By Michael J. Smith on Tuesday July 11, 2006 11:03 PM
Tim D writes -- right on the mark as usual --
The kind of rhetorical chicanery that the Democrats are stooping to now in order to seem progressive on the issue of health in America has reached new heights in disingenuity. Here is an excerpt from the platform of U.S. Senate hopeful, Ben Cardin:Ben Cardin believes that it is unacceptable and unconscionable that while America is home to the most advanced health care and medical research facilities in the world, more than 47 million Americans have no health insurance. And each year, the cost of health care continues to skyrocket, making it more difficult for employers to offer, and for families to afford, quality health care.Astute observation, right? So far so good eh? His proposal for resolving this travesty:[Ben Cardin] Believes we must fight to expand coverage by building on the current employer-based system of health care. By offering small businesses assistance in securing affordable coverage for their workers, we will make it easier for states to enroll eligible children and parents in the Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. This will also allow early retirees between ages 55 and 64 to enroll in Medicare at an affordable premium.Health industry donations to the Cardin campaign? A whopping $225,800. His top contributor.Anyway, if all that wasn't amusing enough, get a load of this:
Minority groups are disproportionately affected by cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and other debilitating diseases:Geeez laweeez...what could be the cause of this disparity?- [Therefore], we must intensify our research efforts to determine both the cause of racial and ethic disparities and how to narrow gaps in health status.
*sigh*
Comments (2)
Cardin isn't alone in his non-fight for affordable heath care. Hillary herself is sucking down the HMO bux as well:
Despite past differences, health care industry is now 'banking' on Senator Clinton:
Posted by AlanSmithee | July 12, 2006 7:40 AM
Posted on July 12, 2006 07:40
Yeah, I was on the commuter train coming home from DC the other day, and a nice young lady, probably in her mid 20s sat next to me and called a friend on her cellphone.
(Begin aside) Just for the record, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I was actually trying to read Chomsky's latest treatise on the failed American state, but given my proximity to her, I couldn't be spared from having to listen. Why ban cellphone use on just airplanes, why not all public transport? (end aside)
Apparently, she had just been hired by the Cardin campaign to work as a volunteer director or something and was positively beaming. She boasted to her invisible interlocuter that during the interview she told them that she shared Cardin's "values" and was attracted to his campaign because of his stances on the issues of health care, education and immigration (curiously enough I saw no mention of immigration in his platform). I wondered whether she had ever really read his positions on those issues, or whether she was just woefully uninformed.
In any event, she also mentioned that they warned her that she could only be guaranteed a job as long as November, since Cardin's victory at the polls wasn't 100% assured. I bit hard on my tongue to prevent myself from hoping outloud that Zeese spoils/beats that treacherous bastard on election day- though I wish unemployment on no one...
Posted by Tim D | July 12, 2006 9:58 AM
Posted on July 12, 2006 09:58