Grassley Says "Death Panel Controversy" Is Liberal Diversion, Then Doubles Down On Death Panel Controversy
Appearing on Fox News this morning, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) once again called the death panel controversy (which he stoked) a Democratic party diversion...and then noted that the House proposal to reimburse doctors for providing end-of-life care "raises questions."
"What they try to do is divert attention," Grassley said, referring to what he called the House's "miserably poor health care bill."
But then he switched gears, to defend his support for end of life counseling six years ago. "[W]e were talking just in the very narrow area of hospice care...nothing to do with saving money," Grassley said. "And when you get in to what their goals are in the House bill, it's saving money...and we never had anything like that in 2003."
Host Megyn Kelly interjected, "and your concern is the plan to save money and cut costs, coupled with these end of life consultations, raises questions, I guess.'
"And coupled with government takeover of health care," affirmed Grassley.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
So when did the Repubs become the party of not cutting costs and not saving money??
August 18, 2009 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
When the money is going into the pockets of private contractors and suppliers.
August 18, 2009 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
The world turned upside down: "...nothing to do with saving money."
"and your concern is the plan to save money and cut costs...raise questions."
Tax and spend Republicans.
August 18, 2009 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
This shit pisses me off. The Dems need to compile a Health Care Reform Enemies List. Any congressman/senator caught uttering even one of the Luntz "kill reform" talking points (we have the memo!) should be on the list. Make the list public with video (as McCain would say, let's make them famous).
Anyone on the list should be cut off completely from any negotiations or anything to do with the bill(s).
August 18, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is really simple. Introduce a separate bill mandating that Medicare pay for end-of-life counseling. Dare them to vote against it.
August 18, 2009 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sen. Grassley and his staff are either incompetent or dishonest.
In Britain a disabled individual gets all the care he needs. Stephen Hawking credits his life to the British NHS -- International Business Daily lied and said that anyone like him in Britain would die.
The conservative leader, David Cameron praises the quality of the around the clock care provided to his beloved disabled child who was lost to epilepsy at age 6. Cameron stated in 2006:
"The National Health Service is an incarnation of the belief at the heart of British society - that the wealthy and the healthy have an enduring duty to protect the poorer and vulnerable from life's risks.
"The belief that a sick child should be treated with the best possible care, without anyone asking if her dad can afford it or whether her mum has the right insurance cover. The only thing that should matter is the patient's need at the moment of presentation."
Read more: http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-373248/The-son-NHS-crusade.html#ixzz0OYuCByNo
There is no lifetime limit on care in Britain. It is the American insurance companies which impose a lifetime limit and Sen. Grassley knows this.
It is a disgrace that he is making things up in order to discredit needed health care reform here in the United States.
A public option is needed to keep the insurance companies honest in the same way that the existence of the United State Post office places a limit on what Fed. Ex. and UPS can charge.
Sen. Grassley is indulging in sick fantasies about what would happen to Senator Kennedy in Grassley's imaginary Britain. Here in America Sen. Kennedy is getting excellent care because he is both well insured and rich. In Britain's National Health System Sen. Kennedy would get excellent care even if he were poor.
August 18, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink