Threats to private healthcare insurers? Single payer leading to socialism? As the House and Senate move further in on their dissection of healthcare reform, GRITtv had our own house call from Dr. Howard Dean.
Along with medical service and 12 years as the Governor of Vermont, Dr. Dean is continuing to expand his resume to not only author and DNC chair, but also as chair of the Progressive Book Club, which you can join here.
Out with a new book, Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform: How We Can Achieve Affordable Medical Care for Every American and Make Our Jobs Safer
I’ll have to get the book.
By Elliott on July 18th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Fantastic interview.
Book on order.
By newtonusr on July 18th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
democracynow also did a good interview with Dean.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Oh, Laura. Thank you so much. Your headline says EVERYTHING.
There is no new money required to provide ALL residence of this counrry with the very best health care on the planet. The vitriol and misdirection spewed by those that willingly choose to fuck their fellow man because they “have theirs” or they turn a handsome profit from things as they are, can not be allowed to dominate the discussion.
Again, thank you.
By oldnslow on July 18th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Bravo Dr. Dean! I can’t wait to read your new book!
By newspaperbrat on July 18th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
GRIT and Laura Flanders are massively under-appreciated. She does great work, and her appearances on the Ed Show are the best thing about that show.
By newtonusr on July 18th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
OT is Mathgoddess or eChan here? I’ll check back later
replyReply
ThingsComeUndone July 18th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I am not a math person at all are you on the FDL facebook page? here is my question divide any Prime number except 3 for obvious reasons you get a repeating decimal ending in .333 or .666 the bible holy trinity and the number of the beast these numbers alternate as you divide Prime numbers until they you get 2 .333 or .666’s and then the numbers alternate again is there a pattern somewhere is math as a science aware of this?
I lack the skills to search the math on the net to find an answer public school Philosophy major here.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
It is not new money the money is spent it just goes to the private sector other countries spend less and insure everyone.
Blub had some great comments today about Singapore and how Private Insurance surives by paying for perks like a private room so we need not fear the Private insurers will go under all they have to do is change.
Given time as we insure more people the costs should go down early detection of cancer and less emergency room visits was that factored in to the savings anyone know?
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Anyone who has an answer to the math question I’m on facebook as ThingsComeUndone why almost everyone uses real names instead of using both our real names and the ones we post under is beyond me.
Or if you wish for privacy just use the FDL name.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Also the bible people Peter? just how much knowledge of Primes would the new testement Jews have had with Pythgoras and the Greek occupation of Israel followed by the Roman occupation?
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I don’t understand the question. Divide any prime number except 3 by what? BTW, even if I understood the Q, I don’t have the math to know the A.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Be back later hoping for answers just how good is the group mind at solving non FDL questions?
Sundays book club if I make it might be very interesting if we get a solution.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Sorry Divide any Prime by 3
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Well, that’s easy. 1/3 equals .333 repeated and 2/3 equals .666 repeated. A prime number is a number not evenly divisible by and integer less than it, so divide any prime number by 3 and you get either .333 repeated or .666 repeated.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
And you have more math than a Philosophy Guy we gave up Math with the Classical Period for some stupid reason. Frackin borrowed net from the Neighbors Library is closed every plane flying over head kills my connection now.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Sorry but is there a pattern to predict Primes remember if you divide enough prime numbers the .333 and .666 will stop alternating and then you get 2 .333 then more alternating then you get 2 .666’s and more alternating the repeating primes seem random but I don’t think so.
I think there is a pattern which if understood could lead to an easy way to see if numbers are prime.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
So there’s this great math/physics joke that reveals an underlying human behavior. It is the physicists proof that 12 is evenly divisible by every interger less than 12. It goes: 1 goes into 12 evenly, 2 goes into 12 evenly, 3 goes into 12 evenly, 4 goes into 12 evenly. Let’s not get ridiculous.
In real life, 4 in a row that work defines certainly. Sometimes 1 in a row is good enough.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Don’t know why you’d need any such proof anymore, since someone somewhere on the intertoobz must have a list of every prime number, up to spittin’ distance of infinity.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I admit this maybe similar to repeating decimals:) But Got to go now bye
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Why did man go to the moon to show he could and he was right and… did not need to ask for directions:)
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Heh. Have a man asking directions story (or not). Business trip to talk to FL State Pension Plan in Tallahassee. Dinner meeting. Had address. Rental car from ap with 3 guys and me. We find the right road, median divider, go up past the right # on the opposite side, passing it, turning around to head in the other direction on the right side of the road. Numbers too high, all of a sudden too low, without spotting the restaurant. Males thought we’d surely see it next time up. I said: Oh gosh, I’m stuck in one of those guy things. Which caused them to stop and ask for directions. Turned out, the restaurant was in a strip mall around a bend in the road. We could have driven by it a 100 times without seeing it if we hadn’t stopped and asked. I rubbed it in. Didn’t get me any promotions.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Back OT, one of the way single payers medical treatment holds costs down is by price controls, set by the govt. Every D is smart enough not to point this out, though it does come out obliquely thru “bargaining” for prescription drugs. Don’t know why Rs haven’t made a big deal of it yet, except perhaps it’s hard to sell politically, since most voters think medical industry prices are a gigantic rip off (my professional economics opinion too) and would luv to see the govt say no to higher prices.
