Baby Joins House Health Care Debate

How pathetic to use a baby like that to try to fight something that will benefit generations to come. How would he like that little baby to die for lack of affordable healthcare or that baby's parents to go bankrupt because of huge medical bills? What kind of future would that be for a baby growing up in this country? By the time he grows up there will be no such thing as affordable health care unless reform is passed. We need to pass this bill for the future of that little one and all the other children of this country.

how dare he presume to speak for an infant?! he was certainly free to say that his aide didn't want the bill because he was afraid that his child would pay for it. pretending that he was aware of the conscious thoughts of a baby makes him look like an idiot. what state is he from?

Donald- how do you know this bill will benefit generations to come? What if this bill is so costly that it bankrupts the country and only the rich like our politicians can afford health care leaving you with rationed medical services. You make statements that you can not guarantee. Is that worth risking your life for?

John Shadegg's top two industry donors are "health professionals" and "insurance" who gave him about 50,000 in the 2009-2010 cycle (see opensecrets). No word on how much of that he's giving to Maddie.

Pitiful....indoctrinating hate, greed selfishness and pitting a baby against other Americans....Sorry and shameful. It was a sickly looking baby at that. And "Maddie" would probably pay 2/3 of her paycheck for insurance unless she was born with a silver spoon....that's likely since her parents allowed her to be used for their point of view.

Disgusting and inapropriate no matter which side you're on. And can you imagine someone in congress actually changing their minds based on someone flashing a baby at them? You read the bill and then do whats right for the country.

What a disgraceful tactic, even for a politician. And where were the parents? What kind of parents would allow their child to be exploited like that?

hey how about the dem who had his two children up there? where is your outrage for that. You think two eight yr. olds can read this bill and support it? Get a clue whats good for the goose and all that. Oh wait, he is a dem so it's okay but not for a repub. Like I said before, get a clue.

We need healthcare reform because if you don't think you're paying for the people that don't have it because they can't afford due to job loss and the people that do work but wages are too low and premiums too high then you're kidding yourselves. People will still fill emergency rooms and go to the doctor and not be able to pay the bills and guess who pays for it??? You when the insurance companies raise your premiums to make up for the loss. Credit issues don't worry people anymore as they are already losing there houses, can't afford to pay their bills which are also medical bills. Wise up people social medicine works great in other countries, there isn't substandard medicine or medical treatment...everybody pays, everybody gets taken care of EQUALLY. There isn't a perfect answer for everything but there should be a requirement that we can get medical/dental treatment it should be a given. And people feel that obese or ill people should pay more...give it a though some are in that situation because of poverty, it's cheaper to buy that mac & cheese than the fruit &/or vegetables. Processed food is cheaper and filling and causes obesity and illness so it's a catch 22..like a said no perfect solution, but everyone deserves medical/dental access...

I read one article where those who "Can't afford" insurance will be heavily subsidized (my tax dollars at work). Those who have employer provided (yet pay dearly for it) insurance will get no subsidies (and we'll be paying for others to get it).

SO - the family with 70K in income, will be paying something like 15K. OK - well my hubby and I make about 70K a year together so after taxes we get to keep about 40K. Now - we're going to pay 15K with no help plus higher taxes to pay for others....So I imagine at least half our net income will be ours. How wonderful to it will be to work full time, and part time jobs and still get to keep maybe 30K of our salary. 3 people on that...woot woot, lets plan a cruise and overseas vacations. Eventually lying back and taking minimum wage jobs will be more lucrative. Nice Gov't that will allow that to happen.

Hey Ray -- Did you check to see how many Dems are being "cared for" by the trial lawyers who don't want tort reform? They victimize the victims (ambulance chasers) and costs us all plenty.

Doctors pay dearly for malpractice -- there are not too many doctors who try to make mistakes -- but it happens. But they all pay --- and the trial lawyers get rich rich rich. Thank you Dems for no tort reform. Hypocrites.

"Doctors pay dearly for malpractice -- there are not too many doctors who try to make mistakes -- but it happens."

And instead of trying to give them a free pass we should be looking at ways to enforce proper medical standards. Like medical boards that actually police doctors with multiple "bad outcomes" instead of protecting them or ignoring them.

Like doctors that decide to have a couple of drinks even though they are on-call, because they don't think anyone will need them overnight. When you say "it happens" are you including those cases in your assessment? ..or just heroic TV doctors?

Doctors are humans and sometimes instead of making small boo-boo's they really screw up royally.

You guys claim to be on the side of "the people" so let the people hear the evidence and make a decision - not the politicians.

Republicans make ridiculous arguments. First they claim govt will provide mediocre services and quote the postal system as the example, but then claim that public option will bankrupt private insurance companies. I wonder why ? if govt's plan is so pathetic, why would anyone opt for it? and if no one opts for it, why would private companies go bankrupt ?
I wonder who they really care ? American people or health insurance companies ? if the private system was so good , why doesnt everyone have health care in the "best" nation on earth ? why does health care in US rank 37th among all nations on the planet? and no one has ever fought against the term "pre-existing condition"

"I wonder who they really care ? American people or health insurance companies ?"

All they really care about is saying the worst thing possible about the people that kicked their tails in the last election. To them, nothing is reasonable unless they get the credit, nothing is worth doing that might help the country when the other party is in power and nothing is too silly or slanderous to say as long as it's directed at their favorite targets.

How pathetic to ignore the real debate. The lawmakers passed laws in the past that put us into this health care crisis and are deflecting the blame to the private sector. When the government effort falls on its face (like everything they try to micro-manage) who will they blame? Will they blame their short-sited predecessors, the private sector that had be railroaded into being the scapegoat, the oppositions warnings that would be claimed as self-fulfilling when they take power, or will there be anything be left of our nation that won't be foreign owned or controlled? There was a baby raised to make a point. But the point is lost since the future reality is considered too extreme to think possible. This nation is on its way to collapse because those driving are on a wreckless joy ride.

It took politicans DECADES to 'craft' laws that has affected Americans adversely...the president has to unravel this decades old mess......Now this is why our country is on the path of collapse.....I remember the "trickled-down" economics of the 1980's....I remember my neighborhood being cared for and proud and "loyal" workers to their companies.....until all were "dragged" from under them while the Republicans threw Middle Class Americans under the bus. Yes, I remember! I remember the Deregulation of Large companies and the financial institutions of this country.....leading to lower wages and hanging families out to dry with their "outsourcing" to third world countries for bigger profits....I remember when Americans signed Contracts for credit cards, and the Contracts were binding.....I remember when families were torn apart by "latchkey" kids, because their parents had to work 2 low-wage jobs just to make ends meet.....I remember when companies Took care of those that took care of them! Yes TX_MBell...I'm old enough to Remember what AMERICAN WAS ONCE ABOUT......IT'S PEOPLE!!!!

Is it also "pathetic" to drag out people in wheel chairs to further the Left's cause?

What isn't? But what I really love was that on the program today, Donna Brazile was seated at the the point (moderate) position opposite Mr. Stephanopoulos . Finally, finally finally, Mr. Stephanopoulos has admitted that in comparison with his own view of world politics, Donna Brazile looks surprisingly moderate.

George Stephanopoulos' view of world politics and his "moderator role" are both tainted by his participation in the President's inner-circle - He is part of the "in-crowd."

It won't be paid for by future generations, as this is the last generation with an opportunity to do anything about the national debt. The debt will double to $24 trillion by 2019, and Obamacare will do its bit to get us there.

The CBO warns the current level of debt to be unsustainable, so what is unsustainable times two? Or, Ux2= Socialism!

No wonder he has a baby speak for him... Everybody would laugh at this drivel coming out of a middle-aged paid-for lobbyist. You can always pin this lack of judgment on a baby's ignorance of a reality larger than its playpen!

As far as DEBT, if you rolled back the Reagan, GWB tax cuts to the wealthy (and Medicare Part D)the DEBT would be less than half what it is, reducing current expenses (debt repayment and medicare expenses) at least 350 billion $ this year alone.

EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED!!!!! Another goverment program! Really, why should I think anymore. I don't need to work, because I can just get unemployment. Don't need to work because I'll get healthcare from the goverment. Don't need to work because I'll just use my foodstamps to eat. Have some pride people. Get off your lazy bums and be respectable again!

One of the biggest conservative arguments against universal health care is that government can't do it better than the private sector. OK ... hands up ... all those who think the private sector has been doing a good job on holding health care costs down so far. Hmm. Not many hands.

I spent 8 years as a claims analyst for Blue Cross Blue Shield and know that the private sector has perverted health care. This doesn't mean I support the current health care proposal, however. But, I do support universal health care.

Whenever this debate comes up, conservatives always point fingers at perceived failures of universal health care in either Canada or the U.K. But they'll never discuss Australia - which holds health care costs down to 1% of its GDP. They don't have a perfect system. But private sector health plans don't have anything to crow about either.

One sixth of our GDP is gobbled up by health care, the most expensive in the world, but do we get the best result? No where close. Republicans oppose reform for two reasons: Insurance Co contributions and they oppose everything the Democrats are for. They don't care about the country, only regaining power.