Critics called it “a cruel hoax and a delusion,” a socialist program that would compete with private insurers and kill jobs. If it passes, Americans will feel “the lash of the dictator,” and “end the progress of a great country.” One New York Republican Representative said, “Never in the history of the world has any measure been brought here so insidiously designed as to prevent business recovery, to enslave workers.” We were told that to cooperate with it would be “complicity in evil.”
Am I describing the outcry against Obama-care? No. Those quotes are from prominent Republican opponents of Social Security in 1935, and Medicare in 1965. Same party as today, though. Same fear-mongering, same predictions that the sky would fall if America extends a hand to its most needy. And now today’s Republicans must slouch back to their districts and explain why a bill that prevents insurers from refusing to cover you, or canceling you if you get sick, is somehow the work of the devil.
They’ll find a way.
This article appears in Apr 8-14, 2010.
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Republicans/Teabaggers will no doubt be out in force telling the public how the Healthcare bill will destroy democracy, force mothers to kill thier babies, have grandma excecuted, and force rich white guys to work in slave camps. Be ready for their onslaught of misinformation and lies as they attempt to scare the public into voting against their own best interests. Welcome to “Elections 2010”. If the Repubs regain power, be prepared; be sure to have lots of KY Jelly in stock.
“Those quotes are from prominent Republican opponents of Social Security in 1935, and Medicare in 1965. Medicare and Social Security.”
Two bankrupt government programs through which my money is taken from me and given to somebody else.
“And now today's Republicans must slouch back to their districts and explain why a bill that prevents insurers from refusing to cover you, or canceling you if you get sick, is somehow the work of the devil.”
Won’t be hard. Americans didn’t want healthcare reform.
Jon, you can’t lie and say that Americans didn’t want healthcare reform. They wanted reform. Any poll that shows the opposite is referring to specific bills, where some of the people saying “no” actually wanted the government to go further. Here is a quote from Time magazine:
Forty-six percent of respondents said it was “very important” that Congress and the President pass major health reform in the next few months, and an additional 23% said it was “somewhat important.” Only 28% found the immediate effort either not very or not at all important. In a separate question, more Americans said it would be better to pass “major reform” to health care (55%) rather than “minor adjustments” (43%).
Here is the link
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1913426,00.html
Bendite; don’t waste your energy and factual date to confuse Jon. I’m sure he will respond with the comment that the Time poll was conducted by Socalists with an agenda. Remember, in Jon’s world (and Repubs/Teabaggers) the commie-pinko-socalists are all out there, ready to enslave us to the Obamamaster. Logic and common sense are not in the Republican/Teabag philosophy.
I think anyone who writes a letter, comment, blog or article that doesn’t adhere to the Central Oregon G(No)P Conservative I-Hate-HBM
dogma should be required to attach the stock responses we all expect. I find that the Four G’s (God, Gold, Government, and Guns) always bring out the same crowd with the same responses.
It is nice of The Source to provide them with a convenient public forum where they can meet daily at no cost, though.
BY all means Bendite, go check out real clear politics for yourself. There is no poll on the screen that indicates popular support. Congratulations on finding one that had the internals that support your view.
The bottom line is that most people don’t want to have their money taken from them to be given away to others.
Jon; maybe when you reach 65, if you’re not already there, you can voluntarily give up Social Security and Medicare and give it to the rest of us. OK?
And by the way, here are some other things that the majority of Repubs (and their buddies the “Dixiecrats”) have opposed over the years:
Voting rights act
Desegragation
Child labor laws
Food safety regulations
Banking regulations
40 hour work week
The minimum wage
National Parks
(Several of the above were done by Teddy Roosevelt over the strong objections of his own party, some by Eisenhower over the objections of his party as well)
The things Repubs will always vote for are weapon systems, whether we need or want them, wars, deregulation of anything that protects middle and lower income folks, and laws that restrict our ability to challenge corporate America. Did I leave out their rather unusual opposition to gay rights? (Me thinks thou dost protest too much).
But heck, they’re all Christians, right? “I got my healthcare, why should I give a rats ass about anyone else?”
There is more, but I need to go to the meeting of the Workers of the World so I can plot how to deprive Jon of his money.
Thanks Jon. Go ahead and get that bag of tea now.
Make mine a coffee.
How is what I said contradicted by the real clear politics website? The polls that you point out are specific to the democratic plan that has been passed, not health care reform in general. Even so, I clicked on the CNN poll that was listed “on the screen” and looky what I found:
Generally favor (from previous question) 40%
Oppose, too liberal 45%
Oppose, not liberal enough 10%
No opinion 4%
That would be 40% who favor reform and an additional 10% who opposed this specific plan because it wasn’t liberal enough. That makes 50% versus 45%. Also, I noticed that you changed the goal posts from “Americans didn’t want healthcare reform” to “popular support.” Way to discount 50% of people who were polled. Just because Teabaggers are loud doesn’t mean that they represent a majority.
Thank you for providing an additional link to support my previous statements.
ATSF3751, this is the one and only response you will receive from me. First of all, you will lift your credibility immensely if you would have enough courage to post comments under your own name. By making up some fake internet handle to hide behind, your arguments appear soft. Furthermore ,the terms “teabag”, “teabagging”, and “teabagger” are all disgusting sexual terms. Though I’m quite certain you already know, go educate yourself and look them up for yourself if you don’t believe me.
The only comment I have on your “progressive” scorecard is that it appears “progressives” haven’t done a darned thing in over 50 years.
Bendite, while you do appear to have simple addition down, you go off the rails on those critical capabilities most liberals lack, logic and analytical thinking.
The poll you cite still indicates opposition of U. A health bill audacious enough to have been pleasing to the extreme fringe, single payer supporters such as yourself would have certainly caused a huge portion of the “generally favor” group to calve off into the oppose crowd. I’ll give you a B- for effort though.
That said, I’ll close with the same message I issued that other poster. All terminology centered around permutations of the word “teabag” are disgusting and vulgar. You also are too much of a coward to sign your own name to your postings. Both of these things are indicators of the conviction of your beliefs, your intelligence level, your maturity level, and your credibility.
That is in reference to a SPECIFIC BILL. You first stated that “Americans didn’t want health care reform.” You were WRONG when you wrote that. Read my first posting again, where I write about the difference between people wanting reform versus support for specific bills. I am being consistent throughout this entire debate. When polled about reform, most Americans want it. Opposition goes down when asked about specific bills. I’ll break down another poll that you referenced from real clear politics. Looking at the internals of the Bloomberg poll shows AGAIN that I am right and you are wrong.
When asked if the government has a role in making sure everyone has access to care they can afford, 64% agreed.
When asked if the health care system is fine the way it is, 79% of people DISAGREED. 79%! 79% of people think that REFORM is needed. Your statement if demonstrably wrong.
I’ve now quoted two polls that showed majority support for health care reform in general. That is what educated liberals do. We support our statements with facts. Note that I haven’t used one scare tactic or called you any names. Granted, I called you a liar, but that seems to be supported by facts.
I’ll quit using the term “teabag” when teabaggers start calling out and shunning the racists within their ranks.