Howard Dean: "Stop Them."

[garybeck]

Email from 10/30 Howard Dean pasted below. The subject of the email was simply "Stop them."

Dear xxxx,

I'm going to get straight to the point. If the so-called Super Committee votes to increase the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67, it will completely erase all the gains we made in providing healthcare to every American under President Obama.

Medicare is the only universal healthcare program that exists in the United States of America. No one who supports moving back the age of eligibility can possibly be considered an advocate for universal health insurance.

In fact, if that happens, the legacy of the Democrats for the past four years will have been to do far more harm to the healthcare system than good.

By raising the age of eligibility from 65 to 67, hard working Americans who are in their 50's or 60's, and cannot afford insurance under the current system will have to wait two additional years before Medicare kicks in. They would be forced to stay in the private healthcare system - if they can afford it.

I personally know people who are on crutches this year because they cannot afford the hip replacement they need until they turn 65 a year from now.

It also means that you'll have more people putting off care for an extended period of time and entering the system as more expensive Medicare recipients. This could actually increase overall spending on Medicare -- eliminating much or all of the "savings" the Super Committee may imagine they can achieve with these cuts.

This is bad policy and we have to stop it. I will personally not support any candidate for any office that attempts to cut back Medicare in this way. Democracy for America is preparing right now to run aggressive campaigns, including hard-hitting TV ads, against anyone -- Republican or Democrat -- who supports increasing the age of Medicare eligibility.

Please contribute $12 right now to fuel DFA's campaign and deliver the resources to win.
(link: http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/1271?akid=1455.1441405.Qx5i6U&t=1)

We've succeed in bringing Washington politicians to their senses before and we can do it again. Because when we work together, we win.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Howard

Governor Howard Dean, MD
Founder, Democracy for America

[cui bono]

1. This needs some kicks to match the recs!

Everyone should forward this info to their reps.


I'm going to get straight to the point. If the so-called Super Committee votes to increase the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67, it will completely erase all the gains we made in providing healthcare to every American under President Obama.

...

In fact, if that happens, the legacy of the Democrats for the past four years will have been to do far more harm to the healthcare system than good.

[Kaleko]

3. Kicking with a stiletto-heeled boot

fer sanity's sake.

:)

[dflprincess]

62. Note to Dr. Dean

requiring us to buy health insurance is not "providing healthcare to every American". Plenty of Americans have "coverage" we can't afford to use and nothing in the Profit Protection Act will change that.

[slipslidingaway]

70. Exactly, plus it appears the Dems had already dropped the age eligibility ...

from their proposal and insurance is not equal to healthcare.

http://www.healthcare-now.org/dems-propose-400-billion-in-medicare-cuts/

"...Sources tell The Huffington Post that the party has also staked out another position that the base will likely applaud. The presentation produced by Baucus and other Democrats does not call for a raising of the Medicare eligibility age...

When the president submitted his own proposal to the super committee, he scrapped the idea of raising Medicare’s eligibility age. Congressional Democrats have followed suit."

[girl_interrupted]

2. K&R!

[woo me with science]

4. K&R

Thank you, Howard Dean.

[RainDog]

5. k&r n/t

[abq e streeter]

6. Another K&R

[emilyg]

7. k

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. J&R!

[chollybocker]

9. Dr. Howard, you know I love you,

but please, "We've succeed in bringing..."? Find someone to proof-read your press releases. Did I mention I'm available? ;)

[AsahinaKimi]

10. You go Dr. Dean! With you all the way!!!

Yay!^^

[Major Hogwash]

11. It will be more expensive in the long run to increase the age limit.

Because preventive medicine can prevent other medical problems that may not have been diagnosed in time.

[Sherman A1]

12. K&R

:kick:

[a kennedy]

13. Kick

:kick:

[WinkyDink]

14. Dang! I'm about to be 62 (knock on wood), and I really can't go 5 more years privately.

[Firebrand Gary]

15. Kicked and Recd.

[highplainsdem]

16. K&R

[catrose]

17. Dean says it all

[Tom Rinaldo]

18. Gladly K &R n/t

[flamingdem]

19. Rec, but would like to see a link about who is proposing this increase

and in what year it is supposed to go into effect. Shades of Paul Ryan ..

