Howard Kurtz--An Unreliable Source?

Here's a segment for next week's CNN show "Reliable Sources." Why is it that the mainstream media treats single-payer healthcare (Medicare for all) as a fringe idea --when, in fact, it has broad support?

In a Sunday-morning segment--devoted to dissecting media treatment of Michael Moore and his new film Sicko, Howard Kurtz asserted that Moore is "pushing government-run healthcare which no Presidential candidate supports."

Last I checked, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), and a candidate for the Presidency, not only supports a single-payer, Medicare for all, not-for-profit healthcare system but he co-sponsored HR 676, The US National Health Insurance Act, along with Congressman John Conyers and more than 74 other House members. It's a detailed bill, which was reintroduced in the latest session on Congress.

As Kucinich said in a recent Presidential forum, " It's time we ended this thought that healthcare is a privilege. It's a basic right, and it's time to end this control that insurance companies have not only over healthcare but over our political system." If "Reliable Sources" wants to remain reliable, shouldn't it issue a correction? Maybe devote a segment to media coverage of single-payer healthcare?

After all, if CNN can devote an hour this Wednesday evening to Larry King's interview with Paris Hilton, shouldn't it be able to give over a few minutes to coverage of single-payer healthcare? After all, according to a March New York Times poll, nearly two-thirds of Americans believe government should guarantee healthcare to every American, especially children, and a majority are willing to pay higher taxes to get this done.

Comments (32)

1. "Why is it that the mainstream media treats single-payer healthcare (Medicare for all) like a kooky or marginal idea--instead of one that has majority support?"

   Perhaps for the same reason...Hillary Clinton....Barak Obama...and John Edwards are (although JE's supposedly will "evolve" into it)???

   Posted by Mask at 06/24/2007 @ 8:55pm

2. KVH: ...if CNN can devote an hour this Wednesday evening to Larry King's interview with Paris Hilton, shouldn't it be able to give over a few minutes to coverage of single-payer healthcare?

   No doubt Larry King will be beating back advertisers eager to sponsor the `Born Again w/Paris' hour.

   Seems Michael Moore or Dennis K., the main advocates, ought to `sponsor' a few minutes of coverage by CNN to explain the wonders of single-payer healthcare.

   Or they could get more bang for the bucks by running 15-second spots on the hour during Prime Time blaring: "With Dennis Kucinich, all US residents are covered for healthcare, no worries, our dear old Uncle Sam will pay for it!"

   Posted by Happy at 06/24/2007 @ 11:30pm

3. "Howard Kurtz asserted that Moore is "pushing government-run healthcare which no Presidential candidate supports."

   Maybe they should have said...

   "No serious candidate for the Presidency",

   when saying there is no support...

   Posted by john maasch at 06/25/2007 @ 01:12am

4. All I want is the same health care coverage for the same cost to me that my Congresswomen, my two Senators, the president and v-president get. Is that too much to ask?

   "America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system." - Walter Cronkite

   itmfa

   Posted by COProgressive at 06/25/2007 @ 01:32am

5. ""America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system." - Walter Cronkite "

   Who gives a shit what he thinks about health care?

   He is one those you would never see standing in line(next to the smilimng CO, happily getting what he wanted, UHC, as his propellar was spinning wildly, a red one) waiting for his heart trans plant, only to be told he was standing in the stamp line, that he needed to go to the line accross the hall...and that the person at the window was on break(union rule, of course), but would be right back..soon....take a number("565"), as the number "112" was called....

   Posted by john maasch at 06/25/2007 @ 08:21am

6. The broken health care "system" in this country has been a disgrace for years, and it only gets worse. However, the for-profit "mainstream" media continue to act as propagandists for the entrenched insurance and pharma industries (just look at the ever-growing multitude of TV, radio and print commercials for insurance companies and 100 different designer drugs), since the consolidation and commodification of media in a few global corporations--with the same globalization agenda, and often the same financial interests, as global insurance and pharma corporations--has succeeded as planned, abetted by the incremental but systematic support of both parties of Congress since the Reagan Revolution. "Democrats" in Congress long ago became GOP-Lite, especially within the DLC-Corporatist bubble occupied by Bill and Hillary and their compatriots like Reid and Pelosi and Feinstein and Murtha and dozens of other powerful Congresspersons.

