Latest Reviews on Hillary's Health Care Plan... "Savviest of ALL"

[Tellurian]

The Reviews Are In:

WASHINGTON POST’S E.J. DIONNE - HILLARY PLAN SHOWS SHE ‘HAS THE CHARACTER TO BE PRESIDENT’: “There’s another message: She knows a lot more than she used to about voters and how to persuade them — and about herself. Leaders who can laugh at their own failures are usually more trustworthy than those who can’t… It could turn out that Clinton’s strongest argument is that someone who is aware of her own shortcomings, laughs about them and works at them has the character to be president.” Washington Post, 9/18/07

WASHINGTON POST ED BOARD - HILLARY’S PLAN IS ‘PROMISING POLICY’: “But Ms. Clinton, in setting out her route to universal coverage, adds some promising policy twists. The most interesting would limit the tax deductibility of employer-sponsored health plans for the wealthiest Americans, a sensible step toward fixing one of the most expensive and counterproductive parts of the tax code.” Washington Post, 9/18/07

NEW YORK TIMES’ DAVID BROOKS - ‘HILLARY CLINTON’S HEALTH CARE PLAN IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD…BETTER THAN THE GOP CANDIDATES’ PLANS’: ” Hillary Clinton’s health care plan is a huge step forward from 1993. It’s better than the GOP candidates’ plans http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/ts/">New York Times, 9/18/07

HARVARD PROFESSOR ROBERT BLENDON - HILLARY’S PLAN OFFERS ‘LOTS OF CHOICES,’ COULD BE ATTRACTIVE TO ‘REPUBLICAN MODERATES’: “In her new plan, ‘she’s offering lots of choices,’ Blendon said. ‘I think it’s much less threatening, and it has provisions that I think a number of moderate Republicans could live with.’ http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20070918&Category=FRONTPAGE&ArtNo=709180316&SectionCat=&Template=printart">Concord Monitor, 9/18/07

NEW REPUBLIC’S JONATHAN COHN, AUTHOR OF ‘SICK’ - ‘EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CLINTON PLAN… A REMINDER THAT THIS IS HER STRENGTH’: “Would she be vague, figuring she had the least to prove on the matter and that details could only come back to haunt her? Would she settle on something less than universal coverage, figuring the political support for it was too weak? Would she kowtow to the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies, which had started donating to her campaigns? The answer seems to be no, no, and no…Everything about the Clinton plan–from its thorough details to its well-orchestrated roll-out to its deft efforts at blunting interest-group opposition–are a reminder that this is her strength. And not a minor one to consider.” http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w070917&s=cohn091807">New Republic, 9/17/07

CEO OF KODAK PRAISES HILLARY’S PLAN - SHE RECOGNIZES ‘AMERICA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUALS’: “Antonio Perez, the chairman and CEO of Kodak who has contributed to Clinton’s campaign this year, praised her plan in Monday’s release: ‘Senator Clinton’s healthcare reform plan recognizes that managing and financing America’s healthcare system is a shared responsibility between government, business and individuals.’” http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/clinton-plan-sparks-frenzy-2007-09-18.html">The Hill, 9/18/07

EZRA KLEIN - HILLARY’S POLICY IS ‘VERY, VERY SOUND’: “So the policy is very, very sound, and includes other sundry goodies like a Best Practices Institute that will vastly accelerate the amount of research done and distributed on the cost-effectiveness of treatments, better chronic care incentives, and so forth.” Ezra Klein blog 9/17/07

COMMONWEALTH FUND - ‘IT’S A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROPOSAL…TRYING TO STRENGTHEN WHAT WORKS RELATIVELY WELL AND TRYING TO FILL IN THE GAPS’: “It’s a straightforward proposal in that it builds on the current system,” said Sara Collins, assistant vice president of the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation that focuses on health care. Clinton is “really looking at where the gaps are in the system and trying to strengthen what works relatively well and trying to fill in the gaps.” Concord Monitor, 9/18/07

CNBC’S JOHN HARWOOD - HILLARY’S PLAN ‘HAS HIT THE SWEET SPOT’:“This is precisely the issue on which her experience may be most valuable. In other words, she’s drawing from both the left and right. Sometimes that’s a sign that a politician has hit the sweet spot.” CNBC.com, 9/17/07

THE ATLANTIC’S MATTHEW YGLESIAS - HILLARY’S PLAN IS ‘AMBITIOUS…UNDERCUTS SOME OF THE MAIN ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE (INCLUDING BY ME) AGAINST HER’:“It certainly has the look and feel of a decently ambitious proposal…in a way that really undercuts some of the main arguments that have been made (including by me) against her” The Atlantic, 9/17/07

WASHINGTON MONTHLY’S KEVIN DRUM - ‘HILLARY’S PLAN STRIKES ME AS… THE POLITICALLY SAVVIEST AND MOST PRACTICAL OF THE LOT’: “Hillary’s strikes me as not just substantively as good as any of them (and better in some ways), but also the politically savviest and most practical of the lot. Given her experience in 1994 (she knows what won’t work) combined with the legislative canniness she seems to have developed in the Senate (she know what will work), that’s not too surprising.” Washington Monthly’s Political Animal, 9/17/07

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Good One!

