At town hall meetings I've hosted in Vermont we proved something that makes us proud. We live in a state where people can have different points of view, yet we can listen to each other and treat each other with respect
In Vermont, there are many others like me who think the best way to solve the health care crisis (and save $400 billion a year in the process) would be to replace private insurance companies with a single-payer Medicare-for-all system. Unfortunately, there are not many in the United States Senate who agree.
Given that political reality, I am a strong advocate for what is called a "public option" that gives consumers a choice. Those who like their private insurance companies could keep them. Those who prefer a public insurance plan like Medicare could choose that option.
A public option is the one mechanism we have left to keep the private insurance companies honest and provide at least some cost containment. President Obama campaigned for that. Once in office, he reasserted that "any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange, including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest."
I take the president at his word. I am bothered by statements form some people surrounding him who suggest that we should go forward without that option.
From a political perspective, what we need to do is precisely what Obama did during his very brilliant campaign, and that is rally tens of millions of people to stand up and fight for a universal, comprehensive and cost effective health care system. In my view, health care is the civil rights issue of our time. It is not acceptable that the United States remains the only industrialized country that does not provide health care as a right of citizenship, that 18,000 Americans die every single years because they get to the doctor too late, that 46 million have no health insurance and even more an under-insured, and that one million people this year are going to go bankrupt because of medically-related costs. We can do better than that. We must do better than that.
The truth of the matter is that the Democrats have not been particularly effective in stating the case as to why we need real health care reform.
The truth of the matter is that there are virtually no Republicans in the Senate who are serious about health care reform. That's sad and pathetic, but that is the simple reality. Even worse, Republicans are not only opposing serious health care reform but they are grossly distorting what is in the current bills being considered. They are stalling and stalling and very effectively playing the obstructionist role.
While some members of the Democratic caucus may end up voting against a strong health care reform bill, I would hope and expect that every member of the caucus is prepared to stand united in opposition to Republican obstructionism and never-ending filibusters
Here is my bottom line: The system is disintegrating. We spend almost twice as much on health care as any other country. Our health outcomes are worse. The vast majority of people want a public option - among other reforms.
Now is the time for action!
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and our misery index?
I voted for President Obama and will undoubtedly Vote for him again but the above scenario is certainly a possibility.
The South--not so much.
Draw your own conclusions.
While I hear many people voice despair at the current state of the reform debate, we should all remember that in every country where this debate has already taken place, the fight was hard and long. In fact, health care reform is going to be as difficult, if not more so than electing the first AA president.
We did it for Obama, and we can do it again for health care. Every victory we rack up, particularly the major ones, are deadly body blows to the status quo, and particularly to the establishment.
I feel more positive about the likelihood of success, and while I'm happy to see our comedians take on these issues head on, helping expose the corruption, I am disgusted that the news organizations have deteriorated to the point where we must look to the comedians for honesty and analysis.
But once we get this health care reform sorted out, we must harness our momentum and push for the campaign reform that so many of our self-serving Representatives failed to enact. Pushing out special interest from the process of legislation is the last significant issue we need to address. It is the keystone that, when removed, will allow the current system of corporate control to collapse, and it should have been first on our list !
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While I admire what you stand for and agree with you on almost all------I must take exception to something you wrote here:
It isn't that a SinglePayer plan is not welcomed by many in the USA . . . but that the insurance and pharmaceutical companies have done a bang-up job of poisoning the well against it in many people's minds.
I find that when it is explained to them, they're for it.
The lies and threats masquerading as truth were effective: they fed on fear.
A SinglePayer plan is what most capitalistic Democracies of the world have. It is the most cost-effective, and the most stable arrangement. The doctors and hospitals work privately, and you are free to choose any doctor, any hospital for treatment you like.
Obama screwed this up BigTime-------this should be the easiest sell of any. It's win-win for the American public, a loss for greedy pigs.
NOW, even the public option is seen as somehow tainted . . . .fight for SinglePayer, Senator, we're with you.
The summer recess is almost over. Then Obama will have to tells the Republicans and Blue Dogs the game is over and vote on the public option plan without them. Many can be replace in 2010.
I thought your idea about Progressives having a tv network to counteract the disgusting fascist propaganda machine over at Foxsnooze was brilliant! And, from the reaction of the freeper trolls, it's got them very worried that their screaming lunatic voices might be drowned out by sanity.
Could some deep-pocketed Progressives like George Soros or someone, provide seed money, you think?
"They are stalling and stalling and very effectively playing the obstructionist role". You know better than most that Democrats have the ABILITY to pass whatever they want. When you have the house, a supermajority in the Senate, AND the White House - you don't get to whine about the opposition party.
The problem is political will. Some of them know that this thing could blow up in their faces, and are looking for political cover, exactly like what you are doing here. Don't make the R's your whipping boy when the D's have all the power.