In tribute let's name it The Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, Joe Lieberman Health Act of 2010

[Armstead]

Just sayin'.....Let's give credit where credit is due.

[ProSense]

1. Yeah, they fought long and hard for community health centers

and all the other progressive reforms in the bill.

Screw Sanders, Rockefeller, Kerry and the other Senators who actually contributed to the bill.

[Armstead]

4. If Sanders had his way this bill would be totally different

Likewise for the others.

And Ben and Max and Joe don't mind providing some help for the people who will be shut out....Just as long as it didn't tamper with the power and wealth of their beloved insurance industry.

[ProSense]

9. If a lot of people had their way this would be different, but as

Sanders said in response to the kill the bill outrage, he has to deal with reality.

Got it: reality, the place where votes are needed to pass a bill.

[Armstead]

13. That's my point -- Baucus, Nelson and Lieberman deserve a lot of credit

They managed to shape healthcare for the next century, prevailing over what a majority of Democratic legislators and the public really wanted.

That is a real achievement.

[GreenArrow]

16. Reality: The place where the American government

is owned by corporations.

[Armstead]

28. You are just being naive and want a pony

[GreenArrow]

31. What do you mean? I don't get a pony?

Then where did this pile of horseshit come from?

[tridim]

2. You can call it whatever the hell you want.

I'm calling it what it is.. Historic health care reform and a massive victory against the status quo.

[Armstead]

5. A masive victory against the status quo.......Hmmmm okay,

Stus quo gets millions of mandatory customers, plus millions (billions) in taxpayer subsidies. very little direct regulation and the ability to continue to jack up prices....Any hint of a "public option" or other competing public health coverage system is killed

Um I'm having a hard time figuring out how the status quo is losing much here

[polpilot]

8. The Health Insurance Monopoly Act & Xmas Gift Act of 2009.

[tridim]

10. That's because you're a pessimist and you always assume the worst.

If you knew what was actually in the bill you wouldn't be saying these things. Read it. Especially the final Reid amendment.

[Armstead]

17. Yeah I was pessimistic about Financial Reform of the late 90's too

and we all know how well that one turned out.

[tridim]

20. Financial reform in the late 90's was the work of the GOP and their corporate masters.

THAT, was a scam. Everyone knows it now because it just imploded 12 months ago.

This bill was passed by ALL the Democrats and the Socialists, people who care about average people.

Do you know the difference? Or are you a nutty Nader type?

[Armstead]

22. Bill Clinton disagrees with you

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_40/b4102000409948.htm

MARIA BARTIROMO

Mr. President, in 1999 you signed a bill essentially rolling back Glass-Steagall and deregulating banking. In light of what has gone on, do you regret that decision?
FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

No, because it wasn't a complete deregulation at all. We still have heavy regulations and insurance on bank deposits, requirements on banks for capital and for disclosure. I thought at the time that it might lead to more stable investments and a reduced pressure on Wall Street to produce quarterly profits that were always bigger than the previous quarter. But I have really thought about this a lot. I don't see that signing that bill had anything to do with the current crisis. Indeed, one of the things that has helped stabilize the current situation as much as it has is the purchase of Merrill Lynch (MER) by Bank of America (BAC), which was much smoother than it would have been if I hadn't signed that bill.

>>Phil Gramm, who was then the head of the Senate Banking Committee and until recently a close economic adviser of Senator McCain, was a fierce proponent of banking deregulation. Did he sell you a bill of goods?


Not on this bill I don't think he did. You know, Phil Gramm and I disagreed on a lot of things, but he can't possibly be wrong about everything. On the Glass-Steagall thing, like I said, if you could demonstrate to me that it was a mistake, I'd be glad to look at the evidence. But I can't blame . This wasn't something they forced me into. I really believed that given the level of oversight of banks and their ability to have more patient capital, if you made it possible for to go into the investment banking business as Continental European investment banks could always do, that it might give us a more stable source of long-term investment.

[Oregone]

11. The Patriot Act was historic and a victory against the status quo

Lots of stupid shit it

[GreenArrow]

18. Against the status quo? It's the status quo

on steroids.

[ibegurpard]

29. it's the status quo on steroids codified

[havocmom]

3. OK, but that's pretty wordy, can we nick-name it

The Three Stooges Act?

[Armstead]

6. lol

[depakid]

30. +1

Barry, Joe & Surly

[Milo_Bloom]

7. It certainly is groundbreaking legislation.

Never before has the government mandated the people to buy a defective product without taking any steps to improve the product.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Milo_Bloom]

15. LMAO!

Amazing how they make claims they can't back up.

Nice fail.

[xchrom]

14. Recommend

[Armstead]

19. The Unrecommends are winning -- It's double-plus good

[katandmoon]

21. If it wasn't good for the HC industry, their stocks wouldn't be skyrocketing now . And if it's good

For them then it sure as FUCK isn't good for us.

[Armstead]

23. But,but we're relying on markets toprovide healthcare.

We're supposed to get screwed by them. That's how it works.

[HughMoran]

24. Is this one of the new bowl games this holiday season?

The Hyperbole?

[Armstead]

25. Good one LOL

[HughMoran]

26. Enjoy the Holiday

:party:

[Armstead]

27. Same to you