:rofl:

Even if it were true, it would be the best of a uniformly awful lot. The equivalent of saying that Huckabee is the best Republican candidate for President.

[SaveElmer]

4. Thank You, Thank You Very Much!

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Oh, No Bother At All

[Tellurian]

11. I Love that pic !!! A subtle reminder..

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[davidwparker]

2. Hmmm. Something tells me it really doesn't beat the Kucinich plan. But, MSM

wouldn't be doing all they can to ensure Kucinich is the nominee.

[Tellurian]

7. Sure it beats Kucinich's plan.. At least Hillary's Plan

has a chance of getting passed...Does Kucinichs?

[MannyGoldstein]

10. Kucinich's Plan Has Passed In Every Other Industrialized Country

Could happen here, too.

[Tellurian]

12. Not this time around..

Maybe when the Mrs runs?

[SaveElmer]

15. Delineate for us the exact strategy you propose...

To persuade Congress to eliminate the health insurance industry in the next four years...

And do you think it is morally justified to leave 47 million people with no coverage while we wait perhaps decades for a single payer plan to become politically viable?

Fact is, no drastic change in social or economic policy is implemented in one dramatic step...it is done in increments...because the sad fact is, people need to be brought along slowly...dramatic change is simply not in the American character...

Plans such as Hillary's, Edwards and to a lesser extent Obama's for the first time since medicare and medicaid, bring the government into providing healthcare...

If insurance companies cannot compete, they will die, potentially leaving us with a government run plan...but in any case, it gets people used to the government being involved, and increases their confidence that it can be done efficiently...

[MannyGoldstein]

16. You Actually Might Have A Point

I'll have to think about it.

[ljm2002]

42. You say, "Fact is, no drastic change"...

..."in social or economic policy is implemented in one dramatic step"

Really? Ever hear of a program called the New Deal? It was pretty drastic, and while it may have taken awhile for all of its various parts to be set in motion, it certainly was anything if incremental. And it was one of the most wildly successful programs in our history, creating a huge middle class out of whole cloth and making our lives better for generations to come.

Also you say that "for the first time since medicare and medicaid" these plans "bring the government into providing healthcare" and that will "get people used to the government being involved"... But if your theory has merit, then medicare and medicaid should have already gotten people used to the government being involved? Why do we need another program that is a stepping stone on the way to something else?

It reminds me of Zeno's paradox -- the one where you can never get from Point A to Point B, because obviously you must go half the distance, then another half the distance, then another half the distance... theoretically, you'll never actually get there. And yet every day, we confound the theory and get from Point A to Point B in apparent defiance of logic.

We need to make a political leap of faith and say yes, we can get from Point A to Point B. We don't need to listen to yet another theory why we can't do it, or why we can only go half the distance -- because the fact is, we *can* do it. It only takes political will.

[WCGreen]

28. Unfortunately, the British and the Germans , et al, do not vote here

in the US...

[Tellurian]

3. WOW! Hillary's Health Care Plan ... GRAND SLAM!

The know it alls have designated it the savviest and most practical plan proposed by any candidate to date.

All that hard work has paid off BIG TIME... for Senator Hillary Clinton.

We Thank You for having the tenacity and perseverance to turn yet again lemons into SUCCESS!

[MannyGoldstein]

8. I'm Glad That The DU Moderators Have Assured Me That There Are No Paid Shills For Clinton On DU

Otherwise, I'd be having bad thoughts!

[Tellurian]

14. Lucky for you you're tolerated by the good willed Hillary supporters!

otherwise we'd never guess you ever had a "good" thought.. :hi:

[durrrty libby]

20. lol..............Home Run

[regnaD kciN]

5. Wowsers...

She got the endorsement of the WaPo, various CEOs and spokespeople from business channels, and...David Brooks! :eyes:

In other words, this proposal is the pipe dream of corporatists, DLCers, and people further right on the political spectrum. But why should that be surprising, since she basically borrowed the essence of the plan from Mitt Romney?

[MannyGoldstein]

13. It's Now The Clinton/Romney Plan

And I think that we should always refer to it as the Clinton/Romney plan, so my former governor can get the recognition that's due him.

[papau]

29. Perhaps the Clinton Romney Massachusetts Hawaii Germany Swiss/etc plan? - single payer is better but

this is a viable way to get 60 to 75% of the reforms we'd get from single payer.

