Tonight on The Independents: Health Care on Life Support, Featuring Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Jeffrey Singer, Dr. Keith Smith, and Stories About My Wife the Drug Mule!
Friday night's theme episode of Fox Business Network's The Independents (9 pm ET, 6 pm PT, repeats at midnight) is an attempt to sketch out what American health care will look like in 2014 and beyond. Kicking off the show is a fascinating interview with Dr. Ron Paul, who describes why he got into medicine (hint: to avoid killing people!), how government intervention has altered the health-care market, what parts of your body you should be able to sell, and whether he'd do it all again. You won't want to miss it.
Speaking of Ron Paul, here he is on Tuesday's Independents, talking NSA and Edward Snowden:
Also on the program will be a couple of doctors familiar to Reason readers. First is Jeffrey A. Singer, the good doctor for liberty, talking about themes he explored in a classic 2013 magazine piece, "How Government Killed the Medical Profession: As health care gets more bureaucratic, will doctors go Galt?" Then Keith Smith, subject of Reason.tv's 2012 feature "Oklahoma Doctors vs. Obamacare," will explain how his insurance-free, transparently priced clinic works in Obamacare America.
Tonight's Party Panel wears lab coats: Dermatologist Elizabeth Rosenthal and Cardiologist Steven Reisman talk about their similar experiences with—but different conclusions about—the Affordable Care Act. Another Mr. MD, Cedars-Sinai liver/pancreas specialist Nick Nissen, explains how the molecular revolution and advances in surgical techniques are ushering forth a more promising future in treating the worst cancers.
Finally, there will be some personal segments about how the co-hosts' various brushes with the health care industry have informed their weird opinions about it. A certain French lady is implicated.
Speaking of inappropriate personal comments, here is the "Two Minutes Hate" segment from Wednesday's show:
Yes, that will be a regular feature, so keep 'em coming, both in the comments thread and on Twitter @IndependentsFBN.
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Wait a minute... what is this? We haven't had PM links yet and we're talking about the independents already?
What is this unprecedented violation of sacred protocol?
Are you trying to confuse us, Welch?
We pre-tape the Friday show, and sometimes it's good for people to get a heads-up before they leave work.
Ok, it's just that we've been using the Independents thread for our late nite links that we've always been deprived of, like poor orphan children that Santa never cared about.
Now you've gone and ruined late nite links for tonight, (;
That is an off label use.
If you're sayin we're still getting out late nite links thread, then my sad has brightened just a little...
It's Friday so I assume he dumps this now and has an (I assume unpaid) intern repost it around 6 when the show starts.
That way he can take the rest of the afternoon off to go to do cosmo-y things in Brooklyn.
Cocktail par-tayz, amirite?
He's leaving early to stop at Whole Foods to pick up some artisanal mayo.
I thought he got that from the hipster co-op down the street from his rent-controlled apartment?
Not rent controlled!
This is dangerously close to the truth. Union Market, though. And nothing poncey.
I've got to actually watch this sometime. I'm terrible about not watching programming during its first run. Can you guys get in the Amazon Instant Video queue?
I've watched it one time.
I'm just in such a habit of NOT getting my news from the teevee, that it's now hard to do so. I watch very, very little teevee.
That's part of my problem. We got a DVR finally when we switched to FiOS, so my sin is all the greater.
It's not that I don't want to be support the whole libertarians are now the hip and happening thing and that we've went mainstream, or anything like that. It's just that my posting time here is about all of the free time I have, and that's not been much lately.
I've got a wife and more kids than I can easily count. Plus a gaming habit. And I read a lot.
I love the Two Minutes of Hate. Keep that coming!
Maybe that sounds bad. I love the rest of the show too.
I actually like the show (most of the time), but now I'm going to try to think up nasty things to say just for the chance to see my reason handle on TV.
You jerks! You know economics. You should know how incentives work!
I would like them to quote me saying a FCC-permitted version of "No, fuck you, cut spending."
Can you say "Screw you" on network programming?
They could just bleep it out like they did last time with one Reason comment.
That's fine with me. If they don't like that one, they can quote this: "Will no one rid me of this turbulent government?" Or, if that's too confusing, the following variation works, too: "Will no one rid me of this troublesome government?"
