Update (15:40 EDT): Ana Marie Cox helpfully corrects/excuses Klein's error re: Kucinich.
Well, that didn't take long. Just a few hours after former Rep. Dick Armey's (R-Tex.) first guest blog post to Time's "Swampland," liberal journalist and author Joe Klein slammed Armey for "red-baiting" the audience on the Democrats' stances on issues like health care.
Socialized medicine is a right-wing scare trope. None of the Democrats is proposing that. None of them is even proposing a "single-payer" plan, like Canada, where the government collects the premiums and people get to choose private providers. And now that we're at a point where much of corporate America is hoping for some relief from the burden of providing health insurance, ain't this kind of red-baiting getting a little old?
But Klein is dead wrong. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) is precisely pushing a single-payer universal coverage plan that the liberal Center for American Progress labels as "Medicare for All."
From Kucinich.us, the Ohio Democrat's campaign Web site (PDF file):
We must establish streamlined national health insurance, "Enhanced Medicare for Everyone." It would be publicly financed health care, privately delivered, and will put patients and doctors back in control of the system.
Sounds like Canada to me, and the liberal Center for American Progress Action Fund agrees:
The Conyers-Kucinich bill, HR 676, provides for Medicare for All. It is a comprehensive plan which would create a universal, single payer, not-for-profit system which would enable all American families to have full coverage, plus dental, vision, mental health, prescription drugs, and long term care.
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Once again the lib tactic of
June 4, 2007 - 12:52 ET by mattmOnce again the lib tactic of setting up a false premise to argue against rears its ugly head.
Agreed! Lies work bette
June 4, 2007 - 13:39 ET by GatorgradAgreed!
Lies work better than the truth to sell their ideals.
"The press must grow day in and day out — it is our Party's sharpest and most powerful weapon. "
---Joseph Stalin April 19, 1923
Does this mean we can have
June 4, 2007 - 13:55 ET by MightyMouthDoes this mean we can have a perfect health care system just by having congress vote it in? What are we waiting for? do it now!
And while they are at it congress should:
1) Vote down global warming. Vote for victory in Iraq.
2) Pass bills against AIDS, famine, starvation and homelessness.
3) Enact laws that ban nuclear weapons for any country we don't like.
And please God, can we have 99 cent gas again?
Anything should be possible for the most "ethical" and "efficient" congress in the history of the United States! Go kucinich go!
(ohh, i think i am going to be...sick <barf>)
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
You have to remember that whe
June 4, 2007 - 14:30 ET by GalvanicYou have to remember that when Klein says, "None of the Democrats is proposing that," he means Hillary Clinton isn't proposing it. He's only interested in her; he could care less about the other candidates.
I thought all of them were pr
June 4, 2007 - 17:25 ET by Andrew H.I thought all of them were proposing single payer--which as you know would be you and me through the wonderfully efficient federal government.
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
Should be "Careful, Joe Klein"
June 4, 2007 - 15:03 ET by Gary HallAna Marie Cox's Careful, Dick! Should be "Careful, Joe Klein."
Yesterday, Joe Klein couldnt' get his facts straight over the Republican candidate's chances over the Democrats in Ohio, and today we see that his mouth continue's to blurt out false information with his socialized health care miss.
Time for Time to fire Joe Klein, is it not? OK, OK, I'd settle for a full Time cover retraction and/ or correction with an apology for being consistent in misleading his viewers on the facts.
But in the end, is it not obvious that in Klein's haste to put his vision out to the public (what he wants it to be) that his mouth is simply running rampant?