Bernie Sanders

I couldn't have said it better Kevin MacLeod! Thank you and for Kelly I hope, when or if she ever develops compassion, she may see why we need this.

Mr. MacLeod:
What you typed is indeed noble, but:
1) Preventative is generally cheaper than restoration, but this is based partly on individuals being responsible for their health, which isn't what this "health care reform" is about. This is solely about subsidizing an individual's financial responsibilities, thereby foisting them onto others.
Absolving persons from the consequences of their actions and inactions doesn't usually promote improvement. It tends to foster the opposite.
2) "Efficiency and value" may be your politics, but have you ever seen the same come out of DC? Even once?... Read More
Given the US Government's track record on similar programs (Medicaid , Medicare and Social Security), how can you expect to see "efficiency and value" in "health care"?
A definition of insanity is expecting a different result from the same set of circumstances. This also defines stupidity.
Yes, the current methodology of all this is structurally flawed, but putting this in the hands of the government will worsen the situation. Perhaps irreparably.
3) Morality, like courtesy, is something you must offer to the world, not what you take from the world.
Unlike the Confucian (social) Self, which is based on contributions to society, the American Self (like the American Corporation) tends to maximize what it can take from society.
American society is too individualistically selfish compared to other countries with subsidized medicine to provide open-ended subsidies. We will be drained.
4) Altruism is a moral path, but it's also an expensive path. Our current debt is $12,000,000,000,000 with $450,000,000,000 wasted annually just to pay interest.
With our finite funds, we must choose A or B or C.
But this isn't being done.
Like America's irresponsible citizens, America's irresponsible goverment chooses A and B and C, plus D and E too. (Gotta get D and E! They're only $19.99/week at Rent-A-Center. What a deal! I want it now!)
This "health care" debacle thrown on top of the heap, without first relieving the strain, will break our financial backs.

Cheers to you and yours.

We could use 99 other senators like Bernie Sanders. How great this country could REALLY be if there were more like him.

go bernie!

Thank you for your interview of Nomi Prins, author of "It Takes a Pilage: Behind the Bailouts, Bonuses, and Back Room Deals on Wall Street," on CSPAN's After Words. I have met you several times at DCA while working for TSA and I am a huge fan. I am a Moderate Republican, although my party would call me a RHINO (Republican In Name Only); however, I ... Read Morewould call myself open minded and willing to oppose the majority when I believe that I am doing the correct thing. That is why I believe in Senator Sanders since I believe that he too does not take marching orders. This country needs health care reform and a Public Option (that is correct, an option, you do not have to take it if you like your own plan) that eliminates excuses for denial based upon Pre-esisting Conditions; provides coverage for all people between jobs since COBRA is rediculous and unaffordible to most people, and a system that will cover all...like it or not, Illegal Aliens will still go to the Emergency Room for care and who do you think has to pay for it? Everybody since those cost are passed to paying insurance customers. So why not reduce our monthly premiums by increasing the pool of insurees!!! No, I do not encourage Illegal Immigration, but common sense as far as insurance is concerned. Our Goal Should be to cover all, keep our private insurance system but improve it with a Public Option, reduce cost where we can, eliminate rediculous denials of coverage such as Pre-Existing Conditions, and move on from there. Thanks.

Seems to me the people that have taken "personal responsibility" are continually being forced to take on more, while the banks and big business rake in the ill-gotten gains from our efforts. We, who have furnished their lavish life-styles, get to lose our health insurance, get our credit card rates jacked up to astronomical rates, and if we're ... Read Morelucky, get to keep a job that has offered us a pay cut. Kevin, yes there were people that acted irresponsibly. Ordinary Americans were also taken advantage of by banks and lenders that acted irresponsibly. We need strong regulation. I suggest you listen to Elizabeth Warren instead of Fox News.

Mr. Ahlen:
My point was not to "trash" Mr. Clinton specifically, but to point out here in Bernie's fb realm that any one political party (usually Rep.) is not the sole source of America's predicaments. All are. Despite GW Bush being an unparalelled train wreck, many of our ailments have been long in coming and are usually compounded with each presidency.

I mentioned personal responsibility because it isn't often, if ever at all, mentioned here.
Your pointing the finger at the book-cookers underscores my point on personal responsibility.... Read More
That someone else is irresponsible doesn't absolve you of your own responsibilities.

