THING OF BEAUTY! Morning Joe left speechless on his own show...

[Atman]

He refuses to answer the question..."What does the insurance industry add to the equation? What do they do?" Joe was literally left speechless...he sat in silence as his guest repeated the question three times. Joe tried to trump up the "government takeover" angle, and the guest explained how 40% of Americans are already covered by a "government run" health care program, so Joe, what does the insurance industry bring to the table...Joe just stammered until he had no choice but to cut to commercial.

THIS is why I watch this show. Like NASCAR...ocassionally there is a terrific crash to marvel at! (hoping no one actually gets hurt, of course).

The guest (sorry, didn't catch the name) is back after the commercial. Joe is reading his notes furiously waiting for his second chance to sound like he knows what he's talking about. Catch it if you can!

.

[stray cat]

1. Anthony Weiner - proposing a plan including buying into Medicare

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. It's Weiner

He's awesome!!

[stray cat]

3. Thanks - I added it just before. He really does seem good - I've never seen him

[Doremus]

23. This man needs to be national spokesman for single payer!

Starting NOW!

[pnwmom]

28. It doesn't have to be "single payer" now. Just have the option of

buying into the "public option," i.e., Medicare.

Simple, understandable, and before long everyone would be doing it. THEN we would have single payer.

[ShortnFiery]

4. Joe's in full "horse's ass" mode now ... "let me finish."

What a maroon! :crazy:

[cdsilv]

7. What does the insurance industry bring to the table??? Campaign $$$ n/t

[Atman]

11. And Joe is testing the waters for a run. Why do you think he's finally wearing a suit?

Joe is running. Or wants to. Make no mistake. And he's obviously been promised some (or lots) of those insurance dollars.

.

[Atman]

5. Joe is back, playing George Castanza..."The jerk store called!..."

It's absolutely comical...he came back from break all fired up..."We had time to think about this over the break...Okay, so...soo...YOU want a total government takeover of healthcare!" This is comedy gold...

.

[Kittycat]

6. Joe's Sweater Season is coming.

I'm a sucker for Argyle, and will probably start tuning in again. The show usually has some good moments, which beats every other AM show on tv.

[TuxedoKat]

39. I think he started coloring his hair

as he looks less gray.

[malaise]

8. Excellent indeed

Joe is clueless - as usual

[Chemisse]

9. I love this - Joe is giving his confused puppy dog look

And Miki actually dared to get a word in herself.

[Atman]

10. Mika sat silently and finally told Joe that "this is a good discussion."

In Mika-speak, that means, "Joe, you're being an asshole."

I hope y'all got to see this. Weiner was BRILLIANT. Never demonized the insurance industry, no name calling, just repeatedly asked Joe to explain was value the insurance company adds to health care. Joe literally never was able to come up with an answer, instead falling back to the evil big government takeover...to which Weiner just kept point to the 4% overhead of Medicare compared to the 30% overhead of private insurance, which is just sucking that money out of the economy. It's still going on...

.

[Dude_CalmDown]

14. In Mika speak:

"I like pretty flowers. Pie is good. I want taste buds!"

[wysiwyg111]

24. well, to be fair... she sits next to our "lovable" blowhard all day :-)

well, to be fair... she sits next to our "lovable" blowhard all day :-)

anyone would left to a jibbering idjit after sitting next Joe "the blow" Scarborough all day. and she is probably (by her own admission) "still drunk" or "still asleep" (from the ambien).

[Chemisse]

12. "You made me speechless"

LOL - he admitted it.

[kentuck]

13. A simple argument the American people can understand...

That's all that is needed.

[WeDidIt]

15. ANTHONY WEINER 2012!!!!

I'm on board for a primary challenge.

[Dude_CalmDown]

17. Me too.

I wonder what his opinions are on prosecuting the criminals from the last admin.

[tavalon]

21. No, mark my words, he will be President one day, but not if he runs then

But, with the exception of his name, he is perfect and he is strong, in a way many a Democrat would do well to emulate.

[BonnieJW]

30. Exception of his name?

But Barack Hussein Obama is typical for a presidential candidate?

[tavalon]

34. Not much for our adolescent society to focus on but weeners!!!!

[skygazer]

57. If pronounced with the German pronunciation, it would be said "whiner"

Which isn't any improvement. :rofl:

But I really like this guy - he tells it like it is.

[tavalon]

65. Yeah

I have pretty good luck with such predictions.

[daninthemoon]

16. Thanks for the post. I only caught the end, and even joe kept commenting

that weiner had left him speechless. This man needs to be front and center in this debate. Obama should get hand in hand with him.

[stuball111]

18. Even though Weiner lays it out so clearly...

Schmoe admits he's speachless, but STILL says he disagrees! This is typical of a winger... they will NEVER admit they are wrong, they will hang on to their bass-akwards ideals simply because they are so shit scared of crossing that line and appearing as "Liberal" whether it's the absolute sane and rational thing to do or not! Weiner just showed us the innermost workings of a rethugs mind!

[wysiwyg111]

27. "even though?" heh heh. as if Joe... oh, never mind. :-)

"even though?" heh heh. as if Joe... oh, never mind. :-)

Joe is at least SLIGHTLY more sane than others on the tv/radio machines. it is somewhat odd that he is on in the morning on MSNBC though. oh wait, that used to be Imus territory which i used to watch for exactly the same reason that i watch Morning Joe. FOR THE GUESTS!

[handmade34]

19. All need to take heed of Weiner

succinct and clearly understandable, not clouded by trying to appease anyone. What does the Insurance company bring to the table??

[Butch350]

58. So. A great retort. Does it change anything.

So your saying that if weiner was POTUS we'd have a single payer health plan, or another smooth talker?

[handmade34]

61. I didn't say smooth talker

didn't mean smooth talker, didn't imply smooth talker... didn't suggest Weiner as POTUS... I said succinct and understandable is what Weiner brought to the conversation and that gives us a focus.

[tavalon]

20. That guest will one day be President

I'm not going to say when, but it is obvious that he will be. Probably the next time the populist rage is tapped into. He reminds me in temperment of Wellstone.

[wysiwyg111]

22. wow. that was lovely. gotta donate to Mr. Weiner's next campaign!

wow. that was lovely. gotta donate to Mr. Weiner's next campaign!

he is full of WIN and loaded with awesome. Weiner FTW. :-)

our "lovable" (in relative terms) blowhard Joe was left with his pants down. go Anthony! go Anthony! gonna go search for that clip on youTube (or put it there myself).

[druidity33]

32. welcome to DU!

Good to have you here!


:hi:

[donco6]

25. It's the quintessential question.

Where's the value-add in insurance, particularly when government already has access to a bigger pot of money than any insurance company?

[quiet.american]

26. Thanks for the details! nt

[OHdem10]

29. Why did the Democrats not have Weiner on the air earlier??

Instead they remained "hidden" while the GOP monopolized
the airways demonizing Health Care Plan.

[pleah]

31. That is what I want to know. Why did they let this get such a foothold

before they started to speak out? sigh

[Jennicut]

46. Perhaps you should ask the MSM. Hardly any Dems have been on.

[butterfly77]

60. Like usual ...

they pick the weakest mealy mouths to represent. Like Harry Reid.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Cleita]

35. Joe being left speechless anywhere is a thing of beauty. Usually, anywhere

he shows up, he won't shut up and takes over the conversation. He does it on Bill Maher and Bill lets him get away with it.

[kentuck]

36. The only argument they have is the free market argument...

And even that is debatable because they have to argue that healthcare is a commodity like TV's, cars, and iPods. It is not. It is a right guaranteed in our Constitution, as in , promote the general welfare. It is a moral responsibility to take care of our sick, just as it is a moral responsibility to take care of our wounded in war. That is not debatable.

[redqueen]

37. For anyone who doesn't know... this is the same guy who forced Republicans to vote

for gov't run health care.

He put Medicare up for an up or down vote. Every one of those hypocritical morons voted for gov't run health care.

He's fantastic.

[myrna minx]

42. I wasn't aware that he was the one who called their Medicare bluff.

He seems incredibly impressive. I can't wait watch the online vid later.

[redqueen]

43. Here's the vid of the Medicare vote... in case you mised it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=385&topic_id=345627

:hi:

[myrna minx]

44. Thank you.

:hi:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

55. Hah, I was just wondering where I could see it!

you are also full of WIN and awesomeness, redqueen!

:D

[BlancheSplanchnik]

56. Hah, I was just wondering where I could see it!

you are also full of WIN and awesomeness, redqueen!

:D

[suffragette]

38. Video here

Watching it now.
Thanks for the headsup on this.
Wiener is fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmlDZXCrWRE

[Bozita]

48. Thanks. Good stuff!

[suffragette]

63. Nicely done, indeed.

The more I am seeing and hearing Weiner, the more I respect him.

[Bobbie Jo]

40. Love This Guy! nt

[krispos42]

41. Insurance companies bring risk-mitigation

However, unlike non-human things (cars, buildings, etc.) there really isn't a whole lot of give in the system. You can't package medical procedures together for a discount like a value meal at Wendy's.

And if EVERYBODY is in the system from conception to death, then there isn't any way to be clever with risk pools and other risk factors.

The innovation of the insurance companies become.... how to NOT pay for medical bills!




They issue checks after receiving a bill. The ancient Sumerians were doing the exact same thing 4,500 years ago with clay tablets and abacuses.



When a market segment reached the non-innovative (mature) state, profits and suppose to go down, along with executive pay. Nobody is making 12% profits and paying 8-figure bonuses to the people that make, say, ball-point pens or wooden matches. At that point, you're just a worker bee, filling orders.


Insurance companies have reached this point years or decades ago. The only reason they make huge amounts of money is because of monopolistic practices, i.e., price-fixing.

[redqueen]

45. And bribery... they wouldn't still be so unfettered by regulation

if not for all the help they get from their prosititues in DC.

[Maraya1969]

47. Please let us know if a video of it comes up. I missed it.

[madmax]

49. Damn it

I usually watch him and then Morning Meeting with Dylan. I love Dylan

Missed Joe, today - slept in :p

Thanks for the briefing :hi:

[stanwyck]

50. Replace Joe and Mika now with

Lawrence O'Donnell and Katrina Van Der Hevel.
Joe and Mika don't do their homework and stumble thru every broadcast hoping their moderate looks and moderate charm will be sufficient. It isn't.

[jobendorfer]

51. in the immortal words of every outsourcer of the 80s and 90s:

What value do they add to the chain?

[Uncle Joe]

52. Kicked and recommended for any and all guests to ask that obvious fundamental question from the

corporate media, since the corporate media don't want to ask it.

The answer is obvious, the "health" insurance industry brings lots of commercial dollars to the corporate media's table, and that's why the corporate media don't give a rat's ass about exposing the truth to the American People. The corporate media; would prefer the people to be happy with the crumbs that fall off that table.

Thanks for the thread, Atman.:thumbsup:

[Uncle Joe]

53. Kicked for the night crowd.

"What does the insurance industry add to the equation? What do they do?"

[Native]

54. What's really scary about this is that Weiner's question is a basic one & no one has yet to ask it.

[butterfly77]

59. I know what you mean...

How sweet it is!

[Sparkly]

62. Just saw Anthony Weiner on Tweety's show

He rocks!!!

[freddie mertz]

64. I watched this live, and it was beautiful.

To be fair, they were both impressed and kept him on because he was GOOD.

Amazingly enough.