Balanced? Sure. Hyperbolic? Definitely.
Invoking the word "crisis" might conjure up images of a Category 5 hurricane bearing down on the U.S. Gulf Coast or some other situation where decisive action much be taken to avert impending doom. But, is it appropriate to suddenly attach it to the key issue put forth by Obama administration, such as health care?
On July 30, CNBC dedicated its three-hour morning show "Squawk Box" to the issue and labeled the special coverage: "America's Healthcare Crisis." CNBC used the word "crisis" despite polls (including a July 30 Time article) that found 80 percent of the respondents satisfied with their health care.
"This is a special presentation of ‘Squawk Box,'" the CNBC announcer said. "America's health care crisis goes under the microscope. In the waiting room, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, former Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist, CVS/Caremark CEO Thomas Ryan, Sen. Judd Gregg, the president of the federation of American hospitals and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. How an overhaul of America's health care system affects everything, from company costs, to a trip to the emergency room. Who's paying for it? And what about consumer protection? These questions and more as our special ‘Squawk Box' summit ‘America's Healthcare Crisis' begins now."
Throughout the day, CNBC continued its "crisis" theme playing into the hands of the White House. That word, "crisis," holds special meaning for the Obama administraiton. On Nov. 9, 2008, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel admitted a "crisis" was the best opportunity to alter public policy.
"Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste," Emanuel said. "They are opportunities to do big things."
And that's what Sen. Jim DeMint, R- S.C., noted about the stimulus debate earlier this year. The junior South Carolina senator, speaking Jan. 27 at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., explained the Obama administration will "create crisis and widespread panic" just like its predecessor in order to get Congress to act expeditiously.
"I've been around long enough to know whenever someone tells me I have to make a decision right now, my response is no," DeMint said. "That clears it up right away and I think more and more the Bush administration and now this administration knows that they're not going to get a quick reaction out of Congress unless they create crisis and widespread panic. And that's going to be their M.O. to get Congress to act."
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The only Crisis I see
July 31, 2009 - 11:46 ET by Airforce_5_Ois CNBC's rating fallinf faster than Michael Moore on a box of Donuts!
"Obama lied, transparency died!" Michelle Malkin
Phony crisis
July 31, 2009 - 11:55 ET by doug1950There is no health care crisis, just like there really wasn't an economic crisis until the media helped to create one. That is precisely what they are doing again; creating a "crisis" in order to panic the herds of gullible Americans too lazy to find out for themselves what the Federal government is really doing. Instead of doing their jobs and investigating the huge amount of fraud, waste and abuses going on every day in Washington D.C. and around the country with the taxpayers money, they are helping to perpetuate it.
The CRISIS is that we're on
July 31, 2009 - 12:02 ET by mattmThe CRISIS is that we're on the verge of destroying America.
The CRISIS is that the media is reporting a 1% drop in GDP as a good economic sign.
The CRISIS is that the Russians are drilling for oil in Cuban waters, yet we aren't drilling for our own.
The CRISIS is that we are weakening our military while our enemies gather strength.
The CRISIS is that we have an incompetent egomaniac socialist president, a corrupt leftist Congress and a lying propagandistic media.
Other than that, things are great!
DeMint is spot on.
July 31, 2009 - 12:07 ET by rimskyDeMint is spot on. Rushing into this is going to wreck health care in this country. There is no crisis.
These networks actually think they are performing a public service by creating a hysterical atmosphere about the so-called crisis in health care.
I actually began reading H.R. 3200 last night. It's a real puke-fest of legalize that no one can understand. Who are the robot lawyers that write this crap?
Health Care Crisis????
July 31, 2009 - 12:32 ET by PSPCplI used to have an alcohol crisis when I was college: it occurred every time I ran out of money.
How is this relevant? It was a temporary "crisis" until I earned some more money. Likewise, health care is a "crisis" only for those who don't have it. All they have to do is get a job and earn the money they need to pay for it. It is a personal choice to get it or not.
The real issue for health care is that certain folks with the help of the state-run media have created this perception that health care is a "fundamental right". No where in the Constitution is there a guarantee of a right to health care. Nor does it fall into the catagory known as "the commons": it is not something we all own and thus share together like the air, the water, or public areas.
If you want to make the case that there should be a right for what amounts to a service provided by private entities, then I can make an argument that I have a right to car repair, or electrical repair, or plumbing repair (and given the hourly rates for these guys, you would swear they all went to medical school).
Not to be Cynical or Anything...
July 31, 2009 - 12:40 ET by sic721But,
With Chris Dodd announcing he has prostate cancer,
which 'nationalized health-care' country will he be
traveling to for treatment?
Canada? England? France? Cuba?
Whaaaat?
He's staying here? In the U.S.? In our 'failed' system?
Huh! Go figure.
"Let us disappoint the Men who are raising themselves upon the ruin of this Country."-John Adams
Need COMPLETE list of health care bill problems
July 31, 2009 - 12:58 ET by w0tmThe list of problems in the health care bill UP TO PAGE 498 is all over the Internet. The last published bill is 1018 pages. I understand the bill is now over 1200 pages.
