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Anger erupts after California speaker dumps single-payer bill

June 29, 2017

California progressives are furious with Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, who last week halted the the single-payer health care bill that had passed the state Senate. Rendon and his critics are now trading blows as progressives lobby for the speaker to change his mind.

On Friday, Rendon released a statement saying SB 562 was “woefully incomplete.” The bill did not address serious issues, like financing, delivery of care, cost controls and necessary support from the Trump Administration, Rendon said.

On Sunday, the California Nurses Association, the leading proponent of the bill, fired back by circulating an image of Rendon stabbing the state of California in the back. The image shows a knife with the name “Rendon” on it lodged in the back of a bear on a mock California flag.

RoseAnn DeMoro, the executive director of National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association, posted the image on Twitter with phones numbers for contacting Rendon. The tweet instructed people to tell Rendon to “pull the knife out.”

On Wednesday, a single-payer rally outside the Capitol featured a demonstrator sticking a fake knife with “Rendon” on it in the back of a person in a bear costume. [Mercury News]

Rendon has responded by saying he is receiving death threats. One such threat, which was posted on Twitter, suggested that someone check Rendon’s “baseball practice schedule,” referencing the recent Washington, D.C. shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.

Worse yet, Rendon received a comment accusing him of “killing” someone’s ill son, he said.

“That was our last hope for our uninsurable son who is facing a heart transplant. He will be uninsurable once TrumpCare passes,” the message stated. “You just killed my son.”

In turn, Rendon is accusing backers of the single-payer bill of exploiting those who are suffering.

“It is shameful how the proponents of SB 562 have provided false hope to people who are suffering,” Rendon stated.

Prior to Rendon stopping the bill, SB 562 passed the Senate on a 23-14 vote. On Friday, Rendon announced the bill was not dead, but it would remain in the Assembly Rules Committee until further notice.

If adopted, SB 562 would replace private insurers with a state agency that would reimburse doctors and hospitals for treatment. Under the plan, all California residents would receive coverage through the state system.


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“The bill did not address serious issues, like financing, delivery of care…”


How could it not address these things? Was it written on the back of a napkin. This is unbelievable.


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It’s the job of the house to take the bill, debate it, and make changes — and if they still don’t like it vote it down. But now that won’t happen for at least a year because some lackey who takes legalized bribes from pharmaceutical corporations unilaterally pulled it. They need to do their job.


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The article is pretty clear..there was no bill, only an idea for a bill. California’s will have to wait a little longer for government rationed health care. If you want to see how great government runs healthcare, go take a tour of a va hospital., it is an absolute disgrace.


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Why do so many see single payer as I don’t have to pay?


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So they can fit it into the “free stuff” rants, they need to keep the hate fresh.


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“don’t have to pay” — for me at least it’s about getting per capita costs down (like what every other developed country is able to do). Administrative costs and price gouging are out of control — and that’s bad for consumers and business. I don’t mind paying an extra $1000 per year in taxes if i save $4000 in premiums.


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Administrative costs and price gouging are out of control because for way too long now the bill is being paid by someone other than the patient.


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I would say that it is due more to lobbied legislation that favors well established elements in the health care industry. They have created a system that they can work for excessive profits.


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That too…you are right but when insurance agencies and government entity’s took over the responsibility of paying the medical bills everything shot out of control cost wise. I’m a contractor and if uncle Sam paid the bill for my customer I could and ultimately would charge double. $45 Band aids for example became the norm just like $1200 hammers in the military.


This is why I would like to see both the government and Ins companies totally out of the business of paying medical bills.


Create health insurance saving accounts and open up competition and let the patient pay the bills. The Government could infuse these accounts with cash annually. They would still be helping but the patient would be in the drivers seat. let the Ins company’s stick to auto and home.


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Here is the problem. You will pay 1000 more in taxes and no drop of 4000 in premiums. All I have seen since Obummer care is prices go up.