I'd just go with the "NFYCS and see how much makes it on TEEVEE...
Why not? Epi was featured.
I'm surprised the FCC didn't object right then and there. I believe he's been ruled as inherently obscene.
I slipped through the cracks. Just like I do with your mom.
I think that rule is known as 'The Warty Rule'.
Warty transcends human "rules."
The Independents is by far the worst show on Fox Biz. Bring back the car auction. Also, the Indy panel can eat a bowl of dicks.
We also post Tweets throughout the show. And they're usually not Hate-Tweets (AFAIK).
My claim to fame for live tweeting is getting on Fast N Loud four times, and once on Street Outlaws.
Maybe I'll watch independenets and give that a whirl - see if my skeelz translate from hotrod to politics....LET'S SCRATCH 'EM OFF!
I think I speak on behalf of every libertarian when I say that the only way to make the "Ask A Communist" segment work is if at the end of it you ritualistically sacrifice Myerson on a dollar sign-shaped alter in the name of the Lord of Light, Ayn Rand (Free Markets Be Upon Her).
But if that isn't in the budget you can simply lock the studio doors and have him fight Kmele in a trial by combat. We'll even chip in to buy Kmele an authentic Bat'leth.
By the way, I think the guy they got to do the "2 Minute Hate" readings did an excellent job and really brought out the special hatey-ness in each of the various comments. I vote to keep that guy as the Official Nightly-Hate-Reader. He has talent.
INDEPENDENTS SADDLE UP!
Bets on earrings?
None?
Studs?
Touching the collarbone?
Armpits?
Holy shit, is that Trapper John?
She bejeweled her smock.
Why can't the Independents have an awesome backdrop like that?
Will Kennedy interrupt Ron Paul? Stay tuned, because she went boring as hell on the earrings. I was hoping for Jacob's Ladder earrings at this point.
I still think she needs to increase her earring size with each commercial break.
I prefer increased complexity. She needs to work up to a fractal pattern.
Is RoPaul going to use the phrase "healthcare queen" here?
I gotta say, it's sometimes hard to follow what Ron Paul is saying. He's like the Bon Dylan of the libertarian movement.
His downfall.
If only the Micks had written Obamacare.
4-way split screen. An independents gang bang.
They're all rapt listening to Ron. It's like they're watching Hypnotoad.
Impressively so.
"This show's been going downhill since season three."
Baby Reason is as well. It's hard not to be mesmerized by the old man.
She is now waving at the TV and saying "hi" to him. She has never done this before. My babies are awesome.
It's Kennedy's earrings. They do the same to me.
I love that old man.
Paul's aura is fuschia.
Jesus, selling organs? Can we TRY and stick to the idea of "less regulated" without the whole "Kidney Stealing Racket" of mine you're trying to weasel in on..
I'm in the market for a kidney.
I'll more than likely need a liver.
Are you one of those elites who demands a HUMAN kidney? I could get you a slightly used horse kidney from one of NY's finest carriage pullers.
I saw a TV doc on "the illegal organ trade" with happy poor Filipino donors. Whether they started a business, built a new house or blew it all on booze and hookers they were all very happy with their $1200. Except for one with kidney disease, but he had a thriving small business so I'm sure his family was better off.
The TV acted like it was a bad thing but their footage and interviews contradicted that. Good luck.
The TV acted like it was a bad thing...
It wasn't that Dan Rather thing, was it? I saw some of that one and he was making sure I was appalled at being able to pay for a kidney.
Not interested. My manservant is a Filipino and I've seen his kidneys. Not for me.
Ron Paul wouldn't join any government club that would have him as a member.
Liver for sale! Best offer! No credit turned down.
small print: liver has processed over 250,000 liters of alcohol, and tons of other pharmaceuticals
Did Dr. Paul just admit to being a gigolo in medical school?
The same wavelength, we're on it.
ARE YOU COMING ON TO ME?
Eh, I'm not that big on Asians.
He's not hearing a no!
I'm not going to dismiss him sight unseen. I'm just hedging at this point.
I am a gigolo, so get your checkbook ready.
He sold his body. Segue to discussion of prostitution.
Oh...oh...almost an interruption from Kennedy, but she restrained herself. Do you have a shock collar on her when Ron comes on, Matt? Is that what the hoop earrings actually are?
Wow, Kennedy wanted to interrupt Paul for a good minute while he was speaking.
Independents need to concise-ify
"Political tit for tat." What is tat and where do I go to exchange it for the other thing?
I really dont think the State Medicine advocates learned anything there. "Why can't a rich country make medicine free like England and the Swedens? I still dont know and that old man scares me."
That said, at least the commercial is not an old naked man in a hot tub
Why does Carbonite target its product at whipped married males?
I thought he was a man-whore for middle-aged women? CHEAP HOTELS LADIES
Bonesaw is reaaaaaaaaaaaaaady.
Oh, come the fuck on, do they need Lab Coats?.
It's a trust thing.
There could be blood!! Or cum.
It's great because we didn't even ask them to!
Pimple Popper, MD, is onboard.
Well then, Pimple Popper, why is health care so expensive?
Do zombie doctors need health insurance? Where do they get these people?
Did they vet lady doctor here?
She's wearing a button that reads, "Medicare for All." She doesn't hide it.
Profit!!! Evil, evil profit!
Who invited Doctor Evil Profit to the table?
My wife and I both lost our ins (we have separate policies) and had to go back to the ins cos. Mine increased 37% with a high deductible, hers stayed about the same (she had a pre-existing)
The government passed Obamacare, but Obamacare's failure isn't the fault of the government. Got it, lady. Where's your degree from, Hollywood Upstairs Medical College?
Why it's Mr. McGreg, with a leg for an arm and an arm for a leg!
Replace the expense insurance adds with the expense of a government bureaucracy! Problem solved.
Soon it will be the libertarian industrial complex.
& it will be amazing.
Can we opt out?
If you like your current industrial complex, you can keep it!
"medical-industrial complex" for sure. It's not the ins companies, though. it's the AMA and the govt
These guests are agreeing with each other...
What kind of teevee is that?
They should just put on an hour of Ron Paul. He seems to capture eyeballs a lot better if the rest of the panel is any indication.
It'll never work. He doesn't have a lab coat anymore.
I want blooooood!!!
Saw your comment over in Raw Story (the Peter Schiff story) That is a very delusional and violent crowd.
I considered engaging, but didn't feel up to it. Would have tied up the whole afternoon. I had like 9 downvotes when I Xed it out.
Me too. I put up about 5 comments (bigterguy), all were 8-10 down.
I was waiting for the token socialist weasel for the night, and it showed up in that lady doctor.
What we need is more ads telling us NY state is 'business friendly' while Cuomo and DeBlasio announce their various extortion schemes to make private industry pay for their pet projects.
Got a link to a feed?
I get it over on Watch Fox Business News
Bill Gates at Davos ;(
http://video.foxnews.com/v/125.....watch-live
requires log-in
Try this http://aajnetworks.com/v2/fox-business/
Sorry I didn't hit reply to your post the first time
Do you mean this?
No workee
Oops, choose stream 2
Thanks! Flow Design!
Matt wanted to make sure everyone knows he's all for killing zygotes.
So before the advent of birth control all women were being denied rights because it didn't exist yet?
Universal access to crocodile shit!
When Welch said Bob McDonnell he made a jerkoff motion.
"Medicare for all" lady DOES think that 'what you need' is the governments decision, not yours.
"We're all in it together."
Fuck you, cunt. If the panel doesn't eat her alive I'll continue watching.
Seriously. She can go fuck herself with a cactus.
Eat a bag of what?
Panel isn't amused by Kennedy's antics.
Shocking that morons have zero sense of humor.
What do ya say folks? Are we all in it together?
I'm not getting laid, why am I paying for your fucking?
We're all in it together! Spread the cost around!
Was she talking about vacations in Cozumel? Condos in Vail? Lady-boys in Phuket?
Why does "we're all in it together" justify one thing, and not the government paying for my Weight Reduction surgery, or sex change, or paying for my Diet Program = anything that may be justified as my 'betterment'?
Birth control is available only by prescription so scumbag doctors like the ones on the show can force women to go in (and pay) for an office visit. But remember, we're all in it together.