But my main question is does anyone know where a list exists of problems of ALL of the bill up to page 1018 that is on the house.gov site. ????? I've read some really noxious provisions on various pages past 498 up to 1018. Apparently someone did a good job did a very good job of picking apart pages up to 498 as it was "work in progress" but stopped there as that is all he/she had at the time. Surely, someone has now done the same thing for all 1018 pages!!! ??? But WHERE???
For that matter if anyone has anything past 1018 PLEASE post a link to that page. But I'm guessing the House will not release what else they are writing until one minute before the bill is voted on. Maybe not even then.
Anyway, WHAT is on pages 499 thru 1018!!!???? Yes, I can read it myself and am doing so. But those who far better explain government speak needs to issue what is already all over the Internet on pages up to 498 but then STOPS! SURELY someone has picked apart pages 499 thru 1018. But WHERE is it???
HELP!!
Krugman's at it again
July 31, 2009 - 12:59 ET by KC MulvilleSome are trying to present it as a crisis; others are trying to slip it past as "no big deal." Case in point: Paul Krugman has an unusually disingenuous op-ed today, even for him.
Well.
In the first place, Medicare is going broke. As a financial model for healthcare, it's about as bad as you can get. It's predictably going broke, because the model depends on there being many more workers contributing to the fund than draw out. But we can predict that the percentage of contributors is going down, the percentage of benneficiaries is going up, and the cost of the care is dramatically upping the curve. Medicare is not a proof of government's wonderful effect on the system.
Second, by Krugman's logic, the government is to be trusted with your care because they already "make it possible" through regulation. Well, of course, regulating a business is not the same as running it. By Krugman's logic, since government regulates cars and computers, government is really providing them to you. No. Regulating something is not the same as providing it. That's simply disingenuous, or they've been concatenated in Krugman's mind because they help his argument.
The whole point of the "public option" is that government is now competing in the insurance market, in addition to regulating it. For Krugman to try and pass that off as just a little more regulation and subsidies ... again, he's either stupid or just plain lying.
Krugman is just another
July 31, 2009 - 23:03 ET by ckc1227Krugman is just another fool who believes we'd all be living in ditches and eating out of garbage cans if it wasn't for government.
Maybe it's just me, but the
July 31, 2009 - 14:04 ET by RR GOPMaybe it's just me, but the things that pi$$es me off about health care is paying what I feel to be outrageous premiums and hearing about folks going bankrupt for life saving procedures...not the health care system itself.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
Actually, the Obama plan is
July 31, 2009 - 14:15 ET by mandrakeActually, the Obama plan is causing a crisis in Canada because all the goverment paid people who kill off our elderly are now heading south for greener pastures. So who's going to be left to kill off me..come on, I can't ask my kids to do it. Why is Obama stealing all our goverment killers?
I'll meet you halfway at Niagara Falls -
July 31, 2009 - 14:24 ET by SickofLibs- let's say August 3, 2 pm on the Rainbow Bridge. I'll be wearing a black AC/DC t-shirt.
Everybody has got to see this
July 31, 2009 - 14:45 ET by Gecksgo to:
http://pagenine.typepad.com
and read the article on the healthcare bill....Use it for ammunition at your local town hall meeting with your representative.
"Your right to Life, Liberty, and the Persuit of Happiness ends at my front door, and my wallet!"-Me!
Re See This
July 31, 2009 - 15:26 ET by slickwillie2001Some interesting points made there. If nosy doctors keep asking if we have guns in the home as many now do, and that becomes a government database, do we in effect have gun registration? Will people that own guns have their healthcare rationed differently?
Regarding the gun-rights
July 31, 2009 - 15:37 ET by motherbeltRegarding the gun-rights linkage...many pediatricians are now routinely asking parents if they have guns in the home. How far a leap is that to refusing gun permits to anyone with a child?
Keep in mind that any government privacy policy says that info will only be released to "authorized" individuals or agencies.
Guess who gets to decide who is "authorized."
Wait!
July 31, 2009 - 15:41 ET by ParagrouperI know this one! It's on the tip of my tongue...
"Beware the fury of the patient man." - John Dryden
I was at a gun store the other day---
July 31, 2009 - 15:44 ET by misterbillI asked the owner if he had a pediatrician on site. He said he was a Baptist and didn't care about those other religions.
DeMint said it all! It's
July 31, 2009 - 15:23 ET by bigtimerDeMint said it all!
It's going to be their M.O. indeed.
Glad more and more are waking up to that fact.
Trial Lawyers Billion dollar tax-break just waiting to be snuck in somewhere along the way too...just heard about this early today.
No torte reform though...one of the biggest problems there has been for a long long time now regarding health care, insurance rising costs....but shhh....don't tell anyone.
...this is one of the biggest real crisis's....being ignored....intentionally.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
CoCC
July 31, 2009 - 15:37 ET by misterbillCoCC--New czar--Chief of Creating Crises.
Good pay, great bennies and you don't have to use the f***ed up Obama insurance plan.
July 31, 2009 - 21:34 ET by jessieHSounds to me like the Washington Mafia is getting a little scared. The minions are having to go into "crisis mode"
CNBC's Rick Santelli doesn't have any affection for the leftist
August 1, 2009 - 03:03 ET by Rush FanHuffington Post. TVNEWSER writes:
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Congratulations to Rush Limbaugh for his 21st Anniversary today (Aug.1) of the start of the EIB Network.