Is your number zero?
Kari Chisholm
This is an amazing moment in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It's got John Edwards in it - but it's really about the woman asking him a question.
Oh, and make sure to wait until the very end, when Elizabeth Edwards asks the most important question about the most important issue of the 2008 election.
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Aug 30, '07
Damn right.
10:26 p.m.
Aug 30, '07
Thank you, Kari, for sharing that. It's such a shame that we can't all be on the same page with regards to health care. That woman's story is so touching and visceral; I know, like the Senator said, I'll remember and share that story.
And, of course, Elizabeth's comments at the end are the perfect exclamation point on the whole affair. It has to be exactly as she said. Anything less is unacceptable.
10:27 p.m.
Aug 30, '07
God, I love the Edwardses. LOVE THEM. Want them in the White House in the worst way.
Aug 30, '07
Just glad we live in a state with a positive abundance of people working towards a goal of zero uninsured. Thank you John Kitzhaber, Ben Westlund, Alan Bates, Mitch Greenlick, etc, etc.
(Did everybody's BlueCross just shoot waaay up last month or is it just me?)
10:32 p.m.
Aug 30, '07
All I know is that, when I got married three months ago and joined my wife's health plan, our coverage more than doubled. I felt lucky. We have decent coverage, but I look at it and wonder how it would hold up under pressure.
And then I look at my parents, who aren't wealthy and aren't poor. Their premiums are rising quicker than they can manage, I fear, with them both being mid-50s and my Dad beginning to have some chronic (but not life-threatening) problems. It was an ordeal, though, getting all the approval for his prostate surgery.
And that's not even touching on long-term care! I work closely with healthcare, homecare, long-term care unions, and I live and breathe this stuff. It's not pretty, especially considering the baby-boomers are approaching retirement...
Aug 30, '07
great comments on the problems of the uninsured. but they didn't answer the question. this woman said she HAS insurance (BCBS) but STILL had to borrow $50,000 to access care.
that's why this conversation should be about health care access, not just health care coverage. even if you are insured, if your deductibles and co-pays and coinsurance are more than you can afford when you get sick, that insurance card does you very little good.
Aug 30, '07
Stephanie V, You see, there are substantial things on which we agree.
Godspeed the Edwardses!
Aug 30, '07
Today I heard a reporter for Time.com state that the Edwards seemed to be becoming reckless and seemed to care more about what kind of campaign they ran than winning. Well, then here's to more recklessness, I had hopes that Dennis Kucinich wouldn't be the only reckless one, actually standing up for what you think is right may be reckless, but I like it and my money likes it.
Aug 31, '07
I WONDER HOW THE HELL IT IS "RECKLESS" TO ADVOCATE FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE AND UNIVERSAL ACESS.
MY WIFE HAS SURVIVED BOTH A HEART ATTACK AND HAVING A CANCEROUS KIDNEY REMOVED IN THE LAST 6 YEARS.
I HAVE TYPE II DIABETES & HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. WE HAVE BEEN WITH 4 DIFFERENT INSURANCE CARRIERS DURING THAT TIME. LUCKILY WE HAD GOOD INSURANCE DURING MY WIFE'S OPERATIONS. THERE WERE OTHER TIMES WHERE THE INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT WAS AN INSULT; IE., $15,000 PER YEAR TOTAL HOSPITAL COVERAGE.(FOTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO AFFORD THE COBRA COVERAGE FROM A PERVIOUS EMPLOYER.)
THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS I HAVE DECIDED TO SUPPORT JOHN EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT. (THE OTHERS ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO GO INTO HERE.)
I THINK THE PHRASE "IS ZERO YOUR NUMBER" IS CLEARLY THIS ELECTION'S "IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID." I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA FOR A BUMPER STICKER AS WELL.
12:45 a.m.
Aug 31, '07
I might quibble that getting us out of this absurd war is the most important issue for 08, but that's a moving video that pushes me ever closer towards Edwards.
You could see at one point he heard his consultants in his head, repeating what the pundits are saying: "Don't be angry!" But he fought it and said he was angry anyway. Good for him, good for him.
What's amazing is that Elizabeth is that much more frank and direct than even John.
2:21 a.m.
Aug 31, '07
Yes, I should have used the word "domestic". Thanks, TJ.
5:51 a.m.
Aug 31, '07
jeez, we get to choose between health care, the war and the climate for "most critical" issues? aren't we a lucky nation to enjoy such a wealth of options.
Aug 31, '07
In 1990 I my first heart attack @ age 43, due to medical malpractice, this heart attack led to a heart transplant.
To add insult to injury my insurance carrier would not pay for the transplant, even after my employer made several please to provide insurance.
The transplant was paid for funds received from a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Thank God for the Edwards, although I am Kucinich/Gravel supporter I would be very pleased to see a Obama/Edwards or Edwards/Obama ticket.
Great vid.
Aug 31, '07
You can see why Edwards was such a successful trial lawyer.
I applaude his & Elizabeth's efforts on health care.
However, I prefer Senator Obama's plan that has a major emphasis on cost reduction. Without this, it would not make dollars and sense for the federal government to take this on. Futhermore, without cost reduction, there is no way that any plan will make it through Congress.
