I have to pay United what a smoker my age would pay for a $500 deductible on a new policy. Because I moved from another state. According to a letter from United, my cost should go down because I'm moving to a lower avg. cost area...

[Textynn]

Go Alan Go ED.

[DFM3333]

Congressman Grayson is a blessing to America. He is an absolutely genius. He is the best public servant since Allard Lowenstein started the STOP THE WAR movement. We are ready for November with a STOP THE GOP movement. College kids and baby boomers can work together to get rid of the GOP. They don't care about us.

[mrmagoo662]

@thesoothsayers If you think for one minute that not passing a single payer bill, then you're more ignorant than you sound. Why is it that 48,000 Americans die every year from not having any type of health care. They don't have health care because they can't afford it. Single payer allows everyone affordable health care. Your writings or the ramblings of a right wing moon bat. You site one case outside the US but thousands who die because without insurance mean nothing to you?

Peace Bitches!!!

[ddm584]

wow i hate you fucking douche

[SensibleFella]

Leave it to a neophyte like Grayson to come up with still yet another extension of a failed Government program. It's not enough for Grayson and Obama that Medicare is broke, Medicaid is broke, Post Office is broke, Amtrak is broke, Veterans Affairs is broke...and this liberal progressive nitwit suggests expansion.

Leave it to Progressive Liberals to break the economy on the backs of American people while ripping them of jobs and opportunity. Grayson, Obama, and the rest, out next election.

[zacky89]

Before you just go out and say its broke, you should ask why is it broke, Medicare Part D Do you know what happened to Medicare Part D deal with corporate america 80 Billion cut. You just blabbering do the research tell me which congressman who made a deal with big Pharma, and Obama who himself made a deal with Pharma to only sell expensive medication. Dont be stupid this is not Liberal or Republican but the Country.

[MasterFhyl]

God I hope so... Our country can't take much more of this.

[notovertheedge]

my most favorite story regarding our health system, is actually relating to Sarah Palin and how her family used to cross into Canada to take advantage of inexpensive health care there. hmmm...what does that say about our system?

[Roninlord25a]

i am paying $143 pre week out of my paycheck for shit insurance. I would rather buy into the medicare at cost

[TwoRials]

Obama does not want public option. Why dont you get it? How many times would it take to realize that all he does is giving great speech as Hillary reminded us during campaign?  And we all dismissed her.

[EcrossH]

Grayson is the fucking man. This is what elected leaders should act like.

[Aslapacrosstheface]

He might be America's best, but he's still pretty average in my opinion.

[CrippledRetardo]

Yeah, sadly this is the best America can produce right now, but you're from Benin, so who the fuck cares what you think? You're Country's a piece of shit.

[Aslapacrosstheface]

I'm not actually from Benin.

[CrippledRetardo]

Where are you from? The United Kingdom?

[Smartassawhip]

Keep fighting for us Grayson.

[theycallmebobFOO]

Is this really a good idea? This seems like a bad idea, but I don't know much about politics or health care.

[wdgeo]

its a GREAT idea.

[theycallmebobFOO]

Well why did it take them so long to think of it?

[MyTemporaryAccount88]

I'd like to see the CBO score the Public Option Act. Younger people into Medicare = lower cost for the average patient, but since they will pay the premium of the average patient, they will help balance the budget.

I can't see any possible way that this bill wouldn't reduce the deficit, the question is just how much it will reduce it.

Also, I'd like to see polling done on how many people support the Senate bill if the Public Option Act is passed alongside it or not. My guess it'd raise the %.

[trime1851]

Rep. Grayson didn't discuss how the government would pay for everyone being on Medicare.

I guess we should have the Federal Reserve and Treasury just create more money with accounting entries. While they are at it how about a $1 million "Citizen Bonus" for every verifiable American Citizen?

