MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), OHIO: Well, no it"s not. But I just want to say, Ed, the people of West Virginia have to make their own decision.

I knew Senator Byrd. He cared about people. This was not a socialist bill. It"s actually reform within the context of a for-profit system.

And we have to realize that the for-profit system is resulting, even now within this reform, in opportunities for health insurance companies to make even greater profits. We have to change the system.

I advocate a Medicare for all program. And even under Medicare for all, the government doesn"t take over the hospitals. So, that scenario that you reported on, I don"t know--it doesn"t exist in country and chances are it never would.

SCHULTZ: It does not exist in this country. And the for-profit system is alive and well, post-health care passing of the bill.

United Healthcare, they are jumping profits for the third quarter, up 23 percent. There is nothing--there"s no socialism about this kind of profit.

KUCINICH: No, there isn"t. And what people need to understand is, under the current for-profit system, you know, until this bill changes it a little bit, one out of every $3 goes for corporate profits, stock options, executive salaries, advertising, marketing, cost of paperwork. It will change a little bit, but that"s hardly a socialist system.

What I would be concerned about, if you call that socialist, how do you feel about Social Security? Because this is really an important question and people should ask all candidates, whatever state they live in, whatever office they are running for on a federal level.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, what"s going to happen on November 2nd, in your opinion?

KUCINICH: You know, I"m not a political analyst. I"m not going to play one here.

I"m a member of Congress who cares very deeply that people have real choices, that they understand that there are jobs on the line here, that everything we believe about the capacity of government to do good things, it"s on the line, that government ought to be investing in building new infrastructure. It should be creating millions of new jobs. We should have trade laws that stop the movement of our jobs out of this country.

I mean, this--I"m hopeful we will focus on the economy. And if that happens, that the people will make the best decision. And I"m hopeful that the Democrats will be given another chance to try to straighten out this dreadful economy that President Obama inherited.

SCHULTZ: Well, there is no question that if the Republican does take charge in one or both houses of the Congress, they are going to repeal health care.

KUCINICH: Well, I"m not sure that"s going to happen, and let me tell you why. Because if there was an attempt to repeal, I think that the president would veto it. And they"d need two-thirds of the votes to override the veto. That"s unlikely to happen.

So I think that what we have to look at here is that you have so many American families who are struggling to make ends meet, who may have a child who has a pre-existing condition. That child deserves to have some coverage--who may have a child who needs to be on their policy through age 26.

I mean, we have to remember that this legislation, however flawed it was--and I have been on your show many times over the last couple of years pointing out the flaws in the present system and in this new bill. But let"s face it, it does help some people.

It moves us in a direction where insurance companies aren"t controlling everyone"s life anymore. And so, you know, even worse than government controlling corporations, Ed, is corporations controlling the government.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Dennis Kucinich, always a pleasure. Good to have you with us.

KUCINICH: Thank you.

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