The first "Medicare for All" Act, so appropriate on this of all days:

[George II]

H.R.676 - Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act

Sponsor: Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-14] (Introduced 02/11/2003)

* = Original cosponsor

Cosponsors and Date Cosponsored
01 Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]* 02/11/2003
02 Rep. Kucinich, Dennis J. [D-OH-10]* 02/11/2003
03Rep. Christensen, Donna M. [D-VI-At Large]* 02/11/2003
04 Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]* 02/11/2003
05 Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-9]* 02/11/2003
06 Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]* 02/11/2003
07 Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]* 02/11/2003
08 Rep. Owens, Major R. [D-NY-11]* 02/11/2003
09Rep. Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [D-IL-2]* 02/11/2003
10 Rep. Hinchey, Maurice D. [D-NY-22]* 02/11/2003
11 Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10]* 02/11/2003
12 Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7]* 02/11/2003
13 Rep. Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [D-MI-13]* 02/11/2003
14 Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-23]* 02/11/2003
15 Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2]* 02/11/2003
16 Rep. Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ-7]* 02/11/2003
17 Rep. Towns, Edolphus [D-NY-10]* 02/11/2003
18 Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5]* 02/11/2003
19 Rep. Gutierrez, Luis V. [D-IL-4]* 02/11/2003
20 Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]* 02/11/2003
21 Rep. Carson, Julia [D-IN-7]* 02/11/2003
22 Rep. Pastor, Ed [D-AZ-4]* 02/11/2003
23 Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6]* 02/11/2003
24 Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1]* 02/11/2003
25 Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15]* 02/11/2003
26 Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-12] 03/26/2003
27 Rep. Udall, Tom [D-NM-3] 07/07/2003
28 Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-8] 07/08/2003
29 Rep. Abercrombie, Neil [D-HI-1] 03/10/2004
30 Rep. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI-2] 04/22/2004
31 Rep. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT-At Large] 04/22/2004
32 Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-14] 05/05/2004
33 Rep. Jones, Stephanie Tubbs [D-OH-11] 05/05/2004
34 Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4] 07/07/2004
35 Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] 07/12/2004
36 Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-17] 09/30/2004
37 Rep. Weiner, Anthony D. [D-NY-9] 09/30/2004
38 Rep. Olver, John W. [D-MA-1] 09/30/2004

[JoeOtterbein]

1. I have to wonder why my eyes went right to number 12.

I guess greatness always shines brightest!

[George II]

4. To think we lost both of them within a week or two. Truly sad.

[JoeOtterbein]

7. We are a better nation because of both of them.

[Voltaire2]

2. 31.

[George II]

5. Why do this?

[Voltaire2]

6. Why do what?

[George II]

11. Well, since you brought it up, the bill was introduced by John Conyers on February 11, 2003.....

Why did it take the champion (although NOT the originator, obviously) of "Medicare for All" more than a year to co-sign the bill (April 22, 2004)?

[Voltaire2]

14. Aren't you against MFA?

[betsuni]

17. Did MFA get enough votes to become law?

No. Saying there aren't enough votes to make a bill a law isn't being "against" something.

[Voltaire2]

44. So you support MFA?

[George II]

19. Irrelevant. The point is that John Conyers was the originator of "Medicare for All"....

....and it took the self-proclaimed champion of "Medicare for All" more than 14 months to sign on to Conyers' bill, after more than 30 other Congressmen/women did so.

[betsuni]

21. +1

[Voltaire2]

22. Lulzd.

[melman]

24. It's not irrelevant at all

You constantly bash M4A and yet you try to use it here a a big Bazinga moment? It's laughable.

[George II]

25. We're discussing the Medicare for All bill introduced in February 2003. When have I bashed it?

Lacking a response, I reiterate - it's irrelevant.

[melman]

26. Reiterate all you want

It won't change the truth.

[George II]

28. That is correct. I have never bashed the 2003 "Medicare for All" bill.

[melman]

31. Parsing and word games

As usual. So very clever.


But the facts are the facts. You bash M4A constantly. You know that you do.

[George II]

32. Actually, I don't even think I've ever mentioned the 2003 Medicare for All Act before....

....yesterday. I certainly have never bashed it, you know that I didn't.

[sheshe2]

58. Interesting.

You asked me the same the same the other night. I answered you and you did not respond.

Here is the thread that you dug up info on me.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287325662#post12

My response which you never answered.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287325662#post14

Pretty sure I saw you dredge up some ten year old posts on another member as well.

There is a name for that. Just STOP.

[melman]

60. Stop what?

What's the name? If you're going to make insinuations how about coming out and saying it.

And I didn't 'dig up' any info. That is total bullshit and you know it.

You are trying to put a sinister spin on someone merely noticing the things you post. Just STOP.

[sheshe2]

62. Talk about ..

If you're going to make insinuations how about coming out and saying it.

You made plenty about me the other night and when I took the time to politely explain my response to YOUR question?!?!!

I got crickets.

Night melman.

[melman]

63. As usual you throw out insults and accusations and say "night'' when challenged

So predictable.

[sheshe2]

64. you are the one that did not respond when I answered your "challenge"

Yikes.

melman
63. As usual you throw out insults and accusations and say "night'' when challenged

So predictable.

My response to your question when you say I never respond.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287325662#post14

[ehrnst]

71. .....

[melman]

73. I get it!

I used that gif once and now you post it back at me incessantly and IT'S SO TOTALLY HILARIOUS AND DEVASTATING.

[ehrnst]

77. Well "incessantly" sure is appropriate in this case.

[Voltaire2]

33. Oh and then there is this.

CONYERS APPLAUDS BERNIE SANDERS’ SENATE INTRODUCTION OF MEDICARE FOR ALL LEGISLATION
Conyers Adds 118th Cosponsor to House Legislation Today

Today, I released the following statement on the Senate introduction of Medicare for All legislation:
“The Affordable Care Act has done a great deed for our nation in providing millions who were uninsured with health insurance. It is vital that we continue to protect and build on this progress; however, it’s a fact that there are still millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance or have high-deductible plans that they can’t afford to use.
“I’ve been introducing H.R. 676, The Expanded And Improved Medicare For All Act since 2003. Under my bill, instead of a complicated, expensive network of exchanges and employer-sponsored plans and networks administered by for-profit insurance companies that some people can afford and many others can’t, we would have one health insurance plan, one health insurer and one network available to every single American. In other words, we would finally have guaranteed, universal healthcare. I’m proud that we currently have 118 House Democrats who cosponsored the legislation — a majority of the Democratic Caucus.
“I applaud Senator Bernie Sanders’ introduction of the Senate companion to my Medicare for All bill and all of the momentum he has garnered in support of a universal single-payer healthcare system.

https://medium.com/@repjohnconyers/conyers-applauds-bernie-sanders-senate-introduction-of-medicare-for-all-legislation-17d848c201a1

[George II]

36. Indeed......that statement is from 2017...

“I’ve been introducing H.R. 676, The Expanded And Improved Medicare For All Act since 2003. Under my bill, instead of a complicated, expensive network of exchanges and employer-sponsored plans and networks administered by for-profit insurance companies that some people can afford and many others can’t, we would have one health insurance plan, one health insurer and one network available to every single American. In other words, we would finally have guaranteed, universal healthcare. I’m proud that we currently have 118 House Democrats who cosponsored the legislation — a majority of the Democratic Caucus."

“I applaud Senator Bernie Sanders’ introduction of the Senate companion* to my Medicare for All bill and all of the momentum he has garnered in support of a universal single-payer healthcare system.

*Fourteen years after Representative Conyers introduced his bill, and Conyers' statement was days after Sanders introduced Conyers' bill in the Senate - not fourteen months later as Sanders did for Conyers' bill in 2003.

[Voltaire2]

39. Sanders and Conyers worked on MFA together both in the house and the senate

The senate bill introduced by Sanders every session is the companion bill to the one Conyers introduced in the house.

But still, one has to wonder why you posted this op at all as you have repeatedly stated your opposition to MFA here.

[George II]

41. John Conyers had a long, distinguished career in the House, but never served in the Senate....

Plus, as I already pointed out, I was never opposed to Representative Conyers' 2003 Medicare for All bill.

[Voltaire2]

43. Yes of course Sanders worked with Conyers while SANDERS was in the house and the senate.

So when did you start opposing Conyers MFA bill?

[George II]

46. Why do you ask that? I never opposed Conyers' Medicare for All bill.

[Voltaire2]

47. because you very carefully stated that you never opposed the 2003 bill

so do you support the current MFA bill in the House?

this one: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1384

or its predecessor, the last one introduced by Conyers: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/676/cosponsors

[George II]

48. I never opposed Conyers' bills.

[Voltaire2]

50. So do you support the current house bill:

This one: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1384/cosponsors

[George II]

52. We're not discussing that bill. The OP clearly is about this one:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/676

[Voltaire2]

55. So you don't support the last version Conyers introduced?

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/676/cosponsors

As oddly enough it is also H.R.676 - Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act

[George II]

56. Who said I oppose it? I suspect the "When did you stop beating your wife" question is up next.

[Voltaire2]

57. I'm asking if you supported or opposed the last version of Conyers bill.

It seems very difficult to get you to answer a simple question.

This bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/676/cosponsors
H.R.676 - Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act
115th Congress (2017-2018)

[George II]

59. Inasmuch as I've asked several questions of yours and you've basically ignored mine...

...right back at ya!

[Voltaire2]

68. Odd.

[George II]

74. Two entirely different bills. Different "H.R." numbers, and the easiest way to compare them is...

...with "word count" in Microsoft Word.

Congressman Conyers's is 4,614 on 16 MSW pages, Congresswoman Jayapal's is 19,510 words on 55 MSW pages.

