Cynthia McKinney - Health Care Single Payer

[Orionx30]

Some people's prescriptions are 3,000 dollars a month. How many people must be taxed to cover just one person's RX for one month? Seriously...

Health Care can only be a right if you force Doctors and nurses to work. Therefore, they are slaves.

[Chidanandaji]

Americans have been lied to. I compiled a blog titled "Corporate Executives Deny 57 Million Americans Healthcare - by Bill Woollam" Just Google that.

The US health care system is one of the worst in the world and has been compromised by the US Administration, the Health Insurance and Management Offices, and American Medical Assoc.

Canada, Britain, France and Cuba have hassle free, debt-free, comprehensive, universal health plans where every citizen receives health care with no added costs

[orangedac]

Single payer is all about passing on your medical bill to some sucker down the line.

[CrowdPleeza]

Is a single payer system really the best system for a country as large as America's 300 million population? Single payer seems like it would be a big strain on the U.S gov't to cover that many people. Single payer seems to be better for smaller populated countries.

[thoughtsurfer1]

If people think we're going to get to the end of this century without single payer, they're saddly mistaken. Hey, Congress, stop fighting the future, SINGLE PAYER NOW!

[forwardmover]

Vote for me and I will take care of you! At least she is honest and direct. Not sure about the scarf.

[stonecoldjason]

like she took care of that cop slapped him lol

[torremalku]

I voted for her in 2008!

[stonecoldjason]

i'm white vote for obama now wish i would had voted for her or ron paul been dem all my life, won;t vote con 3rd party for me now

[funincluded]

I would love to hear what turned you against Obama after 6 months in office.

Did you think he would turn the economy around, end the wars, fix the roads, improve education and cure H1N1 by now?

Get over yourself.

[stonecoldjason]

voted dem all my life, but tired of dems after the 06 election they have no backbone hoped they would at least investigate the bush crime family but they did nothing. so i voted for obama because of health care

I got parkinson diease, health care is my #1 concern right now, did not like mccain view point because he wanted people to go out and get there own health care. well nobody wil insured me.

then i wanted single payer and now that is out

then there was public option now that is out,

[funincluded]

You think this is Obama's fault?

This is the bickering of the fringe party currently known as the Republicans.

They will win back some seats this election (because that is how it always goes after a presidential election)- but they will die out soon

Independents are not attracted to this Palin type bullshit.

Don't give up on the Dems- this is a huge issue with a lot of money behind it... that spells problems in US politics

[stonecoldjason]

obama should not be seeking bipartinshhip he ought ti use the nuke option and go with majority of votes not 2/3 vote. obama ought to do like bush did yse them singing statements and have public option put it in

[funincluded]

The problem with that is that democrats running right races in conservative districts need to watch out for how they vote.

If they're seen as being too liberal or adding to the deficit, they'll loose

...or rather, they will vote against it.

This isn't just a political landscape where you can just "vote democrat" in the senate. Politicians are voting based on what will bode well in their representative areas

[stonecoldjason]

They need to do like karl rove did in texas and other state when the CONS was in

power and that is rezone the districts to make a more even playing field.

used to the river behind my farm was the deviding line between the 3rd and 4th district in the county now they change it to a county why with you guess it the rich on one side poor to middle class on the other side just enough to split there votes

[stonecoldjason]

with these two options off the table obama ought to veto it. all it would do now is to give big health insurance companies more money

right now I'm using my sick leave from work to pay for my health insurance. I'm having to apply for disability because after my time runs out blue cross blue shield is going to drop me. they have already denied me treatments that I need

I did give obama a chance. I'm white livng in a all white community, everyone else supported for mccain. I even stood up for hi

[funincluded]

I expect minor reform this election.

As far as "pre-existing conditions" type issues goes, expect the Dems to get that done in the coming months. They even have the support moderate republicans on that issue.

I think that if you looked into it, even some fringe Republicans will admit that is an issue that on the fore-front of any kind of reform.

[stonecoldjason]

3rd I even stood up for him when others in the church I go to said that he was a mulims. I said that no one has the right to question anothers christianity. Obama says he is a christian we have to accept it.

I still support him, but now tired of the DEMS including obama not standing up toe the CONS in the senate.

[robert0380]

I voted against her after she went nuts on the security guard and then tried to make it a race issue. I used to like her but now I can't listen to anything she has to say even if it does make sense. But for the record, I strongly appose the government taking over health care. See medicare for reasons why.

[funincluded]

People love medicare, even republicans admit it's a great program and simply requires a change in its funding.

The government isn't going to take over healthcare, that's a ridiculously ignorant thing to say.  It's not like doctors will go to special medical schools, different from what they go to now.

The government isn't going to administer healthcare. What is going to happen is the government is going to fund an insurance program and offer it as a more affordable option.

[InPursuitPictures]

That's like saying AIG is a GREAT business but just needs a change in funding - Great businesses don't bankrupt themselves. The logic doesn't follow. A great program is not great if a major portion of it is inherently flawed and not to mention borderline unconstitutional.

Of course people love the program!! They are getting more money out of it than they paid into it....Everyone loves a high ROI...Just ask Bernie Madoffs clients how they felt about his fund 3-4 years ago!