[area51]

20. Kick. n/t

[Historic NY]

21. K&R

[OhioChick]

22. Rec n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

23. From the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party

God bless you, Dr. Dean.

[KansDem]

24. K&R

This assault on Medicare (and Social Security) has got to stop! End the wars and tax the rich...NOW!!!

[MH1]

25. Yes but, must interject:

every proposal I've seen raises the eligibility age significantly in the future - i.e. for people who aren't anywhere near 65 now.

I'm NOT defending the proposal, just pointing out what I see as (possibly) a bit of rhetorical mischief by Dr. Dean.

That said, anyone have a link to the supercommittee proposal that would raise the eligibility for people already in their 60's?

[valerief]

32. People in the future will need Medicare SOONER rather than later, because

the filthification of the planet is escalating. Only the 1% will live longer in the future. The 99% will die sooner.

[bvar22]

26. Hooray for Dr Dean!

That is very strong language from a loyal Democratic Party Soldier who has Fallen on his Bayonet more than once to Protect the Party.
To hear him use language like this is encouraging.

"I will personally not support any candidate for any office that attempts to cut back Medicare"

The administration has been floating trial balloons and softening up the public
for these planned cutbacks to SS/Medicare for several years.

The whole strategy for a Super CONgress is to include these cutbacks in a Comprehensive Package
that includes a few small crumbs for the Working Class.
The "Tell" that this is a "SCAM" is in the design:
Comprehensive Package. Closed Door. Up or Down vote. NO Amendments.
The perfect set up for yet another Kubuki Theater Hostage Situation.

While congratulating each other for their Heroism in front of the TV Cameras,
our Representatives in Washington will be able to hide behind the Comprehensive Package SCAM
with the usual nauseating excuses.

"I didn't vote FOR cutting back Medicare
I voted to save Our Children from the deficit."

"I am On the Record as supporting Medicare,
but this is the best we could do."

"If this didn't pass, the World would have ended."

"Look at the great crumbs we got!"

"You KNOW I support Medicare, but there was nothing we could do." :cry:

"Can't let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good."

"We didn't have the votes." :cry:

"It was the Sensible, Pragmatic thing to do."

"This is a step in the right direction."

"I HAD to vote FOR The Whole Package.
If it was up to me, I would have saved Medicare."

"This is Historic Legislation."

"The Most Progressive bill this century!"

"This is a HUGE WIN for The President!!!"

"Its ALL Joe Lieberman's fault!"

"We couldn't turn our back on the handful of Americans who will get the CRUMB."

"We'll fix it later."

"The Republicans are WORSE."

SEE: Health Care "Reform"
SEE: Any "package" "deal" since 2008.

They ARE coming for our Social Security/Medicare.
The Plan is In Place & Running.
The Deals have already been made.
What we are seeing now is the Kabuki Theater
to foster the illusion that we have a choice.


I wasn't born this cynical.
I earned my cynicism by watching our "Two Party System"
systematically destroy and pillage America's Working Class (99%) over the last 30 years.


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[JDPriestly]

73. So true and so sad.

[davidwparker]

27. K&R

[WheelWalker]

28. Kick !

:kick:

[blackspade]

29. Fuck yeah!

K&R +1000

[abelenkpe]

30. K&R nt

[lark]

31. K&RRRRRRR

:toast:

[kentuck]

33. K&R

for the good Governor.

[patrice]

34. Done.

[whathehell]

35. Done. n/t

[classof56]

36. After I received this e-mail I sent Dr. Dean $12.00

Not much, but the urgency to keep the Medicare age at 65 does not escape those of us who are already in the program. Let us hope he can succeed in bringing Washington politicians to their senses. Blessings on him and DFA for what they're doing!

[L0oniX]

37. K & R

[GreenTea]

38. Love the great Howard Dean!

[AlinPA]

39. Good for Dean. Starting Medicare at 67 is not going to work, if they do it. Too many people will

be without coverage. This idea is beyond bad.

[a2liberal]

40. Dr. Dean is back on the case!

I'm glad to see him take such a strong stance after toning it down a bit when he was DNC chair.

