Dean: Even the weakened House health care bill ‘is real reform’

By David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Friday, October 30th, 2009 -- 10:34 am
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howarddeansmiles Dean: Even the weakened House health care bill is real reformLawrence O'Donnell, substituting for Keith Olbermann on MSNBC's Countdown, spoke on Thursday with former Governor Howard Dean about the relatively weakened version of health care reform that is now moving through the House of Representatives.

Dean's reaction to the House bill was, "It's not the best we can do, but it's a very good start."

Leaders of the progressive caucus had hoped to see a stronger form of the public option in the bill, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) asked on the floor of the House, "Is this the best we can do? Mandating private insurance? Forcing people to buy private insurance policies or pay a penalty? ... Only 3% of Americans will go to a new public plan."

'I don't disagree entirely with Dennis," Dean told O'Donnell, but he pointed out that "they were fighting uphill against a very well-organized opposition, which has trouble telling the truth, and against an incredibly well-organized health insurance industry, which has given millions and millions of dollars to some of the people who are going to have to vote on this stuff."

"The fact is, this is real reform, Dean emphasized. "That's all I really care about, is real reform. ... It's not the kind of reform that I would have loved, but this is pretty good stuff, and it really is going to make a difference."

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Dean, who served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009 and played a major role in securing the Democrats' current majority in Congress, appears to be thinking most strongly at this point about the possible impact of health care reform on the 2010 elections.

"The most important thing that probably needs to be changed in conference committee is more people need to get into this system before the 2010 elections," Dean remarked. "The only way to defeat all the things the opposition is saying that aren't so is to show them how the system actually works."

"It's going to be very good for a lot of people," insisted Dean. "The only way that we can show the country that the Republicans have just not been telling the truth for the last six or eight months about thiis bill is to actually have it put in effect. ... The one thing you've got to do is get as many people as you can, particularly kids, into the system."

This video is from MSNBC's Countdown, broadcast Oct. 29, 2009.



Download video via RawReplay.com

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Story comments are below...

  • CaptBebops
    Well the USA is now a third rate country anyway. It's no longer "the best country in the world" (a phrase often spoken by dummies who've never been anywhere else). If it were the "best country in the world" it would have the "best public health care program in the world", wouldn't it? Looks like whatever they pass will be a joke. This whole fiasco just makes me sick but oops I can't get sick can I?
  • I sincerely respect Dr. Dean...but if he thinks that this so-watered-down-with-stale-water health care plan is "real reform", then he's drinking the same Obama Kool-Aid.

    This bill is rapidly becoming a farce, and it will only get worse as the ConservaDems paid for by Big Insura (and the GOP enablers sitting on their hands) move in like buzzards and pick the carcass off the "public option" even more.

    Will Dean be saying the same tune when we end up with Baucus/Snowe/Ross with a weak "co-op" exchange used as a dumping ground for the sickest and poorest while Big Insure makes out with their guaranteed profits thanks to the individual mandate, the direct subsidies paid for by taxing middle-income beneficiaries and cutting back on Medicare and Medicaid for the poorest and the uninsured??

    With this bill, the Democrats have absolutely handed the Congress to the GOP on a silver platter. And quite frankly, I don't really think that they care that much, anyway.

    Maybe it's time for Kucinich to drop the hammer on the Democrats permanently. Dump this bill, and fight for universal single-payer through an independent Left movement, even an independent Left party outside of the Democratic Party. Hey, it works for the Right...why not for the Left?? Fellow travelling with the Dems surely isn't working too well, isn't it??


    Anthony
  • chabuka
    It will be a small step in the right direction....(now Congress is defending big Pharma and the "exclusive deal" they cut with President Obama and (VP?) Emanuel)....we have a choice... except this "public option sell-out" now...and then vote the rest of the GOP bastards and the Corporate compromised Blue-dogs out in 2010....then push for real reform...like real single-payer, (medi-care for everyone)
  • davidrvelasquez
    Give it up, Howard.

    Can't put a nice face on a huge ass act of collective betrayel.
  • Hologram5
    This guy is a douchemonkey. IT is not real reform, it is an open check for the insurers.
  • This health care [fiasco-farce] should sow the american people once and for all that we exist under a one party fascist state. this corpotocracy is out of control. [they select so we may elect]. our congress is bought and paid for by the international banksters, globalized corps, and the MIC. They will water this down to where it will be totally meaningless. then tell the people see what a great job we did for you. the american sheep will reelect them once more. PATHETIC.
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