[adadand]

Grayson says "open up Medicare for anyone who is willing to pay for it"- and you ask how government will pay for it...? Either pay attention or STFU

[trime1851]

Its obvious that if someone can't afford health insurance they aren't going to be able to buy Medicare. I suggest that in the future you think before you write!

[adadand]

For the Last time- Grayson says "open up Medicare for anyone who is willing to pay for it"

This is not free insurance for the poor, it's an option for... ready? "anyone who is willing to pay for it". Why is that so hard to understand?

[trime1851]

adadand - Here's where the believable vs the baloney are contrasted.

Medicare was projected to spent around $600 billion in 2009. There are about 39.5 million people 65 and over in the US. So the true cost of Medicare is over $15,000 per person annually - $60,000 for a family of four.

Is that $15,000 the figure Rep. Grayson is talking about, or is it some lesser subsidized amount?

And if it is a lesser subsidized amount, how will the bill be paid?

THINK!!

[adadand]

It's not free and it's not subsidized- people who opt in would pay the cost of the coverage- it does not require any federal expenditure.

Again- why is this so hard for you to understand?

[trime1851]

adadand - I understand what he said but I don't believe it.

How many uninsured people, many with low incomes would be able to pay $15,000 per person or $60,000 to purchase health insurance for a family of four?

Would you buy it?

[trime1851]

The numbers came from Wikipedia. The total expenditures are from the Medicare article.  The number of 65 and over people is from the US Census article.

This is not a "stand-alone" issue. It is a part of the larger health care mess.

[adadand]

The question is not where the numbers came from but whether you understand their significance and how to use them. The way you have stumbled on understanding the simple bill Grayson has introduced make me think you probably can't/don't.

[trime1851]

adadand - Please re-read my previous responses and think about it.

[yes4me]

What you talking about is medicaid. We are talking about medicare for people who can afford it and want another insurance choice.

[trime1851]

Not correct. Go to Wikipedia and look at the medicare article.

[romanmir01]

Are you incapable of listening to someone presenting a point without any visual aid?

AT COST - he said subscribe to Medicare at cost. Which means: whatever it costs to Medicare, pay that, but nothing goes to any profit.

[trime1851]

Yes I listen to the posts, but I also think and decide what is believable and what is baloney.

[yes4me]

"How many uninsured people, many with low incomes would be able to pay $15,000 per person or $60,000 to purchase health insurance for a family of four?"

Again, so what? This is just another health care for more competition. You are obviously missing the point of this insurance. I also think and decide that what you say is baloney.

[trime1851]

You don't know what the health care issue is about!

[jeremyshambles]

well done mr grayson, thanks for all you do, take care

[Aiden057]

Single payer -- everyone in, no one left out.

[gamerzieg3211]

why don't they let insurance companies sell across state lines instead of limiting them. Wouldn't that create competition and drive down cost? I think public option would be a great idea if the government could run it better then they do other government runned places

[TrollBuster9090]

"sell across state lines."

Both bills provide for that. The Senate bill (HR3590 section 1333) allows individual states to make compacts for selling policies across state lines. The House bill (HR3962) creates a national healthcare exchange that would be accessible to everybody in the country, thus allowing ppl to buy policies across state lines without violating state laws on minimum standards.

[gamerzieg3211]

I believe it wont solve the problems though for America.

[p4h10oso]

Indian Health Service has been providing healthcare to Native Americans for 75 years and we are the unhealthiest of all Americans on every measure. That is what single payer government healthcare will get you. Wake the fuck up America!

[TrollBuster9090]

@p4h10oso

Um..no, for an example of what single payer government healthcare will get you, see Norway, Japan, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Portugal, Canada and the Netherlands. Healthcare that's as good or better than healthcare for insured Americans at half the cost to the GDP, while leaving nobody uncovered.

Those are examples of what GOOD government programs look like. Government is not the problem. BAD government is the problem.

[keggerous]

i think it has more to do with the fact that native americans are also the poorest americans. look at hawaii which has a government run health system... they have nothing but good things to say. look at canada, also i hear nothing but good things. medicare has been doing a great job with 1/8 the pop so far. why not expand?

