George Soros Pledges $5 Million To Bankroll Health Care Reform Push, Group Says
In another sign of the urgency gripping the pro-health care reform camp, billionaire George Soros has pledged to sink $5 million into the fight, the group getting the money confirmed.
Soros — whose operation carefully guards the privacy of such donations — made the pledge to Health Care For America Now, the leading coalition of pro-reform groups, unions and providers, HCAN chief Richard Kirsch confirmed in an email that was forwarded to me.
Kirsch was asked by a prominent liberal blogger to comment for a post on Soros’ $5 million pledge, which the blogger had heard about. “Thanks for the heads up,” Kirsch emailed in reply. “HCAN is pleased to be supported by people and organizations who support our campaign to win quality, affordable health care for all.”
The blogger, who didn’t end up writing about the donation, passed the email along, and an HCAN spokesperson didn’t dispute the email or the figure when I asked about it.
The Soros pledge is noteworthy, because both sides will seize on it. The right will say it shows the real astroturfing is coming from the pro-reform side — billionaire bogeyman Soros is bankrolling this fight!
The left will cite the donation to demand that HCAN show real results. Some on the left, such as blogger Jane Hamsher, have been asking why heavily-bankrolled HCAN hasn’t been able to secure more commitments from Dem members of Congress to stand firm behind a public option.
HCAN officials regularly appear at a big weekly meeting of progressive groups — the one where Rahm Emanuel famously demanded last week that groups stop attacking other Dems. The question is whether HCAN will heed Rahm’s command and refrain from pressuring Dems to stand up for core reform principles. If so, the question becomes, What are you using all this money for?
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“If so, the question becomes, What are you using all this money for?”
Hear the drum beating out of time,
another protester has crossed the line,
to find, the money’s on the other side
After all, even the HCAN “leadership” need second vacation homes.
Just sayin…
I’ve watched the Soros demonology arise and grow though I’m not sure of its exact origin. Anyone know? In terms of propaganda function, it seems clearly to be a counter to the identification of wealthy rightwing financial sources (Koch family, Bradley family, Scaife, etc etc). It’s the “everybody does it” bamboozle. In the present case, the nuttier side of the right will consider their paranoid notions validated.
ps and, sadly, Jenny Sanford is taking the kids and moving out. What a quitter. Marriage is a sacred commitment entered into before and with the Lord.
The same people who believe Acorn registers illegal immigrants and dead people in order to rig elections think Soros is the mastermind of the left. They are also birthers, they also believe that Obama is a communist Muslim who wants to get rid of private insurance and then turn the keys of the WH over to the blacks and ****. In essence, they are the same ignorant fearful people that have remained within the Republican party at this juncture.
Just wanted to pass along this tweet from blogger Atrios
That is snark of course. But you can expect to see something similar on Sarah Palin’s facebook later on today lol
SG — got link to Atrios’ Tweet?
@sg, I sure some wingnut somewhere in already hard at work on that blog post.
Did anyone else see this? Oh, but wait…
NOW Palin is saying this “”[W]e must stick to a discussion of the issues and not get sidetracked by tactics that can be accused of leading to intimidation or harassment. Such tactics diminish our nation’s civil discourse,” – Facebooker Sarah Palin, two days after calling Obama’s healthcare plan a “downright evil” that will target her Down Syndrome baby with a “death panel.”
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/do-as-i-say-not-as-i-say.html
I’m telling ya, the woman is outta her F’in mind.
Wingnut planning on bringing their show to President’s Townhall tomorrow, per FirstRead.
“*** Obama’s own town hall: By the way, it will be interesting to see what happens when President Obama holds his own town hall in Portsmouth, NH, tomorrow. One of us got our hands on an invitation from a conservative group planning a protest outside of Tuesday’s venue. “There will be news media from all over the world at this event,” the invitation reads, “and it will be the ideal opportunity for us to tell the rest of the country exactly how NH voters feel about Obamacare (taxed/rationed healthcare).” If anything, we’d bet some inside the White House are hoping for a confrontation, since they believe the president’s demeanor alone will politically play well with the folks they care about most about right now: ACTUAL independents.”
