Pnhp

Congress has just gone through 10 days of reflection and grief over the tragedy in Tucson. Will we see civil discourse take place this week in Congress?

Perhaps it is quixotic to pursue a seat in Congress these days if you are a progressive. I think not. Candidate Dr. David Gill has been chasing that d...

Where does the single payer movement go from here? They will no longer be deferential to the Democratic party. They are taking the fight to their legislators in their communities and in D.C., demanding accountability.

At the New Albany meeting, people were polite and even relaxed enough to chuckle whenever someone spoke with dry Indiana wit. Yet Hill silenced would-be hecklers by saying "Let me answer that before you interrupt, please!"

In 2002, that more than 18,000 Americans between the ages of 19 and 64 were dying each year as a result of being uninsured. The new number is two and a half times that figure.

Republicans have fought against Medicare from the very beginning. But in their strategy to kill health care reform, they are all of a sudden sounding like defenders of Medicare against the evils of big government.

Obama's speech was even weaker than the spin preceding the joint address to Congress suggested.

Organized medicine has become so fragmented that no one group speaks for the profession. In fact, some groups have endorsed major health care reform.

Hill could not represent a southern Indiana consensus view, because there was none; whatever he chose to do, it would cost him votes.

Likely rewards to the hospital industry from health care reform? If events continue in direction they are now, hospitals will thrive, with more insured people and generous accommodations from government.

The drug industry's agenda is crystal-clear: expand its markets through wider insurance coverage, avoid price controls, and gain maximal patent protection.

Why this incredible disconnect among our elected representatives shaping the future of one-sixth of our economy and future health care of all 310 million of us?

Despite some useful provisions, it is wishful thinking to believe that health care "reform", as projected by current proposals being considered in Congress, can actually make health insurance more affordable and make a real difference to people already burdened by their spiraling costs.

If enacted, exchanges and co-ops offering a small public option will only raise hopes for reform that will never come, and are therefore a cop-out for those shaping this year's reform attempt.

A recent post at the National Center for Policy Analysis expounded on 10 "surprising facts" about our health care system. The piece cherry picks literature to make a political point.

What is likely to emerge from Congress on health care reform this year, if anything, will not be real reform and will only add to our problems.