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Obamacare (which is flawed insomuch that it’s an entitlement to a handful of insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies) is not single payer. Costs will continue to rise so long as healthcare remains a racket where a few firms get to charge as high a price as they can for services. Already some industries are paying 8% to 15% of their costs in employee healthcare premiums, and consumers are out thousands more per year that can be spent on other goods and services — all because monopolists bought our government and have waged a decades-old propaganda campaign deluding people about economics.


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While the ACA did not do as well as promised to keep costs under control, it did save consumers more on average. The problem was that the savings were not equally distributed and many people saved a lot while some lost a lot.


Single payer healthcare works in many other countries. They are getting better results overall for much less cost. Their systems are not flawless and do have some weaknesses but they have more strengths. We can do better in this country if we can do something to stop the influence of lobbyists in writing health care policies.


A single payer system for California might not be economically viable for other that or other reasons (like interference from the feds) and I am do think that it needs to be examined more thoroughly. But, if the ACA is voted out without a decent replacement, we should do something here because civilized societies don’t allow their citizens to suffer en masse or die due to lack of health care.


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The left has created a “Free Stuff” and “Entitlement” Mob and not have lost control, it will be very interesting (and fun) to watch the left self destruct as they find out they have been promised a lie. The same lie that leftists have promised all around the world, with the latest example being Venezuela.


When the money runs out the Mob will be angry and won’t easily let go of their Free Stuff paid for by someone else.


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Lol, Every thing is fine, the left is not self destructing, but you can pretend if you want.


Also Venezuela? that’s comparing apples to rutabagas, the right lies.


Free Stuff, Obama phones, bengazi bengazi, swift boat, birthers, trump, Putin and so on.


You are really talking about the “right” self destructing.


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Then why does the left keep losing elections that are “referendums” on the Trump administration?


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Because the elections are rigged. Just ask Trump — that’s what he’ll say, right?


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Must have got your marching orders from CNN huh Kettle?? Was that from the recent fake news? LOL.


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P.S. keep drinking the Kool-aid.


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What a big distraction, as long as we have corrupt care there is no good plan. Currently the medical industry, as a business, has a billing machine most don’t follow and the insurance companies are using this criminal behavior to justify their rates. Again, as it is today, there is nothing that will work.


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The Progressive crybabies should be ashamed of themselves, as should the Republicans in Washington DC, ramming their ideas of healthcare reform. This affects every American and should be a result of dual Party participation. No more bandages, take the time needed and resolve this issue that the Democrats created because the backroom deals, special deals, etc. were done so the current plan would fair and we could move to a single payer system.


I for one do not, will not, absolutely not allow California to manage my health care. We live in a democracy, capitalist free market Country and I will not stay here and have this State who thinks more of the illegals, poor, blacks and special interests to manage my healthcare as they see fit. Let’s all be honest, they have not managed pensions, budget, homelessness, roads, social services, immigration, illegals, dams, bridges, farming, drilling, schools and governance as a whole.


Hate and fear mongering will resolve nothing and shame on the Nurse’s Association and this is very hard to believe that people who are suppose to save life’s would threaten someone’s life. I have loss all respect for this professional. Fight fair and square for a cause but to promote or threaten with violence or death is absolutely not acceptable and is purely disgusting!


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Just a correction….we live in a Republic….pure democracy is dangerous.


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“pure democracy is dangerous.”


That is literally Hate and fear mongering.


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Ah the typical left response. When you can’t argue anything, EVERYTHING is hate. Geez.


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Great on paper – terrible in real life.


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The latest example of liberals eating there own.


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No, exaggerate much?


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Ah, so even another example has been reported since this one, eh?


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Everyone loves to stuff themselves at a fancy dinner, enjoying the most expensive wine, the best meats, freshest vegetables, desserts that are more like art than food and being served and having their every desire attended too, but then things get interesting when the bill comes and everyone scrambles for the door trying not to be the one left with the tab. Welcome to California where the bill is almost due and everyone wondering who’s going to pay? The ones who enjoyed the meal are all heading for the door.


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or border


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Fancy food and fresh veggies are a thing across America.


You don’t get out much, do you?


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Good they are starting to eat themselves.


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