Steele: Protect Medicare - And Medicare Doesn't Work

[Aegius]

Look, Steele is right when he stated that Medicare is bankrupt. But he referred to the "system in place" and not specifically Medicare. We will have to gradually tear down Medicare and privatize the entire health care system. There simply is no more money for gov-run health care, gov social security or most everything else for gov.

[moderadonna]

I worked for a doctor in Rhode island, a couple of years ago who was ordering duplicate exams with different names on them, within a weeks time. When challenged, her response was "revenue is not a dirty word" I had never worked in any other office where suddenly pregnant women were routinely screened for shortness of breath, suddenly everyone had a murmur, and anyone with the slightest leak had serial followups. This is what is wrong with health-care.

[oehieze]

the name's TOM last name... crown :)

[tarpumpphillips]

Her eis is again, let the private insuresrs run it the right way? They have been running it FOR PROFIT ONLY over the years. I think it is time the public get some benefit for a change instead of cutting of portions of the population from getting adequate health care.

If America is the best country and the best brains in the world, criticize the UK and Canada's model of socialised medicine, why cant Americans take the UK and Canada's system, reform it to suit their needs and cover EVERYONE

[4lifejackhammer]

because the system uk and canada have cannot be reformed. we have the best. if we want lower prices and actual care, we should have more competition.

coverage does not mean care. if you have to cover the 3-pack a day smokers, the fat guy eating mcdonalds for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the alcoholic that goes to a big party every day, you're going to end up with problems. improve what we have, don't downgrade to the inherit failures of other countries.

[twelveangrymen1]

A) we can barely pay for medicare so a public option is out of the question

B) medicare is popular, but it is bankrupt and therein lies the problem not so much what the program does but what it costs

C) people have come to expect and depend upon medicare so despite the fact it uses truckloads of money it cannot be cut, but we should learn from the vastly underestimated cost of medicare when we look at a public option. Gov programs waste money.

only a simpleton would see a contradiction

[Ceddyohtwo]

this just shows that the gop don't care about anything except for sabotaging the democrats agenda. they have no plans. no ideas. they just want to kill everything! bitter bitter party! they ruined the last 8 years. who was the best conservative president????

[twelveangrymen1]

Abe Lincoln was conservative in many respects and Ronald Reagan was certainly conservative in terms of how we use the word today. While W wasn't so great I contend that his dad was an excellent president. Clinton was very economically conservative as well. LBJ and Carter were both liberals and they were disasters for America.

[Ceddyohtwo]

sorry abe was liberal and great

teddy roosevelt was liberal and great

clinton made smart desicions but was still liberal

FDR JFK and you say LBJ was bad but medicare happened under his watch and who tried to stop in? conservatives! Face it, the most pivitol presidents had liberal agendas. remember the republican party under lincoln and before wilson was the liberal party. carter did suck but EIC started under reagan and that's very liberal. i'll give you Bush senior

[imbeachasbro]

They should have chosen the other guy who sang that song "magic negro" over steele.

[xsabbathgamer]

1:31

Wow, fox actually kinda did their job there.

[lonelygreenteagirlie]

Oh my god. This guy shouldn't be on TV.

[printo69]

oi oi oi.....

The GOP has become a joke. Free-marketeers? They oppose one form of a government-run option & then go on to protect another form of government-run health care.

Oh Dr. Paul, hopefully we can salvage this pathetic excuse of a party with your message.

[oehieze]

shocking that he hasn't started dancing in a chicken george outfit... :(

millions need help and NOW of all times mike steele feels the urge to fulfill his dr4am of being a repub houseboy...

[howhow881]

STEELE IS A TWO MOUTH MORON

[gual123]

If you are against government run health care, then you should favor dismantling Medicare.

[DillonX]

If anyone doesn't know that Steele is an Uncle Tom, that person hasn't been paying attention.

He'll be gone after the 2010 election.

[blair227]

Why don't the Repukes just STFU.They have nothing to bring to the table but fear,smear and lies.If we are in the deficit ditch,it was these mother fucking liars that put us there,with their ignorant trickle down economics and lying us into war.

[PR30040Gardenia]

I have always thought the Republican Party put this men in power just because the color of his skin not because he brings anything interesting to the party.

Dumb Ass..

[SundaysCybele]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't increasing Medicare's coverage to those under 65 decrease it's financial problems simply because of the fact that people under 65 have less health problems than those over 65?

If he thinks private insurance companies can do a better job than Medicare then why doesn't he advocate completely dismantling it and putting all the seniors onto private insurance?

[cilleysf]

Whoa whoa whoa... don't get that sanity anywhere near this health care debate.

[SundaysCybele]

lol... but seriously, how come I haven't heard anyone else making those same arguments?

[jayhlee5]

Michael Steele: Public Policy Expert! LMAO. Pan down you'll see his big red shoes.

[bigboss025]

that doesn't sound too logical...it's bankrupt but let's protect it.

And leave it to the private market to make it right...haven't they been doing this since the existence of HMOs

[PersonalJesus348]

We couldn't afford to go to war either.... We did it anyways. At least lives are saved rather than killed in this debate.

[swedishrhapsody]

Michael Steele needs to shut up and go back to making the GOP more "Hip Hop" or whatever it was he was doing. At least then he was funny, in a pathetic way. Now he's just an ass.

[tedb123z]

The republicans must be giving up if they're sending out Steele for Operation Human Shield

[redrocker1055]

Wow. He's a whole new level of dumb ass!!!

[nadreev]

He is the perfect leader for what the republican party has become.  (That was not a compliment to Steele, btw.)

[Smartassawhip]

If Steele wants clarity why doesn't he just read the bill. I have read it and I can tell you that the GOP is working overtime to lie and scare the hell out of you to serve their own agenda instead of the people's best interests.

On my profile you will find the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, links to the ez to read version of the bill, resources and ways in which you can get involved including phone #'s and so much more.

[numnunums]

I'm digging the use of internet to inform people because of how badly certain party officials lie their asses off.

[Smartassawhip]

It seems to work wonders. I get tons of messages of appreciation everyday. Now that we have this technology they can no longer hide.

[sirdaveysockrocker]

god steele is just so so stupid. -_-

[p00lman]

It's the conservative way: complain that things aren't good enough, but get up in arms when any change is actually proposed.

"Our government-run health care program sucks! But don't take it away and don't give us more!"

[puffyDK]

Many Americans are dependent on this government program in the short term. This is why it cannot simply be ended. However, the facts that show this is not a long term health care solution, speak for themselves.

[Maziyar]

TED KENNEDY IS DEAD!!! health care will pass in dramatic fashion. barack obama will have his first big win. its finally over.  we have won

[junkforkaryn]

this guy is as welcome as anal leakage. go away nutty man!!

[copcorona]

trust the private markets. Like you can trust wall street.

[puffyDK]

Government regulation corrupted wall street. NOT the free market. It is vital that Americans understand this!

[quietearthMT]

Riiiight. So the Government MADE the banks take on all these risky loans and trade mortgage backed securities and take advantage of stupid buyers by selling them loans they KNEW they couldn't pay back after a year or so right?

Look if we are going to learn from this we need to understand that it was part Government policy and part unbridled greed on Wall street that led to this mess. Trying to make this a one or the other issue is foolish.

[LeGioNoFZioN]

in short yes they did, if lenders did not meet the satisfaction in terms of lending to the targeted groups elected officials wanted, then their licenses would not be renewed, or expansions or mergers would not receive approval.

[quietearthMT]

If you are referring to the "Community Reinvestment Act" then I should tell you that it was targeted ONLY at a small percentage of low income areas in America. The scope of that act amounted to less than 6% of the overall housing crisis based on all competent estimates.

[LeGioNoFZioN]

don't discount 6%, percentages change over the years. Our banks didn't have much tied up in your crisis thus we were less impacted, but we never played politics with our own banks, and we came out much better than your country.

[puffyDK]

Oh i totally agree with you. Government regulation is the disease that caused the symptoms of moral hazard. It is not on or the other. It is one theeen the other. Without government regulation, there would be no moral hazard.

[numnunums]

Our financial system was doing great without government regulation!

Oh wait, housing crisis? Recession? Bonuses for failure?

[numnunums]

I don't think you honestly deserve a voice in our system since you're not even an American but a young foolish kid from Denmark.

Denmark! LOL!

[Phyrexious]

Ah, that good ol' feeling of American supremacy.

How's that working out for ya?

And just so you know, the rest of the world laughs at you crazy extremists republicans.

[numnunums]

It's working out rather poorly. When you have a idiot kid with a healthier form of government ranting of how our government should be worse than his, well, it's sorta annoying.

Get my point?

[puffyDK]

Well at least I'm old enough to have a discussion without insulting people that disagree with me..

I'd suggest you read up on some Adam Smith, John Locke, Friedman, Mises, etc and maybe they'll be able to open your mind another inch..good luck sir

[numnunums]

You're not worth much here since you don't really understand America or it's problems. Stay out of our discussion since you're obviously a product of your superior system since saying you 'bootstrapped' your way up while living in Denmark is not only stupid but rather comical. The welfare system there is the reason why you're not begging on the streets, boy.

[terrence0258]

Keep 'em coming. Bring out Palin and Bachman with him. Even if America doesn't agree with the Democrats the other side is completely insane. One side puts out ideas, you can agree with them or not. The other side says the government is going to kill you, vote for me.

[RodgersRevolution]

I wonder who covers this guys ass insurance coverage? He should give up his public paid insurance. I wonder how much we could save?

[KataVideo]

DOUCHEBAG

[BigPurple121]

2004 Republican medicare prescription coverage: $500 billion over 10 years.

2009 Democrat health insurance reform extreme estimation: $1 Trillion.

So in 2004 the Republicans felt it ok to help out a struggling voting class, but in 2009 they are fervently against extending minimal assistance to a non voting class

[nomercyrules10]

stumbling over his words? stumbling over his BULLSHIT

[LorenzKamo]

LMFAO what an idiot! Steele is a failure

[saumacus]

Fucking morons!

[kakahass]

this is the reason why i hate all politicians and all governments all liars!

[cdavaz]

Republican politicians don't necessarily need to _believe_ the views they advocate. They just need to advocate a view that is opposed to the Democrats.

[kalane]

Michael Steele = Idiot

[ProgressiveAction10]

To the gerbil-sized CONservative mind, this actually makes sense.

[SamariaTV]

Single Payer

remove all corporate congress representatives.

[danthemango]

Plausible deniability is the purpose behind language as vagues as his is.

I don't really blame him, saying anything concrete is bound to piss off a constituency.

[Ian7570]

Who is this black guy? Is he the one who gave Limbaugh a public blowjob?

[KidNIki100]

Whoa so many 180's in 2 minutes my head is spinning...

[zephyrsimon]

hypocrisy in every hertz of his sound.

[lhooq21]

The Republicans are just making stuff up.

[marniespeaks]

Stop your wars on lie, you banking corruption and the failed pentagon where trillions are lost and never found

Steele more like Steal

just another GOP shill and theif

[Magurufukuru]

My god what an incredibly confused piece of shit this guy is. I don't even want to kill him. I'd rather lock him up with his crazy for thirty years.

[ver506]

I'm tired of seeing Steele's face on tv, he never really has anything to say anyway!

[1019drummer]

we cant afford two wars. we can afford healthcare reform.

[cjbrix]

Don't bother making sense. Must, just, keep, talking...

[therealcharismatron]

Defend existing medicare, fix existing medicare, make existing medicare work--but no medicare public option.

OK, Republicans: this is your LEADER . . . and you want to think somehow he makes an ounce of sense?

[MKB2814]

Didn't this ass-wipe want to decrease Medicare?

[asphyxiafeeling]

as long as this buffoon is head of the RNC i refuse to vote GOP. what happened to good leadership? I'd rather be on board with "scary" big government Obama then "dumbass" Steele and his GOP buddies.

[njcarlos1]

I understand to the simpleton this looks like he's talking out of both sides of his mouth, but the bottom line is he's 100% right. Yes, (1) protect Medicare because it *is* bankrupt yet there are still obligations to meet to those who have paid in and (2) because it *is* bankrupt, means scaling to an entire nation is not viable. They're dealing with 65 and up, and yet they fail miserably. It's not a matter of if those involved liking it, it's a matter of financial viability.

[Magurufukuru]

Republicans have no business pretending they give a shit about "financial viability". he is 100% wrong. if medicare was funded the way it's supposed to be and we didn't waste money on idiotic shit like endless total war on the brown people of the world we could easily pay for the entire country forever.

[OlivierdeAthos]

Untrue. He's saying protect Medicare because it would be political suicide for Republicans to remind one of their few remaining voting blocks (people over 60) that the Republicans opposed Medicare AND Social Security from the beginning, and that horrible Congress that kept mismanaging it (since 1994) was the Republican-controlled Congress.

50% of medical expenses go to the elderly, which taxpayers are paying now. Adding the younger healthy people would only increase Medicare's efficiency.

[njcarlos1]

Medicare and Social Security are both bankrupt; I fail to see why you're citing them as success stories. So... they had the common sense to foresee those two programs failing... yeah, what morons.

Do you just type without thinking or...? Run the numbers in your head if you have the fortitude, and you'll surely come back and delete your comment after thinking everything through. However, I doubt you have the capacity to do that.

[numnunums]

They can't be bankrupt since that assumes they're supposed to make money. Only companies designed for profit can become bankrupt.

Whats your opinion on the fact that medicare is still more successful with it's low overhead costs and overall costs for value compared to our broken privatized market?

Please don't give out a canned talking point, thanks.

[OlivierdeAthos]

They're not running out of money because of inefficiency.  They're running out of money because of foolish tax cuts engineered by idiots who believe in Supply Side Economics.

[bkarwin]

When a government program bills the taxpayer a higher amount than it costs to run the program efficiently, it's called waste. Everyone would like to see waste reduced, including the people running that program.

When a corporation charges the customer a higher amount than it costs to run the program efficiently, it's called profit. Their mission in life is to increase that profit.

[njcarlos1]

And if there are competitors, they want an increased market share. To do that, you match price and increase quality, or your lower price and match quality. These are fundamentally basic principles that too many people overlook because they think the government is the solution to all problems. News flash: government doesn't make money, they take money (or borrow, or print).

[HempForPresident]

so, njcarlos1, you're saying that the private health insurance industry makes wealth somehow? Or do they just live their lives as pathetic, cold-hearted middlemen? Hmm... Also, ponder this: where were you when our auto industry fled to mexico and china when we got rid of tariffs? Those guys were the ones making wealth, not this leeches on the backs of the American worker.

[OlivierdeAthos]

Newsflash: before the big bad old gubmint "interfered" in the free market around the turn of the century, and introduced anti-trust laws and the federal trade commission it was common for entire states to be under the thumb of one or two giant monopolies that controlled water, electricity, transportation, housing etc.

The only reason you can crow about the virtues of competition now is because the government intervened in the market place on the public's behalf.

[njcarlos1]

Do you understand why monopolies even happen? Because of government interference. Quit now, cause anyone with any knowledge in the area can see you comments highlight your lack of economic understanding.

[numnunums]

You obviously were sleeping during the whole railroad tycoon era of your pitiful history lesson.

[OlivierdeAthos]

I guess that's why monopolies happen even in the complete ABSENCE of government? Gotta love you guys and your faith-based economics.

[redrocker1055]

I'm sure Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft would disagree with you. While Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Charles M. Schwab would probably agree with you. They're Monopolies after all were systematically ripped apart by Taft and Roosevelt! But I'm sure a gifted Historian/economist such as yourself already knew that!!!

[TrollBuster9000]

Waiter, there's a fly in my Medicare soup.

[TrollBuster9000]

watch?v=1C8nl8eBoq0

[CHARLESHARDIN96]

a talking head!

[Sinistertino]

My head hurts ...

[eric3141k]

watching him try to defend medicare and attack single payer is like watching a three legged dog chase its tale.

[cpricejones]

it's quite clear that steele has no idea what he is talking about. he knows that government is bad, and that what seniors like is good. both of these points resonate with republican voters, so he must embrace them in spite of the obvious contradiction, which is noted by the fox anchors (it seems to me) but not questioned by them.

[route99]

You know Mr. Steele you have an awful lot to say about "cuts"/"shifts" you admit you have no understanding of.

Watch out folks, the only thing he's got left is the kitchen sink.

[neobeetle]

Steel: "Trust the private markets to do it the right way"

*facepalm*

[theendofconfusion]

Michael Steele is a cocksucker.

[macks3123]

Democrats+Republicans =Divide and Conquer.

[sugarpuddin88]

Gimme a Break!