Many, like me, tend to be more on the fiscal conservative side and ask how are we going to pay for this. But I think we can get it done and get this through Congress if there is a major emphasis on reducing costs. This will result in health insurance for everyone.
Here is Senator Obama's healthcare plan. He has also stated quite honestly that there is no way we can implement this plan until we bring our troops home from Iraq. As such, his plan is to implement the healthcare legislation during his first term in office. I think this is another fiscally responsible move.
I am sure that Senator Obama will mention the healthcare problems in our Country during his September 7th visit to Portland. If you don't have your tickets yet, to Senator Obama's 8:00 p.m. visit to the Oregon Convention Center on September 7th be sure to get them irrespective of who your favorite candidate is. This is going to be a great energizing event for all Democrats, Independents, and anyone who attends.
Aug 31, '07
My firm buys medical insurance through the Multnomah County Bar Association. Theoretically, the coverage I have is one of the better group plans available to private employers, with family premiums of about $1000 per month. Even so, I had some minor surgery at Legacy a few months back and my share (deductible, co-pay, etc.) was nearly $3500.00 for a same-day surgery outpatient procedure at Legacy. I cannot imagine how people deal with major health emergencies or cardiac surgery or strokes or whatever. Even with my health insurance I would probably be put into bankruptcy.
The current system is not going to last very long. I am torn between voting for modest changes - which I know are not a long term solution - or waiting to see the US health care system self destruct in some sort of gigantic fireball of financial pain. Unfortunately, the working poor and the middle class are the ones who will get burned in the explosion.
10:43 a.m.
Aug 31, '07
I agree 100% that we need to have universal coverage, which will help reduce the cost to everyone for healthcare including the woman in the video, but she did have health-coverage. So what John touched on (but only briefly) was addressing the need to deal with the runaway costs because of big pharma and the 30% plus bite out of every healthcare dollar that insurance companies take in profits.
That is why, as "third-railish" as it is, and will be attacked like evil incarnate with terms like "socialized medicine"... single payer universal healthcare (and repioritization in reduction of the cost for the students of higher education) will the woman in the video's issues be addressed.
I agree that the Edwards's are hitting fighting the good fight, and aside from Edwards massive screw-up in voting for the 2002 AUMF (i.e. Iraq War Vote) he does impress on domestic issues.
Right now I am see-sawing between him and Obama. The rest of the Democratic field are "hold your nose and support" because the GOp are worse than drunk drivers behind the wheel.
In other words, there is a massive gulf in my mind between where Obama and Edwards are, and where the rest of the field are.
Aug 31, '07
Matthew Sutton makes a good point about cost containment. For instance, the Bush drug plan was great in that it did increase the level of coverage for the medicare population. But that benefit is offset by the offensive way the same legislation blocked bulk purchasing and negotiations for lower prices.
I also appreciate the way that the Obama plan ties the level of coverage to the comparable plan that congress has. It's one thing to talk about having insurance and another to talk about what the insurance covers, as so many of the posts here have illustrated.
I know that personally the idea of having a minor surgery with $3500 in out of pocket costs scares the crap out of me Let alone $50,000 in bills.
3:49 p.m.
Aug 31, '07
Les, you should NEVER use the expression "In other words". That phrase is reserved for The Decider. In other words, the Commander in Chimp. Which is to say, Emperor Pudding Head.
4:35 p.m.
Aug 31, '07
Becuase I used the abbreviation for id est, a Latin phrase meaning “that is”...?
Not quite grasping what you are getting at in this context since I was using it to refer to the short-hand common term for the 2002 AUMF which, because of the 2001 AUMF, made it nothing more than kabuki and is erroneously called the Iraq War Vote.
If you read the actual language of the 2001 AUMF, it already gave away War Powers to Bush to do whatever he wants with the military to attack anywhere in the world (including the United States)... Posse Comitatus Act, and the aforementioned War Powers Act being basically null and void from September 18, 2001 onward.
Sep 1, '07
I've been involved in employer based health benefits decision making for over 20 years. I also have a family member with a chronic health condition. Edwards or Obama, the discussion has to be about radical reform rather than the re-arrangement of deck chairs over the past decade.
I find issues with both approaches right now, but do applaud the discussion. Count this as one NAV rooting for Edwards.
Sep 1, '07
John Edwards: "...In the richest country..."
Now if we have several trillion dollars in national debt, are running a 6% current account deficit, and have to borrow millions daily to run the government and finance our foreign wars, are we really that rich? If you accrue for the future benefits of the Baby Boomers and that national debt multiplies several times, are we really that rich?
The United States went from being the biggest creditor in the world during the Carter Admin to being the biggest debtor in the world after the Reagan/Bush era. Bush Jr. went from a $300M+ budget surplus to unprecedented deficits. Oh, yeah. "911 'changed everything'" and "'deficits don't matter.'"
Are we really that rich or were last weeks lines of creditors waiting in line in LA to retrieve their savings from Country Wide Mortgage a sign of just how much financial trouble America is in?
Ah, nevermind, just get a close-up of that Mrs. Edwards hug in the audience....
12:43 a.m.
Sep 2, '07