As I've stated numerous times, I never opposed Conyers' 2003 bill and I didn't oppose the one he introduced in 2017.

So sir, what is your point?

[Voltaire2]

76. I'm just trying to understand what your position is on MFA, and it is has been very difficult to

get you to state clearly where you stand. For example you say above "I didn't oppose the one he introduced in 2017", but that is worded to avoid saying you supported Conyers' 2017 bill. So I still don't know where you stand. To be clear, I am fairly certain you are opposed to medicare for all. For some reason, in this thread, you wish to avoid making that clear.

So, you stated that you oppose the 2019 house bill. Do you support the 2017 bill, Conyers' last version?

From your answer I'd like to understand what it is in the latest house bill that puts you in opposition, but until it is clear that it is the differences between the 2017 bill and the 2019 bill, it seems pointless to try and figure that out.

[melman]

23. Certainly seems that way judging from posting history

[George II]

27. I'm sure you can document that, right?

[melman]

29. No need

Every single person reading this board knows it's true.

[George II]

30. bwahahahahaha!!!!

[TidalWave46]

65. These things don't matter.....

When it’s all about the individual. It’s cult of personality. One of the more foolish things in politics. Everything shiny leads to the chosen one.

I’m actually finding myself doing that more and more when it comes to Obama. As the months go by I seem to put him up further on a pedestal.

[betsuni]

15. Better late than never.

[Voltaire2]

16. Lulzd.

Conyers and Sanders worked together on MFA for 15 years.

But you all are opposed to MFA, right?

[betsuni]

18. Lulzd.

"you all are opposed to MFA, right?"

[Voltaire2]

34. So you support MFA?

[George II]

20. No they didn't, and it took Sanders more than 14 months to embrace Conyers' bill.

[Voltaire2]

35. So these three reps are also in the shitter with Bernie?

33 Rep. Jones, Stephanie Tubbs [D-OH-11] 05/05/2004
34 Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4] 07/07/2004
35 Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] 07/12/2004

Sad.

[George II]

37. Irrelevant. None of those three are running around the country telling people they came up with...

..."Medicare for All"!

[Voltaire2]

40. Sanders said he invented medicare for all?

Surely you can post a link where he says that.

[melman]

42. Silence

What a shock.

[George II]

45. Yeah, I wonder why he's so quiet except for questions.

[melman]

51. Clever

Oh so clever.

[George II]

54. Not only clever, but....

[George II]

49. People don't "invent" legislation.

[Voltaire2]

53. well sure they do, but I'm confused about what you meant here:

" Irrelevant. None of those three are running around the country telling people they came up with...

..."Medicare for All"!

Because it seems to me your complaint is that Sanders is falsely claiming to have 'originated' or 'invented' or 'came up with', (all of which are approximately synonomous,) 'medicare for all'.

I'd like a link where Sanders makes that claim, since he is 'running around the country' doing so, this should not be difficult.

Synonyms for come up with
discover
find
invent
offer
present
produce
propose
provide
recommend
submit
advance
bring forth
compose
detect
furnish
originate

[betsuni]

61. He insinuates he was the only one talking about progressive policies all the time:

"And many of the ideas that I brought forth, $15 an hour minimum wage: 'Hey, Bernie! You're crazy. That's too extreme.' ... 'Bernie, public colleges and universities, tuition free, that can't be done.' ... Dealing with student debt. 'Oh, Bernie, that can't be done.' ... Health care as a human right. 'Oh, Bernie, that's not -- that's un-American! Nobody in America believes that!' The last poll that I saw, 60 or 70 percent of the American public believes in a Medicare for All, single payer program." -- Rachel Maddow interview

It is not true that nobody thought health care is a human right before Bernie Sanders. He insinuates that Democrats did not support single payer programs until Bernie "brought forth" the idea Not true.

[Voltaire2]

67. "Brought forth" those words do not mean

what you want them to mean.

But I do note you’ve given yourself an out by couching your claim as ‘insinuated’.

[melman]

38. Sad indeed

[Kurt V.]

3. 28.

[George II]

8. I went to high school with him, he was in my home room class.

[Kurt V.]

10. That's pretty cool. wonder if home room still a thing ? :)

[George II]

12. Who knows how things work in schools these days, probably not.

[mcar]

9. May he rest in peace

[betsuni]

13. K&R

[mcar]

66. Credit where it's due

Conyers, may he rest in peace, deserves the credit.

[SidDithers]

69. He wrote the damn bill...nt

Sid

[betsuni]

70. ...

[ehrnst]

72. And never claimed he invented the idea... (nt)

[OldRed2450]

75. Grandiose embellishments

Politicians on both sides of the isle sometimes go over board with these grandiose embellishments. 'I'm the best, greatest, bigger than anything, likes of which we have never seen." I for one am utterly sick of this type of politicking.