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08/06/2009
Rachel Maddow Exposes Right-Wing Intimidation Over Health Care
Brilliant segment. Rachel Maddow exposes the disgusting right-wing corporate-sponsored intimidation and fake grassroots protests intended to frighten people about health care reform.
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 7:38 AM EST by Andy Towle in Barack Obama, Health, News, Rachel Maddow, Republican Party | Permalink
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don't forget that politicized rationed health care is great when YOUR friends run the show. What happens when only the govt can fix tjhe next aids crisis and anti-gay people are behind the scenes? Hmm. Who are Obama's gay friends? Michelle's? Have they invited any gay couples over for dinner?
Posted by: Ted | Aug 6, 2009 8:34:32 AM
"Brilliant?" Brilliantly-well created straw man revolving around one web site. Anyone with a calculator and the ability to punch in numbers will see that "health care reform" is just another massive government program that will add to the massive national debt. Look up "compound interest."
Posted by: Joe | Aug 6, 2009 8:35:16 AM
Rachel ROCKS! She is so awesome, and totally NAILED the Republicans on their bullsh*t!
Seriously, how dare the Republicans do what they are doing? How undemocratic do they want to be? The entire effort that they are leading undermines the qualities we stand for... participation in the political process.
With disruption as their objective, no matter WHAT the Democrats are talking about, they just bluster them down... Anyone who has a legitimate concern should have their say, but doing what they are doing is slimy, low and deprives their fellow citizens of their right to hear the message and be heard in return. They absolutely DISGUST me... I cannot believe these lowlifes are allowed to disrupt meetings the way they are doing.
The GOP has basically reduced public discourse to thuggery, and show their true colors all the way. A bunch of THUGS that will not let up until they get their way, no matter what the voters said! And to see John Boehner actually approving of it... WTF? Bunch of f*cking ASSHOLES!
Posted by: CKNJ | Aug 6, 2009 8:38:30 AM
But but but, "Deficits don't matter." --Dick Cheney on Meet the Press.
Very compelling and informative Rachel.
Thank you!!
This is what real journalism looks like.
Posted by: dc20008 | Aug 6, 2009 8:49:49 AM
REal JournalisM?!
It's astonishing how towlerload is so sloppy with its framing of 'Health Reform' issue. You post clips from Oberman, R.Maddow who are great in staging other issues but have demonstrated no understanding of the mechanics of the healthcare crisis.
I'll qualify my comment by saying I'm an independent who voted for this administration on the hope that he'll advance our rights + restore our economy. So far, I've seen neither. As a freeelancer, I also belong to the 40 million who are uninsured because of the prohibitively high cost of H. Insurance. What I want, is to be able to choose and buy my own HMO.
And the government can accomplish that easily by setting certain polices in place :
• cap malpractice lawsuits fees (the cost of millions paid to lawyers) effect our premiums
• make HMO purchase 100% tax deductible
• reduce medical administrative cost by instituting electronic records
• make tuition fees for medical students 100% tax deductible. So you won't graduate doctors who are desperate to make a quick buck because of their crushing tuition debts.
• reward + incentivize doctors for good evidence based medicine instead of costly and unnecessary defensive medical tests.
• create a national health awareness program to promote preventable diseases.
• regulate Pharma advertising
I've yet to see both Dems and Reps champion the solution. One party wants us to believe that an additional bureaucracy (in the vein of the IRS and DMV) that will cost taxpayers an additional trillion + does not guarantee access & quality of healthcare + slow our economic recovery = will change things for the better. The other is a lame duck merely seizing the issue as a political platform to make a comeback. It's like your is really on fire but you ignore the warning because it coming from the devil.
Stoking the confusion are clips like these who dumb down the issue by positioning anyone who is not for Obama's Bush-esque-rush-to-war Health Bill as wing-nuts.
Posted by: tnguy | Aug 6, 2009 9:23:49 AM
Rachel's show is proving to be one of the most informative news programs on TV-although i usually turn it off for the last 5 minutes of Kent Jones frivolity.
but Andy, you have quite the diverse readership-although diversity in this case, scares the crap out of me.
Posted by: casey | Aug 6, 2009 9:32:36 AM
I live for the moment people bring up "government rationing healthcare," because then I get to tell them about my tonsils and how they used to swell over generic colds and, on one particularly hazardous occasion, cut off my breathing altogether.