   This is the embedded status quo, and it'll take just a little more than a nerdy, generally inconsequential, perpetual presidential candidate or a film polemic to turn this ship around. Doesn't mean they shouldn't try, as they are, to emphasize the utter moral righteousness and common sense of universal, single-payer care, which works so well in other civilized nations, but in a society dominated over time by ruthless, amoral corporations and a reactionary, nationalistic vision of America as a standalone country under infinite seige by "terrorism" (the just-in-time replacement for Communism, and the current Boogeyman), dedicated to perpetual struggle for survival, and thrown back into retrogressive social and economic Darwinism, it'll take powerful forces of social upheaval and political re-ordering to achieve any resurgence of the very concept of common interest, let alone a specific social welfare program like universal health care that will cost billions, gut the profits of insurance and pharma, and symbolically signal a return to "New Deal" liberalism that will be fought tooth and nail by the reactionary coalition in this country.

   Polls notwithstanding, one can only hope that Americans are reaching a sort of "critical mass" of disgust and impatience with the paralysis of government and the lack of positive movement in meeting the needs of the great majority of the American People. Until that happens, we're left with "Sicko" and Kucinich spitting in the wind. It's very simple: we need a Democrat in the White House, and failing that, a veto-proof majority in the Congress. Both would be nice.

   Posted by stonecutter at 06/25/2007 @ 08:58am

7. "we need a Democrat in the White House"----Posted by STONECUTTER 06/25/2007 @ 08:58am

   STONE, how do you reconcile THIS....with this...

   "especially within the DLC-Corporatist bubble occupied by Bill and Hillary and their compatriots"

   When the likely Democrat you'll get in the White House is....Hillary?!?!??!

   Posted by Mask at 06/25/2007 @ 09:13am

8. A system of Health Care can only work if Care is the underlying motive. It seems unlikely that Big Pharma and other business interests will permit anything other than a Health Profit system, however.

   Businesses are under pressure to expand (grow) and, as direct imperial expansion has not been an option since the mid 20thC, what happened in that time is that business expanded internally, into areas of life (medicine, education, war, entertainment, childhood and so on and on) that were not previously corporatised. They will not relinquish these positions easily, and will find or buy champions in both the dem and rep wings of the Big Business party.

   Posted by mikecope at 06/25/2007 @ 10:08am

9. A system of Health Care can only work if Care is the underlying motive. It seems unlikely that Big Pharma and other business interests will permit anything other than a Health Profit system, however.

   Posted by MIKECOPE 06/25/2007 @ 10:08am

   Let's see, healthcare, along with food, shelter & a decent job (w/benefits) sum up what the Left insist should be basic rights of ALL US residents! And of course, must be provided without profit. IF this isn't Socialism or Communism, pray tell, what is it?

   Posted by Happy at 06/25/2007 @ 10:58am

10. Perhaps for the same reason...Hillary Clinton....Barak Obama...and John Edwards are (although JE's supposedly will "evolve" into it)???

    Hillary and Obama are taking money from HMOs, which explains "their" position.

    But I have yet to hear any argument against single-payer, although lots of people here are bashing UHC.

    Why have "multiple" payers? Do doctors really want to have multiple organizations that they get money from or are they more interested in getting paid with the least amount of bureacratic headaches?

    Posted by Metteyya at 06/25/2007 @ 12:58pm

11. If Dennis Kucinich honestly thinks such a monumental process like our health care system, in its present semi socialist form or otherwise, could function as a non profit organization, than he is a complete fool with no understanding whatever of economics or the nature of man

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 06/25/2007 @ 1:00pm

12. BTW (yes, copying it from the other "Sicko" threads)...before we consider if Howard Kurtz is a "reliable source"...

    Perhaps we should consider if Michael Moore is....such an instigator or "pusher of the debate"...

    Moore has NEVER moved ANY debate, ever. Think about it.

    Did "Roger & Me" reduce lay-offs in Detroit?....nope.

    Did "Bowling for Columbine" change the political landscape on gun control?...nope. In fact it came out in 2002...while Columbine was in 1999 and the Fed and state gun laws that that gave rise to were passed in 2000. After 2002...nothing. In fact you had guys like Kerry pictured hunting geese in '04 and guys like Jim Webb running as "pro-gun Democrats" in '06.

    "Farenheit 9/11" came out in June of 2004...right in the middle of the elections. Result?...Bush won by 3 million votes.

    So, where is the evidence that "Sicko" will "move the debate on universal health care towards a single-payer plan"?!?!??!

    Posted by Mask at 06/25/2007 @ 1:25pm

13. "Farenheit 9/11" came out in June of 2004...right in the middle of the elections. Result?...Bush won by 3 million votes.

    Most didn't see Farenheit 9/11 until it was out on DVD, so you should look at the '06 election for its effect!

