Bush accuses Kerry of wanting to nationalize health care

BLAINE, Minn. - President Bush stepped up his attack on Sen. John Kerry's health-care proposals Thursday, accusing the Democratic presidential nominee of seeking to expand the federal government's power by controlling the country's health-care system - something Kerry says he's not proposing at all.

"The nationalization of health care would be wrong for the American people," Bush said during a campaign event in southeastern Minnesota.

He said Kerry's plan would cost too much and would drive many employers to drop health insurance for their employees, causing many to end up on Medicaid. His own approach, he said, would help people buy their own health insurance, would cost taxpayers far less and would reduce the ranks of the uninsured.

The Kerry camp, campaigning in Las Vegas, responded immediately, accusing the president of lying about the Massachusetts senator's plan in an effort to scare and mislead voters.

Kerry's health plan relies on tax incentives to businesses and individuals and would pay for most catastrophic costs in an effort to reduce insurance premiums. It would use the existing employer-based insurance system, and would cost taxpayers an estimated $650 billion over 10 years.

The Kerry campaign also launched a new TV ad on national cable and local stations in battleground states attacking Bush for mischaracterizing Kerry's health-care plan. The ad is titled "Not True."

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/election2004/9682644.htm

afford.

and every Repuke in Congress should volutarily give up their health care plan. If it's so bad a thing they should go out and buy their own plans. We got to stop defending attacks and put them on the line for the hypocrits they are.

The only thing I'm disappointed with in Kerry is that his plan does nothing of the sort. It continues to allow private insurance companies to exist.

Do away with private insurance companies, blacklist all persons in management positions at these companies and put the CEO's of these crooked organizations on trial on RICO charges.

What an ass. Who's that going to piss off other than the health insurance and pharm company employees?

Bush is implying a government take over of healthcare -- doctors work for the government, you have no choice, other kinds of bogeymen. It's this kind of stuff that sunk Clinton's attempts at healthcare reform.

Here is an interesting initiative by doctors to bring about a "single payer" healthcare system. The site also contains other related articles on healthcare reform. Worth checking out if you're interested in the issue:

http://www.pnhp.org/

that YOU pay every month.

Think about it.

YOU finance the lobbyists that work so hard at keeping socialised medicine far from our grasp.

Doesn't that SUCK????

***sigh***

Have you read Kerry's plan? It's a joke, a band aid. Federal and state swapping of patient coverage, special rules for shifting older people around, its a big nothing.

He's really disappointing. Why can't someone just stand up and say we need socialized medicine like every other industrial nation?

We're not Canada!

The fuhrer-in-chief wants to bankrupt healthcare and social security for one and all!

:bounce:

Kerry's plan was obviously crafted with the right-wing rant in mind, but as we see, the truth doesn't matter. Since any Democratic proposal will be hammered anyway, we might as well put good ones together! Why go half-way when the opposition will paint us as socialists anyway?

I think that this might be the fundamental problem with the Democratic strategy over the years. We propose half a loaf so the Republicans won't call us communists, but they call us communists anyway, so why not propose the whole loaf of bread?

Proposals that start out as compromises to corporate interests aren't going to get any better as the legislative sausage grinder processes it. And you're right that the republicans will label democrats as socialists anyway.

It's worse though. I remember reading that Bob Dole agreed to scuttle the Clinton healthcare plan mainly because the republicans didn't want a democratic administration to accomplish anything significant that the voters would actually benefit from -- and feel grateful for.

arrows financed by the fear factory of the giant medical lobbyists.

Better to tone down the intent for the time being, while WE DEMAND socialised medicine.... when WE yell loud enough, HE will listen and respond appropriately.

Kerry's proposal is a tiny step toward helping people buy their own private health insurance.

As usual Bush is full of shit.

Bush is lower than low!

America is full of sheep! Anyone checked the cost of prescription drugs lately?!

Personal health care accounts....translation, you pay for your own health insurance and not your employer. What you can't afford it? Oh well.

It worked for Reagan, it'll work for us.

NEED and WANT nationalized health care!!

Right on!

... would this sort of thing be considered an attack. The medical industry has us so hysterical about nationalized health care that we ignore the painfully obvious benefits of it, and the painfully obvious flaws in our system.

Even if our system couldn't be at the same level a long time yet. It will be always better than yours today

How they Screw you personally when your paying for it.

Bush has national health care and I have national health care paid for by the taxpayers. Why can't taxpayers get into the program that we have?

(Don't think this is real universal health care, or even good policy, but it's a simple and straightforward campaign statement.)

,...socialism,...could be classified as fascism,...not in pure terms but per the history of how those proposed systems ended up operating.

The concept of democracy actually included two assumptions: we are all created (born) equal but we are not born into equal circumstances. Hence, the division of power into three branches and empowering the people with a vote.

THE PEOPLE have been fighting ever since.

Power-mongers have been breaking our backs,...ever since.

However, THE PEOPLE have grown more powerful and demanding of that experiment called, democracy. Economic and social justice is the human cause and mission.
And, GOD gave free will and choice to more than just the lucky and fortunate.

We need that money for weapons and counter weapons instead.

Trillions spent on nukes that America needs to blow up the world a hundred times over. And now the Neo Fascists still want money spent of that lame Star Wars crap and new type of nukes.

Why do Americans allow insane, greedy people to rule them?

Ever read a "Nation of Sheep"?

At least when it's properly funded.

I take back everything I've said about lineups in the Canadian health care system. I was at emerg last night and waited three hours without being seen. The nurse said the waits at the University were even longer.

However, today I just got a full medical for free with a fifteen minute wait.

On Paula Yawn's show last night, "he's just making stuff up".

Why isn't the media reporting this accurately?! What John Kerry proposes is reducing taxes on small businesses so they can afford to pay for catastrophic health insurance for their employees. The government isn't involved, at all. But, as usual, the lies are making the headlines and the truth is buried.:grr: