Health Care ‘Compromise’ Equals Single-Payer

Healthcare-Now National Strategy Conf LogoWith many conservatives, including Michelle Malkin, saying the so-called “compromise” on health care reform equates to a “single-payer” health care model, I feel compelled to point you to eight posts (with videos) that I published soon after “crashing” — and recording — all six of the single-payer power brokers who spoke during the opening session of the 2009 Healthcare-Now.org National Strategy Conference Nov. 14-15 in St. Louis.

Their remarks, captured in videos ranging from 4 to 10 minutes each, show exactly what Americans have to look forward to if single-payer health care becomes a reality:

Single-Payer Advocate ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’ — Dr. Quentin Young told attendees, “Number one on my list continues to be the insurance companies, the for-profit insurance companies.” One video below.

Labor Boss Says He Hopes to ‘Take the Corporate Community and Its Greed Out of the Picture’ – Former UAW International Executive Board Member Jerry Tucker said, “When we whip this health care crisis and we bring it into the bright place where it should be and we take the corporate community and its greed out of the picture, it will be such a major setback for them that it will open the door for many of the other struggles as well.”  One video below…

NOW President Announces Single-Payer Push – Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, said, “I intend to roll out a national action campaign for single-payer health care.” Two videos below…

Victimhood Alive, Well at Single-Payer Conference – Ethel Long Scott, executive director of the Oakland, Calif.-based Women’s Economic Agenda Project, pinned the political “tail” on who — or, more precisely, what — is to blame for all of her woes:  “…this rotting, decaying capitalist system.”  One video below…

Single-Payer Advocates Told to ‘Get Arrested’ – Tim Carpenter, executive director of the ultra-liberal Progressive Democrats of America, told conference attendees they could “get arrested” and make a difference.  One video below…

Single-Payer Advocate Says White House Lost Debate on Government-Run Health Care – Michael Lighty, the former national director of the Democratic Socialists of America who now serves as public policy director of the ultra-liberal California Nurses Association, explained why he thought the White House lost the first round of the health care debate.  One video below…

NOW President O’Neill Slams Catholic Bishops — Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, accused Catholic bishops of “smelling blood” and deciding to get involved as backers of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.  One video below…

Labor Boss Acknowledges Own ‘Lambourghini Health Plan’ at Single-Payer Strategy ConferenceUnion heavyweight Jerry Tucker “spilled the beans” about union members enjoying not the Cadillac, but “the Lambourghini of health care plans.”  One video below…

Labor Boss Says He Hopes to ‘Take the Corporate Community and Its Greed Out of the Picture’

Advocates of single-payer health care will not stop there, according to Jerry Tucker, former member of the UAW International Executive Board who now represents the group, Labor for Single Payer.  Speaking during the opening session of the 2009 Healthcare-Now.org National Strategy Conference Saturday afternoon in St. Louis, he explained his vision for the future.

“Health care is but one of the fronts that we have to be concerned about in the struggle for social justice,” said Tucker, the second of six panel members to speak during the session.

“When we whip this health care crisis and we bring it into the bright place where it should be and we take the corporate community and its greed out of the picture, it will be such a major setback for them that it will open the door for many of the other struggles as well.”

Tucker, who claimed to have cut his teeth as a single-payer advocate in 1972 as Big Labor’s representative to advance legislation sponsored by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), was very open to the audience he considered all-friendly, going so far as to admit that union workers once had “the Lambourghini” — not the Cadillac — of health care plans.

I’ve never had a Lambourghini or Cadillac plant.  Have you?

Below is the full-length video of Tucker’s statement I shot as the only journalist at the conference.

To see and hear what other conference speakers had to say, click here.