After the Tax Payer bailed out Merrill Lynch, they turned around and gave their executives 3.6 billion in Christmas Bonuses!

AIG awarded $500 million in bonuses to its executives after accepting a $173 billion government bailout

UBS bank was fined 700 million for tax evasion; then Congress gives them 5 billion free tax payer dollars

102 tril SS & medicare

25 tril TARP & bailouts

53 to 67 tril from other trusts

Every single American man, woman & child owes over $600K in debt

[oldtownkid]

...and somehow Michael Steele's explanation makes perfect sense to supporters of the GOP. " A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk Forward."

FDR

[wimscheers]

What a strange, strange interview. Mixing up two contradicting talking points? It's about time somebody pointed that out. But on Fox? Are they dropping Steele? Or was it an accident?

[voyeurdug]

Trough of bankruptcy? Perhaps he meant, "Brink."

But then he was against Medicare as Lt. Governor (MD) a few years ago, and now he's it's champion... as a failed/failing system that needs reformation or elimination... but not as a model of a public option...duh, duh, duh... how many contradictions was that all in a row.

[k166a]

Steele is a ratings whore.

Except he's not on youtube; he's the head of the Republican party!

[JeremyTheBlueDuck]

Proof of evolution!

Michael Steele one second: Medicare is sacred!

(He's told it's a gov't program)

Michael Steel the next second: Fuck Medicare!

[robbe21]

I can't watch -- it's too embarrassing. It's Palin-Couric all over again.

[tj5555555]

i really can't defend republicans they seem like dumb crooks whereas the democrats seem like smart crooks. Perhaps we need to arrest them all. tj

[yahoochatter]

Any other news organization would have called him on this flip-flip.

[GeoliphicMedia]

raise taxes on anyone making more than 250k ... its redistribution of public/natural/human resources

[taoofmichael]

Wealth HAS BEEN REDISTRIBUTED FROM THE MIDDLE CLASS UPWARD TO THE SUPER-WEALTHY FOR YEARS, starting with Reagan, through both Bushes, in the form of corporate subsidies, war spending, pharma, insurance, and oil company welfare-- CULMINATING IN THE GOLDMAN SACHS/JP MORGAN MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR SOCIALIST WELFARE HAND-OUT UNDER BUSH.

Maybe Obama will start redistributing the wealth in the other direction. Its our turn.

[greyflcn]

re: GeoliphicMedia

So you're proposing that this gap get even wider than it already is?

greyfalcon. net/ concentrate.png

[GeoliphicMedia]

nope.

so you're suggesting that $250k is middle class? what planet do you live on...

[greyflcn]

re: GeoliphicMedia

Indeed, they aren't middle class, not even close.

It's them, and then the other 99% of Americans.

Now, in this class warfare tug of war, either money is going away from the middle class, towards the top. Or it's going in the reverse.

There are no other choices.

So you have a simple choice to make, do you favor a healthy middle class in America, or do you favor it becoming more lopsided than it already is?

[GeoliphicMedia]

the disparity gap must be closed. what have i said that indicates anything else. you are preaching to the quire.

are you one of these market-firsters who think wages will be tightened if we raise capital gains tax, simple solution: raise minimum wage.

phasing out the investment class will be a long tough road but it must be done.

don't you think improving living standards for the lower-class should be on the agenda as well?

[greyflcn]

re: GeoliphicMedia

Ah my bad.

Anyways, the best way to do that is to make it so that the "Demand" side of the market isn't forced to unilaterally disarm by forfeiting the Right to use of economies of scale bargaining.

Part of why the "Supply" half of the market hates things like Unions, and Federal Healthcare.

Since then they would have some actual leverage.

Since at best, all an individual can hope to achieve against a large company is merely an out-of-court settlement, with a gag order.

[chrism20]

wow, i'm speechless on that idiot

[RUKiddinMeHuh]

I smell SHHHHIIIIITTTTTT!

[JasonWho13]

get this uncle tom off my screen!

[3star2nr]

Ok so medicare is a bankrupt program, but we shouldnt have cuts to it or reform it ain anyway.

we should just keep throwing money fowwn it.

LOL what a fucking fool

These men are frauds people

[two2twinface]

pwnt

wow that was a nice question, on FOX no less. Steele's mic and earpiece was working remarkably well up until that question.