Watching the Las Vegas Candidates' Healthcare forum: Hillary is in a league of her own on this issue

[Ninja Jordan]

I'm not a fan of Mrs. Clinton, but when it comes to the healthcare issue, she is able to espouse facts and facts from her memory. She knows this issue better than any other candidate I believe, and has responded to questions in this forum in the best manner, when compared to the other candidates. Whereas Obama seemed tepid and vague on a lot of this stuff, Clinton goes in gangbusters. I'm impressed. She knows her stuff.

[Czolgosz]

1. I agree that Hillary is not in the same league as Kucinich or Edwards on health care.

[mike_c]

2. agreed....

:rofl:

[mike_c]

3. check out DK's health care position....

http://kucinich.us/issues/universalhealth.php

[Ninja Jordan]

7. Dennis Kucinich? Realistic candidates only please...

[mike_c]

14. so do you want the best health care position or don't you...?

:shrug:

At the very least, DK's position should serve as a model to compare other candidates to, and to encourage other candidates to adopt.

[IndianaGreen]

36. No, the poster is only interested in beating the drums for Hillary

This is the same Hillary that blew a golden opportunity to get universal health care. She and Iraq Magaziner were more interested in making the insurance company happy, only to get their asses kicked by an infamous TV commercial.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

4. Hillary has been on healthcare issues her entire professional life

Love her or hate her - she has consistently been working on healthcare since the early 80s - long before Bill took the White House.

I read her autobiography - she is scary crazy smart and has worked her ass off her entire life. There are plenty of things I wish she would re-consider - like that damn Bush's War vote - but she has many more positives than negatives in my never to be humble opinion.

Will I vote for her, maybe. Damn we Dems have just so many great candidates it is like being offered the dessert tray at a 5 five restaurant. Our worst candidate is 100 times better than the repugs best.

[EVDebs]

9. Single payer is the only way and she'll never go that far. Insurance co's and pharma $

will see to that. You trust her NOT to take the $ ?

[Ninja Jordan]

11. I think it's because such a plan would NEVER get through Congress?

Do want the "purest" plan, or the plan that Congress is actually going to pass?

[EVDebs]

15. Then we, in CA, and elsewhere will NOT GO THRU CONGRESS

We will end up simply passing SB840 out here and watch the fun begin.

[ProudDad]

38. You got that right!!!

SB840 and to hell with the groppensteroidenfuhrer!

[Warpy]

12. She allowed herself to be bullied into

keeping for profit insurance companies in the mix.

I wonder if she'll make that mistake again.

She gave them what they wanted and they gave her (and us) Harry and Louise.

[Cameron27]

13. So has Edwards,

Obama hasn't formulate his plan yet. Kucinich is the only one pushing for single payer, and on this issue I agree with him.

[Colobo]

5. That's her strong point

No doubt about it. Still, won't vote for her.

[Ninja Jordan]

8. Is Tito making a comeback?

His beating against Winky wasn't enough to keep him retired?

[Colobo]

10. Nope, he's retired

Winky outboxed him silly... what a sad night!

[EVDebs]

6. No way. Edwards OWNS the healthcare issue and has given Iowans a cd

on his plan. What's Hilary's plan ?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

16. Have you ever noticed...

That every single terrible effect of "The Clinton Healthcare Plan" that was predicted by its opponents has come to pass, along with a few they didn't predict?

[Nite Owl]

17. What is this on?

Is it on tv? Where?

[Cameron27]

22. Here, thinkprogess is hosting the event:

http://thinkprogress.org/


edited: Looks like it's over without an actual debate between the candidates.

[MistressOverdone]

18. This has been her dream for years

so I guess she knows it inside and out.

[madrchsod]

19. universal/small co pay---right to purchase supplemental

just like everyone on medicare/medicaid and 100% of the people who will vote on this issue.

[Radical Activist]

20. Will she find enough courage to do anything about it?

After it failed once in '93, Bill Clinton never pushed the issue again. She might have all the knowledge in the world but I wonder if her drive to me moderate and cautious will keep her from getting anything good done.

[Colobo]

21. From what I've read (not watching) Obama did poorly on this

Is that right?

[Cameron27]

23. Yes, unfortunately he doesn't have any plan

formulated and was pretty vague.

[Colobo]

24. Dissapointing. I don't know what he is thinking.

How is he going to sustain the support he's gaining without any plans?

If he doesn't work on this, I'll have to think about Edwards more closely.

[Cameron27]

26. He said it was only a matter of weeks

and then his plan will go up on his website. Don't lose hope too soon.

[ruggerson]

27. I love Barack

but I'm starting to think this time around is not his moment. Needs just a bit more seasoning.

[Colobo]

29. That might be the case

I'll wait and see, who knows if he comes up with a good health care platform. If he doesn't, then Edwards has my support.

Hillary will never get my support in the primaries...

[ruggerson]

30. I was leaning towards Edwards

and the events of the last few days pushed me farther in his direction. They are a profile in dignity and leadership. And the icing on the cake is I think he's the most electable of all of them. Moderate, swing voters in the South and the Midwest will vote for John Edwards.

[Vinca]

25. Yesterday I heard Senator Clinton say that if she is elected,

we'll have universal health care by the end of her second term as president. Sorry . . . not good enough. We can't wait that long. Whoever is elected needs to start something on day one of their term.

[ruggerson]

28. We're a country of three hundred million people

it will take at least 6-8 years to push comprehensive reform through and launch it.

[Ninja Jordan]

31. People will bitch about anything

If it's not her plan, then it's that she won't implement it FAST enough.

[Vinca]

33. That's an unfair remark. You must be well insured. nt

[Vinca]

32. Of course it's a big undertaking, but it only took 8 years to put a man on the moon.

On day one she could open Medicare up for people from 55 to 65. The next year she could phase in 45 to 55 and so on. I'm sick to death of politicians talking about health care and nothing ever gets done. She needs to do something . . . ANYTHING . . . on day one. A good faith effort. What is the percentage of uninsured in our population that will trigger immediate action? Isn't it bad enough when uninsured little kids die from infected teeth?

[napi21]

35. I listened to the whole forum. Ithink Edwards or Clinton could get their plans passed.

But if you listened to all the speaches, you'd know thatALL of them said, in order to get dramatic changes passed the Senate, we need MORE or a mjority than we currently have.

Hillary even mentioned that one of the main reasons her HC plan failed back in the 90's was because it was filabustered.

I liked the sound of the Kusinich plan, but I really doubt he'd be able to push it through both houses of Congress. You have to remember, not only theuninsured, poor, and lower middle class are voters, and many of the middle & upper middle class are quite happy with HC just the way it is. For any plan to pass, it must help all who want it, but also, at the very least,not change things for those who are currently happy.

[ruggerson]

37. All she will be able to do as POTUS

is present a plan and lobby Congress hard to get it passed. I don't think she can unilaterally issue an executive order to expand Medicare. I could be wrong.

[snowbear]

34. I didn't see it, but MSNBC said Edwards gave the most detailed, thought-out proposal..

And when I just logged on and saw someone here reporting Faux said Hillary gave the best spiel, I had to laugh my ass off.

Faux is going to continue 24/7 Hillary Worship.. .. right up until she wins the nomination.

Why not though -- if you're on their side of the fence, it makes perfect sense.

But if Ninja watched it and is also saying Hillary knocked it out of the park, I believe him!

One of the reporters who went to the forum was on Contessa Brewer's program a little while ago. She seemed pretty adamant that Edwards did a better job on this issue than any of the candidates who showed up. Said he was the only one who was extremely detailed and that you could tell he knows the issue well.

I was hoping to hear how Governor Richardson did. I'm guessing he's probably hauling ass back to NM right now because of all the severe weather (tornadoes) etc. today?

I didn't watch the forum, but if Ninja said that Hillary did great, I'll take his word.

[ProudDad]

39. Not Suprising

with rupert murdoch's support how can she lose?

[ProudDad]

40. Any details of her "plan"?

If it doesn't cut out the insurance companies and big pharma's price fixing, it ain't worth shit.

[ProudDad]

41. Earth to Hillary

Support HR676 and introduce a companion bill in the Senate...

http://www.pnhp.org/publications/executive_summary_of_the_united_states_national_health_insurance_act_hr676.php