After getting needles jabbed in my arms, legs, and stomach to keep me from dying, I was told that my insurance would still not cover a tonsilectomy because I hadn't endured a minimum five catastrophic/near-lethal tonsil-related problems within a year.
They're out now, but no thanks to that insurer.
Posted by: Sean Mac | Aug 6, 2009 9:32:50 AM
people like Joe and TinGuy in the comments above, must have health insurance. i haven't had ANY for more than 6 years. 14,000 more people lose their health insurance every day. Yeah, so let's take this slowly. screw you.
Posted by: casey | Aug 6, 2009 9:35:03 AM
Good clip. Once again this all flows to one thing. Keeping power in Washington. Yes this site is run by Republicans but do you think if the shoe was on the other foot, the Democrats wouldn't be doing the same thing and riling up people like this site has done to stop a Republican agenda.
TNGUY, I am similar. I am Independent. I voted for Bill, then Bush, the Kerry, and now Obama. I agree with a lot of your points. I am sorely disappointed in Obama. I'll be honest. I'm sorely disappointed with everyone up there. It just seems like all they care about is keeping their seat and telling their constituents whatever they need to to keep their seat.
As I approach my thirtieth birthday, I've learned one thing. Extreme conservatism is as bad as extreme liberalism.
Posted by: Matt | Aug 6, 2009 9:49:12 AM
Right on Rachel! That clip was excellent and she really is one of the few left on tv news who is doing real journalism. What these corporate scumbags are doing to try and stop health care reform is disgusting and dangerous.
Posted by: Sam | Aug 6, 2009 10:16:48 AM
do people actually think Insurance Companies are Bureaucrat free? Have you ever tried calling your Health Insurance Provider about a bill dispute or lack of coverage over a procedure? Have fun getting the run around and being taken on a ride on the BS Express.
Posted by: Astro | Aug 6, 2009 10:17:05 AM
Worthless.
When Maddow comes on, the people who are being targeted in these ads tune her out and turn her off simply for being a lesbian and "librul". This information isn't going to get to the people it needs to anyhow. Not at this stage at least.
It is important that our answer at these gestapo rallies are articulated by folk similar in nature to those raising their objections. IT CANNOT SIMPLY COME FROM ANOTHER POLITICIAN or TALKING TV HEAD!
Sheep are being led to the slaughter by others who have only their own greed in mind derailing legitimate, long overdue health care changes. The horror is that it won't be just the mindless sheep who are led to the slaughter culling the ranks, but it will also include people like you and me who know what the right are doing to subvert the real democratic process through their tricks and lies.
Posted by: Disgusted With The Lies! | Aug 6, 2009 10:26:42 AM
Joe and Tnguy miss the point completely (or deliberately). This isn't just about health care; it's about the right wing using lies and intimidation to keep people afraid and keep lining their rich buddies' pockets. You can substitute any sort of discussion into this -- climate change, gun control laws, regulation of the financial sector -- and it's all the same BS and thuggery spewed out by the rich and their paid Republican whores. "You're out to destroy the American way of life!"
The GOP is now the party of fear. They tell people over and over and over and over to "be afraid of the other guys; trust us; we'll take care of you and never mind how we're letting our friends loot the US treasury and never mind that everything we do is good for business and bad for you; trust us because the other guys are going to really really hurt you and you can't believe them because they're commies and socialists and not even American citizens" and on and on -- and it's diseased.
My question is, since the RNC is now acting like it's the Mafia and using the same intimidation techniques as the mob, when will it be investigated as a criminal organization under RICO?
Posted by: Kyle Sullivan | Aug 6, 2009 10:33:34 AM
Eric,
I hate that you haven't had health insurance in 6 years. Do you have a condition that makes your coverage extremely high? I was in a similar situation but I cut my expenses (i.e. moved to a cheaper neighborhood, cut off my cable, and downgraded to a cheaper car) so I could afford coverage and even then it sucked b/c my pre-existing condition wasn't covered for a year.
Posted by: Matt | Aug 6, 2009 11:04:33 AM
Wow.
Makes me glad I am Australian.
Posted by: Michael | Aug 6, 2009 11:11:14 AM
This is a straw man -- It's called POLITICS. Like the Dems don't do the exact same thing. Plus, there is opposition to these health care reforms that goes well beyond any of the stuff that Maddow is so worked up about, and if she SHOULD be worried because Obama's arrogance will bring it all crashing down once again.
