Bernie Sanders

eridani

(51,907 posts) Sun Jun 21, 2015, 09:08 PM Jun 2015

When Bernie Met Hillary--1994 health care reform attempt

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/30818-when-bernie-met-hillary

In February, Sanders requested a meeting with Hillary, “to bring in two Harvard Medical School physicians who have written on the Canadian system,” according to the records of the administration’s task force. Those physicians were Stephanie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein, leading advocates for single-payer health care.

They got their meeting at the White House that month, and the two doctors laid out the case for single-payer to the first lady. “She said, ‘You make a convincing case, but is there any force on the face of the earth that could counter the hundreds of millions of the dollars the insurance industry would spend fighting that?’” recalled Himmelstein. “And I said, “How about the president of the United States actually leading the American people?’ and she said, ‘Tell me something real.’ ”

Sanders was undeterred by this dismissal of single-payer’s political viability. In March, he was at it again, inviting the first lady up to Vermont as the state considered overhauling its own health care policies. In June, Clinton did go up to Vermont – to address a Democratic Governors Association meeting hosted by the state’s then-Gov. Howard Dean in the quaint village of Woodstock – and she brought Sanders and Sen. Pat Leahy with her.

The administration’s background briefing on Sanders, tucked in with its plans for the trip, notes, “As a relatively junior member without the support of major party backing, Sanders is not much of a factor legislatively. He is a cosponsor of Congressman McDermott’s single-payer bill and given his reputation for independence and his somewhat combative style may be one of the more difficult Members to get on board the Administration’s proposal.”

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When Bernie Met Hillary--1994 health care reform attempt (Original Post) eridani Jun 2015 OP

Americans need single payer. So does the American economy. merrily Jun 2015 #1

Even then she focused on "hundreds of millions the insurance industry would spend" Divernan Jun 2015 #2

Hillary is too "realistic" to be progrssive. The only way we progress is to push boundries. marble falls Jun 2015 #3

Bernie still believes that Americans should have healthcare. Doctor_J Jun 2015 #4

merrily

(45,251 posts)

1. Americans need single payer. So does the American economy.

Reply to eridani (Original post)

Sun Jun 21, 2015, 09:57 PM

Jun 2015

It's amazing that the adminstration thought Sanders was not a factor. Another example of lack of perception

Sander founded the Congressional Progressive Caucus the same year he hit Congress, 1991. By 1994, he had chaired it for three years and it was growing in members and voice.

When Democrats took over from Republicans, the Caucus had100 members. Though its numbers have decreased as Democrats have been voted out, it remains the largest Caucus, still larger than the New Democrat Coalition of which Hillary and Kerry were members. In the House, Sanders, as an independent, got more floor amendments passed than any other member. That was about all any populist could hope to do in the years when the DLC/Third Way philosophy of the Clintons was the gospel of the party.

Now, after all the years of New Democrats, every candidate running for President is trying to give the impression he or she is a populist, New Deal and always has been. Even Jim Webb, who worked for Reagan, is campaigning on income inequality.

Not much of a factor. Uh huh.

Divernan

(15,480 posts)

2. Even then she focused on "hundreds of millions the insurance industry would spend"

Reply to eridani (Original post)

Sun Jun 21, 2015, 10:50 PM

Jun 2015

and ridiculed the idea that a President's role was to actually lead the American people. Nope, just follow the money! Doesn't matter which individual, corporation or foreign country it comes from - it's all green, right?!?

When I was on the legal staff of the Pennsylvania House, I saw the game played that a bill that would be unpopular with & costly to a particularly well-funded group - like the state builders association - would be brought up every two years, just to shake loose substantial "donations" from the lobbyists for said group. The House took turns with the Senate in reintroducing said bill. One year the House members got the bucks, the next year the state senators cashed in. The bills always died in committee and never made it to the floor of either chamber. Both Democratic and Republican leaderships played this game.

marble falls

(57,257 posts)

3. Hillary is too "realistic" to be progrssive. The only way we progress is to push boundries.

Reply to eridani (Original post)

Mon Jun 22, 2015, 07:23 AM

Jun 2015

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)

4. Bernie still believes that Americans should have healthcare.

Reply to eridani (Original post)

Mon Jun 22, 2015, 10:24 AM

Jun 2015

Hillary thinks Gingrich care is just fine. How can any democrat not support Sanders?

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