I agree with Barney Frank

[eisely]

Only on this one quote however....

 

The quote below is from Barney Frank as quoted in the Wall Street Journal today, commenting on the sting operations against Acorn.

 

"People have said, 'Well, the sting [against Acorn] is terrible.' I will tell people there is a great defense against being stung. Don't do the kind of things that put you on television."

 

 

[Trevorum]

I also agree with him on this quote:

 

"I have now one ambition: to retire before it becomes essential to tweet."

 

[John-in-KC]

Even I can agree with both of those!

[GernBlansten]

Frank won my eternal devotion when he confronted that whack job at his town hall.

 

At a Barney Frank town hall meeting in Dartmouth, MA, a constituent asks, "Why are you supporting this Nazi policy?"

 

Frank responds: "On what planet do you spend most of your time?" He then calls her approach "vile, contemptible nonsense." He closes by saying: "Trying to have a conversation with you would be like arguing with a dining room table."

 

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/19/barney-frank-confronts-wo_n_262682.html

[John-in-KC]

She'd have been closer to right if she'd said Leninist or Stalinist policy...

 

Unfortunately, Americans don't seem to want to know history, by and large

[GernBlansten]

She'd been closer to correct if she'd said the policy of every other industrialized 1st world nation. However, that wouldn't have made her point.

[sheldonsmom]

As my mother always says: "If everyone is jumping off the bridge, are you jumping, too?"

 

Just because every other country has national healthcare, doesn't make it right for America!

[Hal_Crawford]

Is your mom on medicare?

Hal

[Lisabob]

John, Lenin fomented civil war in his country that killed untold numbers. Stalin imprisoned his own people, shipped them off to Siberia for the alleged crimes of having fought for the Soviet Union during WW II and making incidental contact with westerners in the process, for being ethnic groups other than Russian, slaughtered middle class merchants who were the backbone of the economy, tormented nations for opposing the forcible and violent take-over of their (previously) independent countries, and used the considerable police powers of the Soviet state to terrorize people for the mere fact that Stalin was a paranoid maniac who felt everyone was out to get him. Combined, Lenin and Stalin contributed in a very direct way to the deaths and severe hardships of many millions. Read Gulag Archipeligo.

 

You cannot be serious, comparing Obama to Stalin and Lenin. Read your history more carefully, sir.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

No, I'm not comparing Obama to either dictator.

 

I am comparing socialized medical care, where the private provider was nationalized, to the health care systems of the Soviet Union.

 

If anyone (to include the advocates) thinks when all is said and done, the US will have perfect health care, I propose a huge re-think. The actions Congress posits depends on lowering the cost of furnishing care: In most cases that means lowering reimbursements. I've heard not one bloody word about lowering the cost of doing business, to include tort reform or malpractice rate cap.

 

Mark my words: If the proposals in front of Congress go through, there will be a bigger disparity between the "haves" and "have-nots" than there is now. Does anyone think all physicians are altruistic? If they see their personal exposure to life-changing legal action increasing, they will stream to the exits. Guess what will be left uncovered? That's right, the inner-city and the rural markets.

 

So yes, I do compare socialized single payer health care to the health care established in the former Soviet Union. Lest anyone forget, google on Congress and "single payer" and watch the names of Congresscritters come out of the woodwork. There are folks on your side of the debate, Lisa, who insist that universal single payer is the only way to go.

 

Gonna tell you something: My sainted Mom's last two major surgeries were done cash in hand because Medicare denied coverage. Thank the good Lord Mom and Dad had the wherewithal to make that happen.

[scoutldr]

My MIL is on Medicare, because she is FORCED to be. She had Blue Cross/Blue Shield through her husband's job at the power company. Once they became Medicare age, the company forced them to apply and BC/BS becomes the secondary payer, although the premiums remained the same. A vision of things to come for ALL Americans. My wife spends about 5 hours a WEEK trying to straighten out the paperwork and calling 800 numbers to talk to bureaucratic morons. And trying to find doctors who accept new Medicare patients is becoming harder and harder. Be careful what you vote for. The only thing I agree with is BHO's plan to cut $500 million (or is it Billion?) from Medicare funding....I really don't need four walkers in my shed, courtesy of the taxpayer. I tried to give them back...they don't want them back. But every time she goes into the hospital, they order her a new one.

[Lisabob]

Oh come on now John, lots of other countries have universal health policies. The Stalin/Lenin comparison is a red herring, aimed at scaring people. It is not really any different from people who dredge up other notorious dictators to attempt to frighten the masses into believing that Obama is somehow on equally evil footing.

 

We can disagree til the cows come home regarding the merit of actual policies, but let's keep it in the realm of reason and not emotion.

[erickelly65]

So Gern, if I read what you are saying regarding Mr. Frank correctly, you think that it is perfectly acceptable to insult, dehumanize and marginalize people that hold a different opinion than you?

 

I agree with his assestment in that I believe she was out in left field but she still is his constituent. I feel it would have been better for him to have maintained a higher level of decorum. Certainly not particulary Scout like behavior on his part and therefore something not to be celebrated (at least at this site)

 

I think the reason you are seeing so much anger and extremism in this debate is that 1) people don't feel like they understand the real impact healthcare reform will and wont have on their future healthcare and 2) That its being shoved down their throat.

 

I believe what would be a better political analogy to what people feel is happening isnt Nazism, Leninism or Marxism but rather simple Authoritarianism. People feel they are having this forced upon them.(This message has been edited by erickelly65)

[GernBlansten]

Eric,

That woman stood there with a defaced portrait of our President calling him a Nazi. She was the one who brought the discussion into the gutter, not Frank. I thought Frank's response was perfect and appropriate. If only more of our representatives had his courage to call out people like this, perhaps our political atmosphere wouldn't be so acidic. Consituent or not, she set the tone and reaped the result.

[erickelly65]

So one only need be as polite and respectful (Courteous) as ones "opponent"..nice.

 

...and then there were 11 laws left.