No wonder this guy professes love for President Obama: neither one cares how much the government spends . . .
Ed Schultz debuted his MSNBC show this evening by calling for universal health care, saying "I don't care how much it costs." There was one area, however, in which Schultz did show more guts than his new colleague, Keith Olbermann.
View video here.
ED SCHULTZ: I want to say something tonight to you wonderful viewers out there here on MSNBC, and I haven't heard this on network television. I want to tell you one thing about health care when it comes to money. Personally, this is where I stand: I don't care how much it costs. I think it's fantastic that the president's got $634 billion in his budget to do something about health care. But if it's a trillion, that's OK with me. If it's $1.2 trillion, I don't care.And a bit later.
SCHULTZ: My argument with the conservatives is that I think they're selfish when it comes to health care . . . I've seen billions of dollars, you've seen billions of dollars go overseas to foreign countries. Now it's time to put it in this country and that's why I love President Barack Obama for his committment, a downpayment of $634 billion to do something about in this country.
Ed, there's a reason that you haven't heard anyone on network TV say they don't care how much universal health care costs: it's crazy. Though you're certainly right when you say the $634 billion PBO has proposed is a "downpayment." Compared to what the prez has in mind, I'd call it a drop in the IV bag.
Let's do give Ed credit for something—beyond the fact that he's bound to be a treasure trove of grist for our commentary mill. In contrast with Keith Olbermann, who doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to invite a dissenting voice on his show, Schultz had two PBO critics on his opening-night panel: Lars Larson and Larry Elder, balancing Ed and The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel.
Note: catch most of Mark's stuff at FinkelBlog.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Well ...
April 6, 2009 - 20:37 ET by KC Mulville... it's a start
This from the guy.....
April 6, 2009 - 21:30 ET by sbarkfrom the guy, on his local Fargo ND show, got all bent out of shape when Blue Cross Ins. didnt cover some portion of his back pain......and he went on a vendenta that ultimatly got the CEO fired.....
As any Liberal---he dont care what it costs...as long as its not his money.......
SBARK...
April 7, 2009 - 12:46 ET by danybhoyYou are exactly right, Schultz does'nt give a damn what it costs, & if it bankrupts the nation, so be it. As long as he thinks he will get HIS care, he could care less about about how crappy it will become.
This @$$ clown will be gone in short order because he is so combustible, a total hothead, & he will do something at some point that not even the bosses at GE/NBC/MSNBC won't even stand by him.
"The Fairness Doctrine = Jim Crow laws for Conservatives". Jim Quinn from "Quinn & Rose"
Not to sound like a putz...
April 6, 2009 - 20:47 ET by Delia...But, my husband and I have always paid 'out of pocket' for our health care/dental needs as they happen and we are 'uninsured' but we pay our bills in cash right away.
Will universial health care drive up the cost for people like me who prefer to pay out of pocket and have the means to do so? We hardly every get sick *knock on wood* and even though I'm going through some extensive dental work we can afford it [thank the good Lord].
I'm also concerned over the 'quality' of health care too. The government has proven that it can't do a job without costing 3X and tons of red tape to boot.
In other words...I'm really worried.
Your concerns are well warranted.....
April 6, 2009 - 20:53 ET by NC CopJust about everywhere else government got involved in healthcare, its driven down the quality of care. Huge waiting lines for services, overworked hospital staff, and just add government regualtions to all of it and you've got the recipe for a real disaster.
Like the saying goes, "If you think health care was expensive before, just wait until its free."
NC Cop, exactly right...
April 6, 2009 - 21:02 ET by DeliaPeople come HERE for health care from other places in the world. There's a saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
Delia
April 6, 2009 - 21:13 ET by RESTLESS 1brought another question to my mind with her post. If those can afford it come here for health care now, and shoot ourselves in the foot by employing the 0's plans, where will ANYONE be able to go for health care. This is just one more way we are the world's "last, best hope", if the 0 doesn't screw it up.
(edit: Actually, if we stand up and not allow the 0 to screw it up.)
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
RESTLESS 1, Scary indeed!
April 6, 2009 - 21:35 ET by DeliaRight now we have some of the best health care in the world [albeit spendy].
What happens when doctors [the good ones] are so overrun with regulations and red-tape from the government that they retire and let the new drones with half the education and experience to take their places in the new world order?
I know it sounds paranoid but hindsight is here and NOW.
UGH!
Exactly Delia
April 6, 2009 - 21:49 ET by RESTLESS 1If the care is so hard to come by in Canada and Europe, that they have to come here, what happens when here is as bad as there. (???)
Anyway, I hope your dental "woes"get taken care of and you feel better ASAP.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
RESTLESS 1, where to go?
April 6, 2009 - 22:05 ET by DeliaThat is the scary part, Restless1...and frankly, something I don't want to fathom but reality checks are what they are. -And, is this REALLY the road America wants to go down? The path to hell is paved with good intentions...