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/08/10/2025137.aspx
Greg
Here is the link http://twitter.com/Atrios/status/3224816389
If I were the admin and the DNC, I’d be getting a list of prominent evangelicals leaders and other voices that get respect from the right that are in favor of health care/insurance reform. Unleash them around the end of September when this initial firestorm of protesting from the irrationals dies down a bit.
You know, I’m really really surprised a Republican out there that is interested in 2012 hasn’t jumped right into the fray holding big rallies tbh. I’d be surprised if someone like Moosolini didn’t announced they would be speaking at the 9/12 event in D.C.
A reader wrote to Andrew Sullivan the other day and I thought it did an interesting job to see exactly what those who want change are up against. It was a bit melodramatic at times but did manage to capture events in words better than I could have.
I have a neighbor, a very intelligent and well educated man, who responded to my offhand, “I am becoming fearful that we’re going to see a violent event” comment with a two minute rant of right wing talking points, including the need to “slow down” and references to Soros and ACORN. I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t even think fast enough to suggest he get his news from someplace other than Fox. He’s moving away in a couple of weeks, so I just let it drop. But we need to keep in mind that teh crazy is not limited to low information voters. (Oh yeah, my neighbor said nobody should expect to get info from a TH, that they are just “marketing” events.
@mike from Arlington,
The image chosen for that post has always struck me as particularly ironic. Note the hand gesture of the teen on the right, isn’t that a gesture first used by Black American rappers?
This will only make them more angry. The right hates Soros just as much as the left hates Murdoch.
“This will only make them more angry…”
****”em. Everything ‘makes them angry’. Go George! Go HCAN. Gobama.
I am sure this will help everyone continue to see the true colors of the GOP. White, racist, ignorant, self defeating, inbred.
Thank you, Mr. Soros.
Thank you, Mr. Soros? How about thank you, PhRMA?
“The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, plans heavy spending through August and the fall to try to get President Obama’s health reform over the goal line. The organization’s board has authorized a substantial expenditure for the fall — as much as $150 million.”
Soros is peanuts compared to the “evil” pharmacuetical industry.
If it turn violent at these town meetings, and more than it has–and God forbid someone is seriousely hurt or killed—-It will be on the heads of the Republican party! Iremember how they stoped this violence I believe just in time at the Palin/Mccain rallys? This is crazy times, and the Republican Party has steped over over the line with their lies,name calling an violence accross america!Enough is enough, an I know understand why there is a web sight called republicansforobama.com!
Thank you, George Soros.
The insurances companies and HMO’s have said, that they can’t cover everyone. We know, who can: Single Payer. Other countries have decided, that they prefer to have a healthy citizenry. WHY DON’T WE? Does this get to the real answer? Do we prefer to have “have’s and have not’s”, when it comes to health care? Is that the real reason?
Bernie said:
ps and, sadly, Jenny Sanford is taking the kids and moving out. What a quitter. Marriage is a sacred commitment entered into before and with the Lord.
See! This is the mentality of the right. Sanford hurt his wife with his, “Soul Mate.” The wife moves out, and now she is the quitter.
How can you educate anyone (on the right) while they see the world through this type of logic??
How can they understand anything as simple as America is falling fast and the way to stop the fall is by removing the sources that suck away at the lives of its citizens? No, these folks on the right would rather see our democratically elected “Black President,” fail and therefore America fail, than have us move forward to secure our future for our children because he may go down in history with the credit of having helped us out.
And PS. Bernie,
If marriage is a sacred commitment entered into before and with the Lord, why don’t you tell that to Mark Sanford who broke that commitment and NOT his wife??
@bernie: No longer can we say that the nuts are all on the right!
funny noi where on huffington post you can find the democrat leader jefferson found guilty? hmmm and they call fox biased! thank god for fox how would anyone know about the left and their corrupt tax cheats! Nevertheless, Jefferson was found guilty on 11 of the 16 public-corruption charges, including bribery, money laundering and racketeering.
The jury agreed with prosecutors that Jefferson, 62, took cash and gifts in exchange for helping American business people involved in oil, sugar and telecommunications ventures gain access to West African countries. Jefferson tried to conceal the bribes through shell companies and sham consulting agreements, prosecutors said.
“ps and, sadly, Jenny Sanford is taking the kids and moving out. What a quitter. Marriage is a sacred commitment entered into before and with the Lord.”
a sacred commitment entered into before God, — with Mark Sanford and his other girl? Seriously, Jenny is the quitter here?
“Action!” Yhat’s what I’m talking about! “Let’s get this PARTY started! Health care reform…here we come!!!!!!!
SBJ, mind posting a link? I hadn’t heard about that yet.
57states,
WRONG!!
HP published the news before anyone else.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/…/william-jefferson-former-_n_252312.html
So willing to hate at any cost ha?!
By-the-way, there are a total of 57 state and territory Democratic Party primaries and caucuses!
50 states + DC + Guam + Puerto Rico + US Virgin Islands + Democrats at large + Samoa + The Texas two-step caucus all equal 57.
@Paul W:
http://www.politico.com/politicopulse/
j’aime beaucoup monsieur Soros!
In an gesture to promote peace and tranquility at the town meeting in N.H. Mr. Soros ,the black panthers and Acorn are ask not to attend .
“ps and, sadly, Jenny Sanford is taking the kids and moving out. What a quitter. Marriage is a sacred commitment entered into before and with the Lord.” REALLY? SERIOUSLY? Did you hear yourself as you were thinking this. Do you know how ridiculous you sound? I hope this was an attempt at sarcasm.
Chaos is not reform. This bill is chaos.
The response from the remaining congresspeople who state support is evidence of that fact – they are unable to coherently explain the bill and why it is good for all. Confusion & chaos. Why won’t they step back, and give this big issue the time it needs- or who won’t let them?
The democrat politicians who have responded in anger, ridicule and outright disrespect of their constituents have made a big mistake. They forgot that they are beholding to their local constituents, not the federal government.
So now we have more Soros money and the HHS secretary calling in the Out Of District Union to the meetings. It’s almost like the federal government wants to have the local guys voted out in 2010.
Soros is a dirty Jew.
You’d think since the Nazis, errrrr, I mean the Democrats have majorities in the House and the Senate plus the presidency passing their Healthcare “reform” would already be a done deal.
The upside for the Nazis, errrrr I mean the Democrats, is they get to demonize their opponents for a debacle that’s totally the Nazis, errrrrr I mean the Democrats, fault.
Reminds me of the riots at the Democratic National Convention in 1969 when the Democrats were busily beating the **** out of each other and blaming the rest of America for their comically riotous convention.
The Nazis, errrrrr I mean the Democrats are just like that I guess. And by “that” I mean fascist.
The
and yes I know the Democratic Convention in Chicago was in 1968, not 1969. hehe.
Soros is the work of Satan. He spent WW II working for the Gestapo.
He has been thrown out of France, England, Russia, and wherever else (there’s quite a list). He’s under indictment in at least two of those countries.
So what does *America* do? Give him *citizenship* – and now we’re handing him the knife to cut our throats.
He may succeed, too. There was a guy named Parvus, very much like Soros in many ways, who bankrolled Lenin and the Communists for their takeover of Russia. He “Succeeded”, too. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how many millions Soros gets slaughtered.
OK, y’all can go back to watching Oprah now…
@Nick Danger,
You do know that you are calling America and Americans NAZIS??
Since the majority of voting Americans voted for the Democratic Party’s leadership, that means that they, “The NAZIS,” now represent America and YOU. And by calling them nazis you include yourself.
Merinas van der Lubbe | August 10th, 2009 at 02:38 pm
Soros is the work of Satan. He spent WW II working for the Gestapo.
Either you are a complete moron, or the biggest liar in the world.
