Comments on: By tabling single payer early, Dems lost leverage in health care debate

By: Bill Forbes

Bill Forbes — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:45:39 +0000

So Mark, if an informed electorate is necessary to the survival of democracy, and you’re telling us that most Americans are uninformed, what does not even TRYING to inform them say about Democrats and the future of our democracy? After 40+ years as a spear-carrier for the Democrats, I’ve had to face the fact that the DFL and the National Democratic Party have betrayed their own people. It pains me to say that I am now a Democrat without a party but it would make me puke to pretend to belong to the party of these amoral political hacks. I’ll take the pain. And welcome to the asylum run by corporate and religious lunatics. After 2010, I it will be here to stay. At least without health care, we won’t have to stay there very long.

By: Mill

Mill — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:46:22 +0000

Thanks for your warm regards, Mark.

If I hold a “populist” belief, it exists, even if in only my view.

If it isn’t the majority view, I stand corrected. I saw a report that said a majority of Americans want health care reform, and want a public option as part of that reform. That’s what I asserted. I can’t link it, it was on MSNBC broadcast or some such place, so you can suggest I’m wrong for failing to provide the evidence. If getting something wrong makes me a jerk, everybody is one. But I’m not deliberately advocating something I know to be false. That’s what a jerk does in my view.

That most Americans may oppose current health care reform suggestions does not contradict my point – I don’t support current plans either – Baucus got it wrong in so many ways it’s painful. So it is possible that a majority of Americans want health care reform that includes a public option, and that current proposals do not achieve that.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:40:11 +0000

Mill,

Your rhetoric is unsupported by the facts. According to current polling data, more Americans seem to be opposed to current health care reform plans.

http://www.pollster.com/polls/us/healthplan.php

At best case (for Democrats), given the margin of error, Americans would be split pretty evenly on the Democratic health care proposals.

Appeals to populism generally make horrible arguments anyway, given that most people, frankly, don’t understand social policy and economics enough to craft more optimal policies (I mean, our elected officials can’t even do it). But when you’re appealing to a populist sentiment that doesn’t even exist, that just makes you a jerk.

By: sueinmn

sueinmn — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:08:37 +0000

You fix that issue with saying “screw the repubs and blue dogs” and implement single payer via a 51 seat vote. That would teach them who refuse to negotiate. Those doing any negotiating are just so far out of touch with the people, they get an inch then they demand a mile aith no plan on accepting any changes. Why waste time! Implement single payer, raise the FICA tax to pay for it. Most of us would come out ahead as it would still be paying less than what we pay for insurance premiums. Much less if we all shared the real deal!

By: Henk

Henk — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:55:09 +0000

Great piece Mike, I’m so glad to see a decent article in a local publication. You might want to investigate Rahm Emanuel’s role in all this.

By: ummm

ummm — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:52:29 +0000

Ummm… I think they just saw how much $$$ they stood to lose from insurance lobbyists and fear losing their jobs without the easy cash from big insurance and big pharma. No politician wants health reform. It takes away from their campaign funds. Dems and Pubs matter not in this debate. They are all watching their bottom line, except the Pubs play it off as “patriotic” to defend the for-profit health industry and our “American Right” to choose. What choice is that again? Pay more for premiums every year and like it?

By: Mill

Mill — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:59:52 +0000

The Democrats have plenty of leverage to pass a public option as part of health care reform. It’s called popular political support.

Most Americans want health care reform and most want a public insurance option as central to that reform.

We the People INSIST that Congress get this right for a change.