Thank you for the kind words regarding my recent dental stuffies. I'm [actually] doing pretty well except for the fact that I have a 'cow tooth' in my mouth right now. LMAO! My other temporary crowns are GREAT and feel just like my real teeth but this big honker they put in my other side of my mouth feels like a block of cement. Oy Vey! I'm actually having a good laugh about it. The root canal pain wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be [the doctor had me scared into thinking I was going to have nuclear pain going on in there but nothing of the sort].
Truth? God has been so good to me. I have to remember to praise Jesus every day for all of my blessings. A little pain in the big scheme of things is a no-brainer and my dentist is WONDERFUL. I hope she sticks around through the 0bamanation syndrome but I fear many good doctors and dentists may quit their professions under the thumb of being controlled by the 'big bro'.
Sometimes I sadly wonder how many truly good and decent physicians will be able to hold out through this hot mess of a health care system 0bama wants to employ. [And we all know damned well the 'elites' will have a totally separate health care for themselves].
I'm so glad I'm getting my dental work done NOW before the Gov. takes over health care.
Delia
April 6, 2009 - 22:17 ET by RESTLESS 1A couple of weekends ago, I had an aggravated sciatic nerve. The pain down the back of my thigh and my calf was excruciating. I didn't get one minute of sleep that Saturday. Sunday morning I went to the hospital, and no more than three hours later, I had medication to relax the muscles and for the pain. I can't imagine having to wait six weeks or more to have that taken care of. In the course of the last two weeks, I have been to a specialist and had an MRI this past Saturday,(SATURDAY!!!!) and am scheduled for a follow up on Wednesday. I wonder how long that would have taken with UHC.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
Restless 1, Sciatic nerve pain? AHHHHHHHHHH!
April 6, 2009 - 22:25 ET by DeliaYou poor kiddo! Sciatic pain or as my husband and I [lovingly refer to it] 'Sciaticaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa' is INTENSE [as I'm sure you well know obviously]!
You're so right too. I had two broken ribs a few years ago and the pain pills were the only thing that helped me get through it and I was able to get into the doc right away, get x-rays, get a prescript and get the frick outta there. Bingo, bango DONE deal! I can't imagine going through a health care system run by the government. People already b*tch and moan about HMOs! Times that on crack!
I'm scared. I'm not kiddin' ya. SCARED.
Hey Ed.........
April 6, 2009 - 20:49 ET by NC CopWe don't care what you think!!
Ed may not care how much it costs,
April 6, 2009 - 20:51 ET by RESTLESS 1but the public at large just might. When everyone is taking home less, even with those promised "tax cuts", people will begin to scratch their heads. FINALLY, when they wake up and shake off the obama hangover, we will be there with the Advil.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
A billion here...a trillion
April 6, 2009 - 20:53 ET by bigtimerA billion here...a trillion there...whats the difference to the leftists?
It's just play $$$ to them...and I don't want to get into all the bull that would happen to us as a society with our health care that would/will be so detrimental...been there done that may times here before.
Like my tag-line says below...it applies to Shultz so well.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
having run the hamster wheel
April 6, 2009 - 20:58 ET by katainkentthat is military health care - believe me you don't want the government running it. I don't care how much it costs either.
Amen
April 6, 2009 - 21:05 ET by RowaneBTDT myself. Government controlled healthcare is a joke.
Concur with
April 6, 2009 - 21:07 ET by BDConcur with that.
Anything that is offered as free is soon in shortage. And the military healthcare is no different.
My soldiers who would benefit from unusual medications are often provided other, lesser effective medications for such things as blood pressure and other items because the government gets a better deal on them.
But you never hear this from the left.
have some of that vitamin M
April 6, 2009 - 21:10 ET by katainkentGot a headache? Motrin
Got a smashed collarbone? Motrin
Cut your leg off... have some more Motrin.
How about that?
April 6, 2009 - 21:02 ET by SupermanEd Shultz has been on the air for just 1 day and already he has had more conservatives on his show than Keith Olbermann has had on his show in 6 years.
I do give him credit for
April 6, 2009 - 21:04 ET by Mark FinkelsteinI do give him credit for that. He also had on Ray LaHood, who used to be a Republican congressman, but I don't count that because he's now a member of the Obama administration.
Yes, but, Larry Elder can do better than MSNBC..
April 6, 2009 - 21:28 ET by JTPThough I give Ed credit for bringing other views in even though it was just for someone to hear his new show. I miss Larry's XM radio show. He has a sharp mind. I just hope he doesnt become a Buchanan and spend too much time at the MSNBC koolaid dispensor.
"I need more cowbell!" SNL
Olbermann? Guts? He's as
April 6, 2009 - 21:57 ET by zhombreOlbermann? Guts? He's as gutsy as a guy who drowns kittens.
zhombre... Wow...you defi
April 6, 2009 - 22:09 ET by bigtimerzhombre...
Wow...you defined him to a tee.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Of course, the overhead of
April 6, 2009 - 22:28 ET by RR GOPOf course, the overhead of government health care will be enormous.
That's not the point.
