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Franken Kicks Ass

tip to Cirano

Tags: healthcare

Posted by Norm on October 24, 2009 9:29 AM | Permalink

Comments

Tim | October 24, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply

Not bad for a lightweight comedian, not bad at all.

Erick | October 24, 2009 3:16 PM | Reply

Very nice job!

Could someone explain the last point he brought up about cancer though? I didn't quite understand.

Norm replied to Erick | October 24, 2009 3:25 PM | Reply

There's a study floating around that our cancer survival rates are the best in the world. Conservatives point to this as evidence that our medical system is better. Franken has apparently looked into the study and found that our methodology in measuring results is not the same as the Europeans and that the results are skewed as a result.

RedSeven replied to Norm | October 24, 2009 8:01 PM | Reply

It would be interesting to know the facts there. It is the stat most quoted in defense of our current system.

jillbryant2003 | October 24, 2009 8:32 PM | Reply

I am starting to like Al Franken much more as a Senator than I thought I would. I hope he continues to be informed and direct.

To a couple of points though - I find it interesting that this woman said it will increase our bankruptcies and she didn't know about the bankruptcy rate in other countries with the type of healthcare we want. And, I know this wasn't the exact point here but, I wish they would talk about this. I don't think anyone says we don't have good doctors here. I would assume American doctors are up at the top if not are the top in medical care IF....IF....you can afford it, if you can be insured to get it, if the insurance companies lets you get the care the doctor recommends.

Terry Levine replied to jillbryant2003 | October 25, 2009 11:10 AM | Reply

I think the point was that there are, by definition, no bankruptcies in these other countries because you can't go bankrupt if healthcare costs are covered by the state.

jillbryant2003 replied to Terry Levine | October 25, 2009 8:37 PM | Reply

That's probably true (although, I know in London, for example, you can choose to use a doctor that is not in NHS - it'd be stupid if you didn't have the money but ?) but, my point really was, if her statement to Congress--as a think tank expert--was that this would lead to more bankruptcies, what data was she using to make that claim? Why didn't she have a thick report to present that looked at everything, including the exact figures of other countries using nationalized health care? What gave her the right to be positioned as an expert to Congress? And, to Tim's point, I'm sure she did know. I know this was an excerpt so maybe it would be clear if I'd see the whole thing but, this was just insulting....and I hope Franken continues to point that out.

Tim | October 24, 2009 9:21 PM | Reply

... she didn't know about the bankruptcy rate in other countries...

No, what she said was, 'I don't know the exact figures.' I'd bet any amount of money that she knew - in any important sense of the word "knew" - what the bankruptcy rate was. I think she's a lying stooge of a right-wing "think-tank", a well-paid operative of insurance companies. I don't think she gives a damn about people going bankrupt.

Michael Drake | October 25, 2009 6:59 PM | Reply

Was it just me, or was the number of health crisis-induced bankruptcies in Switzerland eerily similar to the number of exchanges with Franken in which Furchtgott-Roth didn't got pwned?

Robinson | October 26, 2009 3:30 AM | Reply

Curious, but did she say that the number of bankruptcies would increase because of mandated insurance? It could be that the proposed new system is so different from those in the other countries that she has a valid point, and Franken's arguments are not applicable. It WOULD seem that Franken is advocating a system where these would not happen, even if it is not the one currently on the table..

note: I am a fan of Franken, have shaken his hand, and support Health care Reform.. so.. just sayin they may be arguing apples to oranges.