The economics arguement against price controls is that it distorts the “market”, both decreasing supply and increasing demand. But that nostrum prevails only if there is a genuine competitive market, which is not the case in the medical industry. Or in Dean’s words: the “market” doesn’t work.” In my words, the knowledge gap between buyer and seller gives the seller enormous market power to charge whatever he wants unless there is some non-market intervention.
By eCAHNomics on July 18th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Humor I find helps people put up with my madness:) anyway the primes alternate 3 divided by 23 = 7.666 then 3 / 29 = 9.666 the numbers double
3/61 =20.333 the numbers instead of alternating double with the next Prime 3/67 = 22.333
Then the primes keep alternating if divided by 3 until the next double which my old notebooks would show or my calculator if both were not packed up and gone. I’m trying to sell the condo.
But back on topic I want Howard on every news show debating the GOP. Dana from CNN on Jane’s thread couldn’t or rather would not ask a blue dog these questions so if the GOP won’t debate I want this fact mentioned.
Frackin lame O’s (SP?)
Oh and eCHAN I don’t blame my Mom for my Felony conviction I blame myself parents can only do so much. I do feel bad disappointing her though nothing is good enough for her and its tough to live up to her expectations they were a bit high:)
But I’m happy doing my thing.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
In the end thats all I feel my mom can ask of me.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
what a fabulous interview. looks like the book will be great!
By greenwarrior on July 18th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
That sounds similar to my understanding of the French use of private insurance.
But that would still be offensive to Insurance companies because they would be expected to, you know, pay for the private room. Right now they sell insurance to people for catastrophic care that doesn’t pay for the care. What are they going to do with those policies which cost lots and provides little, that are so profitable? Why the CEOs might have to make to with only a million or two in salary and bonuses if the current profits centers aren’t maintained because the investors would still expect, um, profits.
The people fighting so hard for the status quo, really do have a lot to lose. But unless I’m under estimating the American people this is probably a mistake. See, rioting is not unknown in America. Add to that that lots of people have gotten that burning up your own neighborhood is not as effective as burning down the Insurance Company headquarters (if you can’t find a way to the CEO’s home.)
By thurbers on July 18th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
OK Blub in the comments earlier today showed how the insurance companies can make cash he never gave numbers. I admit cheating people in a closed business probably is more profitable.
But if the GOP does not give us our way then how about opening America up to NAFTA Canada could sell us health insurance Mexico by mail could sell us cheap drugs.
The GOP if they had a brain better accept Obama’s deal now or we go all free enterprise on them.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Granted being asked if I am happy by my Dad and Sister not my Mom did piss me off are you happy is a bad question to ask someone if they think you are a disappointment to them.
By ThingsComeUndone on July 18th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Divide something by 3 and the answer is going to have to be some integer
i + 0 thirds
i + 1 third
i + 2 thirds
So, I don’t see your question is being especially interesting.
5/3 is 1 + 2/3
6/3 is 2 + 0/3
7/3 is 2 + 1/3
8/3 is 2 + 2/3
9/3 is 3 + 0/3
10/3 is 3 + 1/3
11/3 is 3 + 2/3
etc.
By MarkH on July 19th, 2009 at 12:28 am
A prime is a Cardinal number (1, 2, 3, 4, … infinity) which is only evenly divisible by 1 and itself.
Integers can also include zero and negative numbers
(-infinity, … -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, … infinity).
Don’t divide by zero. That’s a no no.
By MarkH on July 19th, 2009 at 12:33 am
This simple statement is rather important.
By MarkH on July 19th, 2009 at 12:36 am
A repeating pattern that might predict future prime numbers might get the NSA very worried:) Keeping the pattern from the scramble signal noise would be the next step.
the goal is to predict Primes easier
By ThingsComeUndone on July 19th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Want to pass a heath care bill? You only have to meet two criteria. 1. Tell the American people all of the details which in turn means providing lawmakers with the time to review all details of an already 1,000 page bill. But more importantly, 2. What ever the final outcome of the bill, make it law, that every member of Congress give up their current plan and make it mandatory for them to accept what their providing to the rest of the country. If it’s good enough for us, then it should be good enough for them.
By goldstandard on July 19th, 2009 at 10:14 am