Althouse: "Bravo, Joe."

October 28, 2009

"Bravo, Joe."

"It's a relief to see at least someone standing up to the Washington rush to rearrange 18% of the U.S. economy without carefully inspecting the cost and the consequences."

23 comments:

traditionalguy said...: Thank you for being an adult in public, Mr Lieberman. You are a role model that we need 99 more of in the Senate of the United States of America. We are better than Barak Obama's vision for us of a poor Kenyan poverty stricken tribal group in need of welfare to survive the Obamadisasters Soros and cabal have planned for us by currency manipulation.; 10/28/09, 7:40 AM
MadisonMan said...: It's unfortunate that Harry Reid doesn't have the gumption to call the filibuster bluff. I have no doubt the filibuster would start, but I'd like to see an old-fashioned filibuster battle, with daily votes, arm-twisting, bloviating speeches. It would be great theater. And very bloggable.; 10/28/09, 7:41 AM
garage mahal said...: Voters in every congressional district in CT favor the public option by wide margins. Aetna is based in Hartford CT. Aetna is one of the largest private contributors to Lieberman re-election committee. Hmmmm. Think there is a connection here?; 10/28/09, 8:40 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: Why are they all lying to us and why are we all perpetrating their lies. This is not health care reform and it is not health care debate. Their is nothing here about health care.

This is health insurance reform- and the debate is only about about health insurance. If you call it anything else your are as big a liar as the President, the Congress, the Senators, and all the media.; 10/28/09, 8:42 AM
Widmerpool said...: Madison Man,

I read somewhere that a filibuster along the lines you envision (with some Senator having to talk non-stop for an extended period) is not the way it would work. A filibuster would be far more onerous on the Dems, who would have to maintain a quorum (51) or the filibustering Senator would simply "suggest the absence of a quorem" which would delay things until a quorum could be maintained. From what I have read, the Strom Thurmon filibuster in the 60's was undertaken by him by choice, not out of necessity.; 10/28/09, 8:46 AM
MadisonMan said...: Nuts; 10/28/09, 9:02 AM
former law student said...: Maybe Lieberman would prefer the Israeli model for universal health care, where all citizens belong to one of four HMOs set up by the trade unions.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/

The Health Care System in Israel- An Historical Perspective

26 Jun 2002

On January 1, 1995, the National Health Insurance Law went into effect. The law sets forth the state's responsibility to provide health services for all residents of the country (not including tourists.) The law stipulates that a standardized basket of medical services, including hospitalization, will continue to be supplied by the sick funds. Sources for funding of health costs include progressive health insurance premiums paid by each resident, employers' health tax payments, National Insurance Institute funds, funds from the Ministry of Health budget and consumer participation payments. The insurance premiums are collected by the National Insurance Institute.

The law provides that:

Every resident must register as a member with one of the four sick funds.

The sick funds may not bar applicants on any grounds, including age and state of health.

Equal status is accorded to all four sick funds.

Health care services covered by the law include:

Medical diagnosis and treatment
Preventive medicine and health education
Hospitalization (general, maternity, psychiatric and chronic)
Surgery and transplants. If medical treatment is not available in Israel, treatment abroad will be covered.
Preventive dental care for children
First aid and transportation to a hospital or clinic
Medical services at the workplace
Medical treatment for drug abuse and alcoholism
Medical equipment and appliances
Obstetrics and fertility treatment
Treatment of injuries caused by violence
Medication, in accordance with an order issued by the Ministry of Health
Treatment of chronic diseases
Paramedical services (physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.); 10/28/09, 9:03 AM
TosaGuy said...: "Voters in every congressional district in CT favor the public option by wide margins. Aetna is based in Hartford CT. Aetna is one of the largest private contributors to Lieberman re-election committee. Hmmmm. Think there is a connection here?"

Senator Lieberman learned where he stood with the CN public in 2006. He is probably the nation's most liberated senator with regard to party and ideology.; 10/28/09, 9:06 AM
garage mahal said...: Please. Lieberman is a foot stomping preening narcissist. He voted exactly the way his donors paid him to vote.; 10/28/09, 9:33 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Please. Lieberman is a foot stomping preening narcissist.

LOL!; 10/28/09, 9:58 AM
traditionalguy said...: Garage...When you grow up you will find out that the Government cannot be trusted to give you anything. The government is a competing special interest group only restrained by a Consttution and the few Senators who will not agree to fascism in practice.; 10/28/09, 10:02 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Maybe Lieberman would prefer the Israeli model for universal health care, where all citizens belong to one of four HMOs set up by the trade unions.

And that might actually work here if there were only 6 million US citizens.

I'll go on record and say that I'll be all for a public option on two conditions:

1)Provided everyone, and I mean everyone has to pay into the system for it no exceptions. Like Lo Dong my drycleaner says "No ticky no washy".

