August 18, 2009 at 2:54pm
As many activists have said in the past few days, the time has long passed for compromise on health-care reform. The country needs a single-payer system. It's the only system that makes sense. Single payer was off the table in Washington from the get-go, so we've already compromised.
Now members of the Obama administration are backing away from a public-option component. As Bob Herbert said in this morning's New York Times, "This is reform?"
Public option isn't perfect. There are lots of unknowns about the plans being considered (including who would be eligible for a public plan - not a small issue). And some progressive critics say that it won't generate the competition with private insurers that its supporters hope.
But from what I'm reading, public option is an important step in the right direction, and anything less is too weak a tea to consider. (The American Prospect has a good discussion, pro and con, of public option here.)
Rochester's Metro Justice activist group is urging people to contact Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, asking them to work to keep public option in any reform bill. Do that. Absolutely.
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Comments for "TOWLER: Push now for a public option in health care reform" (3)
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dfaTOM said on Aug. 23, 2009 at 8:13pm
It's just an option....what is everyone so afraid of?
dfaTOM said on Aug. 25, 2009 at 6:59pm
The public option--the key word being "option". It is just an option. What is everyone so afraid of?
In the realm of possibilities, the public option represents the best path for health care reform. It bridges the gap between a single-payer plan and doing nothing at all. Again, with the key word being "option", this path is win-win for everyone. It is the freedom to select another plan; a health care plan that is not provided by a for-profit insurance company.
The public option could provide health coverage for those who have never had it and for those who choose it over their current plan. The competition the public option will provide will force for-profit insurance companies to provide better service at lower prices.
As Dr. Howard Dean recently said, the public option will allow health care reform to move at a pace of its own (because it is optional) and that is probably a speed everyone could live with.
hiwayman17 said on Aug. 29, 2009 at 9:21am
At Eric Massa's most recent town hall meeting in Victor, the real show started in the high school parking lot. When I saw the line of cars turning into the parking lot, my first thought was that I was at the wrong school because the cars filing in were more of what I would expect to see going to the opera or theater. The typical car seemed to be a $40,000 Lexus, Acura or Infiniti. These were no the vehicles of people in need of health care.
As the white haired man in the blue t-shirt at the town hall pointed out, the crowd was biased. The vast majority had health insurance as shown by a raising of hands. These upper crust individuals were there to stop those truly in need of health insurance and health care from getting it.
What a truly sad commentary it is about the American people. Yes there is a great division in America. When Bush was in power, Democratic activists tried to stop a WAR. Now Republican activists are trying to stop HEATH CARE REFORM. Think about it.
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