Video: The White House opposes health insurance competition across state lines
Watch as White House senior adviser David Axelrod stumbles and bumbles his way through an incoherent explanation of why President Obama favors more consumer “choice” by opposing greater choice through increased health insurance competition across state lines:
Hat tip: Cato, CfG, and News Alert
Posted in: Health care
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Health Care BS
- Ztower
- Riehl World View
- Mount Virtus
- Michelle Malkin: Conservative mother, author, blogger and Fox News contributor | Political Integrity Now
- PianoFan
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Health care
Legal Insurrection
» Yes, It Really Is That Bad
Riehl World View
» Burka Barbie w/ Western Outfits And Removable Head?Stop The ACLU
» It’s Burkha Barbie! No, Seriously. I’m Not Kidding. ReallyWeekly Standard
» Beamer: Why'd Obama Recuse Himself on Terror Trials?AmSpecBlog
» Elsewhere in the Enviro-Activist MediasphereNewsBusters.org
» Tax Increase Campaign Item 3: Wars Cost Money And Rich Must Pay, MI Senator Levin Tells Bloomberg
I have been in an hour’s long holding pattern trying to land at O’Hare and didn’t circle as much as Axelrod did trying to provide answers in that interview.
Got to give a hat tip to the Wulf Man on that interview.
Why expect these socialists and fascists to have any concept of free markets and competition?
This administration is like a comedy show where all solutions are considered EXCEPT those which might actually help.
Axelrod threw a rod this time.
If only.
Thank goodness Americans are seeing right through this hope ‘n change jackassery.
Unbelievable.
The health care bill is designed to kill private insurance. Within 2 decades or so, everyone will be on govt insurance, with a plan that killed good doctors. All of our docs will be from 3rd world countries who think they’ve struck it rich being big time govt workers. Private insurance will be out of business, and back room alley care will be a treat for those lucky enough to scrape up enough money to keep themselves alive. How progressive.
If the Obama administration was truly interested in health care reform and not extending government control over our lives the solution would be easy and obvious. Interstate competition and tort reform. When they resist true reform their agenda becomes obvious. Impeach the bum now.
If you listen carefully, he did say that opening all states to insurance competition does not fit the administrations vision of health care reform.
I am so sick and tired of Washington nuance and spin. Can’t they just tell the truth? The more players there are, the harder it is to exercise central control, and that is the key to every issue for this administration. Control equals power.
All this Marxist administration and the liberal Demonrats want is their hands around our collective throats in regard to health care. Once the government controls our health care, they control us. That’s all they care about. Once they get that, everything else will fall in place.
Can’t get rid of the 2nd amendment? That’s okay – how about anyone who has GUNS in their home pays a 50% premium on their MANDATORY health care? Hmm? Want to drive a nice, big Ford F-150? Okay, but you have to pay an extra $1,000 a month toward your “free” government health care.
How’s your Marxist President working out for you now, libs?
Amazing that this long into the debate a lib lemming journalist has finally asked an Obama representative that specific question. And I still don’t know why they won’t do that. These focking idiots want competition between the government and private enterprises, but not among private companies across state lines. God almighty, save us from these morons.
Why is it so-called “progressives” always embrace policies that better emulate third-world living conditions from the 16th century?
In the meantime, the Canucks and Brits have their noses out of joint because Americans are doing a little research and finding that Britain’s NHS, for example, has a whole bunch of problems, this one being just one example.
Choice and competition, right Axelrod?
What a sick joke, pun intended.
I would like an explanation of Axelrod’s and Obama’s reasoning for not allowing interstate competition. Axelrod ducked the issue when O’Reilly grilled him on it. Axelrod actually broke into a sweat when the subject was raised.
Are there favored companies the Democrats are trying to protect?
CNN FINALLY starts to ask real questions of this administration – and the embarrassment of Axelroad is PAINFUL to watch.
What a goon – and I mean that in the worst sense possible.
Of course they do not want interstate competition…the market would start to work and there would be no need for the “public option”. Without the public option, there will not be federal control over all things health-related.
And still no tort reform. Everytime I watch people talk about how miniscule the lawsuits are, it makes me gag. I wonder if anyone realizes how many people are employed at hospitals and doctors’ offices to ensure proper records are kept and forms signed to prevent the inevitable lawsuits. These labor costs are astronomical.
