A Comedian Talks

From this @ response from wilberfan on Twitter:

Video is from a post on boingboing. Click here to read the original post.

Who could have predicted that Al Franken could discuss the issues with such a rationed tone? I’m not sure I’d classify the crowd as “angry mob”, but the blonde woman and blue shirt guy are clearly ready to bring some rhetoric and when they try, Franken calmly acknowledges their questions and tries to respond.

The emotions are high around this topic, but we need to do something about it. I know I’m not helping by calling the GOP crazy, but until we see similar videos from Republicans, I’m holding firm on the crazy assessment. Minority parties are invited to the table. Their are Republican bits and pieces in HR 3200. I believe that if the GOP really wanted to make change, they’d play ball. It appears the GOP only wants to have more rabid, inaccurate talking points.

Has someone out there seen videos of pro-reform Republicans talking calmly about healthcare reform? I’d love to see them. Please share in the comments.

  • http://www.philosyphia.com Nathan Pralle

    It took me awhile, but I’m firmly of the resolution that Republicans DO NOT want change. They may not agree with the system the way it runs, but the fact is…most of them aren’t in a place where they think it matters that much. They are either rich enough that they don’t think about it, old enough that they’re under Medicare and don’t care, or ignorant enough not to think about others besides themselves. And there is a very, very large proportion of them who simply don’t want change unless it’s their party doing it.

    I used to think, “If I’m just *clear* enough. If I’m just *passionate* enough. If I can just show them how it pertains to their bottom line, I’ll convince them,” but I really don’t think that anymore.

    They’re simply out to avoid the change, so…it’s time for us to quit pretending that it’s going to happen and do what we can with the opportunity that’s been given to us. We should make sure we don’t screw it up, but at the same time, we don’t have to pander to a group that simply doesn’t have any interest in seeing us succeed.

  • The CatWoman

    Good grief. As the mother of a young woman with Epilepsy, it staggers me how ignorant so many people are in regards to the healthcare system as it currently stands in America. My daughter is currently a full-time student on-line at our local technical college, and I shudder to think what could happen if she becomes a part-time student, as she’s currently unemployed. One of her medications is $42.00 a month under my health insurance plan. If that falls away, you’re talking between 200 and 250 dollars every month to keep her seizures under control.

    As a reformed Republican, I’m still waiting for someone in that party to see the light, much less speak calmly about this subject. If our state representatives would calm down, I think the American public would also.

  • http://www.philosyphia.com Nathan Pralle

    I just watched the video all the way through (thank you, craptastic work Internet) and I’m amazed and pleased at how lucid and thoughtful Franken is. Everyone in MN should see the video just so they can feel good about their representation.

  • nbrett

    This video is exactly what I expected of Al Franken. Congratulations Minnesota, you’ve got a good one.

  • Cortner
  • Cortner
    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      Thanks for sharing these.

      I like that he opened with “I don’t think what we want is that different.”

      He might want to re-iterate that with his party colleagues.

      Sidenote: as a physician yourself (I presume, based on limited information), do you feel like fee-for-service is a good thing or a bad thing. I don’t think that conversation is being had enough. It’s clear that it’s good for doctors to see a patient when a phone consultation would do (allergy meds a patient has been on for years needing a refill… should that require an office visit?). I agree with those who say we need to change the motivations and incentives inherent in our deeply flawed system. The whole thing is capitalism run amok and markets gone crazy. The point of healthcare is to ensure healthy living, ensure a secure citizenry and respond to catastrophic events. I don’t think the current system in the U.S. is geared towards that end.

      People seem to be fine with government involvement in fire services, national parks, roads and military. I can’t, for the life of me, see how more regulation of the insurance industry is a bad thing. I can’t see how a public option is a bad thing. Even if it’s a simple (for the sake of conversation) as expanding Medicare benefits. One of the problems of the massive conservative shift over the last 30 years has been that we’ve forgotten that we live with other people.

      • Cortner

        I agree with you that the incentives within our healthcare system need to be change. Fees are determined by the RBRVS system set up by Medicare. As Coburn points out, there is a cost differential inherent to the system that favors specialists and proceduralists. This has caused a shortage of primary care physicians. I would argue that this is not free market failure but a direct result of Medicare. As far as expanding Medicare, I think a lot of providers would be willing to accept that. Medicare also has a huge fraud problem and I think the administrative costs are actually a lot higher than what people typically quote. The system is also supposedly bankrupt in 2017. The main point we disagree on is the public option. I think we already pay too much for our healthcare. Adding more government employees seems like a good way to make it cost even more. I’ve not seen any convincing data on the cost savings we will supposedly get either. The things I want are increased portability, reduced costs or at minimum greater efficiency, and improved access. I don’t think a government option is necessary to do these or would even achieve these things.

        Here’s an example of why healthcare costs so much: http://​www​.dotmed​.com/​n​e​w​s​/​s​t​o​r​y​/10094
        Why must plavix or lipitor be advertised on TV? I would be in favor of limiting what drug companies are allowed to spend on advertising. Many spend almost half their operating budget on this. There are a lot of ways we could reduce costs.

        As far as the allergy med refill hypothetical, physicians bear liability for what they do over the phone as much as in their office. Some medications require monitoring of blood tests and other physical findings. It can be uncomfortable to refill certain meds if you haven’t seen that patient in a long time. My doctor writes me a 6 month prescription on my lipid medication because he has to monitor my liver studies and will have to do so periodically thereafter. If the medication is generally safe, it usually makes it to OTC like claritin or prilosec.

      • nobody

        The insistence on visits when a phone call would do is the sort of thing that would be helped by consumer exposure to costs. If your insurer is paying for the visit, you’re less likely to complain that a phone call would do. If you have to pay, you’re more likely to ask why a doctor can’t come to the phone — and more likely to change doctors if you can’t get answers that make sense. Over time, that forces doctors to be more judicious when insisting on a visit.

  • http://thunderfingers.blogspot.com chacha

    Well, I did go my local townhall on Wednesday (north san diego county) — he’s a Republican. I didn’t vote for him, but anyway, there was a fair share of crazies there. But overall, he was actually reasonable. Sure, he said some partisan things, that’s to be expected, but he said he wanted to make sure everyone got coverage, including the guy who asked about how his epilepsy affects his ability to get coverage. So, not all of them are obstructionists, I think. Seems like a small subset of load buttheads are the problem. I think if Obama drops the public option (unfortunately), some kind of reform will get passed, perhaps like Massachusetts has. That would be so much better than what we have now. To not be rejected by insurance companies for a hangnail or seasonal allergies. That would be something to get excited about.

  • http://www.xanga.com/Bratfink Bratfink

    Please tell me you are reading and commenting at

    http://​crooksandliars​.com/

    and

    http://​bgalrstate​.blogspot​.com/

    because I really think you could add a lot to the discussions. I’m just not that smart.

  • http://emailtoid.net/i/7285e8d6/931209a0/ emailtoid​.net/​i​/​7​2​8​5e8d6/…

    I 100% agree with everything in this post.

  • nobody

    Franken’s tone is impressive, and I agree Blue Shirt’s effort to jam in the immigrant thing reveals some agenda.

    Franken doesn’t really answer the questions on financing and cost reductions. To his credit, he acknowledges those gaps. I don’t agree with Franken’s politics, but I do like politicians who admit they haven’t answered the question. Conversations with people like that could lead to real understanding.

    The trouble is, I don’t see how we should be expected to support a bill with such large gaps, and without a real opportunity to debate whatever proposals emerge to fill them. That’s why politicians generally pretend they’ve answered those questions. Franken’s manner here suggests a better method, which would develop a real debate and then a real consensus — but right now we’re a long way from ready for a bill of this magnitude.

  • http://cadetsandkings.livejournal.com/ cadetsandkings​.livejournal​.com/

    I would just like to add that in terms of preventive care, it’s quite fallacious to assume that we need PCPs to deliver it. The UK and Canada and several health networks in the US rely on RNPs and RNs to deliver a vast array of care to patients. So this notion that there aren’t enough PCPs to go around is kind of moot.

  • krgosselin

    I’m a little late on this, but this video is incredible. He’s so smart and reasonable and well-spoken…everything I was hoping he’d be in the Senate. He did an incredible job of defusing the situation and explaining it in a way that people understand.

    Awesome. We need more of this kind of discussion going on.