    Posted by Metteyya at 06/25/2007 @ 2:08pm

14. Health care isn't a right in the U.S., but it is in every other democratic country in the world, with the exception of South Africa, where the apartheid system worked against it's implementation (just as the majority of the 48 million people without insurance in this country are the poor and immigrants). Clean water isn't written into the constitution either, but it is also something we should feel entitled to as a prosperous nation. The reason America stands alone on this issue is because the political system here is so completely beholden to the money men, and so completely at odds with representing the will of the people. If the politicians were denied their own health care coverage until they fixed the system, this would be resolved in no time.

    Posted by silverstein at 06/25/2007 @ 3:00pm

15. SILVERSTEIN, I have a feeling we would disagree on the WAY to fix healthcare, but I like you idea of witholding it from them till they offer and follw through on a solution. Perhaps we could expand on the idea and simply stop paying them altogether untill they start doing their jobs.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 06/25/2007 @ 3:11pm

16. Clean water isn't written into the constitution either, but it is also something we should feel entitled to as a prosperous nation....

    Posted by SILVERSTEIN 06/25/2007 @ 3:00pm

    I don't know about where you live and derive your water. We PAY for our municipal water and it's NOT SUBSIDIZED in any way today....It's probably non-profit but definitely user-paid! $44 last month for 6,000 gallons (water & sewer fee)...one of the highest in the country, so I understand!

    Posted by Happy at 06/25/2007 @ 3:36pm

17. As Kucinich said in a recent Presidential forum, " It's time we ended this thought that healthcare is a privilege. It's a basic right, and it's time to end this control that insurance companies have not only over healthcare but over our political system."

    I guess Kucinich needs to actually read that copy of the constitution he is always waving around. There is no "basic right" to health care.

    Kucinich and KVH might actually try reading the document sometime.

    Posted by antiliberal at 06/25/2007 @ 3:41pm

18. Actually fellows, the knowledge base of the typical pro-UHC/single payer advocate is pretty shallow....proof in point-

    "How does the Gov't keep costs under control?" (Necessary if not going to continually raise taxes and cripple the economy).

    Answer?...few coming. Because it means one thing...rationing, or wage/price controls over doctors and drugs. Either one a hornet's nest of "Well, then how do you keep GOOD doctors or GOOD drugs in the Federal health care system and not opting out for the private 'spas' that will emerge under such controls?"

    Again, answers?...few will come.

    Posted by Mask at 06/25/2007 @ 4:19pm

19. What is it about Americans? They go on and on about freedom and how the US is the best at everything. And yet, when it comes to health care, it has to be rationed out only to those who can pay for it. Return on investment for hospitals or drug companies must be protected at all costs. Who cares about sick people.

    But some people are favoured. If you're over 65, then you're covered. Or you work for a favoured company or the government. Everyone else is on their own. And for this narrow mindedness, Americans have some of the shortest life spans in the major economies because so many can not pay for basic healthcare.

    A single payer system like the one in Canada has its problems, but compared to the mess in the US, Canada's problems are small and fixable.

    Posted by theleftcoast at 06/25/2007 @ 4:25pm

20. LEFTCOAST, If we all had to pay for our own it would be better still.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 06/25/2007 @ 4:30pm

21. Posted by THELEFTCOAST 06/25/2007 @ 4:25pm

    TLC, care to take a stab at my questions? (Posted by MASK 06/25/2007 @ 4:19pm)

    Posted by Mask at 06/25/2007 @ 4:34pm

22. Its odd that the wingnuts seem to think today's modern health care model is something the pilgrims brought with them, or something the founding fathers would recognize. Being a physician during the birth of our nation was a noble profession, but not one to get rich on.

    The current system is not very old...30 or 40 years. As, SiCKO will point out, it got its blessing from Nixon no less!!

    Why such an odd attachment...maybe because they can afford the premiums and can get jobs with good coverage.

    Posted by BlueTexan at 06/25/2007 @ 4:35pm

23. Either one a hornet's nest of "Well, then how do you keep GOOD doctors or GOOD drugs in the Federal health care system and not opting out for the private 'spas' that will emerge under such controls?"

    Again, answers?...few will come.

    Mask, you don't seem to understand that single-payer does NOT equal government run hospitals!

    Single-payer just means instead of receiving payment from a bunch of HMOs, doctors will receive "their money" from the government. They still will operate out of private and county hospitals like they do now, but with single-payer you can go to the doctor of your choice rather than be restricted by the HMO.

    Also, bulk purchases of medicine can occur under single payer, substantially reducing the cost of medicine.