[snagglepuss]

41. K & R

[aquart]

42. k&r

[Divernan]

43. Raising the eligibility age for Medicare is a goddamned death sentence for thousands of Americans

Particularly for cancer victims, to give one major example.

[Sportsguy]

44. K & R!

[slipslidingaway]

45. "The presentation produced by ... Dems does not call for a raising of the Medicare eligibility age"

Appears that the idea of raising the eligibilty age was already off the table.

Dean - "I will personally not support any candidate for any office that attempts to cut back Medicare in this way."

What about the other proposed cuts, are different ways OK.

:shrug:


Dems Propose $400 Billion in Medicare Cuts

October 27, 2011 by Healthcare-NOW!

http://www.healthcare-now.org/dems-propose-400-billion-in-medicare-cuts/

"The bad is that the plan calls for around $400 billion in Medicare cuts, half of which would be drawn from reducing benefits to recipients.

...Sources tell The Huffington Post that the party has also staked out another position that the base will likely applaud. The presentation produced by Baucus and other Democrats does not call for a raising of the Medicare eligibility age. The idea of increasing that age from 65 to 67 had been a controversial component of talks that President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner had held in late August when negotiating legislation to raise the nation’s debt ceiling.

Though the shift would have been done in increments over many years, health policy analysts noted that it would have disproportionately hurt blue collar workers — who can’t afford to spend additional time in their late years in the work force — without saving much money: Medicare spending is far heavier during life’s later years.

When the president submitted his own proposal to the super committee, he scrapped the idea of raising Medicare’s eligibility age. Congressional Democrats have followed suit."

[Enthusiast]

46. K&R!

We should be going in the other direction by providing medicare for all.

We could also get rid of this institutionalized medicare fraud. This fraud is perpetrated on the American citizens by heath care service providers like Governor Rick Scott of Florida. Medicare for all would be a very efficient system -far cheaper than what we have today.

[Uncle Joe]

47. Raising the age limit can do nothing but damage Medicare, if anything

the age limit should be reduced to strengthen it.

In the best case scenario the age limit would start at 0.

Thanks for the thread, garybeck.

[Suprk]

48. K&R

[democrank]

49. K & R

Howard Dean....says what he means, means what he says. "Leaders" in Washington could learn a lot from this man.

[swilton]

50. Who is 'Them' Howard?

The Super Committee is composed of both parties.

[Raksha]

51. K & R - He sure didn't mince words, did he?

Re "This is bad policy and we have to stop it. I will personally not support any candidate for any office that attempts to cut back Medicare in this way. Democracy for America is preparing right now to run aggressive campaigns, including hard-hitting TV ads, against anyone -- Republican or Democrat -- who supports increasing the age of Medicare eligibility."

I notice he didn't make any exceptions, such as whether the individual was running for another four years as POTUS.

[DFW]

53. Obama, at Rahm's urging, froze Howard out of his administration

Rahm hated Howard ever since the shouting match at the DNC in 2006 over the 50 State strategy.
Howard prevailed, and turned out to be 100% correct. Rahm never forgave him, and when Obama
won, far more due to Howard's efforts than Rahm's, he was "rewarded" with being exiled from
the Administration inner circle.

This HAD to be one of the biggest mistakes Obama made prior to taking office, and the country
is still paying dearly for Howard not getting the nod for Secretary of HHS. Howard has always
said that it was Obama's prerogative to choose whomever he wanted for all positions, but by
freezing Howard out altogether, Obama left Howard with no debts to him, and no reason to rein
in his comments on anything Obama or his administration has said or done.

Make no mistake, Howard is still a Democrat--more so than many, one might be tempted to say--
and supports Obama's re-election. However, if asked if there is a lot of room for improvement,
Howard will not evade the question or change the subject. He owes no one in Washington ANYTHING.
He'll speak his mind.

[slipslidingaway]

55. But the email is all about eligibility age which was not in the Dems proposal anyway...

according to reports released days before this email.

Other cuts are OK???

"...cut back Medicare in this way."

[Swede Atlanta]

52. Our healthcare system is broken.............

How can an advanced "civilized" society deny its people access to affordable health care? It does so only when profit is at the heart of the system.