Unlike the book-cookers, each person's responsibilities are within their own control:
1) The amount of money saved (or not saved):
Review the table in "Why you need $500 in the bank" for the percentages of people with less than $500 in savings (2004).
We're in America and America isn't cheap. $500 doesn't provide any buffer for financially tough times.
With so many people so ill-prepared, they're a heavy and irresponsible burden on our society.

2) The amount of money we squander:
SUVs, NASCAR, cable, genuine team logo apparel, tobacco, alcohol, Lease Service Agreements (LSA) at Rent-A-Center etal., restaurants, latest school fashions, etc.
You name it.
Anything & everything to match the Joneses.
Not only are these pure waste, they're usually acquired using debt, compounding the squander.
It's whatever makes today easier, let tomorrow be damned.
The term "want" has been replaced by the word "need" so all luxuries (like those above) are now necessities, equal to or even surpassing the necessity of oxygen.

3) Our physical health and diet.
How much do Americans spend annually on junk food?
On illegal "recreational" drugs?
How are our obesity rates doing?

4) Public education/continuing education & training.
We're stilling pushing a high school diploma as if it has some real economic value in the world.
The only real requirement to getting a US HS diploma is a pulse and still the dropout rates are pathetically high.
Peter Drucker coined the term "information worker" almost 50 years ago and America's public education is still cranking out factory monkeys like we're still in 1905 complete with Taylorism.
You're commodity labor with a HS diploma and being in America, you're too expensive.
You're not unemployed, you're unemployable.
Either move up on the economic food chain or get eaten.

So, with increased/improved personal responsiblity we'll have:
1) More money set aside to bridge farther in hard financial times.
2) Living lean instills discipline, self-reliance and confidence and most importantly, pride. It also further aids item 1.
3) You are the best (and only) candidate for maintaining your well-being (physical and mental). No, you can't avoid all of life's medical pitfalls, but like with good fininacial responsiblity, you can avoid, offset and lessen your medical costs.
4) Your revenue is directly tied to your economic value (not your social value), so the more you rise above commodity labor, the greater your chances of weathering economic storms.
No guarantees on this though. Not in any field of work.
The world is filled with people much hungrier, much more determined and much less spolied than we Americans, especially since America is hampered by being the world leader in entitlements, debt and delusions of grandeur past.

So, Mr. Ahlen, you're correct.
Personal responsible won't save us from the book-cookers.
But if our politicains themselves had had more personal responsibility, the book-cookers would have been punished.
But instead, the book-cookers were rewarded.

If America's citizenry doesn't have to be responsible, how can we expect America's politicians to be responsible either?

I hope this explains it better for you.
Cheers to you and yours, Mr. Ahlen.

I completely agree. I would prefer to see all U.S. military abroad brought back to this country. Why do we have troops in Germany for an example. We could save Billions by stationing them in at home.
I must be Naive, because I thought we had learned our lesson with the Vietnam debacle. I shouldn't say we as many of us were against the Iraq war from day one.

The only way Health care can be brought under control is with Single Payer. Democrats in congress haven't got the B**ls to do it right. You go into a negotiation asking for the moon and stars (Single Payer), and bargain down from there. They never even considered pushing for Single Payer. If they fail to get a good health care in place I'll most ... Read Morelikely stop worrying about wasting my vote, and instead vote for somebody like Dennis Kucinich. He, and Berrnie, are two of the few people in congress with the right ideas. I actually thought Obama was going to do it. Silly me!

Tell 'em, Bernie

Yes Bernie! No public option = Worse than the current system.

Everyone is forced to buy health insurance and there is virtually zero leverage against premiums going to the moon!

The new world order of corporations all around the globe unifying to dominate the world and enslave the poor.

Very chill, Bern-man.

Oh no you don't, Susan. I saw him first. We want him in NV to replace our reprobate John Ensign.

Concerning a related story, I'd like to know Sen. Sanders opinion regarding the pending deal between GE and Comcast on the purchase of NBC Universal. I know Bernie is opposed to media concentration, so it would be nice to hear about it!

B-Sand, coming through in the clutch as usual.

Love, love, love this guy. Jealous of Vermont's representation. What a gem. God bless him.

Tell 'em, Berns.

Won't get fooled again!

Yes, I agree, Lynn, it is a disappointment. But, keep spreading the news and fighting the good fight. Mine is Medicare for All! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyGSsOfISy8