By Erich Vieth on September 04th, 2009
How to have a conversation about health care reform
I commend the way that Al Franken engaged with these tea party folks recently:
Watching this video makes me ever more suspicious that the media is driving unnecessary conflict (on health care reform and on everything else) in order to sell ads. It seems much easier to talk when the media isn’t around spewing sound bites and featuring angry extremists, instead of focusing on the many ways we actually agree with those with whom we “disagree.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off of the woman who tried to start the conversation in a contentious way. I kept wondering whether her views on Al Franken were shifting given the impressive way he discussed the issues surrounding health care reform.
- An army of 50,000 highly motivated citizens condemning health care reform
- George Lakoff offers some framing tips to the Democrats re health care reform
- Is the goal of health care reform merely to save lives?
- This is not real health care reform
- Another ill-informed conservative argument on health care reform
Is it just me or do some of the ‘protesters’ seem to have a deer in headlights reaction to numbers and facts. That and are completely surprised to be talked to like a human being by someone they probably only know as a gross right wing radio caricature.
what did he say of substance?
just a bunch of gobble-de-gook.
as a U.S. Senator he is insufficiently informed to be making decisions for me.
I agree that Franken didn’t present any new health plan in full detail (who has?). I was impressed at his skills and effort in diffusing what started out being a hostile crowd.
” I was impressed at his skills and effort in diffusing what started out being a hostile crowd.”
which has nothng to do with health care,
you should change your title from “How to have a conversation about health care reform?” to “How to be a smooth talking politician without knowing anything.”
The discussion wasn’t about elephants. It wasn’t about keeping your lawn fertilized. It was about health care. It’s not the last word on health care, I’ll admit, but Franken did give some useful information about portability of insurance, about bankruptcy (80% of those who go bankrupt do to massive medical bills DID have insurance), and about the need to better regulate insurers so that they can’t reject applicants for pre-existing conditions. It’s palpably untrue that Franken doesn’t know “anything” about health care issues.
TMOL : Exactly what decision ‘IS’ Al Franken attempting to make for you?