HOW DARE YOU THINK WOMEN CAN MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT A DOCTOR!!!!!!
Well, you can pick out shoes...
But think about how long that takes and how prices are driven up.
As fun as it is to be a part of this live commenting, I miss being able to fast forward through commercials.
What, you don't want Alyssa Milano hectoring you for 50 cents a day? You'd think she'd have saved some of her money from Who's the Boss.
Or Teen Steam
You don't want to see dying African children who are in need of your quarters?
I just get a blank screen whenever a commercial break happens. The silence gives me unwanted time with my thoughts.
NANCY "wicked witch of the west" PELOSI had to pass the bill in order to find out what was in it.
She still doesn't know.
(Other than a cure for her Speakership.)
Why can't the Independents ever distill the point to the guests = "When you want the 'government' to pay for something (because 'we're all in it together' or whatever nonsense), then you're allowing the government to CHOOSE THINGS for you?" They can't have their cake and eat it too. Nobody ever seems to drop it on guests like that.
They cut the sections too short - should come back for some follow-up. It's not easy to respond that quickly and clearly.
Since it's a new show, I don't think they're in the market to hector and confront guests for fear of getting a reputation and limiting their choices for the future.
If you don't have a lab coat, Doc, we can't hear you.
It means there will be a glut of doctors in Galt's Gulch.
But will they let me have as much birth control as I want?
Groovus is already there. I miss that man.
He's in a gulag somewhere?
Wasn't your hubby keeping in touch with him on teh emailz?
He was, then Groovus stopped responding. The last email sloopy received said he was going to take a break from Reason for awhile. No idea why.
Very suspicious. Maybe he really did run into issues?
Speaking of Sloopy, I miss his frequent links to the most awesome nutpunches. Cops behaving badly!
Sloopy is online half as much as he use to be due to his new job. And when he is online, he is trolling Huffpo. No idea why he does it. He actually thinks he is reaching the morons.
If he's reaching those morons he needs to go on TV - the best televangelibertarian ever!
EVERYBODY commenting on HuffPo is a moron.
Ouch for Sloopy.
You can trade a couple of cans of corned beef and a box of .223 for a new kidney
If you won't take insurance, Doc, well...they'll just make you. Welcome to the future!
THERE WAS AN EDIT. I saw it, right before Kmele's question.
You win the prize!
Dr. Jeff has a problem with authority.
Oh Matt, your shit-eating grin is the shit-eating-est.
Suderman can out Shit-Eat him anyday.
DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT MATT'S SHIT-EATING YOU SHITHEAD
I thought Commander Ryker had the shit-eating-est grin?
No, Lore.
*Riker
And BBC America was showing that episode where they have to remove the Indians from a Cardassian planet.
So much heavy-handedness both in the obvious allegory and in the way they portrayed the Native Americans' spiritual beliefs.
I find it discouraging that when the guy describes "private care" = i.e. "Paying directly for a service" - it has to be *explained* because its such a fucking disorienting and foreign concept for most people.
Kennedy: interrupting with love and compliments.
They should interview those doctors who gave that guy a colonoscopy looking for drugs.
Three cheers for competitive veterinary care! (as I suspect is the next segment)
I propose the edit "Three cheers for competitive elective surgery care!"
Kennedy's voice over recorded with a can-and-string.
...and auto-tunes
I think whenever they have leftist guests, there should be a logical fallacy bingo board on the screen that slowly fills up as they talk. Then everyone can shout BINGO!
This is actually a great idea.
Or perhaps hangman, but with a scarecrow instead of a stick figure for all the straw man arguments.
Pft, our work comp patients who pay nothing out of pocket and get reimbursed for almost 4 hours of time per visit at their regular pay don't like waiting in the waiting room.
I have the sound down. Is Kennedy filming her appointment for an earringectomy?
That could be dangerous. Does she have insurance?
This guy's weird southern accent is distracting me.
Sounds like he's from the same area as RP.
RP is from PA(originally). This guy's an Okie. Neither of those places are "the South".
He was a yinzer, which is why he was never going to be president.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....59834.html
Wow. On so many levels. Was the 18yo having sex with the 13yo?