[funincluded]

The fact that they like it shows that the medical care they are getting is on par with American standards of healthcare.

If you can't appreciate that, no wonder you think in the cliche conservative 'black and white' terms:

Either it's perfect, or you get rid of it!

...No, sorry mate. The world doesn't work that way

[InPursuitPictures]

You sidestepped my entire argument to say that in your opinion "people love medicare" because they are getting healthcare that is on par with their own personal standards? My contention can be proven factually while yours relies on other individuals personal standards ( you may be right for many and only wrong for a few, but making that blanket statement makes you look foolish)

I am happy for others when they find what they are looking for whether its a career or health care, doesn't matter.

[funincluded]

I "sidestepped" your argument, huh?

Your contention isn't proven factually because you are taking an opinion "it's flawed" and pretending it's a fact.

...and the government isn't planning on taking over healthcare. This is an insurance issue, not a re-vamping of the way healthcare provided

[InPursuitPictures]

This was my statement "They are getting more money out of it than they paid into it....Everyone loves a high ROI"

The first part IS factually accurate, the second is not. Although I cannot imagine an individual disliking the fact that they are getting a great ROI, but I will allow for the possibility that there are some twisted individuals out there who would rather make a poor investment than a good one...I stand corrected

[InPursuitPictures]

Certainly the conservative modus operandi is not that of destroying everything that is imperfect; nor would I consider myself a conservative.(strike 2)

There are however times one must think (and act) in "black and white terms" Often this is the case when running a business. If your company is (nearly) BANKRUPT you cannot continue as you have been, but must immediately change your course so as to save your business from ruin. You cannot steal money from others to keep afloat; you MUST change!

[InPursuitPictures]

Additionally I am aware that the government will not be administering health care, they will simply take over the roll of determining what care can be administered. Now to have this as an option for those who are not insured is something I am OK with (so long as they pay their own way - I.E. not funded by taxpayers), but to force it on the uninsured or the insured would be unconscionable.

[funincluded]

I stopped reading your comment after I reached the part where you said "they will simply take over the roll of determining what care can be administered"

as that isn't correct at all

Why would you even consider being misinformed a viable option when conducting a discussion on any subject?

There is no audience here, so there is no one to mislead.

[InPursuitPictures]

Once again you skipped over a portion of my argument, specifically the sarcasm laced first post in which I again clarify the difference between fact and opinion for you.

The government may well decide that ALL health care can and will be administered, but this does not mean they are not making the decision.

Again your logic doesn't follow here. Does the US Postal Service operate in a significantly different manor than Fed Ex? Why would government not operate similarly to a private business?

[funincluded]

I told you why I skipped over your dumb comment.

If you are going to insist that the government will be running healthcare, you are gravely mistaken.

If you want to show me that I am wrong, please show me a bill currently being considered that states that

1. hospitals will be controlled by the government

2. doctors will be micromanaged in some significant way

3. that the government will have the power to decide what operations individuals will be allowed to have etc

[InPursuitPictures]

I think it is funny that you resort to calling my statement dumb; there is no need to say anything other than "I was wrong" when you're in fact wrong.

That said, I agreed with you that the government will not be "Running Healthcare" So far as they are not controlling hospitals or doctors directly, just as insurance companies are not. If the government is to innitiate single payer that means they will be replacing the insurance companies. See my post below RE: How will they operate differently?

[funincluded]

For someone who DEMANDS their entire post be addressed, you sure don't oblige yourself to do the same.

I asked you a very specific question. Instead, you started talking about single payer systems.

I apologize if you found my use of the word "dumb" to be offensive. I find it a pretty low key word.

[InPursuitPictures]

I thought I was pretty thorough in addressing all of your bullet points, I agreed on the first two and disagreed on the last one. I left you with a question you still have yet to answer.

This video is a proponent of single payer although the trend is leaning toward a public option, please reread my comments on this.

Your "Dumb" statement was not offensive, it just caught me off guard, I didn't expect you to resort to name calling, I thought you might be able to hold a reasonable discussion.

[swickotine]

my god this bitch is stupid

[kswatcher]

What is your life worth to the government? Are you a useless eater? Is it cost effective to repair your grandmother's broken hip? Is it cost effective to provide lifetime insulin and care to diabetics? Is it cost effective to treat your cancer if the survivial outcome is only 50%? Is this all very similar to Hitler's "era of austerity" program? Is it ok to give trillions to the banksters and corps. for bailouts and then pretend that providing you with healthcare is the problem?

[healthmusic]

Good going Cynthia, you may have my vote in 2012

[bpartoens]

Ms McKinney had/has some great ideas about not only health care but foreign policy. It is a shame she did was not allowed to debate the other canidates. We need to reform our 2 party system (face it they are the same bird, just different wings). Thanks for your effort Ms. McKinney.

[migkillertwo]

Ms. McKinney, now that you have appealed to an authority to establish that universal single-payer healthcare is the best option, can I ask you what sort of expertise a medical doctor would have in, say, constitutional law or fiscal policy?

[vietnamd0820]

Why would a doctor need expertise in either?

