Lawmakers are making millions of dollars, but America’s middle class is heading to the poor house. Ed Schultz blasts the millionaire elected officials who have allowed this to happen while lining their own pockets.
17 Responses to Ed Schultz: Washington Has Let Down the Poor
NR
September 1, 2010 | 2:51 pm
Right on, as usual, Ed!
The HCB doesn’t really go far enough to the point of either a public option or a universalized national health plan. As I’ve mentioned before, if/when I sign up for health care coverage thru healthcare.gov, it would cost me $289/month for my age and the state I live in. And, I’m not really sure what this “HCR” will do to allow better access to Medicaid, let alone in my state, where there is so much BS to go thru such as with SSI first. The HCB is really not the change that Obama campaigned on since it is really having the health/hellth insurance industry dodge a bullet in not holding them accountable or taxing about 90% for their profits.
As Ed Shultz also mentioned not long ago, corporate America and most politicians in DC treat the middle/working class, the poor, and the sick like roadkill. America sure seems to have the most heartless politicians in the world! When fmr. pres. Carter said in his “Crisis of Confidence” speech 31 years ago, he mentioned that “Washington has become an island” and it seems like he could’ve been president yesterday – creepy! Is the jury still out on Carter’s (and Reagan’s) legacy?
NR
September 1, 2010 | 8:24 pm
For all those who are fired up about the lacking HCR in this country, a great movie that came out (before “Sicko”) was John Q, where Denzel Washington holds a hospital hostage so that his son can get a heart transplant that their insurance and the hospital refuses to cover:
…Pardon the irony of mentioning this movie right now at a time I’m seeing on the news of a downtown hostage situation in Silver Spring, MD at a Discovery Channel bldg.
Colleen
September 1, 2010 | 11:11 pm
As Ed says that all this money that’s been freed up and not going to Iraq should be spent here at home and on health care. But we all know that’s not going to happen. Just based upon Obama’s speech last night, he made it clear whose team he’s on and it isn’t working class America.
Colleen
September 1, 2010 | 11:18 pm
Now here’s the speech Obama SHOULD HAVE given last night. How I wish he would’ve.
Timothy Hutton was in a movie where he was also trying to get medical help for one of his family members.
We lost the claim that we are not a compassionate caring people (as Bush, Sr.) put it and from a historical point, we never were (look at how we wipe out the Native Americans in the name of civilization).
Health care for profit! Many nurses are on strike in MN because of staffing, etc…it´s like the “time management” people who watch how you spend your time at work and minutes or seconds are evaulated for better production.
Colleen
September 2, 2010 | 1:11 pm
To All,
No way are we a compassionate nation. Look how we treat our own citizens and have no health care, jobs, more homeless due to losing jobs/homes, etc. But damn, we’ve got money for war!
What’s being talked about in movies here, wil start happening for real….people being desparate for health care and are willing to do anything to get it. Here’s a segment from last night’s Keith about the desparate people getting the care they need at the New Orleans free clinic and how that state and city is underserved…just like the rest of the country.
Your comment reminded me of the short answers Dick Cheney gives in response such as what has been going on for the past 10 years. His only response to America’s problems in lack of health care, unemployment (and underemployment), and homelessness is “stuff happens.”
Colleen
September 2, 2010 | 9:14 pm
NR,
I certainly had NO intention of sounding like Dick Cheney and I’m sorry if it sounded that way. I typed this post this morning and my attitude certainly isn’t “stuff happens.” I was pointing out or just saying all this stuff we deal with that never gets corrected but we have money for war. It’s not right. And I thought posting the Keith link was a good idea because it shows real people who care and have real compassion. Sorry if I didn’t come off that way. Being compared to Dick Cheney is not funny.
NR
September 2, 2010 | 9:47 pm
Colleen,
No hard feelings, I was just making an analogy of how heartless politicians and corporate America can really be to folks like us. I was NOT comparing you to Dick Cheney or when he said “stuff happens.”
When I typed that comment this morning, I was almost out the door to work – and my comment got stalled with my Internet going flaky.
NR
September 2, 2010 | 9:59 pm
Sorry for the ambiguity in my word choosings, Colleen.
You know how out of touch most of our politicians in DC are where they don’t seem to have any solid answers to America’s problems saying things like “stuff happens” or “grab a pot and sign saying ‘will work for $$$’”.
Colleen
September 2, 2010 | 10:00 pm
NR,
This is exactly what my husband figured—-I read your comment wrong and I should’ve known better that you would never compare me to Dick Cheney. This was a misunderstanding on my part. No problem. It’s all good. I should know my “third nephew” (that’s how I refer to you here at home and I hope you don’t mind)would never say/think such a thing. (You’re the same age as my oldest nephew–that’s why I call you my “third nephew”)I wish my actual nephew was as involved as politics as you are!
Colleen
September 2, 2010 | 10:02 pm
I meant…”I wish my actual nephew was as involved IN politics as you are!”
NR
September 2, 2010 | 10:53 pm
Okay, Colleen. Thanks! Calling me your “3rd nephew” is alright with me.
Colleen
September 2, 2010 | 11:03 pm
Cool! This is good to know!
G
September 5, 2010 | 11:16 pm
“Health care for profit! Many nurses are on strike in MN because of staffing, etc…it´s like the “time management” people who watch how you spend your time at work and minutes or seconds are evaulated for better production.”
Too bad we can do that for managers. See how much time they spend trying to maintain their time at work in helping out their employees and their clients instead using the company money to support their candidates. We should also do that with politicans. Governor Swchenegger spend a year going around helping Republican candidates instead of trying to fix California and recovering the money he spend on his election.
Right on, as usual, Ed!
The HCB doesn’t really go far enough to the point of either a public option or a universalized national health plan. As I’ve mentioned before, if/when I sign up for health care coverage thru healthcare.gov, it would cost me $289/month for my age and the state I live in. And, I’m not really sure what this “HCR” will do to allow better access to Medicaid, let alone in my state, where there is so much BS to go thru such as with SSI first. The HCB is really not the change that Obama campaigned on since it is really having the health/hellth insurance industry dodge a bullet in not holding them accountable or taxing about 90% for their profits.
As Ed Shultz also mentioned not long ago, corporate America and most politicians in DC treat the middle/working class, the poor, and the sick like roadkill. America sure seems to have the most heartless politicians in the world! When fmr. pres. Carter said in his “Crisis of Confidence” speech 31 years ago, he mentioned that “Washington has become an island” and it seems like he could’ve been president yesterday – creepy! Is the jury still out on Carter’s (and Reagan’s) legacy?
For all those who are fired up about the lacking HCR in this country, a great movie that came out (before “Sicko”) was John Q, where Denzel Washington holds a hospital hostage so that his son can get a heart transplant that their insurance and the hospital refuses to cover:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251160/
…Pardon the irony of mentioning this movie right now at a time I’m seeing on the news of a downtown hostage situation in Silver Spring, MD at a Discovery Channel bldg.
As Ed says that all this money that’s been freed up and not going to Iraq should be spent here at home and on health care. But we all know that’s not going to happen. Just based upon Obama’s speech last night, he made it clear whose team he’s on and it isn’t working class America.
Now here’s the speech Obama SHOULD HAVE given last night. How I wish he would’ve.
http://blogs.alternet.org/michaelcollinsdc/2010/08/31/things-the-president-left-out-of-his-big-speech/
My state made Keith’s worst persons list….again. Geeze!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#38964897
Timothy Hutton was in a movie where he was also trying to get medical help for one of his family members.
We lost the claim that we are not a compassionate caring people (as Bush, Sr.) put it and from a historical point, we never were (look at how we wipe out the Native Americans in the name of civilization).
Health care for profit! Many nurses are on strike in MN because of staffing, etc…it´s like the “time management” people who watch how you spend your time at work and minutes or seconds are evaulated for better production.
To All,
No way are we a compassionate nation. Look how we treat our own citizens and have no health care, jobs, more homeless due to losing jobs/homes, etc. But damn, we’ve got money for war!
What’s being talked about in movies here, wil start happening for real….people being desparate for health care and are willing to do anything to get it. Here’s a segment from last night’s Keith about the desparate people getting the care they need at the New Orleans free clinic and how that state and city is underserved…just like the rest of the country.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#38965044
Colleen,
Your comment reminded me of the short answers Dick Cheney gives in response such as what has been going on for the past 10 years. His only response to America’s problems in lack of health care, unemployment (and underemployment), and homelessness is “stuff happens.”
NR,
I certainly had NO intention of sounding like Dick Cheney and I’m sorry if it sounded that way. I typed this post this morning and my attitude certainly isn’t “stuff happens.” I was pointing out or just saying all this stuff we deal with that never gets corrected but we have money for war. It’s not right. And I thought posting the Keith link was a good idea because it shows real people who care and have real compassion. Sorry if I didn’t come off that way. Being compared to Dick Cheney is not funny.
Colleen,
No hard feelings, I was just making an analogy of how heartless politicians and corporate America can really be to folks like us. I was NOT comparing you to Dick Cheney or when he said “stuff happens.”
When I typed that comment this morning, I was almost out the door to work – and my comment got stalled with my Internet going flaky.
Sorry for the ambiguity in my word choosings, Colleen.
You know how out of touch most of our politicians in DC are where they don’t seem to have any solid answers to America’s problems saying things like “stuff happens” or “grab a pot and sign saying ‘will work for $$$’”.
NR,
This is exactly what my husband figured—-I read your comment wrong and I should’ve known better that you would never compare me to Dick Cheney. This was a misunderstanding on my part. No problem. It’s all good. I should know my “third nephew” (that’s how I refer to you here at home and I hope you don’t mind)would never say/think such a thing. (You’re the same age as my oldest nephew–that’s why I call you my “third nephew”)I wish my actual nephew was as involved as politics as you are!
I meant…”I wish my actual nephew was as involved IN politics as you are!”
Okay, Colleen. Thanks! Calling me your “3rd nephew” is alright with me.
Cool! This is good to know!
“Health care for profit! Many nurses are on strike in MN because of staffing, etc…it´s like the “time management” people who watch how you spend your time at work and minutes or seconds are evaulated for better production.”
Too bad we can do that for managers. See how much time they spend trying to maintain their time at work in helping out their employees and their clients instead using the company money to support their candidates. We should also do that with politicans. Governor Swchenegger spend a year going around helping Republican candidates instead of trying to fix California and recovering the money he spend on his election.