Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas) made headlines this week for claiming that health-care repeal means “killing Americans.” In an exchange with National Review Online at the Capitol tonight, she used China as an example of universal coverage. From the tape:
JACKSON LEE: I was with a Chinese delegation in Texas on Sunday, and one [visitor] came up to me and said, ‘What is this debate about health care? We think this is something everybody should have in China.’ That’s what this person said to me; he was baffled. Of course, their system is different.
NRO: They’re communist.
JACKSON LEE: They consider themselves in the 21st century — I’m not arguing their politics. I’m just arguing that their thought was . . . they were just very surprised by this debate. I’m not even asking to have that kind of health care. I’m just saying, countries around the world, many people, take health care for granted because their systems are different.
NRO: Britain, for instance, has universal health care…
JACKSON LEE: And I’m not using those as examples for America, I’m just saying that it is something that a lot of countries have.
Indeed.
Somehow, I think George Will interviewing Paris Hilton would yield a better exchange.
It would certainly be less sad since Paris doesn't get to cast a vote in Congress.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen Paul Reiser did stand-up a long time ago, he made fun of people who talked like Jackson Lee. "I'm not saying you're fat. I'm just saying that....uh....I'm not even thinking that you're fat, I'm just saying that...."
Yeah, we know exactly what SJL is saying.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDespite her office, Sheila Jackson Lee is not a serious person.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is, no doubt, something of an understatement.
America, biggest economy in the world.
America, most opportunity in the world.
America, most able and powerful military in the world.
America, the greatest innovator the world has ever seen.
America, the dominant culture in the world.
America, has the dominant currency in the world.
America, has the most powerful diplomatic effectiveness in the world.
So explain to me exactly why we would want to be like anyone else? Seems to me more people should be striving to be us. I fail to see why we'd why to be more like the oppressed Chinese, weak Europe, impoverished South America, impoverished and war torn Africa, and on and on. There's no place I'd rather be than America, even under Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChina most certainly does NOT have universal health care.Indeed, it has n safety nets at all for its people
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYep - and Pol Pot offered full employment.
External Link
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive"
Well said, Drakes.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI saw her interview with Neil Cavuto earlier today. It was mind-blowing. It was a solid five minutes of the "I'm not saying, I'm just saying..." nonsense. Not only do I question her seriousness, I question her intelligence. If it wasn't in her talking points, she really had nothing to say.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn the Chinese health care system there are forced abortions and people locked in clinics for having the psychological problem of dissent.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"And I’m not using those as examples for America, I’m just saying that it is something that a lot of countries have."
Why couldn't she have used "secure borders"?
... or "a flat tax"?
... or "leaders who don't curtsy?"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf she would remove that ATV snow tire from the top of her head, maybe the swelling of her brain would go down, and she could have a coherent thought.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo matter what the issue, the Democratic view of the debate is always the same: Democrats want to do something good for the people and Republicans are cruel and heartless. When did Republicans say they don't want Americans to have affordable healthcare? And when did Republicans say our healthcare system doesn't need improvement? Ms. Jackson's comments prove what more and more Americans are learning about liberals. There is never two sides to any issue; there is only their side to every issue.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe point she makes is that a lot of the developed world see's it as a goal to have universal coverage. It does not appear that this is a goal for the Republican party.
I would like to know why it wouldn't be a goal?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJenna, you ask:
"When did Republicans say they don't want Americans to have affordable healthcare?"
Just look at their policy proposals. They do have a proposal to fix the healthcare cost problem for the government -- it is for the government to gradually stop paying Senior's healthcare bills. Their plan turns Medicare into a voucher system, and makes the voucher grow at normal inflation (as opposed to medical inflation). That overtime makes the percentage of healthcare costs Seniors pay gradually approach 100, and the percentage of healthcare costs the government pays gradually approaches 0 (unlike every other advanced democracy on Earth by far).
Fortunately, such a plan is not politically sustainable. But it pretty much answers your question. Many Democrats do not go out of their way to find Republican policies that would hurt Americans -- Republicans serve them on a silver platter. Most would LOVE it if the Democratic party weren't the only party that appears to be living in the reality that actually exists -- but that is simply not the case, and they are not going to pretend it is the case just for the sake of comity.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJenna, what you are missing is this:
When Dems claim they are doing it for the good of people, or the children or the eldery, or whatever, it's a scam, a front, something with which to bludgeon those who disagree.
It shuts down conversation.
That's why we can't discuss serious education reform
Social Security
Medicare
Obamacare
affirmative action
illegal immigration
They don't really give a rat's patootey about anybody; they just want POWER and CONTROL. They use the "it's for the [fill in the blank] in order to shut us down.
But we're fighting back; and that they like even less, which is why they blamed the Right for the AZ shooting, why they demonize Sarah Palin, demonize the Tea Party, etc. etc. etc.
We have to just keep, if you forgive the expression, speaking Truth to Power.
Truth has no agenda.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDistrict Dawg, you are right. She spent too much time hedging. She should have just come right out and said that we by far (in terms of costs and access) have the most insane healthcare system in the industrialized world, and said that while every country's system has problems, our problems are exponentially greater than the rest of theirs combined. And furthermore, to the extent Republicans care about and have healthcare proposals, the policy proposals they have would take our country even further in exactly the wrong direction.
Unfortunately, too many Democrats are too wimpy to tell the truth about their opposition's policy proposals.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJenna - Eric's post is Exhibit A - Republicans don't care about the elderly.
Yes, because a welfare state is just soooo sustainable. Yeah, just keep taxing the stuffing out of everyone and it will be fine . . .
Except for Greece . . .
Ireland
Spain
Portugal
And the fact that in Canada they are starting to privatize some of their health care system because it's, well, UNSUSTAINABLE.
There are ways to make health care affordable - competition. And you can't have competition if you can't sell it over state lines.
Instead let's have a mandate, because that has worked so well in MA.
Yeah, that's right - Obamacare is modeled on Romneycare, which stinks. So yeah, let's have more of that.
Um, no thanks.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseStop The Presses!!!!!!
A member of the Chinese delegation is surprised that we are having a debate? Has anyone explained to our fair representative that in China if anyone tries to have a policy debate, the next question they get asked is whether they want a cigarette before the blindfold is put on.
I am not in favor of a poll test as a requirement for anyone to vote. But every time I see SJL speak as a member of Congress I start to question that belief.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseladykrystyna, of course you are going to mention the PIGS countries (including countries that basically don't collect taxes, and countries whose only problem is that they continue to bail out their banks when they can't afford it) without mentioning the many more countries like Germany, which are going to continue to offer a much saner safety net than America without problems.
As for Canada, so what? After they finish doing what you are talking about, they will have a system that is mostly provided by government, and somewhat provided by the private sector. And?
I don't mind private sector involvement in healthcare at all. Switzerland provides healthcare to 99.5% of its population with a completely privatized hospital system and insurance system. I don't mind that. The point is that every other advanced democracy manages to do it (regardless of their private/public mix), and we don't even come close.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think this discussion intersects with the discussion regarding the validity of what college students actually learn. Ms. Jackson-Lee is a Yale graduate, with a JD from UVA. Yeah. Like I said, intersection of discussions.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse