Bravo Keith Olbermann

[malaise]

Let all who have ears to hear listen.
This is fucking madness. Health insurance for profit must be outlawed. Fuck all politicians who are owned by health insurance. Fuck the hacks who defend this shit!!

Soulless and clueless - they don't give a damn about human beings. Greed, profits and the good life for middle men only.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I hope those in congress are listening

that fear will drive people to do radical things

[Nikki Stone1]

52. We need to send them links en masse

..

[Hissyspit]

59. TRANSCRIPT:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33213245/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann

[redqueen]

88. Wow.

:wow:

Thanks for the link. That was truly outstanding.

[babylonsister]

2. He is so good; this should be required viewing by Congress and the Prez. nt

[bluethruandthru]

34. I was thinking the same thing as I was watching.

Force them all to sit down, shut up and listen.

[peace frog]

97. Agreed

and you may be fairly certain their aides are scrutinizing it.

[rufus dog]

3. He did bring up one point I never thought of.

And that is 'how do you get well in a hospital when you are worried about money?'

I am one of those guys that just freaks out when in a cab, end up staring at the counter even when I am on an expense account.

Think of the pressure of being in a hospital and thinking about costs the whole time.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. How does one stay well while worrying about money all the time?

[xxqqqzme]

94. I was in a very bad accident a few years ago.

Surgeries repaired my spine; made my diaphragm whole; life support kept me in the living world until the swelling of my brain subsided. After 2 weeks in ICU, I was moved to the rehab wing, where my left leg learned to walk again; my damaged body learned to work w/i the newly imposed limitations and respiratory therapy helped me exercise that diaphragm muscle so I could get more that one word out per breath. I ended up being in the hospital for 8 weeks. I had excellent health insurance at the time.

I had been on my way to a funeral for an aunt when the accident happened. That aunt had, to my total surprise, bequeathed about $200,000 to each of her nieces & nephews. Because of her gift, I knew the rent and utilities would be paid, food would be on the table and any incidental expenses would be met. My kids would have food, shelter & clothing.

When I left the hospital, I as given a multiple page itemized bill w/ a grand total of $238,000. I remember thinking 'good thing I have insurance or I'd be bankrupt'. Because of the excellent insurance and the gift from my aunt, I could concentrate on healing and improving. My physical therapy consumed the next 18 months but I was able to recover as completely as possible simply because I did not have to worry over finances. Through the whole ordeal, and to this day, I am extremely grateful to my aunt and sorry I can never thank her for that amazing gift of freedom from worry. That freedom should never be underestimated. It was an important to my recovery as any therapy session I had.

[BrklynLiberal]

103. Wow! What a story....glad you recovered...and I guess you klnow full well

how important it is not to have to worry about money when recovering from an illness..

[MindandSoul]

110. U.S. big business insurance versus British National insurance

Reading your report about your own accident and experience with insurance in the United States remind me of a similar occurence when my husband and I were working as expatriate in England. Only a week after we arrived, he had a very serious accident (wrong side of the road at 5 am!). He was hospitalized for 6 full weeks, then another 2 weeks for follow up surgery. He came out of it very well, as he received great care. The total cost to us was $4.50!!! and that was a penalty for being responsible for an accident!!!

No, the hospitals were not marble and stainless steel! No, he didn't have a private room (actually he had access to one, but preferred the camaraderie he found in the open ward. . .I would visit him daily, but often found him laughing so hard with the other patients that I felt totally reassure that he didn't really miss me!. . . Those 6 weeks and the care he received remain one of the best experience either of us have ever had with medical care!

Since that experience, we are totally in favor of government option. . .in fact in favor of nationalized health insurance!
All the "horror stories" spread around about nationalized health care (at least in England, France, and Belgium, because we have experienced all three and can compare with the care we have received in the USA. . . in Colorado, Pennsylvania, California and South Carolina) are just that: stories!

[dflprincess]

46. My mom landed in the ER about 6 weeks ago

her blood pressure was sky high and there was concern she might be having a heart attack (she wasn't). Someone showed up in her cubicle to tell her that she wasn't sick enough to be admitted under Medicare rules but they could keep her for up to 48 hours for observation. But, her Medicare and/or Medigap insurance might not cover everything and there could be some copays.

Mom, who is 85 and did have a mild stroke 25 years ago, was ready to get up and go home because this woman had her so worried about money. I don't think the woman from the finance office liked it, but I told Mom to relax and stop worrying - if she had to she could declare bankruptcy like any American would do. Fortuntely (or not) Mom's income is so low that her Medigap coverage is through the state and everything was covered.

But I just couldn't believe they would come in and discuss money with a patient whose blood pressure was high enough for a stroke and who had come in by ambulance because of concerns about her heart.

All this happened right after a coworker had returned from England after racing there because his mother was gravely ill. He told me it really wasn't until his mother was on the road to recovery that it dawned on him that money had never been mentioned and the doctor & family had made all the decisions without once having to call the NHS for an okay.

Any "reform" that keeps the private insurers involved is just a scam.

[csziggy]

53. I lost a lot of sleep worrying about my out of pocket expenses

For my surgery in June. Even with insurance and knowing how much our deductible and co-pay percentage was, I worried about how much the total bill for us was going to be. As it turned out, I was right to worry. This surgery cost me far more out of pocket than any of my other surgeries except for the one where we had no insurance at all.

The lack of sleep before and after probably slowed my recovery significantly.

No hospitalization needed to make me worry - it was all out patient.

[bjobotts]

60. How republicans dismantled Medicaid in MO. "Spend-down"

You make $936/. $600 is allowed for single. $336/mo is your "spend-down" Once you pay our of pocket $336 in a month then Medicaid picks up the rest if you have no other ins. (Note...this is not amount accrued but dollars actually paid out...no payment plan with docs to pay a little each month or it doesn't count...only after you paid out in cash $336 in that month will Medicaid begin paying. So it's like having no ins unless you get hospitalized...and you then first pay out the cash of $336. Gov, Blunt resigned to spend time with family (under scandal of prosecution). Congressman Blunt (daddy) thinks he's gonna' be senator next yr. They hate the poor and practice 'blame the victim' as their basis of policy.

HC ins should be based on people not dollars. You wouldn't even notic "single payer" taking effect as all it does is pay the bill...no paperwork at all...See your Dr...whoever you want...and don't worry about co-pays or anything else.

So worried that a few people might game the system they are willing to punish everyone else. Republicants...the party of no...the party of hypocrisy...the party of willful ignorance.

[roguevalley]

61. my sweet little Poppy got kicked out of the hospital after just three

days because he was 'well enough'. He had a lobe of his lung removed, his body cut in half to get to the lung through his ribs which one was cut off and the rest spread. He was nearly hallucinating in pain and he had to come home. His doctors were in tears. FUCK INSURANCE COMPANIES! FUCK THEM!

[jwirr]

83. Unfortunately this early release also happens on government run

programs. And you are correct - the doctors are in tears. They are ignored.

[sallyseven]

102. I agree. Not just health insurance

people but other insurance people. Did you know they can charge you more if you have a lower credit score. Check it out.

[bdamomma]

4. is it pitchforks and torches time yet???

do we really want to go back to 1863? disgusting what is happening in the country, letting people die because they do not have insurance, and this is what the repigs promote.

[malaise]

6. Not until every health insurance CEO and his goons are

on the run.

[bdamomma]

7. damn these insurance companies!!!!!

their mantra is greed.

[Raster]

8. YES! Proud member of the Torch and Pitchfork Society!

I'm through with reasoning and talking nice. Well fucking over it.

[NightWatcher]

9. in lieu of action, let us send emails and sign NUMEROUS petitions...

How many of the Great Struggles were won without some sort of action involved?
None

If we want something, we must be willing to take it from those who are preventing us from having it.


Just because we live in some new kind of enlightened age with cable tv, drive through restaurants, and twitterers, does not mean that we are now somehow beyond revolt, beyond having to fight. Money rules this world and Money only gains more money from stealing and oppressing the masses. They are using their tools to take from us (bought and paid for congresscritters, bullshit ads on television, reich wing talkers, and the like). What are our tools? Numbers, people with sticks, stones, voices, and desire. Or we can sit and do nothing and nothing is what exactly will happen.

[nolabear]

36. No, it's money and voices time.

But it has to be big. He might just have the pulpit from which to do it.

[jwirr]

86. First we help Keith with the free clinics like we did for Wilson's opponent

and Grayson with a donation and THEN we watch to see when exactly the final vote is due after we scream and yell to keep the public option in. The week that they are going to vote on the final bill we organize a demonstration that invites all supporters to show up in DC as strong as they did on inauguration day and we let them know that we mean business. I have already arranged to visit my sister to attend the protest/support rally. If by chance the public option is not in the final bill we ask someone to ask for an amendment before voting on the final. And we SCREAM en mass. We must keep up the pressure.

And if that does not work we get the pitchforks and torches out for a little demonstration of consequences.

[daleanime]

92. I'm starting to think it is time...

for the pitchforks to come out:argh:

[Auggie]

10. I just told my octogenarian republican parents to tune in

I hope they do

[malaise]

18. I hope all seniors are watching

This is the naked and deadly truth.

[bdamomma]

11. I feel bad for Keith's dad, I hope he does better.

[tridim]

12. Insurance is the enemy, they are at war with America.

Wow! Keith is a marked man now. Stay safe at all costs.

[Sebastian Doyle]

13. "The insurance companies have declared WAR on America"

That's exactly what it comes down to. And this needs to be repeated. Daily. or even hourly.

Who has killed more Americans? The corrupt insurance industry, or some asshole in a cave in Whatthefuckistan?

[malaise]

16. This is awesome

Go Keith!!

[lib_wit_it]

66. As I, along with many others, have said before, if "terrorists" or any other entity were killing

as many Americans as the lack of affordable, universal, effective, unrescindable health care is, we'd be bombing the hell out of them. And scumbags like the commentators here: http://minx.cc/?post=290758 would be thrilled. Republicans are just as evil as any outside enemy to this country.

[PADemD]

68. That needs to be put on a bumber sticker.

[PSzymeczek]

114. An asshole in a cave

who probably isn't even alive anymore.

[proud patriot]

14. Amen to that

:thumbsup:

[malaise]

15. Health Insurance Pimps

Damn this is good. Nail them Keith let the people deal with these criminals and their supporters in the House and Senate.

[TahitiNut]

17. This show needs to be repeated ... like the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Over and over and over.

People need to wake up and put the GHOULS out of the business of profiting from suffering, misery, and death!

[csziggy]

54. Run it once a week until we have a decent health care system

Leave in the appeal for the free health clinics, too - as long as as few as one person needs to go to one of those, our health care system is inadequate.

[Engineer4Obama]

19. I really wish the people that needed to hear this would hear this

but they don't watch KO.

[bdamomma]

30. they don't want to listen to reason and truth.

oblivious to reality.

[rvablue]

81. I've got two low-info voter friends

they voted for Obama.

When the subject of the PO comes up, they agree it's time. But they aren't involved, like so many Americans.

I made a point to text them last night and beg them to DVR Countdown. Told them it was must see and I hope they watched it. It was so moving, I have a feeling it could really inspire some who just aren't interested, unfortunately, in the nuts and bolts of politics and policy.

[mlevans]

98. Also, so many of them would be unlikely to understand the language he uses.

And that's another damned shame.

[valerief]

20. Just an FYI: I just noticed some of his advertisers in the last break.

Kashi, Principal Financial, Lexus, audible.com, irstaxagreements.com

I don't know which are local-only.

