Single Payer Vote Dropped By Weiner In Health Care Compromise

New York Times:

Representative Anthony D. Weiner, Democrat of New York, and one of the fiercest champions in Congress of a single-payer health system that would be fully run by the government, said Friday that he had agreed not to insist on a vote on that issue in an effort to help Democratic leaders pass their plan.

Previously, Mr. Weiner had obtained a commitment from the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to allow a vote on a proposal to create a single-payer system like the one used by Canada and many countries in Europe, including England, Germany, France and Spain.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[jmpurser]

Sorry folks, looks like it's not a good time to do my duty to my constituents. I've got to do the best thing FOR MY PARTY instead.

If that sound like a good excuse to you then you might want to vote for him. For me it tells me that he is not the man of integrity I mistook him for.

[billy goat]

I have to thank Mr. Weiner for being one of the few voices in this very bizarre and ridiculously conservative country that believes that the profits of industry leaders always trump what's really best for the American people. Most of the conservatives including non-progressive blue dog democratics represent consituencies that haven't a remote clue about how dupped they are by radical capitalism as has grown over the past several decades. The republicans and conservative democrats don't care about you at all only their corporate cronnies. Government is not the boogie man. The boogie man is now in congress and installed by corporate interests only. You wee folk have lost your voice long ago in radical capitalist america (small 'a').

[sense oar sheep]

what does the savage weiner say?

[parlimentMike]

Yeah, there's nothing fiercer than a fierce surrender monkey.

[Appleblossom]

To quote someone:

"Progressive politics is, in my view, a movement, not a monument. We cannot achieve perfection in this life, and if that is our goal we will always be frustrated. The right has far more modest goals: At every turn, its members seek to advance their power and protect privilege. I've never seen the Republican right oppose a tax cut for the rich because it wasn't generous enough; I've never seen them oppose a set of loopholes for corporate lobbyists because one industry or another wasn't included. The left, on the other hand, too often prefers a glorious defeat to an incremental victory."

[Flavor]

I like what you state, because it's true. You see they know what fancies the liberal's, because they watch. As I see it the liberal party give in too much and you know what else the republican party will stand and stand firm on what they represent. I do know you will never get all of what you want, because this country is divided on what matter to them. My personal perception is that some want top look good, and in this type of fight you will never always look good but if you fight with VICTORY in your battle that's the best kind of look to have. Thanks for your post.

[Appleblossom]

legislation is by its nature a compromised thing-which is why the Constitution is so balanced as it is. Nearly everything was compromised on.

[Polly]

Oh yes we compromise once again - Yes the liberals will compromise while the church and pro life representives stand stong and gut the bill of reproductive health for women. Oh Yes the liberals will compromise, because we are analytical and thoughtful where as the people we oppose are ideolofical and will not budge!!!! WHO WINS!!!!

[haval2]

Took one for the party but he's the only one with common sense on it all. STRONG SINGLE PAYER the only way to go.

[DFL]

Lets take this one step at a time, in due time we will get single payer.

[oonamanoona]

That's wisdom talking with knowledge of history. Too many want too much too fast. It took this long to get this far for a demand for single-payer to compromise the fragile position health care reform is in. I see so many bash the neocons here without an understand that too far left isn't the position to take with this issue either. Single payer is much closer with the passage of this bill.

[gaubladt]

Single Payer may be required to save the Democratic Party come the November 2010 elections. Something real and beneficial and simple is needed to counteract the right wing-Wall Street political action machine.
The enemies of health care rely on confusion and misinformation to recruit their followers. If confusion about what a health care bill will provide still exists at the time of the next election, the Republicans and their Wall Street Clients will have a sweeping victory. They, with their allies among the corporate Democrats, will be able to reverse the legislation now being enacted.
If implemented promptly, single payer stands the best chance of delivering the goods to the American people and give them the real live experience they need to counter the Corporate Republican spin machine. The advantage of single payer is that it is at once much more comprehensive and simpler than the other plans being put forward.
Another palpable element in this debate is fear among the legislators. One may see the near unanimous vote among Democrats against closing Guantanamo as a humorous and cowardly anecdote. But, it may also a recipe for success in enacting single payer if congressmen can be convinced that they have to deliver the goods to their constituents, or face political extinction.

Representative Weiner needs to be more persistent in order to prevail. His, and President Obama's, greatest challange is to wean Blue Dogs away from their corporate benefactors. His efforts may rescue his comrades in the Democratic Party.

[Drjimmy72296]

"But I never wanted it to be the situation where we literally let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

Makes much more sense to let the imperfect be the enemy of the good.

[rad21]

After this bill becomes law, the learning lesson is: the only good way to address healthcare issues, including reimbursement, is to follow the Base-Closure model. Base closures too has many many vested groups, self-appointed consultants, and opinionated media experts.

The Base-Closure Commission is an appointed panel of experts (not politicians) who present a well-defined plan / proposal. The President and Congress votes to accept or reject the plan in an up-or-down vote; and not modify it.

Clearly there is a lot less controversy, politics and money-chan­ging-hands with such an approach. The country benefits from the expertise of the people in the field; rather than the know-it-all politicians and pundits; and saves itself from the bitterness and partisan wrangling.

[Kassandra]

Well, that's what Clinton tried to do and we all know what happened to THAT.

[ProgressiveChange]

Don't …’let the imperfect become the enemy of the good’.

Wiener must have borrowed this expression from Obama … who borrowed it from Ron Pollack, Famillies, USA. It enables those primed for compromise on major issues to explain that something is better than nothing.

So, the merchants of greed and most infamous in committing massive fraud (the “imperfect”) will survive and be rewarded … their profits will proliferate … but millions more will be added to the Medicaid rolls (aka “the good”), where they will need more than luck to find doctors willing to treat them (the vast majority of doctors don’t accept Medicaid). Individuals will be required to buy swiss cheese health insurance plans (”the imperfect”), which they may not be able to afford … and earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Americans will not have access to the same insurance at the same cost as Members of Congress (”the imperfect”), ... but if they can afford inferior insurance policies, pre-existing conditons denials will be eliminated (”the good”).

How it all works in reality years from now remains to be seen. But overall, The Health Care Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industries Profit Proliferation Act 2009-10 is well on its way to Imperfection peppered with some Good.

[babyboomerorig]

Weiner gave one he!! of a speech last night.....­he and a lot of others.

[TakeTheCanolis]

Next to last paragraph of article:

"Mr. Obama and Congressional leaders had long ago taken the single-payer issue off the table, saying that it would be too destabilizing to completely change the nation’s health care system. Adopting a single-payer program would require a sweeping overhaul of the tax code, as well as of the compensation and benefits packages of virtually every employer in the United States."

I don't buy into these pathetic excuses. These excuses didn't stop LBJ from creating Medicare, or FDR from creating Social Security. Face it. Obama is too timid to govern effectively.

[capitaldysfunction]

Never was a better slogan written: "Insurance profits are bad for my health care."