That was the argument Seattle talk show host Dave Ross made near the end of his program on December 24th.
Before I go any farther I should add that, as I learned yesterday, Ross may have been under great stress when he made that argument. His father, who had been ill for many months, passed away on Christmas day. (I was listening to the first hour of his program to see if he retracted the "traitors" statement, which he had made just before he left on holiday. Ironically, Ross began the program by complaining about the mean things some Republicans have been saying about Harry Reid.)
That said, Ross should still either justify his name-calling, or retract it and formally apologize. On air, on his web site, and on his program's web site.
It was not entirely clear why Ross thought that Republicans who oppose ObamaCare are "traitors", nor did he say whether he thought the large minority of Democrats who also oppose ObamaCare are also "traitors". As I understood him — and he didn't make a very coherent argument — Republicans who oppose ObamaCare are traitors because the plan had so many features that would be wonderful for the country.
Although his argument was not particularly coherent, it was revealing. For many supporters of ObamaCare, the principles behind it, especially universal coverage, are so important that they override any practical considerations of cost. (And nearly all of the proponents are at best indifferent to the severe limitations on our freedoms in the plan.) Or at least let us put those practical problems off to another time. That overwhelming desire to have a national health insurance plan leads them to make silly arguments about bending the cost curve down, and even to call opponents of the plan "traitors".
Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics.
(Ross is not just a talk show host; he was a Democratic candidate for Congress in 2004.
This is not the first foolish thing that Ross said; for two more examples, look here and here.)
Posted by Jim Miller at January 12, 2010 09:45 AM | Email ThisOK, so that doesn't make me much of a traitor, I suppose.
I can live with that.
What ... if terrorists were killing 45,000 people every year in this country? Well, the current health care system, the insurance companies, and those who support them are doing just that. ... Those fighting health care reform -- not those debating its shape or its nuance -- people who demand the status quo, they are killing 45,000 Americans a year. ... Remind me again, who are the terrorists?
--MSNBC's Keith Olbermann
Liberals are vile, vile bunch.
Posted by: Palouse on January 12, 2010 09:54 AMWhy should only Democrats have to compromise?
Posted by: Joe Szilagyi on January 12, 2010 10:09 AMInteresting. I'm curious where this number originates.
#1. Tort Reform
#2. Being able to purchase across state lines
#3. Health Savings Accounts
#4. Putting the patient in charge of his own health care, not his employer or the government (i.e. he buys his own health plan, if he can't afford it then he gets a tax credit)
#5. Making health insurance more like car insurance (You don't use your car insurance to pay for your oil changes and flat tires, why do you want health insurance to pay for routine check ups and flu shots?)
I could go on but you get the idea. Republicans have plenty of good ideas. Democrats and folks like Olbermann just choose to ignore them and tell America that our plan involved killing off old people.
Hope this helps.
Posted by: Mark Griswold on January 12, 2010 10:30 AMAnd never mind that, even if it were true, Olbermann calling Republicans terrorists because of it would be like calling car manufacturers terrorists because that many people die in auto accidents every year.
Posted by: Mark Griswold on January 12, 2010 10:36 AMI've been called worse by people much better than him.
Next.
Posted by: jimg on January 12, 2010 10:38 AMIf passing this health care reform NOW is so damned important, then why does the taxation start immediately but the payouts don't start happening for years after? How many people will die paying for something they do not get?
Posted by: FurryOldGuyJeans on January 12, 2010 11:54 AMKeep up the good work, Dave!
Posted by: jvon on January 12, 2010 12:04 PMKeep it up Dems. Ridiculous insults all help in November.
Posted by: Jeff B. on January 12, 2010 12:31 PMIf he's on the air anywhere near Rush, who cares?
(We should not copy Dave Ross's name calling. Since we have the better side of the arguments, we don't need to.)
Posted by: SPQR_US on January 12, 2010 03:28 PMDid someone throw cement on railroad tracks, shoot up somebody's office, slash tires, or beat up someone? Of course not, but these are things democrats have done to others who weren't democrats.
Dave needs to zip it, methinks, and spend time telling his own party to be decent.
Posted by: Michele on January 12, 2010 03:39 PMActually, the 5 points could make a significant difference that statists don't like to hear. Problem is the a$$holes in Congress aren't interested. It's not about serving constituents to them, its about power. Time to vote out these corrupt-ocrats in November.
Posted by: KDS on January 12, 2010 07:22 PMAnd what research would that be? Source?
David
Posted by: David on January 12, 2010 07:24 PM