Democrats: More Than Health Care
93580
A look at the policies of Senators Clinton and Obama, reveals that the candidates have actually laid out two competing economic philosophies. The fight over health insurance is just one part of their disagreement.
209557
The health care debate in this year&#39;s presidential contest has been largely boiled down to an argument over degree: Democrat John F. Kerry proposes an ambitious, costly expansion of health
258863
Democrats in Congress have increased their scrutiny of a trade pact and an aid package after claims of abuses.
317450
Yesterday's piece on health care and the presidential election got a great response, and some of it from Republicans, using the slogans and logic I hoped they wouldn't. But that's okay, it helps me focus my rhetoric on the precise point of disagreement, and hopefully by illuminating it, I can either convince some of the Republicans to come over to my side, or help eliminate some of the confusion on both sides. Or maybe it'll just keep the argument from slopping over into all kinds of irrelevant issues. The basic Republican argument goes like this. Why should I pay for the health needs of people who are so irresponsible as to not have health insurance.  If I got it wrong, please set me straight. Now I'd like to answer this, very carefully. The Democrats aren't proposing that you should pay for the uninsured. Key point. They either agree with you, or know that they're not going to get their proposal passed unless they take this into account. The Obama plan says you don't get care unless you have insurance. His proposal aims to get a lot more people insured. Clinton goes one step further, by requiring everyone to have health insurance.  Also, you already pay for the health needs of the uninsured. Whether you or I like it, we don't look the other way when someone is in need. You may feel the system should work differently, but that's not responsive to the proposal the Democrats are making. The debate is how health care works for the non-indigent.  If you have property, a car, a house, or if your kids go to private school or college, or if you want to take a vacation, or have a baby, or exercise between jobs, getting sick without insurance is a sure way to go from being middle class to being poor, quickly. This is why we have health insurance, to smoothe out the risk, to protect our family's lifestyle. It seems to me it's a good thing. It's the market solving a basic human need.  So this is what we should be discussing, how can we get insurance for all the people who want it, or should we require it for everyone -- this is the debate of 2008. This is what the Democrats are putting on the table, and what McCain, or whoever is the Republican nominee, will have to respond to, if we're going to have the respectful debate everyone is talking about having.  Why is this such a problem?  A lot of people, even healthy people without pre-existing conditions, can't get health insurance. And what if you have a pre-existing condition? Do you really think it's cool for the insurance industry to refuse them coverage? Why is that a good thing? I honestly don't get it. Consider the penalty for not having insurance. (See above.) So far the leaders of the Republican Party have managed to keep health care off the national agenda, but this year, it's there. If you doubt me, just ask a few people you know, and don't just ask poor people or Democrats, ask Republicans. Disease isn't a party issue, and while poor people tend to have poorer health, even well-off people need health care. And most people can't afford to pay for a catastrophic illness, and enough of them can't get health insurance to make this an important national issue. If you disagree with this, please let me know why. PS: Phil Windley asks where it stops. Should we provide free housing for the homeless? And what about free cable TV for people without cable TV? (He provides other examples.) No, this is only about health insurance. It's not about any of the other things mentioned in Phil's post.
288810
The Democrats suddenly face a map with unexpected opportunities in their battle for control of the Senate.
73822
Many 2008 Democratic presidential candidates, most recently Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, are embracing the notion of the so-called Ã¢ÂÂpay or playÃ¢ÂÂ insurance coverage mandate, which would require employers to provide health coverage to their employees or pay a tax into a national fund that would provide the coverage for them.
634476
Drew Westen, a professor of psychology at Emory University, argues that the Democratic Party should, for the most part, focus on feelings, not issues or facts.
113119
As universal health plans gain traction Ã¢ÂÂ through plans offered by Democratic presidential candidates and state-led initiatives Ã¢ÂÂ a panel on Friday examined the correlation between health care access and the quality of health care provided through universal coverage.
521767
WASHINGTON   The Democratic Party accuses President Bush in a new television ad of having &quot;no plan&quot; to deal with the rising cost of health care.
330009
Some Democratic presidential  contenders took aim at Hillary Clinton&#39;s leadership on health  care on Thursday, questioning whether she could rally the  political support to pass a broad plan for universal coverage.
94470
Democratic voters are far more dissatisfied with the nation's health care system than their Republican counterparts and much more likely to support a substantial increase in government spending to expand health coverage, a new report says.
190718
The fight over child health care shows how hard it will be for Democrats to sell Republicans on universal insurance.
547662
At least eight people are vying to hold a job crucial to the Democrats' future direction.
488758
Bloomberg - May 30 (Bloomberg) -- For the leading Democratic presidential hopefuls, making health care more affordable is a tale of two villains. Barack Obama is targeting drugmakers, while Hillary Clinton is taking aim at insurers.
106903
A dozen years after Congress rejected a Clinton administration plan for universal health care, an Oregon Democrat is readying a proposal to provide health care coverage to all Americans through a pool of private insurance plans.
667166
Senate Democrats unveiled a spending blueprint yesterday that envisions a massive expansion of the nation's health-insurance program for children, as well as billions of additional dollars for other domestic priorities such as public education, veterans' health care and local police.
147273
The Democratic nomination fight once appeared to be a contest over issues: the Iraq war, Iran, universal health care and economic uncertainty. But as the candidates' positions have melded, they have found themselves agreeing that voters are ready for the changes they are all proposing -- but figh...