Jon Stewart Destroys Bill Kristol On Healthcare
Jon Stewart gets Bill Kristol (The Weekly Standard) to admit the the VA system is an exceptional healthcare system but that the rest of Americans don’t deserve it. Kristol gets caught up in the typical GOP talking point trap of “government run healthcare is really awful but it’s so good that private insurance can’t compete.” Republicans are just incoherent on this issue. At least he wasn’t repeating the Faux News talking point that Barack Obama wants to kill your grandmother.
Think Progress has the report:
Kristol — who has urged conservative activists and Republicans to “resist the temptation” to work with Democrats in crafting health reform and instead “go for the kill” — responded that the military “deserves it,” but the American people do not:
STEWART: Are you saying the American public shouldn’t have access to the same quality health care that we give to our better citizens?
KRISTOL: To our soldiers? Absolutely. [Crowd boos]
Kristol explained that soldiers get paid less, but “one way we make it up to” them is by giving them “first-class health care.” “I feel like you’ve trapped me somehow,” Kristol observed. Indeed, Stewart explained the flaw in Kristol’s logic:
STEWART: I just want to get this on record — Bill Kristol just said that the government can run a first-class health care system.
KRISTOL: Sure it can. [Crowd applauds]
STEWART: And a government-run system is better than a private health care system.
Kristol tried to backtrack, saying he wasn’t sure the military system is “better,” and later argued that other government-run systems aren’t providing the best health care.
The full, extended interview is below.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Bill Kristol Extended Interview | ||||
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Tags: Bill Kristol, Health Care, Jon Stewart
The private system can beat a public option hands down if they are under similar requirements. What will likely happen is that the government system will not operate like an insurance system but a subsidized prepayment system. If it does not set aside for future reserves then it is creating a huge future liability which is not reflected in the current rates. It would look cheaper but in reality be more expensive. The problem is that some people would fall for the lower initial price and that would hurt the private system.
Would the private system be required to pay taxes that subsidize the public option? Why not take money from Ford to give to GM and wonder why Ford would complain that it is an unfair advantage?
The public option would be heavily subsidized to the tune of over a trillion dollars.
The public option would determine its own benefit package and unlike the private providers would not be subject to state mandated benefits.
The public option would be heavily subsidized to the tune of over a trillion dollars.
Over 10 years. A trillion dollars over 10 years.
The Bush tax cuts were a trillion dollars and you certainly did not care about any fiscal impacts of that. Of which was a massive structural deficit that we continue to live with. So don’t do this hypocrisy here.
The VA system was horrible. Now it is superior. It finally had to respond to the pressure of the public after the 3 decaying bodies in VA beds scandal hit. They got some great leadership and turned it around. It is first class. It still has some issues especially with the underfunding by the Congress trying to squeeze people out. It is rationing by eligibility.
The question is should you be subject to the wild swings the VA system had with no options. The VA has competition. If we have a Canadian style system, we will place all of our eggs in one basket. There is a better way. Singapore, Germany, and many other nations do not put all of their eggs in one basket. One of the values we have in the market is that if a company gives you lousy care you can sue them and/or change companies. If it is the government, you are stuck unless you can build a movement over years. It took a decade to reform the VA system.
If we have a Canadian style system, we will place all of our eggs in one basket.
This isn’t even on the table.
But there are alot of folks who would be delighted to get a VA-type system here (which — hint hint) would look alot like the Canadian system. Meaning that you could change doctors, hospitals everything without penalty. A thing you can’t do with insurance.
Yes, Cassandra. Has anyone else ever been hit with out-of-network fees? If you’re traveling and you get sick you pay a whole lot of extra money out-of-pocket.
“If you’re traveling and you get sick you pay a whole lot of extra money out-of-pocket……” I traveled and was hospitalized in Germany, they did not charge me………
The same crap was argued when FDR said we needed Social Security and medicare ..look it up 1935
Good point, Freida. It’s only if you’re traveling in the U.S. when all the fees get complicated.
“The question is should you be subject to the wild swings the VA system had with no options.”
The people for whom I have the most concern having no options are those who cannot afford proper medical care. That is who this is about. There are millions simply going without or using the ER as a primary care because they have no other option, driving costs up while ruining their own credit because they will never be able to pay back the outlandish fees. Is this how it should be? Is this the better option? I think not.