[mrmagoo662]

If you want free everything without paying or working, just kill yourself. The republicans say that everyone buying in to medicare would be too expensive. Well, the way that insurance works is, when you have everyone buying in to insurance from one place, that spreads the risk over a very large group making it cheaper and more affordable. If you listen to the right wing and teabaggers, then you my friend, need to be thinned from the herd.

Peace Bitches!!!

[thesoothsayers]

OH, you mean like Canada where it took my friend 18 months to have an operation on her brain cancer and now, because she had to wait so long, she is disabled because it spread so much and her eyes go both ways. You mean like in Texas where they instituted tort reform, insurance rates went up 20%? Insurance and drug companies wrote this bill. None of you have read it, you are the retards and fools. You deserve what you are going to get, SCREWED.

[AsSomedayItMayHappen]

Are you sure it didn't take her eighteen months to RECOVER from surgery?

Anyway, thats so rare its not even worth using as an example of Canada's health care system. Out of all of the things that there are two complain about it Canada, healthcare is not one of them.

[thesoothsayers]

I want to quit working, I want free healthcare and I want to stop paying taxes. I am fed up with working. It is time that the government take care of everybody with free healthcare, pay for no work and free housing and food. That is what everybody wants.

[lmcdowall]

@thesoothsayers You are a retard.

[keggerous]

no we just dont want healthcare to be dished out based on wealth and class.

[smashbeans]

i dont have any money! medicare should be FREE!

[amberview30]

It is for those without any money or really, really low income.

[MrSalamander7]

This idea that people need the option to reject nationalized healthcare and submit to company care is wholly false and the Left needs to point that out. Nationalized healthcare does SO MUCH better it's not even debatable.

[badtown88]

At least one democrat in congress has a pair.

[m3llyH3r01n3]

If there are people that feel this option is the best for them, then they have the right to do so. In my opinion, Medicare does not solve the core issue which includes these million dollar drug companies and the public basically being forced to take "generic" drugs that don't help them at all because the drug cost is still to high even with government help. Not to mention half of these FDA approved drugs harm more then help the people. Who will really care for us?

[myrelative]

I don't understand how he can be so reasonable and such a partisan hack at the same time

[pjvaz30]

Forget Obama that Wall street hoax. Grayson's right. Medicare is the most efficient network in place for reasonably affordable health care. It's the "public option". So long as it is only that, an option.

[CognosSquare]

Grayson is the best man a democrat or republican can vote on. He'll fix the nuts and bolts so everyone else can safely sit on top and argue about friggin "drilling in alaska" or what not.

[cjose24]

Grayson. You are getting 100 dollars from me for your campaign. My republican party is destroying America and we need someone to get things done.

[tooltalk]

@cjose24: I don't think you are a republican.

[cjose24]

Many people don't think Ron Paul is not a republican yet he is the most likable speaker at the CPAC.

Republicans hav lost track on what fiscally responsible means. My republican representatives have sold themselves and can no longer represent the people in my state or any other state.

I am a republican.

[MasterFhyl]

Ron Paul is NOT a Republican, he's a Libertarian, bordering on anarchist. And a Kook to boot. It's funny how trendy it's become to support Ron Paul, most people have no clue what he stands for they just like him because everyone else does.. Seriously it's almost worse than Obama. And I say that as a slightly Conservative Libertarian.

[Kilsburydohboy]

@MasterFhyl

Since when is Ron Paul an anarchist, I don't see how you can take his views that far.

[MasterFhyl]

@Kilsburydohboy Anarchy is Libertarianism taken to the extreme. And i didnt say he was an Anarchist, I said he was a borderline anarchist. I would like to clarify that I do not feel that anarchy is necessarily an inherently bad thing.. I find it preferable to the tyrany certain politicians.. Such as this ass aretrying to enact for us. Hope that cleared things up.

[Kilsburydohboy]

@MasterFhyl

Right, and which political statements are you referring to when calling libertarians anarchists?

[celestialsalamander]

libertarians have more in common with anarchists, then sosialist have with comunistds.

[Kilsburydohboy]

@celestialsalamander

Just because we're more like them, doesn't mean we're super close to anarchists.

[theendofconfusion]

Way to go Grayson! So glad to know there's someone on our side.

[TheAmazingAtheist]

Grayson for emperor!

[supahliberal]

@TheAmazingAtheist yeah man! glad to see that some influential people on the web actually watch these vids. it's a shame that these politicians dont get more subscibers, if people knew what they stood for they could vote them in or out while being more informed.

[m3llyH3r01n3]

Medicare is still failing our seniors, I don't see how it could help the people without being revised. What the people want is less government involvement, though I would not say the insurance companies are any better, but there has to be a balance to ensure the safety and quality of care given.

[hellshade2]

less goverment involvement can be good and bad with healthcare, also insurers do not have your best interest at heart. the only thing they want is your money and to keep as much of it as possible. people keep talking about "goverment death panels" but what exactly are the insurers doing when they deny claims or won't insure because of a pre existing condition. or drop you if you have cancer and they don't want to pay regardless if you've paid your premium on time...

[hellshade2]

just saying there is no balance whether it's goverment or health insurer....

[cheeseleader09]

@TheAmazingAtheist hi

[TheJamesPope]

much agreed

[harvey101107]

Grayson doesn't take shit from anyone and isn't full of shit like so many people in DC. I wish more people like him were around, I'm so sick of this "lesser of two evils" mentality people have when it comes to electing officials.

[malibuhur12]

Medicare is broke though?

[davematherly]

Medicare, AS IS, is only paid for by people WHO CAN'T GET IT.

Duh.... Wonder why its broke?

If millions of Americans PAID INTO IT, it wouldn't be broke.... !!!

Gee, easy how that works, you sometimes just have to stop and THINK

[MegaVolcano]

@davematherly; Also the other reason Medicare is broke is the fact that everytime Washington wants to spend money on something they either take the money form Medicare, or cut Medicare. So I agree with you, if we all paid into it we would have enough for everybody.

[jotunobsidianeyes]

No, actually it ran a surplus. Congress just spent the money on other things. So above all else they should make it illegal for congress to use that money for things other than Medicare.

[TheMetalPerson]

Jotunobsidianeyes, bottom line is that congress spent the money. Its gone. They're broke.

Keep on trusting big government and then pointing fingers and coming up with excuses.

We'll do it right next time!! Right?

[malibuhur12]

@jotunobsidianeyes Maybe it makes more sense to not give the govt any money at all, seeing how they always decide to use it on other things then what it was collected for? It's weird that in Lasik Eye Surgery, there is no govt, no insurance and prices always go down and quality always goes up. I want that system for all of healthcare.

[TrollBuster9090]

False equivalence.

The reason things like laser eye surgery and dental care go down in price is because they are optional services. Cancer treatment, heart bypass, kidney transplant, hip replacement etc. are not.

Any service that people can live without (literally) with nominal inconvenience will have downward pressure on price. When you get into life and death situations (armed forces, fire and police dept, paramedics, medical care) the normal free market forces are distorted a little.

[TrollBuster9090]

Medicare isn't broke, just more expensive than it needs to be. The main reason is because it only insures the most expensive clients (the elderly, with the most health problems). Thus leaving the private HMOs to cherry pick the younger more profitable clients.

Allowing younger, healthier clients to buy into it will only drive the cost down.

Read this:

pnhp. org/publications/payingnotgett­ing. pdf

[classc63]

Gotta LOVE a Democrat with GUTS!!!!!!

[marniespeaks]

hero

[WhatsAfterThisPlace]

@pac106 stfu

[aznfootwork]

win. i like it. nice and simple. medicare for all. who doesn't like medicare? its a political 3rd rail.