PS Maybe Congress should divert the hundreds of millions of dollars it is spending on PRIVATE JETS to hiring Democratic versions of these evil Republikkans PR specialists. LOL
Posted by: Freddy | Aug 6, 2009 11:25:04 AM
I think Kyle's right on. Remember that infamous picture during the Florida recount in 2000 of a bunch of average "patriotic citizens" storming where they were doing the recount? Check it: http://fixco1.com/bushvotemob.jpg THEY WERE ALMOST ALL REPUBLICAN OPERATIVES. Regardless of how supportive we are about overhauling the health care system to various degrees, props to Rachel for connecting the dots on these "plants" who are misrepresenting themselves as average Americans. They are not; they are people interested in maintaining the status quo for the insurance industries so they can keep getting wealthier at "average Americans"'s expense.
Posted by: Dback | Aug 6, 2009 11:28:20 AM
Good for you, Kyle... spot on with your observations! Could not have said it any better myself...
Posted by: CKNJ | Aug 6, 2009 11:31:59 AM
BRAVO Rachel!!!!
Posted by: Bosie | Aug 6, 2009 11:38:13 AM
Actually, it's something of an open secret that most "grass roots" organizations of both political persuasions are paid for by large special interest groups and corporations. Then there are groups like the AARP that get their money from the govt.
Posted by: anon | Aug 6, 2009 12:05:52 PM
It's as obvious as the nose on your face that the snouts of the medical insurance companies are in the trough and any form of change is seen as a threat. They have sufficient lobbying power also to demonise change as "socialism". What a joke. Classic case of the the interests of corporate America being put before the greater good.
Posted by: Jet | Aug 6, 2009 12:48:44 PM
After watching the clip and reading all the comments, it is interesting to see the different opinions. I don't believe people should focus this attack on "Rebuplicans"...it is far too much an over-statement. Instead, focus the anger on Big Business and mass-manipulation. While big Business is strongly routed in the Republican Party, it is not the WHOLE party...and ostracizing 1/2 of the population is unproductive. Look at the real issue and real enemies. People are out to misguide and rob people...regardless of political affiliation.
Its a tougher goal, but lets try and use reason and focus our anger
Posted by: Bob-E | Aug 6, 2009 12:54:13 PM
I believe Rachel-Rhodes Scholar- Maddow should read the entire bill to see what it actually entails in detail. Or will she not be subject to its provisions?
Posted by: johnb | Aug 6, 2009 2:07:29 PM
Huh, all i know is that she is annoying and god forbid a non democratic party voice out against the oh so perfect democrats who seem to know everything in this country, hence the current situation that plagues us. I mean I knew we were heading for disaster when we voted in obama and i mean our current estate proves my point. Not only that but his approval rating is at 50% now, lol. I mean that is almost as big of a drop as what we have seen in the DOW. But TNGUY laid it out quite nicely. You know if we keep going the way we are going nothing good is going to come from it. And i am sorry but if we keep having people like Bill what ever his name is and Maddow, who are so absolutely single minded, then well nothing is ever going to change, it is just manipulation and then we have more maddows instead of having a diverse community with individual point of views
Posted by: JD | Aug 6, 2009 4:04:41 PM
REGARDLESS of your opinions or experience as to the issue of your personal coverage and how others should be covered, it is important information to "follow the money" as to what, who and how these "spontaneous" demonstrations come into being. There is no bias involved when you trace the links at the bottom of a website which calls for action and change to see who is behind it. Nor is it bias to point out the profound discrepancy in the economic status and political affiliation of the people involved with the "face" of this movement. There seems to be a lot of overlap with certain corporate interests and certain political affiliations -- though it is naive to think of one party as "good" and the other as "bad" -- clearly there are interests at work who are not placing good healthcare for all ahead of profit motive, and there is a frighteningly sophisticated, media savvy, marketing machine involved -- I'm grateful for news coverage which looks at that from any angle at all; Right, Left or somewhere between. We're ALL angry, we're ALL frightened. And we all need to pay attention to how those emotions are being fueled and used to manipulate our country. Maybe we can't agree on what Reform should look like, but I wager we can all agree on that.
Posted by: JauntyJohn | Aug 6, 2009 4:04:47 PM