[Berry Cool]

41. I had to laugh grimly, though, when I saw one of them was MetLife,

advertising their home financing services.

Yeah, just what we all want right now...our home financing being handled by an insurance company.

[jwirr]

87. Yes, I was watching that also. Maybe it is time to give some advertisers

a thank you. Anyone got some emails or addys.

[DearAbby]

21. Keith has just placed a face

on this battle...it's is now more than numbers and costs.

[slay]

22. If the main NBC channel had any balls they'd run this one night in primetime

I'm definitely going to post vid links at many places online when they show up.

[Mrs. Overall]

23. We are serfs to the insurance company.

This hour has been amazing.

And he's naming names.

[suffragette]

24. Just got home and tuned in a few minutes ago

He is singing truth.

I am in tears.

[slay]

25. Catch the replay at 10pm

i think that's when it plays again - best ever

[suffragette]

28. 7 pm for me and I definitely will

Watching Rachel now.

What a powerful one-two punch.

[malaise]

27. He was crying at the end

Best KO ever,

[suffragette]

29. He's had so many incredible ones

But even just catching the end of that, I could see it was his best ever.
He poured his heart and soul into that comment.
:hi:

[Sheltiemama]

63. So was I.

I plan on saying a prayer tonight for his father.

[bullwinkle428]

26. Fuck all of the ghouls in BOTH parties willing to throw us under the bus

on this!

[bdamomma]

32. more than throwing us under the bus

we are saps for them, crap we bailed out the big boys and their companies and this one thing that Americans ask for we are ignored.

[bdamomma]

31. Keith's dad is a cute ole man.

[calimary]

33. Howard Beale is alive and well and living in the mind and voice of Keith Olbermann.

It was utterly breath-taking!!! A tour-de-force! Should be required viewing for EVERYONE - ON Capitol Hill AND beyond.

[Sebastian Doyle]

38. Yeah, but after all that talk about corporations taking out life insurance

well, let's hope the execs at GE haven't watched Network recently. And lets hope that Scamca$t doesn't succeed in their hostile attempt to take over NBC. They have made their feelings toward MSNBC clear on many of their cable systems nationwide. They would probably do to Keith what Howard Beale's bosses did to him without a moment's hesitation. :evilfrown:

[8 track mind]

80. The most powerful thing I've seen on television n/t

[nolabear]

35. Donate, donate, donate.

If his plan for placing free clinics in the states of the senators who won't support P.O. is to come about, both in reality and as a thing to rally behind, we have to support it with our voices and our money. One dollar. Five dollars. Anything.

[Patiod]

79. A good idea - like "Tea Parties", but useful

A little OT, but I don't understand how "Christians", who pretend to ask "WWJD", can wrap their tiny little minds around how denying health care to people. Jesus didn't talk about abortion and homosexuality, but he sure did talk about taking care of the sick and the poor. Clearly. Explicity. Not allegorically or figuratively. And yet they protest abortion and gay rights, but remain mute on the one thing their guy harped on over and over.

These clinics may open some eyes as to the need for reform. I know it is small-minded, but there should be signs and handouts at the events, explaining to the participants that no one is going to screen them to ensure that they're supporting health care reform - that the clinic will be treating everyone, including teabaggers, but that the clinics won't be repeated, and that if these folks NEED these services, they need to get behind health care reform. Or at least stop standing in its way.

[alfredo]

37. I see he also believes in an insurance strike. Yeah! I'm on socialized medicine

now, so I no longer have a dog in the fight personally, but my wife still has corporate insurance and is stuck with it because She has it through the Federal Employee Health Benefit plan. If she drops it, she'd be up a shit creek because she is uninsurable. I have to pay for both of us so she can have insurance. That was the primary reason I went to work at the Post Office. That was the only way I could get insurance for her. I go to the VA (Socialized Medicine) to cut my medical bills because it takes eight or nine months to pay down the deductible. Medicare pays the bill, and the VA picks up my copay. I had to give up four years of my life and some of my hearing, but that's OK.


If it was just me, I'd strike, but I am frozen because of my duty to the love of my life. I'd give up everything, live out on the streets if I had to, and the insurance company knows that. They also know that each and every one of us would do the same for our loved ones, so they exploit that loyalty. They know they can wring ever cent out of us, and they will.

[bullwinkle428]

40. Keith said he knows the idea of a strike is an impossibility for many,

simply because they would be jeopardizing their own lives or the lives of their loved ones! He used this very "catch 22" concept to illustrate how inherently evil these companies really are.

[alfredo]

45. I feel we have to do something as a people to get real change. Because

I personally don't use corporate insurance I can't really urge those in that system to sacrifice their coverage.

[Kokonoe]

39. Well said Keith Olbermann

[20score]

42. A big K&R

[elizfeelinggreat]

43. !!!!

[malaise]

44. I'm watching again

It's that good

[AllexxisF1]

47. Absolutely Amazing.

This needs to be required watching.

This is about life and death, plain and simple.

[Rex]

48. Wow, listening to him now. How eloquent, how brutally true.

Bravo sir.

[Feron]

49. Spot on, but hard to watch.

It's sad that in America, money is more important than people.

[mzmolly]

50. BRAVO

INDEED! :toast: to a man who was there when we needed his voice so desperately. :toast: to a man who changed the face of not only MSNBC but of political discourse, and :toast: a man who continues to be a voice for those who have no voice.

We are so fortunate to have Keith Olbermann.

[orleans]

51. thank you keith

now i know i have a forty percent higher chance of dying than my neighbor with insurance. that's nice.


--it was a great show.

[lonestarnot]

55. Just now watching it.

K & R Bravo Keith!

[jillan]

56. I just watched - and I can't stop crying.

Thank you Keith!

[Kablooie]

57. Oh hush up and eat your mush. The nice health care executives need a nice living too.

[Sheltiemama]

58. He deserves an award for this show.

I was in tears by the end.

[InfiniteThoughts]

62. take a bow KO ... take a bow ...

amazing special commentary ...

i read the transcript and wished that i saw this live. The best part of the show was it removed congress politics from the healthcare equation. no pitting dems v/s repubs; just a universal fight against death ... this is the concept that the dem leadership in congress, senate & white house used from day 1.

To President Obama, you owe one to KO. If your healthcare bill passes, please take a minute to call up KO and thank him for this special commentary.

[InfiniteThoughts]

64. duplicate removed

duplicate removed

[InfiniteThoughts]

65. i meant ...

... this is the concept that the dem leadership in congress, senate & white house should have used from day 1 ...

[malaise]

67. Watch it here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

[InfiniteThoughts]

71. thanks ...

i am going to watch it over the weekend.

[Bobbie Jo]

69. K&R

[Klukie]

70. A Giant kick &rec

[freddie mertz]

72. K & R to Keith for a sincere and moving presentation.

Are our leaders listing to ANY of this?

[Triana]

73. SENDING IT TO WHITEHOUSE.GOV

"somebody" UP THERE in the Great White Ivory Tower of Haves MUST see and hear it.

Expect nothing of it.

[malaise]

75. I was watching Chris Morphy on Washington Journal

Clearly he watched KO last night.

[Triana]

76. GOOD. But he needs to know we expect answers. (not that I think we'll get any)

Except maybe BS.

[malaise]

85. True

by the way that should have been Murphy - too late to edit. D

[euphoria12leo]

74. K&R

Powerful 1 hour commentary. Thanks Keith.


:thumbsup:

[DrZeeLit]

77. Every single senator and representative should be FORCED to watch KO's commentary.

They don't remember, many of them but not all. They don't remember their sacred duty -- the sacred trust of being a representative of The People.
That duty is to The People, NOT to a party or a religion or an economic system or personal agenda.
We, the people, stepped into the sacred space of a ballot box and chose these men and women to be Our Voice in the hallowed halls of government.
But they, those very representatives, have forgotten. In the rush to manipulate us into voting for them, in the rush to amass money for t.v. and radio and billboards, in the rush to a microphone or a t.v. set, they have forgotten -- if they ever knew.
They are not working for themselves. They are not CEO of a corporation. They are not sole proprietors. They are not wheeler-dealers, despite their puffed up personal vanity.

They serve only in the sacred trust of We The People.

For some reason in the last few days, even before KO's commentary, the words "WE THE PEOPLE" have been rattling around in my head.

I would hope I am not the only one.
I would hope everyone here has been feeling and hearing that same phrase.

And I would finally hope that our collective internal chanting, almost like a prayer or energy surge, a collective unconscious visceral yearning, would reach the hearts and minds of those who have forgotten the real reason they sit beneath that Capitol Dome.
They are SERVANTS.
of
WE THE PEOPLE.

Would that they start behaving and remembering that they are servants and perform their sacred duty to care for We The People.

[Ninga]

78. I have been inspired to not to give up the fight. Thanks KO!!! n/t

[rvablue]

82. And some -- even on this site occassionally -- equate KO with Beck.

Unbelievable.... and thank, thank you, thank you, Keith!

KO should get the Medal of Freedom for what he said last night.

Truth to power. No lies. No spin. No distortion. Plain, simple, unavoidable truths.

Wish we could tie down some in Congress and force them to listen to this in front of an audience of their constituents. Same goes for the teabaggers.

[ProSense]

84. Transcript

here. Video links here.

[bertman]

89. K & R FOR K.O.

[Overseas]

90. K&R. //nt

[Uncle Joe]

91. I agree on all counts.

Thanks for the thread, malaise.:thumbsup:

[malaise]

96. Hello Uncle Joe

:hi:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

93. kicking and recommending. I watched Olbermann twice last night

was great both times.

[Plucketeer]

95. I lost a dear cousin last year, thanks to the hospital

sending him home before the underlying reason for his ills was discovered. They sent him home once they found out he didn't have the means to pay the $5K he'd already rung up with them. A week later he was dead. Only in the AUTOPSY was his condition correctly diagnosed! And of course, the public pays the coroner's wages. :grr:

[SammyWinstonJack]

99. K&R!

:applause:

[FiveGoodMen]

100. K&R

[krawhitham]

101. Ratings Whore

nothing more

[bullwinkle428]

104. Randi Rhodes tearing him a new one right now for being "self-indulgent"

:eyes:

Yeah, Randi, you don't take things personally at all!

[stopbush]

105. Is he preaching to anyone but the choir?

Sadly, I don't think so.

[Oldtimeralso]

106. K & R and want to get out the truth. n/t

[onestepforward]

107. K&R. Good job, Keith.

[young_at_heart]

108. Republican senators should be forced to watch this amazing piece

I've been following Keith for years and this is by far the most important, poignant opinion comment he has ever done---BRAVO!!!

[laughingliberal]

109. Missed the show, read the transcript. Excellent! nt

[Swamp Rat]

111. k&r

[Carolann]

112. I cried last night. Then I got angry. And then I cried again...

My open-heart surgery cost nearly $223,000.00 in January. I nearly died from a heart attack...both on the day of my surgery and the day I left when they presented me with the bill! Keith was dead-on right in every single word he said...no one should suffer the way we have financially because of my physical problems. And NO, I am NOT fat, do not smoke or drink, exercise, and eat as healthy a meal as I can prepare in this pre-packaged and deliberately screwed-up food world. I just happen to inherit a heart disease gene from my father. The day before my surgery my cholesterol total was 165! My blood pressure was normal (and so was everything else). We are nearly bankrupt, but even that has become problematic with the new restrictions ReUghlicans managed to put on bankruptcies.

I cried last night. Then I got angry. And then I cried again...

[Hepburn]

113. Oh, yeeeeeeees!!!!

Exactly, you sing it and I will join ya on the chorus!