I like the out front "public plan alternative that is not medicare but is like Medicare".

[eridani]

47. Romney is a fucking disaster

Only an overprivileged asshole would recommend more of the same.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2007/september/health_reform_failur.php

And 244,000 of Massachusetts uninsured get zero assistance –just a stiff fine if they don’t buy coverage. A couple in their late 50s faces a minimum premium of $8,638 annually, for a policy with no drug coverage at all and a $2,000 deductible per person before insurance even kicks in. Such skimpy yet costly coverage is, in many cases, worse than no coverage at all. Illness will still bring crippling medical bills—but the $8,638 annual premium will empty their bank accounts even before the bills start arriving. Little wonder that barely 2 percent of those required to buy such coverage have thus far signed up.

[Tellurian]

30. Mitt "Big Digg" Romney...was a parasitic wastrel in MA..

TG he's gone!

[high density]

9. can you be a little less obvious on the fucking PR?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3529684

[Tellurian]

17. This is the West Coast Edition... nt

[durrrty libby]

18. Thanks Tell. Very nice. I watched her web cast tonight

She answered some submitted questions and just chatted in general about her plan

She has embraced technology and did an excellent job.

Kudos Senator Clinton :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Tellurian]

25. Yep, I watched it too...

I thought a gaggle of DU'ers would barrage the webstream with questions. No takers though..afaics..

You know the ones... (clues) "parrot", "ocean/terrafirma", "Queen of China", "Barry Loves Mary","Overstocked Silver german beer mug".... nothing, zero, nada...

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[avrdream]

51. I watched it as well and she really seemed comfortable with the plan.

She actually understood the details as if she had a part in creating the plan!

My question didn't get answered, unfortunately, because I think it is valid: what is being done about tort reform in your plan?

[Steve_in_California]

19. Another Will Rogers?

Hillary has never met a lobbyists she didn't like. The woman is the new Will Rogers of political deceit and corruption.

Joe Biden in 2008!

[Forkboy]

21. Yup.She's slick and acceptable.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

22. David Brooks, New Republic, CEOs, Atlantic Monthly, Washington Monthly

Why am I not surprised?

In other words, Republicans and conservative Democrats/

Let's see some evaluations by people who've been screwed over by insurance companies.

[SaveElmer]

23. E.J. Dionne, Ezra Klein...

Among many on the left as well...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. E.J. Dionne? Left?

Only in today's topsy turvy world would E.J. Dionne be considered "left."

[Captain Hilts]

26. Washington Monthly? A conservative Democratic voice? Are you insane? nt

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. No, they are widely known as the voice of the neoliberals

I've read them on and off since the Reagan era. They're not quite as sold out as the New Republic, but they're no leftists, either. In fact, they have a fair amount of anti-big government attitude.

[Honeycombe8]

31. I haven't read all the details of her plan, so I can't tell if I'll like it. But these reviews are

But these reviews are impressive.

[DrFunkenstein]

32. I Could Put Something Together Like This For Reviews of Gigli

Who needs caveats!

That said, nice work. It look and reads like a professional press release.

[Capn Sunshine]

33. Yes, thanks for keeping the health insurance industry alive

I'm so thankful Hillary. Very deft, the way you dance around the rapacious bloodsucking tick of an industry draining money from the body politic.

And I'm sure their contributions did no harm either.

Dennis the K has the answer. I guess we need it to reach crisis stage before anyone pays it mind.

[RangerRK]

34. When you have support like that from the Corporate media...

what does that mean I wonder??

[ProudDad]

35. HillaryCare - another give-away to the health insurance corporations

and Big Pharma...

And it's NOT even fucking Universal...

Is IS, however, Bullshit...

But, it's not surprising given that she's gotten more money from the health insurance mafia and big pharma than anyone else Dem OR REPUKE...


It would be MUCH easier to pass HR676 if all you fucking shills for the corporations didn't stab us in the back...

The ONLY plan that would cover me and mine is Dennis Kucinich's plan... Hillary's doesn't, Obama (what IS his "plan"), Edwards' doesn't, ONLY CONYERS/KUCINICH plan covers me and mine...


Don't listen to the corporate tools, as the CIVILIZED world has already determined the FOR-PROFIT LEECHES must NOT be allowed to control Health Care!!!! Why the FUCK should we keep making the same mistake...allowing corporations dictate health care in this country; corporations whose profit imperative REQUIRE them BY LAW to deny care and make obscene profits...


And GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK -- You quote David (fucking neo-con asshole) Brooks!!!?!?!?!????!!!

[organik]

36. Kucinich is our only choice. Of the people, absolutely FOR the people.

Do your homework, and vote your conscience. That is all.