[migkillertwo]

because we have to figure out whether a single-payer healthcare system is either

A: Fiscally responsible or

B: Constitutional.

[vietnamd0820]

When health care is run as a business, which it is here in the US, profit comes first. Ask any businessman, and he'll tell you making a profit is the #1 priority for any business.

That's why big business needs to be removed from providing health care, so that patients' needs come first.

[KabaneTheChristian]

Dude, PLEASE learn about the free market. Free market health care means that businessmen can only make a profit if they deliver the BEST possible service to consumers. Imagine if insurance costs 100 dollars. There are three businesses. One gives horrible care, one gives okay health care, and one gives the best. The people will buy the best insurance. Therefore, to make a profit, you need to provide the best possible insurance at lower prices than your competitors. Markets WORK!

[vietnamd0820]

Small problem, no business man will give away a service for free. Some services, like health care, need to be provided for free so that all people can have access to the service.

Sanitation and fire departments are examples of services that are already provided for free by the government. If the free market is so great, should sanitation and fire departments be privatized too? Should someone's garbage be collected only if they can afford what a privatized sanitation company is charging?

[Kabane52]

Government isn't free either. It is paid through taxes. And by the way, Britain has a deficit of about 10% of GDP. Even if you taxed the income of the rich at 100%, that does not come close to paying for a deficit of 10% of GDP. Plus, raising taxes on the rich, who own the businesses, leads them to cut jobs and wages, hurting the middle class.

Furthermore, I have proposed a health voucher, which would provide basic health care for free while retaining free market principles and benefits.

[vietnamd0820]

btw, i voted for Cynthia, and proud of it...i'd rather vote for something i want and not get it, than to vote for something i don't want and get it...Obama and McCain's pro-corporate health care policies, as well as their desire to continue the "war on terror", are precisely the policies i DON'T want

[vietnamd0820]

Thank you Cynthia for arguing for single payer...no one questions the logic of socialized fire departments or sanitation...when a house goes on fire, fire figthers don't ask the home owner for a payment before they put out the fire...sanitation workers don't ask for payment before they pick up our trash...an essential service like health care needs to be treated the same way

[Kabane52]

Firefighting is organized on a local level. It is not single payer. Single payer firefighting would be like the federal government managing fire departments. Single payer has been shown to cause long waiting times. In Canada, 27% of the population has waited over four months for key surgery, compared to 5% in the US. In Britain, 20% of colon cancer victims die because of the long waiting times caused by single payer. We need health vouchers.

[vietnamd0820]

Regardless of whether firefighting is organized on a local level or the federal level, my point is that the government pays for the service.

[KabaneTheChristian]

You totally ignored my point about waiting times and death. The idea of local governments or state governments organizing a service is contrary to the definition of SINGLE payer, where a single entity pays for all services. Anyways, you addressed none of my statistics.

[KabaneTheChristian]

That's the POINT. These countries cannot afford those doctors, they already have massive, unsustainable deficits because of their health system. They cannot spend more. Did you know that 75% of those uninsured get insurance within three months? And that only 2% of Americans are uninsured for more than three years? It's true. On top of that, a health voucher policy would grant insurance to EVERYONE while still retaining the power of the market. That is what I have proposed.

[vietnamd0820]

Canada and Britain absolutely can afford more doctors and hospitals. Britain, like the US, wasted massive amounts of resources and lives on the war in Iraq...Britian also still has a royality that deserves to have its vast wealth stripped from them so they can do some real work for a change.

In a world economic crisis, the rich need to sacrifice, not working people, so that the fundamentals in society, like health care, can be provided.

[Kabane52]

The problem is not just the issue of doctors, that is an effect. But single payer health insurance creates unbridled demand with very limited supply. In a market economy, supply reacts fluidly to demand. You know nothing about markets or economics.

[migkillertwo]

buddy, Britain only expended a paltry sum of resources on the Iraq war. Before pulling out they only had 5,000 troops in Iraq. Furthermore, the british healthcare system is in shambles. They have massive unfunded liabilities, and the actual heathcare is in shambles. 57% of all men diagnosed with prostate cancer die of the disease. Compare that to just 19% in the United States.

[TimLoganKnows911623]

One payer system is the only way to go.

Private health insurance is a private tyranny that only exists in United States. It's a rather barbaric system that tells you you're health is only worth what you can afford.

People in United States should get behind, and support, HR 676. If you don't know what it is learn about it! GM & Ford are going bankrupt because of the rising cost of health care. If United States had single-payer system, the companies wouldn't have to worry about it.

[Kold2market]

Agree 100%

Michael Moore (Sicko) supported Obama (instead of Nader or McKinney) - and now will hope against hope to pull him in the direction of single payor health care.

That's 1 uphill battle I hope Moore wins for all of us....

[Kabane52]

*sigh*

80% to 98% of one person's health care costs are not financed by them. They are financed by the government or an employer. We need market principles governing health care, so supply and demand match, and health care reaches maximum efficiency. Single payer leads to unlimited demand with limited supply. This leads to rationing, long waiting times, and death.

A health voucher or health tax credit would guarantee health care for all, while still preserving market principles.