Krugman Attacks Obama's Lack Of Healthcare Mandate

Imagine this: It's the summer of 2009, and President Barack Obama is about to unveil his plan for universal health care. But his health policy experts have done the math, and they've concluded that the plan really needs to include a requirement that everyone have health insurance -- a so-called mandate.

Without a mandate, they find, the plan will fall far short of universal coverage. Worse yet, without a mandate health insurance will be much more expensive than it should be for those who do choose to buy it.

Read more here.

Comments

[drricklippin]

08:16 AM on 12/10/2007

Obama is vulnerable on health care issue.

Krugman is correct.Obama plan is out of step.
Hillary's and Edward's plan got it closer to correct.

No country on the planet has figured it all out.

My proposal is-

-get everyone health inusured now
-emphasize individual (health behaviors) and institutional (public health)prevention.
-Implement prevention incrementally and always with compassion.

Dr. Rick Lippin
http://medicalcrises.blogspot.com

[Centauri]

08:32 PM on 12/09/2007

Why should it be news that Oprah is a union buster? We know that she voted republican many times.

[Marlyn]

08:20 PM on 12/09/2007

I don't want either the Clinton or Obama health plan.

Get the profit motive OUT of health care.

No one needs health insurance.
Everyone needs health care. FREE health care.

Canada does it.
Britain does it.
France does it.

[starrianna]

04:17 PM on 12/09/2007

***********************************************
THIS STUPID LIST
is about as reliable
as

"Oprah's Favorite Things = You Must Buy Them All!"

We ALL know that OPRAH is full of CRAP now
and that her "credibility" has flushed itself

"Oh you must run out and buy this $285 hand scrubber!"

"Oh this $89 cleaning product is worth every drop! I know that sounds like a lot, but..."

Jesus, Oprah! You sound like a door-to-door vacuum salesman! Get out of my house, off my TV, and out of my voting booth you tool!

[LostInTheStars]

02:44 PM on 12/09/2007

Though I an still seriously considering casting my vote for Obama, Krugman is right: Obama's health care plan is not as strong as those proposed by Edwards and Clinton (though it is far better than anything proposed by any of the Republicans.) For me, Obama scores high on intelligence and depth of character. I also like the fact that he is the only electable candidate on either side who arouses passion and represents the future rather than the past. Edwards scores highest on policy (though he is not as good as Kucinich, who - unfortunately - is not electable), but Edwards is going nowhere in the polls. Clinton scores highest on political know-how and toughness, but she is too hawkish and too closely connected to corporate interests.

[SeanGardner]

01:08 PM on 12/09/2007

Obama leads in new NEWSWEEK Poll out today: http://www.politicalforecast.net/2007/12/07/newsweek-gives-obama-huckabee-leads-in-iowa/

[Nonamnesiac]

08:05 AM on 12/09/2007

Seems the Dems like non-union facilities and cities. Denver for the Convention. Non-union arena for Oprah.

I know. Union cities and facilities should be punished so the Dems can expand into areas that are anti-union, so we can expand the unbridled free trade wing of the Dems and get some more anti-labor trade agreements.

F--k the Dems, Oprah and Obama, if, of course, it's true about it being a non-union facility. But the Dems -- they already chose an anti-union town for their Convention, so we know it's true about them.

[chamberslee]

11:43 PM on 12/08/2007

I have concerns about Obama's politics. I attended a Cornel West lecture a Brown University, and Dr. West said he was hesitant to endorse Obama: (1) Obama had not stated (and still has not stated) a clear position and (2) Obama said Joe Lieberman is his mentor. Anyone who knows anything about Joe Lieberman should be concerned.

Joe Lieberman was a pretend Democrat; he voted with the Republicans the majority of the time and often sounded like a republican. It seems Obama is modeling his politics after Lieberman.

We do not know who Obama is, what he stands for. He is feeding off the public’s desire for change but is not telling us what that change would look like. He is intentionally vague so he can play both sides. The political method of not going on the record is not unique.

I am not a Hillary supporter, either; she may be more republican than she is democrat.

[chamberslee]

10:55 PM on 12/08/2007

Why become so outraged at critical analysis of Obama's political positions? Analysis is good; it is necessary. It allows one to make an educated decision.

Check the critic's sources. Are they accurate? Draw your own conclusion, but do not dismiss the article simply because you are an Obama supporter. Blind, unquestioning followers are why we are becoming a fascist state.

[realitytrumpsbull]

10:30 PM on 12/08/2007

Not more man-dates, don't tell me we've got
Log Cabin Democrats, now...what's Obama got
to say about illegal immigration in Illinois,
before we start handing out the Government
Doughnuts, here?

What's that, aspirin now cost 900 bucks per
tablet, and his brother has shares in Bayer?
Say again?

Yummy yummy
government doughnuts
in my tummy now
government doughnuts
yummy yummy
tummy tummy
yummy yummy
government doughnuts

[askmeificare]

08:25 PM on 12/08/2007

Obama/Oprah '08

[RuthieM]

08:20 PM on 12/08/2007

Obama's plan is the best, more affordable. It's just Klugman is a Hillaryite.

[RuthieM]

06:05 PM on 12/08/2007

This guy is definitely not for Obama. But news for Krugman, how about the fact when it's all said and done Hillary and Edwards mandate plans don't really provide health care for more than 15 million people -- either! But Obama's plan sure is better than this mandate of theirs and that still doesn't cover everybody in the final analysis.

[esl]

04:40 PM on 12/08/2007

Obama shows his true color if you pay attention. Who did he embrace when he first went on the floor of the Senate? John McCain and Joe Libermann. He is no liberal, he is no union man, he really is no Democrat.

[annevilla99]

03:16 PM on 12/08/2007

"OBAMA PORTRAIT" Music Video on Youtube
For those of you who still have not heard:

There is a WONDERFUL and INSPIRING video on Youtube.com entitled “OBAMA PORTRAIT MUSIC VIDEO BY BJARNE O.”

You can use the free downloaded high-quality stereo version from the composer’s website in DVD form to show at house parties. Even people who knew nothing at all about Obama have been moved.

The music soundtrack, which incorporates excerpts from the famous 2004 speech, can also be downloaded separately in high-quality.

AND, FOR EXAMPLE, PLEASE NOTE:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUTUBE VIEWER’S COMMENT:

EA1XA (6 days ago)

I've shared this video with everyone I know. They've replied with tremendous gratitude. They're now sharing with friends and family and suggesting to send out as gifts for the holidays. Yes, great reception because this could be the greatest gift AMERICA could receive.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is an uplifting and informative campaign tool.

So please, SPREAD THE WORD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPwbozpIzM

Together for Obama,
Anne