His best line is:
“Others have other ideas.”
Well now that all clears it all up!!
I saw this fool on O’Reilly before this CNN clip (of course I don’t watch CNN) and was surprised at how bad he was at public speaking and actual debating 101. He was supposed to be some kind of wonderboy, but he is just another two-tongued devil trying to fool America. It won’t work!!
Yeah. Right.
Get out of the way. Gastric projectiles may be headed your way!
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
I saw this and I fumed. These people who call themselves Democrats are nothing of the sort. They say they want to give the American people choice over their healthcare, power over their healthcare, but this video shows they’re either too stupid to acknowledge that they’re taking over the system or they want to control the SYSTEM itself.
I have to run my health care on a schedule. On a budget. Sometimes the only control I have is being able to make the appointment. Most of the time I have no control. I made my 6 month teeth cleaning appointment today and I can’t even freaking make the appointment until a certain time. I break the rules and I pay a bigger co-pay or certain services don’t get covered. Yes, I know, not “real” news to those who despise HMO’s.
The rich and the powerful, on both political sides, want two playing fields. One for them and one for us… except that we’ll always be the ones on the outside looking in. They say that they’re advocates for the uninsured but I just wish they’d stop the pretense. Stop saying they even care for these people when it’s not true. The “uninsured” are just pawns, like all of us.
I just want to know one thing: who speaks for those like me who’ve had to deal with Tricare and United Concordia and the pretend game that the military health care system is some revolutionary, caring apparatus that delivers care, in a timely manner, and in a cost efficient manner? Who’s gonna tell the real story, where doctors prescribe a severely depressed person a pill that eventually wears off only to be replaced by another pill that will only provide the same bittersweet comfort? Is that the kind of prescribed care that the David Axelrods of the world really want?
I have to push, prod, and press until I can see the one person in the system who cares enough to acknowledge that the system has let down a patient who now needs to be referred to a civilian doc because the ones at the local military base can’t see you, don’t have the personnel to see you, or the time.
The Obama administration doesn’t know what they’re talking about. They overly emotionalize and manipulate an issue which is at best been made worse by the very people who’ve “come to help.” These aren’t the people you want “reforming” the health care system or helping the uninsured.
It’s better just to convince people you mean well while behind the scenes, you’re undermining the same system by either a) ignoring basic economic principles, b) putting forth feel good rhetoric that doesn’t directly deal with the issues, and c) using failed models to prop up dismantling the current system.
Emjay24 – Great post. I learned real early in my military career that military doctors were there to practice medicine – and I did not let them practice on me. For every major problem I had I had to pay money out of my pocket and go to a civilian doctor to find out the real problem and get it treated. Everything from stomach ulcers to an infected prostate. And now that I am retired the VA is not much better. In fact, I can’t understand half of what the Middle Eastern doctor is saying. It just took me 2 months to get an MRI on my knees. These people who think that government run health care is the answer to their problems need to rethink their opinion.
Thanks for your service and keep up the good fight.
I wonder who’s paying Axelrod off?
Do a forensic audit and find out.
Wolf and George are going to be uncomfortable under that bus.
Sergeantmajorbill,l sorry you have such problems with your VA. I use the VA in Muskogee Oklahoma and most of the docs are American and when I am told I need an MRI I have it in within the hour. Never had to use the mental health part of the VA but have an appointment tomorrow since the nursing school I was going to kicked me out for basically being a disabled vet. I was told I needed more help than they could give me and thought I was a threat to a few of the other students because I said I would defend myself if attacked by a criminal. But the only one treated like a criminal was me each time I had to talk to the administrator four police officers were present and last night when they asked me to drop out of the program I was frisked before I could even have my say. I am 41 years old and have never been frisked before it’s nice to be treated like a criminal just for being a veteran.
Why stop there? How long will it be before (in light of Katrina and the current flooding in GA) that Obambi sees an opportunity to take over the home insurance industry? You know, because a few million people can’t afford flood insurance or some other half a$$ed rationale. Now you pay more to house the gun and the truck. Maybe the house isn’t insulated enough, or uses a heating system that is not politically correct.
I would laugh if I wasn’t crying at the loss of our country and our liberty.
Dimsdale’s axiom on socialism: “The slippery slope is paved with good intentions.”
Right, MTNEER,when pressed on elimination of interstate restrictions, Axlegrease replied at 1:23:
“That is not endemic to the type of reform we’re proposing”.
This BS reminds me of the movie “Guide for the married man.” One of the rules was “Deny, Deny, Deny” A guy is caught in the act by his wife and she repeats, “Honey, What is going on?” to his replies of “Nothing!”, all the while they are getting dressed and then just walk out the door leaving his wife alone with a perplexed look on her face!
We hear these weasles repeating that this is not socialism, not a government takeover of all medicine, yet their actions betray them.
Wow! how about doing something that makes sense? Instead lets just blow up the whole system instead.
Great question Wolf. Hopefully some deadbeat in the RNC will take this vid & run with it.
Next comes “reform” that will impact every single aspect of our lives, Dimsdale, not just home insurance.
Cap and trade, energy is the whole enchilada.
Heh!
Axelrod proving once again that he is a gidrool.
Major League.
This White House opposes ANYTHING that would allow for freedom and a better deal to the American people…who also vote.
A lot of people are talking about candidates for 2012, and the MSM will be there to set us up, just like they did with McCain. STOP! The war is 2010.
2012 will provide for itself when it gets here.
I’ve never seen an administration so committed to hiding their intentions. These people won’t answer a question to save their lives.
They contradict themselves every day. Fortunately for them not many in the fringe media (former MSM) push for a real answer.
Please tell me the American people are seeing these snakes for what they are.
BUT BUT BUT obama said he wants competition and thats how he will save money!!!!!
This whole article is RRRRRACCCIIISSSTTT, you just hate black people!!!!
/liberal dumba$$ mode off.
Choice shall be limited to accepting Dear Leader as your Dear Leader or camps in the Southwest.
Choice leads to confusion and is not good for the collective.
Up is down
less is more
the truth is a lie
a lie is the truth
Now you all have my permission to submit those four lines to the National Endowment for the Arts–perhaps you will win a grant.
That is part of the difficulty with reforming health care. Fifty States have fifty sets of rules that each company would have to follow in each of the various States. As a federal program, the Government option, will not be subject to State law.
There are national standards for automobiles, appliances, food, building materials, etc. Why not Healthcare?
Yep, buying insurance across State lines will increase competition. But, it may involve 50 State Legislatures getting on the same page.
Tort reform will contribute to less expensive healthcare. But, that would also require the involvement of fifty State Legislatures getting on the same page.
Though among the many questions that aren’t being asked is why don’t insurance companies set up shop, with subsidiaries, in other States?
Yes, Mr. Axelrod has his issues. And, the issue of healthcare reform is far more complex than Mr. Axelrod.
At least Blizter pressed the issue and made that P.O.S. jackass Axelrod stumble and look like the conniving scum that he is.
They don’t want interstate options because it does nothing to serve the healthcare unions and actually give people choices that would not include a socialist-run health insurance plan. So there’s no way in hell Obama is going to let people have that choice. He wants as many people as possible on the government dole. Period.
I detest them all. They’re scum. Top down.
Axelrod uses a condom as a hat.
I know others are saying the same thing. I’m just rephrasing a bit differently.
National competition and tort reform might adequately fix the problem thereby eliminating much of the support for government run health care.
That would be bad for Obama since he doesn’t want the problem fixed – he wants government run health care.
He keeps doing the Goebbels “repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth” dance with the “one insurer in a couple of states” and “fundamental change is good” mantras.
Removing state barriers to competition is not “symbolic”: it would be effective, and do all the things he purports to want without the government having their hands in the pie.
But that doesn’t give you a power grab, does it? It doesn’t socialize medicine, does it?
Um, like, they already do. Operating 50 different subs under 50 different sets of regulations is, like, expensive and drives up costs.
This is just more proof to me that they seek govt control. He could have easily answered “because we believe that States have certain Constitutional Rights and to interfere with that would be inappropriate.” If they really are Statists, they would support Federal regulation of the insurance industry. Instead, they are seeking a way for absolute government control of the health care.
Just thought of something. And I’m not even saying I’m right.
I’m all for selling health insurance across state lines, and have said so several times. But I suspect that if such were allowed, there might be a number of people become unemployed through consolidation of various company operations. Are these the people the administration is trying to protect through their bullheadedness and stupidity?