2)Illegals get basic treatment and then are on the first bus back to Tiajuana, Bolivia or Moscow. No exceptions.; 10/28/09, 10:03 AM
Unknown said...: Joe Lieberman has been the conscience of the American Left for 15 years - Lord knows they need one.

garage mahal said...

Voters in every congressional district in CT favor the public option by wide margins.

These are the same morons who have been sending Christopher Dodd to DC for 35 years. It ain't no recommendation.

Lieberman is a foot stomping preening narcissist. He voted exactly the way his donors paid him to vote.

Well, at least he doesn't lie to his constituents like the real narcissist - the one stomping his foot about how mean FNC is to him for actually doing what the rest of the press is supposed to do, as he preens in the White House.

WV "tematz" Where people and dogs are supposed to wipe their feet before they come in the house; 10/28/09, 10:13 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Joe Lieberman has been the conscience of the American Left for 15 years -

They should try getting a soul first.; 10/28/09, 10:14 AM
Paul said...: "Garage...When you grow up you will find out that the Government cannot be trusted to give you anything."

Being a liberal democrat means you never have to grow up. The government is your mommy and will provide for you and make the hard decisions for you. Which makes sense, after all as you can imagine the clusterfuck of garage making his own decisions as feeble minded and simple as he is.; 10/28/09, 10:49 AM
Phil 314 said...: Voters in every congressional district in CT favor the public option by wide margins. Aetna is based in Hartford CT. Aetna is one of the largest private contributors to Lieberman re-election committee. Hmmmm. Think there is a connection here?
No.

And I trust democracy to work if those congressional districts and their voters decide in 2012 that he did not serve them well in the Senate. I would think Democrats would be proud of their bigger tent than the Republicans.; 10/28/09, 10:50 AM
Phil 314 said...: from Slate
The senator in question, Democrat Chris Dodd, has during the past 20 years received $2.3 million in contributions from the insurance industry—more than any member of the House or Senate except John McCain, R-Ariz.; 10/28/09, 10:55 AM
Unknown said...: Hoosier Daddy said...

Joe Lieberman has been the conscience of the American Left for 15 years -

They should try getting a soul first.

Any move in that direction would help.

WV "antio" A very cool ant.; 10/28/09, 11:10 AM
Roger J. said...: how did that ned lamont thing work out for CT?; 10/28/09, 11:30 AM
miller said...: Yeah, I suppose the old adage "be careful of whom you step on on your way to the top because they will be there on your way down" applies to the folks who thought it was cool to get rid of Lieberman.

He's proven himself to be a sly fox.

And I find it funny the appeal to what voters "want." Would you expect all senators to vote the way voters "want"? Be careful what you wish for. That's what got us things like DOMA.; 10/28/09, 11:54 AM
garage mahal said...: Being a liberal democrat means you never have to grow up. The government is your mommy and will provide for you and make the hard decisions for you. Which makes sense, after all as you can imagine the clusterfuck of garage making his own decisions as feeble minded and simple as he is.

I can guarantee you 100% certainty I wouldn't trade my assets for yours. Not in a million years. Sorry, but there is no way I could have accumulated what I have, and live the lifestyle I want by a playing guitar on a boat and living off my wife's income.; 10/28/09, 12:38 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Heh, well garage, I'm sure if President Shortpants and the rest of your party of choice could work thier will, they'd see to you you'd have a lot less assets to support your lifestyle.

Spreading the wealth and all that.; 10/28/09, 12:49 PM
Cedarford said...: Maybe Lieberman would prefer the Israeli model for universal health care, where all citizens belong to one of four HMOs set up by the trade unions.

Hoosier -And that might actually work here if there were only 6 million US citizens.

I'll go on record and say that I'll be all for a public option on two conditions:

1)Provided everyone, and I mean everyone has to pay into the system for it no exceptions. Like Lo Dong my drycleaner says "No ticky no washy".

2)Illegals get basic treatment and then are on the first bus back to Tiajuana, Bolivia or Moscow. No exceptions.

THe "don't tamper with the Best Healthcare System In The World!!" conservatives always bring up "scalability" - which is a per se argument that America is to big to fix any of it's problems. Such and such may work well in other nations, but we are just Too BIg to adapt to any workable solutions foynd elsewhere.
I think it is a dumb argument, especially in an America now ossified against self-innovation by Ruling Elites and lawyer's lawsuits.

Your two caveats, though, are indeed essential components...everyone pays in, and no loads will have to work for it or leave the country.

The funny thing is we are likely headed for the universal health system Nixon wanted to cap his Presidency. Nixon grew up extremely poor, and had a brother who died from not having money to give him medical help. He thought the US paradox of great health care for some, inc. prisoners - while some working and contributing Americans had nothing at all was deeply immoral.

When NIxon thought something was deeply immoral - well, given his ethical threshold, it is worth at least considering he might have had a good point.; 10/28/09, 4:42 PM