Reframing the term "socialized medicine."

[Kalyke]

Why are Democrats (and 72 percent of the American population, for that matter) allowing the right-wing to get away with calling the public option and/or single-payer health care insurance, "socialized medicine."

It's nothing of the sort.

I don't see very many Americans demanding that hospitals, clinics and health care professionals be employees of the government. That's socialized medicine.

What I do hear is that Americans want a fair and progressive tax rate that would provide the funding to pay private health care professionals for their work instead of allowing private insurance companies to dictate who can and cannot receive health care benefits.

So - do we need to organize to call every right-wing show from the crazy local wingnut on the AM channels to Rush to Insannity and CORRECT their terminology. The comment would be simple: public option and/or single-payer is not socialized medicine. The doctors wouldn't be government employees - they'd be private. We'd just be getting rid of the oligopolistic health insurance companies."

Boom. Done. And a point well made.

[tavalon]

1. Okay, let me be the first

I want the government to take over the whole kit and kaboodle. I'm a nurse. I want the government to make me and all of the healthcare professionals government employees. I want my government to be the only gig in healthcare. I want every single health insurance company to be destroyed or at least relegated to eating the smallest of scraps. No, I want them destroyed. They are no better than the mafia and they need to be gone.

But, I'm an outlier and we do need to take the framing away from the Republican and DLC idiots.

[Kalyke]

2. I know there are a few folks who want socialized medicine.

That's why I said "many Americans" want single-payer and not all. :)

However, that debate isn't on the table. And probably never will be. The debate on the table is using taxpayer funds to create an government insurance that competes with private insurance and which will not deny coverage or boost the price so high no one but the super-wealthy can afford it.

That's not the socialized medicine my local stupid wingnuts talk of or the one Rush and Hannity rail on about.

Yet, I never, ever hear not one caller correct them on this and I've heard liberals call their shows before. Can't someone slip through?

Yes, you'll be cut off. Yes, the corporate paid shill will try to twist your words to fit his goal, but the seed might be planted with some listeners who very much hate insurance companies - even some Republicans hate them. :)

[tavalon]

4. I think you've hit the nail on the head

One of the reasons I'm still wanting to move to Canada is because I want socialized medicine. I want to be a part of that system. I don't want the mafia up my butt anymore.

[here_we_go_again]

8. Buh-bye n/t

[tavalon]

9. Wow, that was stupidly constructive

Not

[Captain Hilts]

3. It's socialized health INSURANCE, NOT medicine. nt

[KittyWampus]

5. you just hit the belly, right there.

[ipaint]

6. The public option does not in any way

get rid of oligopolistic health insurance companies. They are now our partners.

[rurallib]

7. Heard Clyburn call it "Health Security" the other day

I liked that.

[TexasObserver]

10. Why shouldn't every American have the health care Congress & Military have?

Call it what you want, whether it's socialized medicine or free medicine, but Universal FREE health care is the goal, not some system that requires everyone to be an ox pulling the bloated and inefficient health care industry.