Soros is Jewish.
By calling others nazi’s and facist’s is why we don’t get a f***ing thing done in this country. The fall is upon us.
I think Ilse Pelosi should have said that protesting against healthcare is un-German.
GOP conveniently picks a Jew as a scapegoat for the country’s problems.
you mean to tell me that all you people really want to live in a socialist state ? you really have grown tired of free travel within our borders ,the ability to make up your own mind about the direction you show lead your life ? Do you really want the government to make these decisions for us ? Hell, they can’t even balance the budget.Don’t matter which party you are for, if you think that any of them have your best interest in mind , you are truly brainwashed.
we wont get fooled again, Wrong, i want to see the dems , that suck this **** up ,Just as ,france ,chek and, poland when hitler ran through europe promised better ways, they found out, and didnt, like and what they paid, History will repeat it self rt here ,oh i have a lot of collage grads for friends ,problem being ,no common smarts , and thars what we have in the goverment,idiots GOVERMENT IS DESTROYING AMERICA.
we wont get fooled again, Wrong, i want to see the dems , that suck this **** up ,Just as ,france ,chek and, poland when hitler ran through europe promised better ways, they found out, and didnt, like and what they paid, History will repeat it self rt here ,oh i have a lot of……….
the only problem now is that we no longer have the “greatest generation” to come along and bail our *** out this time .
It’s difficult for all the representatives to cut through the **** and think. It’s obvious that an individual like Soro’s benefited from Regan to GW, (that includes 8 for Clinton) Still thick in the bucks one has to ask why, with all the turndown? One has to ask why, does a wealth monger buy in? Only to make money. OPM is the bottom line and this is a peoples decision every solicitor, Soro, pharmaceuticals, big business need to be viewed as gaining while people loose. That’s the tone and the direction of this administration. Think about it! The Democratic leadership is really trying to buy everything. Isn’t that like… capitalism? Are you buying in? The they’ and the them’ sure are!
“astroturfer” n. (1) a 21st century American colloquialism denoting one who is paid to act in the role of a “grassroots” private citizen advocating a cause (2) an activist funded by a special interest group (3) a community organizer.
@billy who
Obviously you have never traveled outside these United States of America.
Earth to Billy,
Most of the governments in the world are Socialist or Socialist-Democratic: for example 95% of Europe (Norway being the exception with the Monarchy hiding behind a socialist established system).
Also, while we are at it, if the American system were sooooo good, then why has no other country in the world copied our system? Furthermore, do you realize that the last time a government like ours was formed was the Roman Empire?
Stop buying into these socialist fears. Go visit any country in Europe then show me these people that are living in the box you just described.
Also, most Americans don’t want to become a socialist country. However, there are still good programs that socialist countries use that we could use as well. At no time did those folks lose their rights and we too will not lose ours.
One question that I notice that no one has asked of these government representatives who are against giving the people what we ALL work for: and that is equal protection under the law, and access to good medical care. In addition, if government provided (backed) medical care is sooooo bad, then why don’t all these Republicans congress members give up THEIR government sponsored health care for privately paid and capitalistically ran publicly insured program that they want US all to remain under and financially drown???
Funny that THEY can afford private health care but choose government coverage, yet they want US to keep getting abused by the private health care sector.
Mr.Soros has stepped up to the plate even when he did not have to. He is rich. Some would say “super rich” and has no need for any government assistance for his personal health. His donation should signify to everyone that even he realizes the importance of healthcare reform in America. Normally, I’d request Mr.Gates & Mr.Buffet to step up as well but they have and are doing SO MUCH for man kind all over the world that it would not be right. Nevertheless, a few words from them along with all the other billionaires would go a long way in proving to the American public that health care reform is necessary and that continuing cost increases of health care can only mean that it will be priced out of reach for the middle class since it is already out of reach for the poor in America. On behalf of the American Public – Thank you Mr.Soros.
are we going to have the same access to health care that the is offered to gov. officials ? if social health care works so well , why is it that people that aspire to be doctors come to America to train and then set up practice here instead of going back to their homeland and care for the people of that country and be paid by that government ? We don’t really need that type of welfare for us . What would really go miles is to have the insurance companies bring the cost back in line and have the hospitals do likewise . I mean to be charged $8.00 for an bayer asprin is just outside the lines. Do you think that once we travel down the path to socialism that we can turn around and go back with out a great loss ? The reason that this country was started was because the people had left that type of situation . When the world asked for help in ‘40 did we say no ? We stepped up to the plate and because of that they were able to set in place what ever they wanted for a ruling government . do you think that the chineese are going to sit by and watch ? Dot they have it so good over there ? How about the great minds of our times ? Could they have prospered and left us with such advances in medicine and science operating under that form of government ? Most of them fled that type of government and came here . To be free. I suggest that you check with some people from russia and other eastern bloc countries about how well it worked out for them . Be sure and ask them why they relocated here .Yes I’ve traveled and worked outside the U.S.A., every time I was glad to get back .The world is a ****** up place , and by changing the last refuge on the planet will not make it any better.
Socialism is the word rednecks say cuz they are scared to say the N word.
Have any of you ever witnessed the health care that our government provides on the Indian reservations out west? I suggest that you check with the Navajo people and get their input. They’ve had a good dose of it for the past 100 years or so. I’d say that would be a reliable source. How come nobody stepped up for them? Not enough votes to worry about?
Is ole George Soros just going to give us this money cause he’s a good ol’ boy ? doubt it . Maybe Mr. windows doesn’t believe in the program being presented.should we all jump up and shout hooray because it has finally arrived? Or maybe step back and look this thing over a little more carefully. What’s really behind it ? Lot of questions ,very few answers.
What’s the N word ? nazi?
There I said it
hello?
Gee that was all that I had to say to get everybody to quit. should’ve done that months ago
Soros is Jew scum
And Scaife and a slew of others are conservative mega-wealthy scum.
But thanks for the naked anti-semitism.
Have any of you ever witnessed the health care that our government provides on the Indian reservations out west? I suggest that you check with the Navajo people and get their input.
LOL! Have you ever thought about the sheer indifference most Americans pay to any matter involving Native Americans?
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why on earth would you assume that what the Dept. of Interior thinks is the best the USA is willing to offer to the vanquished (& yes, frankly, that’s what that whole matter comes down to, wrong as it is), is going to be what they themselves will tolerate for the themselves????
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps it would be better to pass health care reform in small bills, rather than one big bill, and risk total defeat.
Break the bill up into separate parts, one for Medicaid expansion, one for reform of private insurance, and another for public health and public hospitals.
Leave the hardest issue for last–Medicare, the public option, cooperatives, single payer. Let the states experiment with what kind of systems they want–or let them just opt out of reform totally.
The governor of Texas said he would, and I wouldn’t be surprised if much of the South followed suit. So be it. That’s up to them.
For that matter, why not let people opt out of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security if they really want the federal government out of their lives. Let them put their money where their mouth is.
I can easily understand why people distrust the government, since I am a child of the Vietnam-Watergate era. There has not been much trust of government and politicians since that time.
What I will NEVER understand is why there is so much naive trust in insurance companies or any big capitalists. That makes no sense to me, especially in light of recent events.
George Soros is a thief and he is against democracy in America and he wants to help fund the destruction of America by helping with this Communism forced universal healthcare which does not belong in America – it belongs in those evil European countries who never had a good or wealthy country anyway that’s why most of them had to run over here to America and now they want that evil system of their homeland over here – GET OUT OF AMERICA! Soros is working with those fake American government officials to build up Britian and Europe and the third-world countries by using America’s wealth and power, in which a real american would stand up against this madness.
to Donald who wrote Europe doesn’t copy america and we need to learn from them – get your FAKE american self out of America! You dumb stupid immigrant from Europe. Europe has copied off America’s talent, inventions and had to bow down to America because America is/was number one! We have so many of you European immigrants over here living off OUR money, glory, and power because your poverty, dumb selves could not build your own so you came running to America – you were wrongly given wealth and businesses you didn’t not have a dang thing to do with – and now your socialism and communism selves are over here changing our great country to resemble those evil, chaotic and very dumb European countries. Us real americans need to throw all of you immigrants and your third-world friends out of here and then the trouble in America will stop and you poverty stupid immigrants will go back to your trash and filth and dumb ways – but the only thing you will not be getting our money. You’re now sitting up in our government stealing our money and shipping our industry to your countries you came from and giving foreign countries our money and you talk all your smack – but payback will come!
Soros is a leftist ****
Soros is a leftist K.I.K.E.
Read Soros’ autobiography or better yet, read a book titled “The Shadow Party”. Both are very informative and scary if you are an American patriot with Judeo-Christian background and values. Soros wants to keep getting richer and control everything he can behind the scenes in order to change the current American system most of us value to his liking.
Too much legislation too fast. No surprise though, Obama is doing everything he said he would. But now is not the time. What’s the rush? Our country is a financial mess. Why commit to spending all that money right now?
If you think the Europeans have it so much better, you should go live there. Really, leave the country if you don’t like it. Go there and see how a gov’t funded healthcare system does not make a country healthier or happier. People are still going to get sick and not get proper care. The government will take more of our money and the same power grabbing, wealthy legislators will be deciding how to mis-appropriate it.
What we need is INSURANCE REFORM not government healthcare!
Fighting fire with fire, eh?
oh, I was under the impression that Navajo’s were Americans.
No y’all are just so caught up in your own little private crusade to save us all! That the obvious goes ignored. Just because obama wants it now doesn’t mean that he gets it now. Did anybody check on the health-care that the dept of interior , which is an arm of the federal government, provides? Doubt it. Would make to much sense and probably scare the socks off of you.
Soros is a wall street investor that does things for Soros. What is in this one for him.
We should just off those again single payer. It will be cheaper in the long run.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/august_2009/32_favor_single_payer_health_care_57_oppose
Thirty-two percent (32%) of voters nationwide favor a single-payer health care system where the federal government provides coverage for everyone. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% are opposed to a single-payer plan.
Fifty-two percent (52%) believe such a system would lead to a lower quality of care while 13% believe care would improve. Twenty-seven percent (27%) think that the quality of care would remain about the same.
Forty-five percent (45%) also say a single-payer system would lead to higher health care costs while 24% think lower costs would result. Nineteen percent (19%) think prices would remain about the same.
There’s wide political disagreement over the single-payer issue. Sixty-two percent (62%) of Democrats favor a single-payer system, but 87% of Republicans are opposed to one. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 22% favor a single-payer approach while 63% are opposed.
Soros is a dirty Jew scum.
So odd-job why would you think that the American government would offer you the best care available?
I agree soros is trash
The bill as it is written promises you nothing except more of the same. The bill doesn’t outline what healthcare benifits you will get. All it does is allow the politicians to pass the buck to a commission that will decide later on after the bill is passed as to what benefits you get. Is that not a scary thought to you people that support this? I can see it now, every election cycle will be about what benefits we should get not about the important things. just look at the way the elections are now, the REPs will cut this or that, the DEMs tax and spend to buy or this. Come on trading one bureaucracy for another is not the answer.
We see what trouble most of the the different levels of government are in now, with the financial mess we are in. The answer to most of them is to cut vital services and raise taxes. Do you think government health care will not be cut?
The government option will have no fail safe. At least with the private option you have some recourse.
Modify the current system of laws to allow more freedom in selecting a health plan (my boss has give me and pay for maturnity coverage even though I don’t need it). Have real health insurance, only to be used in an emergency, not health maintenance. The doctors really are not that expensive ($80-$100) and over 300 presriptions are under $4 now.
The small amount of people actually not legitimitly insured is very small. I would not think that less than 10% means we redifine health care for all. Fix what is broke (it isn’t the whole system) and leave the rest alone.
Why does he not do something really helpful and spend the 5 million dollars on paying for health care for a few of the uninsured out there?
Soros is a dirty Jew scumbag.
Jews run the DNC.
I have read most of the comments here, and I have come to two conclusions:
First, most of you boneheads need a dictionary, a thesaurus, and to go back to Grammar classes. Your spelling and syntax are terrible.
Second, most of you will not ever realize that every single time you fail to provide for yourself(or your children) and ask the government(regardless of political affiliation of either party) you tighten the reins of slavery and oppression around your throat. Every time you say something like, “The government should prosecute…” or, “There should be a law against…” you fan the flames of Despotism.
One further addendum: Democracy IS Mob Rule. That is what the “Majority” is. The United States are NOT a Democracy, WE ARE A REPUBLIC.
I concur with Mike & Donald.
In this age corptocracy is worse than a govt sponsored plan. If we survive a 21st century we need a portable plan. Believe me the MDs will find another niche bridging unmet needs for cash. (*booster approach)
In the interim, sponsored preventive care & basic hospital care will prevent catastrophic bankruptcy. Moreover basic care is what is cost effective. My best to all who are worried.
Karen RN RD MPH
I am concerned that the information was not confirmed by any source. Not denying something is not a confirmation. What about a 2nd source? The story is believable because Soros supports Obama and health care reform. But that doesn’t relieve someone from the responsibility of confirming a story.
Paul W. – Drink the Kool Aid baby!
Okay, I finished the Kool-Aid, now for the facts.
This story was published without confirmation which should concern all of us. This is what the blogger, Greg Sargent, admitted:
“Kirsch was asked by a prominent liberal blogger to comment for a post on Soros’ $5 million pledge, which the blogger had heard about. “Thanks for the heads up,” Kirsch emailed in reply. “HCAN is pleased to be supported by people and organizations who support our campaign to win quality, affordable health care for all.”
The blogger, who didn’t end up writing about the donation, passed the email along, and an HCAN spokesperson didn’t dispute the email or the figure when I asked about it.”
Mr. Sargent is admitting that he has not confirmed the story.
The original blogger made the responsible decision not to publish an unconfirmed report.
A non-denial is not a confirmation.
No second confirming source is claimed.
The HCAN spokesperson is not identified.
This type of negligence should concern all of us.
Mr. Sargent, are you as irresponsible with every other news item that is considered for publication?
It appears that you, johnjkfoote, are drinking the Kool-Aid which Mr. Sargent is serving up. Drink up!
Gosh, what a surprise!
Greg Sargent drops the ball. Rahm Emanuel did not say bipartisanship is dead
August 19, 2009, 7:48PM
Former TPM’er Greg Sargent, one of my favorite bloggers, engaged in uncharacteristically shoddy journalism today.
He gave this piece the following headline: Rahm Emanuel: Bipartisanship Is Dead.
But Emanuel said no such thing. These are his only words to the New York Times, which is Sargent’s source:
“The Republican leadership,” Mr. Emanuel said, “has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.”
It is only in the last paragraph where Sargent admits that this is nothing but his own interpretation of Emanuel’s statement:”It’s tantamount to saying outright that bipartisanship is dead,” Sargent said.
Emanuel’s statement refers to the Republicans’ obstructionist behavior so far (the past), as opposed to what approach Democrats should follow next in regard to this obstructionism (the future). Rahm just didn’t go there. A follow-up question by the New York Times’ reporter was in order, but never came.
These days, journalists and bloggers alike prefer big, bold, short, impactful titles over long, nuanced, boring ones (Drudge loves the tactic). But life isn’t simple, and the media should not sacrifice accuracy for instant gratification, if you ask me.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/truthseeker77/2009/08/greg-sargent-drops-the-ball-ra.php?ref=recdc
Liberalism is indeed, a mental disorder
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The ‘right’ who are tea partying are NOT getting money, sorry to say.
The left is bankrolled which is why Obama the nobody got where he is.
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