I got home early today, flipped on the TV to the "summit" broadcast and was confronted

[Atticus]

with Mr. Boehner, pants afire.

The first lie was one most Republicans have been peddling for months: "We don't need drastic changes because WE ALREADY HAVE THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE WORLD."

According to the World Health Organization, the US is number one---in EXPENSE and in PREVENTABLE DEATHS. In overall healthcare quality, we are----37th!

Boehner then counselled Obama to scrap the existing bill and let them take up a series of smaller issues, like "the leading cause of rising health care costs": medical malpractice lawsuits.

On this one, Obama nailed his ass to the barn door! He calmly pointed out that the statement was wrong and that the CBO had determined that adopting the Republican suggestion on malpractice reform would, at best, impact ONE FIFTH OF ONE PERCENT of the nation's health care expenditures. Further, the CBO estimated that the resulting lack of scrutiny of malpractice would likely mean an additional 4800 deaths annually.

PLEASE, if your Repub coworkers try to steamroller the discussion with one of these GOP "nuggets", be ready with the simple facts. You won't convince them, but you may persuade a few listeners that these talking points are far from "gospel".

[Berry Cool]

1. The best part was seeing the Boner called out on his lies.

I think his face was red, but I couldn't tell underneath all the fake tan.

[Atticus]

4. I have to (good-naturedly) disagree with you about his face being red.

That would imply a conscience and/or a sense of shame, and I don't think the Tan Man has either.

[Cassandra]

5. How about blood orange?

[sharesunited]

12. Smoke curing gives him his tint.

[jwirr]

2. You keep hearing them talk about how good our health care is. That

is not the point. No matter how good or bad it may be, the point of all this is the 40 some million people who do not have access to it. Didn't anyone today point that out?

[MindandSoul]

8. You are so right! No matter how good health care is. . .if you can't access it. . . .

you'll die anyway!
Is that why we have such a higher infant mortality rate and lower life expectancy rate than the rest of the "industrial nations?"

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. It's good they are finally refuting the malpractice nonsense.

[zanana1]

6. We're #37--One of my favorite videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4

[indepat]

7. Boner's f**king ass was indeed nailed to the barn door!

:P

[housewolf]

9. He ignores the issue - it's unaffordable for many/most Americans

Whether or not it's the best is only part of the issue. The issue is that it's unaffordable for many-to-most Americans and becoming even more so. It really doesn't matter if something is "the best" or not if you can't afford it.

[Atticus]

11. So obvious, but they are doing their best to move public opinion "past" that inconvenient

reasoning. They want us to debate health care after we unthinkingly accept their false premise.

It's like telling a homeless man that you just don't know why he is hungry, because the steak house down the block serves a great rib-eye. He'd be justified in kicking your ass for that insensitive and cruel remark, but such is Republican "ethics".

[MadMaddie]

13. When you say that to Repugs they claim that everyone

even the unemployed can afford healthcare. :wtf: Yep people don't have insurance because they choose not to have it.

I usually reply if it's a choice between food and shelter or healtcare premiums then we know people are going to choose food and shelter.

[1776Forever]

10. I promise you if I win the lottery this is going up on billboards around the nation:

In overall healthcare quality, the United States is 37th!