No, he just laughed. I assume these are typical yinzers?
Leave it to The Smoking Gun's commenters to figure this story out in one pun.
lol!
Death panel! Say it!
Tonight's show is profoundly depressing. Something fun in the next couple of segments, please?
Puppets demonstrating where the government hurt Kennedy.
Never! If it's fun, it isn't The Independents! Right Matt?
I keep telling them, Communist torture could make ratings skyrocket, but Noooooooo they can only find *one*, and he's so boring that its not even amusing...
The Smarties maggots Foster planted in his nose the other night finally come to fruition.
THIS.
Pancreatic Cancer mortality is really what the show needed to get the momentum going.
It's exactly the kind of pick-me-up that kibby was looking for.
Seriously. I'm snoring here...no amount of gin can save tonight.
I suggest getting high, like me.
If I wanted to have a panic attack & die, that would be on my list.
Lucky man, you. It's still illegal here. And the wife isn't down with it.
It's illegal everywhere I've ever been. Fuck the law.
You need to get out more. Denver, Seattle, Amsterdam are calling
I would like to see a debate between Thomas Friedman and Thomas Sowell. Call it the Battle of the Thomases.
Sowell for the win.
Yay. Liver transplants.
That reminds me, I need to check the bloodtype of my orphans.
This surgeon would be a lot more interesting if he went off on a Malice-style rant about how he's God. Where's Alec Baldwin when you need him?
Always be curing. Cocksucker.
COFFEE IS FOR CURERS.
NOT WITH AN ATTITUDE LIKE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CURE CANCER.
Drug mule stories might just turn it around.
No wonder Welch didn't bump this post up to the top of Hit and/or Run.
ITS NOT A TOOMAH
This is really wrapping up on a light note. I'm going to go drown in a bottle of whiskey now.
The enthusiastic air-drumming before breaks is probably what's keeping me watching at this point.
Adorable puppies in pain commercial. Oh boy.
Hey, at least it's lighter than the show's subject matter.
Donate to the ASPCA or we will kill these animals.
Show dogs in a Chinese meat market!
Welch's wife is a drug mule!
Call the DEA!
They might consider sending their kid away. You know, because jackbooted state thugs kicking down the door at 2am and hauling their parents off in the night is the kind of thing that could traumatize a 5 year old.
Should she be outing Welch's wife as a prescription drug mule?
Sounds like a certain Frenchy is about to have a run-in with the TSA.
Likes French healthcare?
COSMOTARIAN!
Give me enough of the right pills and I'd be down with it too.
Matt admits to being a socialist healthcare lover! NO WONDER this was soft-pedaled on H&R
AH! Lou Dobbs.
Each show could end with a Remy song to lighten things up.
And cushion your system for Lou Dobbs.
And the Reason takeover of FNC/FBN begins...
This is my favorite idea of the night.
AIGGHHH LOU DOBBS
Kennedy's pill problem is interesting given that there is a new "T" (testosterone) pill that warns against anyone who is not a middle aged man touching it, for there is tremendous risk.
Come to think of it, every new drug commercial seems more and more like a parody from the movie "Joe Somebody".
Lou Dobbs and Dinesh D.Souzaphone. Oh no.
But James O'Keefe --- KEEP Watching for him
SEXY SAX...and SOUSAPHONE!
Well, that put me in a terrible mood to go finish my homework.
This show was worse than watching old people fuck.
(Put that on your 2 minutes of hate.)
Brad Pitt and Kennedy are both pushing 50...
I think I could fap to that.
No hate mail?! I demand bloooood!
No hate mail?! I demand bloooood!
Hate mail minus fixing what the mail was about means it's still a talk show.
Oprah without tears.
Larken Rose made this interesting video explaining how tax regulations are different from the statutes.
It was dumb of him to use the 861 argument when it had been shot down before. That said, he makes a compelling case that most domestic income is not taxable according to the statutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg1nYbch4TQ
An hour and a half? You don't really expect us to watch that, do you?
You just spent an hour watching Kennedy contribute to the eventual heat death of the universe.
And I learnt something from "The Independents": Life is short.
Just roll with it dude, Roll with it.
http://www.AnonWork.tk