Blue Mass Group

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Thoughts about Kerry’s HC speech

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I’ve definitely always been more of a reader than a poster when it comes to blogs, but I was surprised that nearly 24 hours have passed and no one had comments about Kerry’s health care speech yesterday! See the text of the speech here. Usually ya’ll have posts up before these things even end.  I know it was more of a rah-rah event than anything else (no new ideas, just something to amp up the kids for ’08) but I was particularly irked by Kerry’s references to MA’s reform “successes” this year.

My primary complaint is Kerry’s praise of Travaglini and DiMasi.  Did he not see the twisted dynamics of the 7/12 ConCon?  In his speech, Kerry twice referenced a need to make access to health care a right to all Americans– how can he overlook T&D’s denial of that right in Massachusetts?  I might be naive, but I think chalking it up to making a deposit in the political bank is hypocritical.

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  1. to recall the answer to the question I posed back in April when Sal, Trav and TedK inexplicably went along with Romney’s health care signing photo op, that is, “Who are the biggest rubes in Massachusetts today?”  Here’s the answer:

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    I really hope the health care bill actually helps people (I have my doubts, but let’s hope they’re proven unfounded).  But there’s no doubt that the politics of this thing are all screwed up.

  3. do you really think that this Friends of John Kerry sponsored event was done in any way for the good people of the commonwealth?
    wasn’t  this was classic kerry pandering?
    and absolutely meaningless to the citizens he purports to represent.
    at least kennedy was in the fray when the new legislation was been crafted.
    whereas kerry did what he does best: wait for the dust to settle, and then choose a position that he feels is most politically advantageous to him.

    • craven sucking up to the Republicans. Kerry has been pandering to us, or at least trying to. What we need to do is make it clear we aren’t interested, that he’s yesterday’s news, and if someone like Markey or Barney Frank runs, go with them. But the all-out netroots-full-court press is uncalled for. Kerry just needs to be gently re-introduced to reality…I think the fact that his plan has been greeted with virtual silence says a lot–hope he’s listening. Incidentally, I got a phone call from his friends and told them my political contributions are going elsewhere.

      • for everyone in the country rate as pandering?

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        Good god.

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        Yeah, he’s pandering to all those poor working people who can’t get insurance they can afford, and have to rely on emergency rooms for their health care.  Shame on him. [/sarcasm]

  4. Brilliant!

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    I have been calling for this for quite sometime.

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    I have always been a consistent opponent of Senator Kerry, my family went so far as to support Weld not so much because we liked Weld but because we knew hed at least be more effective than Senator Windbag. He pales in comparison to Kennedy in terms of what hes done for Massachusetts, constiuent service, and Kennedy comes from the old school line of liberal voters that “all politics is local” Kerry believes the opposite “all politics is national” and in fact the only time the honorable junior Senator seemed to act on our behalf is when he is in front of cameras or it ties into a platform of yet another doomed presidential effort.

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    Look at every aspect of his career and his entire lifetime of “service” has been a pander towards higher office. Each office he has held he has done an ineffective job and merely used it as a stepping stone. This is also not a question about ideology its a question of competency. Kerry comes from very elitist WASPish liberals (who half a century ago wouldve been Rockerfeller Republicans) that believe that politics is like another charity the Forbes or Cabots donate to, that its a way to pass on meager crumbs to little guy in the hope that he gets you prestige. And Kerry has only passed on empty rhetoric, not crumbs.

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    The fact is he like Mitt is quickly becoming a punchline to our state, a man who says the right things at the right times but doesnt actually do it, I could picture Kerry pulling a Mitt pie chart fiesta right now if he was President over the Middle East crisis just to look like hes in charge. Kerry lost to the most vulnerable incumbent in a generation, and by pandering to the right he took the progressives that elected him in the primary, thinking he was a war hero Dean, for complete granted only to shaft them repeatedly during his tepid election. And now he expects us to give him his divine right to the presidency and re-elect him when he is our in absentia Senator for another three years. Honestly its time he stops dodging his responsibility to the people and its time a true champion of the people challenges him.

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    But who in the MA Hackocratic Party has the initiative to challenge him? Im thinking Mike Capuano, Barney Frank, Rep. McGovern would all be much better Senators but their all Kerry loyalists. Any other suggestions? Gov. Patrick wouldnt have had enough experience yet, maybe Scott Harshbarger.

    • Marty Meehan’s already basically running, though I’m sure many others are planning too. I doubt Kerry will be running for re-election and will probably step down to run for president in 2008. Too bad.

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      I wanted McGovern to run in 05 if Kerry became president.

        • Assuming that Kerry steps down in ’08 to run for president.

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          Kerry can’t pull a Lieberman and be on the ballot as a candidate for both president and Senator (vice-president in Lieberman’s case).

          • Meehan doesn’t have anywhere else to spend his $4.9 million in federal campaign money after Finneran & the legislature prohibited moving the money to a state account, thereby closing the door on a future “Marty Meehan for Governor” campaign.

            • will probably run too – they both talked about it during the 04 campaign when the prospect of Kerry’s seat opening up arose, and Markey actually ran some TV advertising.

              • Barney Frank also had at least one ad that I saw.  It was actually a really good one, too.

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                Markey’s was odd.  There was some hand pushing down on a mushroom cloud.  Really bizarre.

              • and Delahunt were also mentioned as candidates in ’04.  I can’t find a link, but I’m pretty sure Lynch publicly stated that he would run.  Not 100% sure on Delahunt.

  5. this post starts on the premise that something was wrong with the healthcare thing, and people seem to agree … can someone do a write-up of that here or in a separate post? I apparently didn’t pay enough attention, I thought all was well in health-care-for-Mass-land.

    • Here’s a link:

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      Same ideas he advanced in 2004, with the addition of the 2012 kinda vague deadline which allows him to call the plan “universal.”

      That’s what’s new. A Republican presidential candidate from Massachusetts will be talking for at least the next 18 months about “universal health care.” A Republican. In 2004, John Kerry did not promote universal health care; he promoted the grab bag of other ideas. Universal was not in vogue in 2004.

      Whether Romney’s claims are exaggerated or not, he has already shifted the ground and the context of health access as a 2008 issue. With a leading Republican contender using the “U” word, no Democratic presidential candidate can do less, and do it without some detail. And every Republican will need a health plan as well.

      And that’s good news.

  6. “And that’s good news”  I must respectfully point out that it’s only “good news” if the health plans put patients before profits, a core guiding priniciple is NOT evident in the new “Romney-Care Chapter 58 MA health reform law. (which Kerry must not be aware of since he repeated during his speech that our goal must be to put “patients, not profits, first”.  I was there and afterwards I spoke with Kerry, his daughter, and Dr. Farrington who introduced the speech…)

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    Many social justice health reform activists attended the John Kerry speech at Faneuil Hall. We handed out over 300 informational leaflets to other attendees with the following info on the Health Care Constitutional Amendment Campaign, which folks seemed very grateful to be offered, so I’ll share it here as well:

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    Fellow Citizens!  July 31, 2006

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    Big ideas and bold solutions to achieve affordable Universal Health Care are before us in the Commonwealth (not to be confused with the recent Chapter 58 health reform law that purports to be something it’s not and will likely do a lot of harm).

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    Here in Massachusetts we’re already moving to make affordable healthcare a permanent & universal right for all! 

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    We need your help to win passage of the citizen-initiative Constitutional Amendment for Affordable Health Care Coverage. It is a volunteer-led campaign that began over three years ago. Go to the Health Care Amendment Campaign to get more information and to sign on as an endorser.

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    Help spread the word to others about this exciting campaign that has come under siege by corporate special interests because it seeks to give ordinary citizens the right to affordable comprehensive health care (imagine that, the audacity of us plain folk thinkin’ we should have such rights!!):

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    Instead of taking a vote on the merits of the health care amendment itself at the recent July 12, 2006, Constitutional Convention, 118 of our state legislators voted to send the amendment to a special study committee. The health care amendment needed only 50 Yes votes from legislators on July 12 to be placed on the statewide ballot this November 7, 2006. Instead the legislative “leadership” colluded with corporate special interests (HMO’s, Drug co’s, etc…) to try and kill the amendment by “sending it to a study”.

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    We must make sure a vote occurs in the legislature at the Nov. 9, 2006, Constitutional Convention so that this citizen-initiated amendment will be placed on the next statewide ballot. At that time voters will have the opportunity to approve establishing a right to affordable healthcare for all in Massachusetts.

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    Here are the facts on this Citizens’ Health Care Amendment Campaign:

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    p>  CITIZEN INITIATIVE PETITION FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT  RELATIVE TO THE PROVISION OF HEALTH INSURANCE  Official Language with Footnotes

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    p>  SECTION 1: The People of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts hereby declare it necessary and expedient to alter the Constitution by the adoption of the following Article of Amendment:

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    p>  Upon ratification of this amendment and thereafter, it shall be the obligation and duty(1) of the Legislature and executive officials, on behalf of the Commonwealth, to enact and implement such laws, subject to approval by the voters at a statewide election(2), as will ensure that no Massachusetts resident lacks(3) comprehensive(4), affordable(5) and equitably financed(6) health insurance(7) coverage for all medically necessary(8) preventive, acute and chronic health care and mental health care services, prescription drugs and devices(9).

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    WHAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD DO:  • Ensure that every Massachusetts resident would have access to health care they need when they need it.  • Require the Legislature and Governor to enact laws that made sure every Massachusetts resident has affordable, comprehensive and fairly financed health insurance.  • Cover medically necessary health and mental health services including prescription medications and supplies.

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    WHAT IT WOULD NOT DO:  • Require that the state become the insurer.  • Specify any particular mechanism, public or private, for financing expanded coverage.  • Involve the courts in micromanaging our health care system.

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    Learn more and get involved at: Health Care for Massachusetts Campaign 649 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 * Phone: 617-868-1280 * Website HealthCareForMass.org * Email: contact@HealthCareForMass.org

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    Lastly, if Kerry really wanted to propose a health plan that met all of the worthy priniciples and goals he spoke of so eloquently, he could have.  It’s called Medicare For All.

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