The point is that there are millions of middle class Americans out there without very much education and the sophistication of the politicos, journalists and academics who are living high on the hog, while those who are further down the trough due to mostly bad personal choices are having a tough time of it.
The leaders of the Proletariat Revolution, of course, deserve their Manhattan penthouses, their wine and cheese soirees, their six-seven figure salaries, while the dangerous Middle Class is evil and self-serving and must be destroyed.
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!?).
Shultz is an arrogant tub
April 6, 2009 - 23:13 ET by ConservativeRexShultz is an arrogant tub of lard. You pay for everyone else Ed. The rest of us work hard for our money and would like to keep most of it. We don't appreciate being called selfish or greedy you elitist POS. The rest of your recipients sure like to laugh at people who work hard and think us suckers. Well Ed, that is fixing to change, but quick and for keeps.
The cost of gov't health care does matter, Ed
April 6, 2009 - 23:28 ET by nkviking75If it didn't matter how much health care cost, I might be more sympathetic with Far-gone Ed. But unfortunately, it does. Keep in mind, the pretext for states suing the tobacco industry a few years ago was to recoup the money government spent on health care for Medicare and Medicaid patients whose aliments were caused by tobacco. What's more, when the government takes over the health care system, they'll start denying care to more and more people with chronic conditions. In many cases, that'll mean government will effectively decide when it's time for some people to die.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
. . . which is reportedly what is happening now in the UK
April 7, 2009 - 07:56 ET by GalvanicAccording to press reports, National Health -- the British single-payer universal health system -- has decreed that it will no longer provide expensive cancer drugs to women with advanced breast cancer because of budget constraints.
Sorry, ladies.
Ed, go to Canada for your health care
April 7, 2009 - 05:45 ET by TheHistorianIf you think that government does so well on medical care, go to Canada and get treated next time you get sick. And take the illegal aliens with you so they can get treated also.
Ed the dud
April 7, 2009 - 07:11 ET by frannyEd, noone cares what you think. You will be the first to try to get tax write-offs for healthcare for yourself and family, so just stop.
He tells us: I want to tell
April 7, 2009 - 08:01 ET by USA4freedomHe tells us: I want to tell you one thing about health care when it comes to money. Personally, this is where I stand: I don't care how much it costs.
Then YOU pay for it, A$$ Hole.
Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.
Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.
"I know nuss-ink. NUSS-INK!"
April 7, 2009 - 08:13 ET by GalvanicEd Schultz reminds me of another Schultz of TV fame: Hogan's Heroes Sergeant Schultz.
Another block of
April 7, 2009 - 09:03 ET by sam12663empty air time. If MSNBC thinks this guy will bring in viewers, they are more clueless than ever.
Lets see, you have Man Crush Matthews, out of his mind Olberrman, SheMan Maddow, Shiester Shuster, and now 'Know Nussink" Sergeant Schultz. What a killer lineup! Yea, ratings killer.
They have become the most irrelevant news organization on the air. Besides Newsbusters, does anyone even watch MSNBC anymore?
President Obama is nothing more than a empty suit; a Hollywood style special effects smoke and mirrors show that has shown itself to be a total fraud.
WAKE UP AMERICA! SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION!
You see, since liberal
April 7, 2009 - 09:37 ET by TexasteacherYou see, since liberal a**holes like sgt. schultz don't pay taxes, high government spending doesn't bother them at all. tubby doesn't care how much it'll cost because he probably doesn't pay his taxes like every other obamaphile.
And about the "balance" of bringing "conservatives" on his show - that'll last 2-3 shows tops. He'll get tired of having his a** handed to him on a nightly basis.
obama's notion of bi-partisanship is telling conservatives to shut up and do what he wants.
I propose a little noblesse oblige
April 7, 2009 - 15:20 ET by Paul Atreidesto all of those liberals, like Mister Ed, to start an Adopt-an-Uninsured Program. Since they cannot bring themselves to adopt a homeless person, and take them home (you see, all of the homeless have disappeared since Dear Leader assumed the office), they can each adopt an uninsured person and pay their medical bills. I'm sure that Ed isn't being paid in hen's eggs, so he can take the royalties from books, speeches, etc., and adopt some of the uninsured. The same goes for our delicate geniuses out there in Hollywood, who get paid millions to star in one piece of nauseating drivel after another. I'm sure they would love to do without one Oscar outfit in order to pay someone's medical bill.
Let antsy Nancy Pelosi set the example for the gutter trash that are known as our elected officials.
Who has more an obligation to donate to health care charities
April 7, 2009 - 15:47 ET by Daniel BakerThe liberal who says we are in an imperfect system
-------------------------------------------
Google and Apple officially fought traditional marriage: . Please Boycott them. A Boycott changed McDonald's mind.
I am going to laugh when Ed has to sell his airplane...
April 7, 2009 - 17:31 ET by R D Helm...in order to pay the hideous taxes that "free" health care is going to bring about.
-Dave
This coup has gone on long enough. The time to put it down is NOW.
How 'bout you just kiss my
April 7, 2009 - 23:44 ET by rbosqueHow 'bout you just kiss my ass Ed!?