[ProudDad]

39. I'll be voting for Kucinich in the primaries

If hillary is nominated...I will fight like hell against her...unless she supports Universal Single-Payer...

She's already lost me on Iraq, Corporate welfare, etc, etc, etc ... but this is THE drop dead issue for me.

This could literally be a drop dead issue for me as well as figuratively. I'm one of the 48 million left out and would be left out of her phony fucked up plan -- except I'd then be criminalized on top of having no health care.

[Desertrose]

41. Same here.

Kucinch has my primary vote as well.

Hillary offers me NOTHING.

I'm also in that 48 million left out club....and seriously, if I could afford heath insurance, I'd already have it. What good will her plan so me, other than, as you mention, make me a criminal and penalize me for having nothing.

Nice work Hillary.

[Desertrose]

38. Thanks Proud Dad...I totally agree.

Pure bullshit.






HR626 for the people, not the corporations!

[sandnsea]

37. Clinton Media Power - Take Note!

Make a mental note of all these players, and watch which ones carry her water in the future.

This plan sucks and anybody who truly understands main street and rural republicans knows it.

[ProudDad]

40. Well, she HAS united us on an issue

:hi:

Way to go, hill...

[sandnsea]

43. hehe, true enough

Holy crap, I never thought I'd see a worse health care plan than the confusing mess she put out in '93. I tried, I mean really tried, to understand it. I wanted to support it and be able to explain it to my friends. I simply didn't get it. If people can't explain something to their neighbors, then you've got a bad plan. Or when people can say, she's mandating insurance and then promising a tax credit at the end of the year, and hear the laughter before they're done saying it - well holycow. This is unbelievable, and I support subsidized health insurance. But not this.

[ProudDad]

44. Yep, I love the way

"Universal Single-Payer - Medicare for All" just rolls off the tongue.

And you really don't have to "explain it".

If the person is ON Medicare, they sure as hell wouldn't want to lose it, no explanation necessary.

If they're too young, their parents or grandparents are probably on it -- just have them ask their relatives on Medicare what they'd do to any politician who'd take it away...and stand back!

It's SUCH an easy sell if only those bought and paid for by the insurance mafia and big pharma would begin to try...

[sandnsea]

45. But here's the problem

Even with the old Medicare.

But my grandma has Medicare, and she pays nearly $100 a month extra for Part B, and then she has a supplement that she pays even more for. And she also has a longterm care plan. She's still paying $500 a month in premiums, even with Medicare. I don't see how that's going to help anybody.

[ProudDad]

52. The "problems" with Medicare are two-fold

The first is the risk pool. It's "old" people -- the most likely to need care. In fact, it's nearly inevitable that ALL of them need care at some point. (I put "old" in quotes because I join them in less than 2 years)...

The 2nd is the purposeful underfunding of the system by successive republican Congresses/Administrations and "conservative/moderate" Dems. I include the Clinton as far as this subject is concerned although the newt congresses deserve the lion's share. Also, look at the egregious way Part D was crafted as a giveaway to big pharma.


I'm glad (I hope?) your grandma can afford the $500 per month...I couldn't even if I could GET health insurance at that low a monthly rate. The last COBRA I was "offered" was over $500 per month...I couldn't afford it...

[eridani]

46. All of those overpaid pundit assholes have excellent insurance

Not surprised they don't give a shit about the rest of us.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2007/september/health_reform_failur.php

And 244,000 of Massachusetts uninsured get zero assistance –just a stiff fine if they don’t buy coverage. A couple in their late 50s faces a minimum premium of $8,638 annually, for a policy with no drug coverage at all and a $2,000 deductible per person before insurance even kicks in. Such skimpy yet costly coverage is, in many cases, worse than no coverage at all. Illness will still bring crippling medical bills—but the $8,638 annual premium will empty their bank accounts even before the bills start arriving. Little wonder that barely 2 percent of those required to buy such coverage have thus far signed up.

[Mythsaje]

48. A kiss-up to the insurance companies

and a "fuck you" to the people on the bottom. "Pay up or die."

That's not a plan...that's a mauling.

[Disturbed]

49. Seems like the moderate Repugs & conservative Dems

like Sen. Clinton. The more I read about her Health Plan, the less I like it.

[Mythsaje]

50. Tell me about it...

I had my doubts about her already, but this... :shrug: :banghead:

I've reached the ranting and raving stage about it.

I'm going to bed.

[DuaneBidoux]

53. I say her plan does not deal with the real issue: an inefficient, bureaucratic, expensive system

If we had a system half way as efficient as any of the other industrialized countries we could treat everyone and have lots of money left over for schools, roads, mass transit, and other important stuff.

I think to simply add a new layer of frosting on a cake that is on the verge of failing is a disaster waiting to happen. The American health care system is bankrupting our country--another layer of insurance won't stop that.