America is a "has been" country now. We may still have the best military, bullets, missiles, and a premier place on the global cultural stage but in terms of things that matter we are sinking fast. We are not the most productive country, we have horrible mortality statistics, low median income, low life satisfaction scores, etc. The list goes on and on........

[gateley]

54. K&R! nt

[butterfly77]

56. Kicked&Recommended..

[rosesaylavee]

57. K&R

Bless him for saying it.

[Doremus]

58. K&R Thank you Howard!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

59. Kick, and recommend.

TY, Mr Dean.

[JDPriestly]

60. K&R

And while we're at it, I will not vote for any candidate who agrees to cuts in Social Security.

You cannot cut Medicare or Social Security by any meaningful amount.

Cuts to Medicare will make health care more expensive for everyone. That is because doctors and hospitals who treat uninsured, poor patients will have to charge those with insurance, those who have money, more -- or hire staff that is less qualified, use equipment that is less up-to-date and cut costs in many ways that will reduce the quality of patient care.

Social Security cuts will force young families to care for older relatives in our small American houses.

If you are young and have children, try to imagine what it would be like to have to provide a home to a parent or grandparent with dementia at this time. And if you are middle-aged? Someone will have to be in the home caring for the very elderly, suffering senior.

The cuts to Medicare will reduce the quality of care in nursing homes (and make it unavailable) to millions of disabled seniors.

As for pursuing fraud more vigorously, a campaign of that sort will scare a lot of doctors out of their practices. Doctors fear malpractice suits already.

Repeated fraud, extremely costly fraud in Medicare should be ended. But fraud has to be defined very carefully. Doctors disagree on what are the best practices. And if you think about the extent to which dietary recommendations have changed as new research has debunked old results, you question how sure doctors are about "best practices."

[WillyT]

61. K & R !!!

:patriot:

:kick:

[bertman]

63. Proud to be REC #321. nt

[defendandprotect]

64. Only gain Obama made re Health Care was in "preserving private H/C industry" ... !!!

That's not only admitted by Koch Bros. DLC Rahm Emmanuel -- Obama's #1 --

but "crowed" about as to why business should be "grateful" to Obama!!


Meanwhile, certainly Howard Dean knows the deform presented as "reform" by

Obama isn't about health care -- just as he knew what Rahm Emmanuel was doing

in soliciting RW corporate-Dems all over the nation!


as for the SUPER CONGRESS it should be illegal and we should be TARGETING those

who have done this -- no matter the party!!

And I'd say it's also quite clear that Obama led the way for this in putting the

Cat Food Commission in play, despite the Congress turning it down!

[harun]

66. They institutionalized for-profit health insurance.

[defendandprotect]

68. True -- while Obama knew that 50 million Americans were suffering for lack of H/C -- !!!

Shameful -- !!!

[unkachuck]

65. K&R....I love this man....n/t

[Zorra]

67. Whoa! Them's fightin' words. Kick for Doc Dem. nt

[Beartracks]

69. K&R!! nt

[orbitalman]

71. K & R x 1000 n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

72. Governor Doctor Chairman Founder Dean

How about running for office again? ANY office.

K&R and here's $12.00.

:kick:

[Matt Shapiro]

74. Everything Howard Dean says in this message is right, but it doesn't go far enough.

I agree that we should not support any member of Congress who votes to support an increase in the Medicare eligibility age. But we should also not support anyone who votes to reduce ANY benefit under Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security (including changing the COLA). The line in the sand should be much deeper and wider. Anyone who attacks these vital safety net programs should be persona non grata. And that's regardless of whether they also vote to increase taxes on the rich and corporations.

There is no "reasonable" bargain to be struck here. The super rich need to pay their fair share of taxes, and we need to spend much less on the military by ending all the overt and covert wars (including those conducted by "contract"). That's about it for deficit reduction. No safety net program should be cut AT ALL! If anything, we need to increase spending on social needs. We should, for example, restore the "Making Work Pay" credit program, which is more economically stimulative than the payroll tax holiday (that undermines the political viability of Social Security). We need to directly create jobs in education and infrastructure repair without any tax cut trade off.

The line in the sand should not be on a single issue, no matter how important that single issue is.