Mark Steyn has correctly, IMHO, diagnosed why the Dems wants socialist medicine, and why they are in such a hurry.
A giant new entitlement permanently shifts the playing field, such that the conservatives wind up having to support maintaining the entitlement, and can only claim to be able to run it more efficiently than the liberals.
Look at Social Security. Called the “third rail” of politics. An entitlement program which can’t be touched, even as it slowly fails, as all pyramid schemes do.
Once Marxist Medicine passes, and the insurance companies go bankrupt, the ultimate goal, there is no turning back.
Liberals cannot help it. Their god is Government. It is the only sermon they preach – “Come to Government for your salvation.”
so competition across state lines will cause a distruption according to axelgrease. and this scam artist is an advisor to zero. when valid points need to be addressed liberals lie about their real motives. axelgrease much like zero is a an unethical piece of crap.
Wow! He can’t seem to get out of the comfort zone of teh “Narrative.”
Half of my work day seems to be nothing more than paperwork to satisfy the state and the national government, plus to ward off any lawsuits. Tort reform and deregulation would certainly give me more time to spend with patients.
Yep, gets in the way of their agenda. So do tea parties, march on DC, MM’s book, Levin’s book, Beck, the Constitution, and any media outlet that dares to shed light on the corruption and utter contempt they have for American values and freedom.
Rabid dogs.
graysonret:
Now why would you think they would want you to have that liberty?
I’ve seen the libs have been touting the military health system. I’m not sure how it works for active duty, but I was a military dependent and that’s all I knew growing up. It took me four hours to get 15 stitches and a tetanus shot for a puncture wound in my leg at the Navy Hospital in Quantico in the early 90s. I had to drive an hour away to DC to get a dermatology appointment as a zit-faced teen. Now I’m all grown up and I get great healthcare because there are tons of hospitals and private competition in my city (Richmond, VA). I’ve also been to the local VA hospital here, and while it appears the actual treatment is fine, the place looks like a walking MASH unit. About 50 vets waiting outside for treatment. My former hometown of Fredericksburg until recently had only one hospital and the service was bad. Now there is another hospital in Stafford and another one on the way in Spotslyvania. A state-government agency fought like hell to stop these new hospitals, had something to do with the number of beds and proximaty to northern VA hospitals (which would be impossible to get to fighting traffic). They liked the monopoly and didn’t want to get scrutinized.
Competition will drive down costs and improve quality. A government-run program won’t do it, neither will pseudo-monopolies by the Anthems and United Healthcares of the world. Let’s get true competition…
There was a time when snake oil salesmen like Axelrod would be tarred and feathered and sent out of town on a rail. Now they run the government and try to tell us that we’re the problem. Unbelievable.
Ed Mahmoud is correct. They want another big pyramid scheme. Marxist ‘medicine’ is a perfect way to re-distribute wealth.
Another permanent stumbling block for conservatives to deal with, and a vehicle for mass welfare and automatic voters. It’s all about power, and holding it. America, her people, and her constitution be damned.
these socialists have never wanted to fix healthcare problems, they want their hands on trillions of dollars and their buddies as beaurocrats to vote for the status quo forever.
It is a huge source of revenue for the states. Every department of insurance charges 50 – 75 dollars a year (some up to 250 dollars a year) for the privilege of selling policies in that state. It isn’t much, but I could use that extra 5-10k/year for my business, and I could do without the extra paperwork for each one of the individual 50 states.
But enough about me. . . lets talk about solutions. The people in DC have not hit on a single solution. Every solution they can think of has to do with spending more money – A LOT more money – a LOT more of MY money.
The Obama administration wants to change everything, but then Axelrod says they don’t want to cause a disruption?
Which is it?
If nothing else, this circular discussion on the approach is just another indicator that this bill represents one step to the single payer system.
White House opposes anything that is good for America.
Q: Why not break down the barriers to insurance companies competing across state lines?
A (translated): Because we don’t want to do that. We want to change the entire health care systems.
“proposing a health bill that will pass congress”
So if interstate competition is on the table, congress will not even consider breaking down the barrier to real open competition. Wonder how much of a kickback our congressional slime is receiving from favored health insurance companies to keep the state restriction up?
excuse me, but this came up pretty good on google for good keywords. I’m going to place a link here. It’s an old post and nobody is watching. Sorry, thanks.
travel insurance