    For those of you that really want to understand what a single-payer system is all about, go here [pnhp.org]

    For those of you who only want to confuse the issue by bashing UHC, I suggest you educate yourself on what single-payer really means so you don't look as stupid as you appear!

    Posted by Metteyya at 06/25/2007 @ 4:46pm

24. It is purpose of the corporate media to brainwash the american public into accepting ideas that serve corporate interests and attack those ideas that serve common interests. There is nothing new in that. It hires those people that can sell corporate views and ideas. It has the money and machinery to insure that the prevailing views of those that matter are aligned with the corporate interests.

    Posted by kevin99999 at 06/25/2007 @ 4:51pm

25. In fact, corporate media should be treated as enemy number one when it comes to implementing changes that serve public interests.

    Posted by kevin99999 at 06/25/2007 @ 4:53pm

26. Posted by KEVIN99999 06/25/2007 @ 4:51pm Posted by KEVIN99999 06/25/2007 @ 4:53pm

    Seriously KEVIN....is "corporate" the new radical term for the old "capitalist exploiters"?

    Posted by Mask at 06/25/2007 @ 8:11pm

27. All of your questions are answered. It is now your responsibility to listen.

    The long term effect of Michael Moore's films will be more than the sum of the effects of any single film, book, or television episode he's made. The only real thing stopping his films from having the immediate effect they should is the incentive his targets have to go into propaganda overload to counter his points.

    Posted by kusturica at 06/25/2007 @ 9:30pm

28. The long term effect of Michael Moore's films will be more than the sum of the effects.....

    Posted by KUSTURICA 06/25/2007 @ 9:30pm

    Oh, Pulllleeezze.............You think before Sicko, no one has heard of medical inequities, wrongful denial of coverage, or some tear-jerking stories of some poor folks denied medical help? Moore has hit a publicity gold mine and he knows he can crank out sequals after sequals....

    Posted by Happy at 06/25/2007 @ 9:55pm

29. I believe that the mainstrem media is more at fault for the direction the country is heading in then even the GOP. They ignore treason, war crimes, even murder by Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld et al and flood the airwaves with stories of Paris Hilton, missing white women, Aruba, etc. I suggest that people stop watching CNN, MSNBC (except for Countdown w/Keith Olbermann) and, of course, "Fixed News" and start using the internet instead. A great site is the Nation, of course, Others that are well known are Media Matters, Buzzflash.com, etc.... Turn off you TVs and start doing you own research.

    Posted by GOPHater at 06/26/2007 @ 3:11pm

30. LEFTCOAST, If we all had to pay for our own it would be better still.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON 06/25/2007 @ 4:30pm

    Uh... I believe we all already do. Whether it comes out of our pre-paycheck or out of our pocket.

    Or perhaps you are referring to folks over 65 and the disabled. Maybe they should pay their own way?

    Do you have insurance? If a major health catastrophe befalls you, are you gonna pony up for it, or is your insurance gonna pay for it? Pay more than you've paid in, in other words. Surely you wouldn't want anybody elses money paying for your healthcare. Right?

    Eric

    Posted by Malcontent at 06/26/2007 @ 6:45pm

31. We need a national discussion about how lack of universal health insurance/single provider has stripped us of our freedom. We now make major life decisions based on how to get or keep health insurance. Things like marriage, divorce, parenthood, childcare, retirement, starting a business, etc. must take into account the effect on health insurance. How many people are indentured servants to a company because of a health condition of their's or a dependent's, and dare not leave a job they hate for fear of losing health coverage? How many can't work part time, or take a leave from working for school, childcare, elder care, or to fulfill a lifelong dream? Doesn't sound like land of the free to me.

    Posted by peggysue at 06/27/2007 @ 2:12pm

32. Howard Kurtz IS an unreliable source. He like the rest of the main stream media, with a few exceptions, have a financial interest in spewing propaganda. Corporate interests control the government, and the public gets screwed by greedy corporations! One way to stop these crooks is to re-regulate all corporations! In addition to regulation, the law that gives a corporation the same status as an individual must be repealed! The de-regulation which Reagan started is the reason the middle class is in such sad shape today.It's plain to see that all politicians, regardless of party, owe their lofty positions to large corporate backers. Nothing to benefit the public will take place until people gather in large numbers and march on Washington with pitchforks and torches, and tar and feathers! It is a travesty, that millions of people in this country are unable to get health care! Or, if they do, are ripped off for their life savings!

    Posted by ChingarraSan at 06/27/2007 @ 2:15pm