Grassley Failed to Confront Incitement to Violence at Town Hall in Pocahontas
Click here for the video on YouTube
Fort Dodge Messenger News
POCAHONTAS
"The
president of the United States, that's who you should be concerned
about. Because he's acting like a little Hitler," said Tom Eisenhower,
a World War II veteran. "I'd take a gun to Washington if enough of you
would go with me." [Italics BFIA's].
Click on the above link for the rest of the story in the Fort Dodge paper. BFIA did not post more of it here because there was no information about health care reform in the article.
Here's a statement about it from Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Tom Fiegen:
Fiegen: Stand up to hate speech against President Obama
Clarence, IA — U.S. Senate candidate Tom Fiegen today said threatening comments against President Obama and other elected officials must stop immediately.
“We don’t threaten the lives of our public officials in America. Period,” Fiegen said in response to an incident at a town hall meeting in Pocahontas hosted by Sen. Chuck Grassley.
At the meeting, one member of the audience took the microphone to denounce and threaten the President. His comments have received widespread publicity today.
“I am appalled at the threat on the life of the President and the intolerance shown by the comments of this person in Pocahontas. All Iowans and all Americans must confront such behavior with the courage and the decency that have made us the great nation that we are. Our leaders must denounce hate speech at every turn, if we are going to solve the many challenges we face. Senator Grassley showed a lack of backbone when he failed to denounce the man's hate speech and instead allowed it to fester in the town hall meeting.
“The future of our children, and our nation, depend on civil, truthful and honest discussions.”
Fiegen, a bankruptcy attorney and former state senator from Clarence, is seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Grassley in the 2010 election.
“I am running for the U.S. Senate because if we are ever going to achieve health care reform or make any of the other necessary changes needed to rebuild our economy, we have to be willing to stand up and do the right thing instead of kowtowing for votes.”
fiegenforussenate.com
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Tuesday, August 25
Grassley Failed to Confront Incitement to Violence at Town Hall in Pocahontas
by
Trish Nelson
on Tue 25 Aug 2009 09:19 PM CDT
Dx: Fear Rx: The Facts about Health Care Reform - Private Insurance Reform
by
Alta Price
on Tue 25 Aug 2009 01:00 PM CDT
Dx: Fear Rx: The Facts about Health Care Reform – Private Insurance Reform
 by Alta Price, M.D.(cross posted at Quadsville.com in Dr Dx's Blog) Private insurance companies are donating 1.4 million dollars a day to members of Congress to fight Democratic proposals for health care reform like HR 3200. They prefer Republican proposals ending employer-based insurance and government run programs like Medicare, forcing everyone into the less regulated individual market. In the individual market they can sell junk insurance, refuse to sell policies to people with pre-existing conditions, and drop people who are unfortunate enough to become ill. The federal government is already heavily involved in health care, and not just by providing programs like Medicare. For example, thanks to government intervention in the health care marketplace, if you work for a company that provides insurance, you can’t be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. These government regulations are the only reason private insurance works so well for so many. And employers’ contributions to health care premiums aren’t considered taxable income, which is a tax subsidy from the federal government that helps you afford insurance. Paul Krugman’s recent column explains all of this in detail. Under HR 3200, the same types of regulations and subsidies are used to make decent insurance available to everyone. In addition, HR 3200 would limit out-of-pocket expenses (like deductibles and co-pays), provide full coverage for preventive care, prohibit dropping coverage for those who become ill, end annual or lifetime caps on benefits, guarantee insurance renewal, and extend family plan coverage for your children through the age of 26. The news is not all bad for private insurers. There are strong incentives (or penalties) to encourage businesses and individuals to purchase insurance. Most businesses would not even have access to the Health Insurance Exchange, so they are forced to buy from private insurance companies. Even in the Exchange, most businesses and individuals are expected to buy a private plan, not the public plan that would also be available (“studies” showing otherwise come from industry groups). And think how much money private insurance companies will save on overhead when they don’t have to try to weed out those with pre-existing conditions before issuing a policy. ********************************* Here are some of the false claims (and one true claim – woot!) made about private insurance in the House bill, HR 3200 (you can read the full text of the bill here). The Truth comes from Health Care for America Now, one of the lead coalition groups fighting for health care reform. "Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange." TRUTH: That's true! Plans have to have a minimum standard of benefits, but can offer other plans as well. But that's fair, isn't it? Private insurers can continue to operate outside the exchange if they wish - should the government establish no standards for the exchange? In that case, how could reform end insurance industry abuses and help to control costs? "Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)" TRUTH: This section says is that if private health care plans want to operate in the Exchange, they must provide a basic benefit package. "Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No 'judicial review' is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed." TRUTH: This section describes rate-setting under the public health insurance plan option, which will compete with private insurers, who can set their own rates. Because of inherent advantages like their established administrative and provider frameworks, private insurance companies will not be "crushed" by government competition. "Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc." TRUTH: The government can disqualify some Medicare Advantage Plans from receiving some additional payments, but only if those plans are not meeting necessary requirements.
Health Care Reform Update: What Does It Say about Abortion in Health Care Reform Proposals?
by
Alta Price
on Tue 25 Aug 2009 05:00 AM CDT
Health Care Reform Update: What Does It Say about Abortion in Health Care Reform Proposals?
Continuing where Dr Dx left off (since the version of the email
she was working off did not mention this topic), let us address the myths about
health care reform and abortion making the rounds. I am going to quote Cecile
Richards, President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund: MYTH: Health care reform
would result in the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade. REALITY:
Currently, the majority of plans already cover basic reproductive health care,
including abortion care. In fact, more than 86 percent of employer-based insurance
plans cover abortion care. That's why anti-choice groups are working so hard to
strip reproductive health from health care reform — in order to strip women of
coverage they currently have. MYTH: Taxpayer money would
be used to pay for abortions in the public plan. REALITY:
Opponents of reproductive health care are trying to confuse people into
thinking that the public plan is a government-funded health plan like Medicaid
or Medicare — it is not. The public health insurance plan would operate like
any private insurance plan would. It would be funded and paid for by private
individual premiums, in the same way a private insurance plan is. Therefore,
there is no reason to treat any coverage issue, including abortion coverage,
differently in the public health insurance plan than in private plans. MYTH: Health care reform
will "mandate" abortion coverage. Women in More from the Des Moines Register: Don't let abortion debate derail reform. Alta Price is a physician practicing Pathology in Davenport, Iowa. One of the original Deaniacs, she stays involved with Democracy for America, Iowa, and the Quad Cities. She advocates for quality, affordable health care for all, primarily as a volunteer with Progressive Action for the Common Good (Health Care Reform Issue Forum). Watch for Dr. Price's Health Care Reform Update every Tuesday here on Blog for Iowa. E-Mail Alta Price |
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