We’ve seen it time and time again, since the Nixon administration.
Congress is given the mandate to fix the health care crisis.
There are no easy popular fix.
So Congress elects to do nothing yet again
And there was much rejoicing (in the health insurance executive suites)
To be fair, Obama doesn’t seem to be in favor of a single-payer system either (contrary to what a lot of conservatives seem to believe). Also…well, there is this economic crisis going on atm so it might not be the best time.
-XT
That’s far from a done deal, and none of the Senators quoted in the article are exactly big fans of changing the system now. Let’s see what those more for it have to say before we get too worried.
I’m sure the promise of savings by the industry was designed to elicit exactly this reaction of just waiting and doing nothing for a while.
Meant to add that as well…it’s a bit early days to be fretting quite yet that nothing at all will be done.
-XT
Nope, we gotta have a lot more people die and a lot more people beggared by the health care industry before that becomes an option.
Excellent news!
First of all, the link provided by the OP never said that Congress was attempting to scuttle a single-payer system. They’re not because, as you rightly note, Obama is not proposing such a system. What he’s proposing is a public option that will give people the opportunity to enroll in a government-provided system if they can’t afford private health care.
Also, while you’re right that the economic crisis makes it hard right now, the fact is that it’s never the “best time” to do this sort of thing. First of all, when times are good Republicans are too busy falling over themselves to hand out tax breaks to people in the top quintile, and are not interested in using extra revenue for things like health care.
Second, in tough times is precisely when people need to have a safety-net option. With all the people who have been losing their jobs, and all the companies that are struggling, there are increasing numbers of people who can’t afford private care. They need the public option more than ever.
There are some conservatives, i think, who vote against things like public health care because they truly believe that the private system can be made to work best for everyone. They have everyone’s interests at heart, and just differ on the process.
There are others who seem to take great delight in any and every policy that makes life harder for poor people, and who positively delight in the suffering of people with different views.
Not sure why, but you’ve always struck me as being in the latter group.
Says the person who makes their living off private, for profit health care! Color me surprised!
Cite?
Why, precisely, do you think that this is good news? Are you one of the folks who believes everything the government does fails badly and consumes an incredible amount of money?
Why do you hate Americans?
Yes actually, I do. Tell me, when has the philosphy of “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” actually worked?
I don’t hate Americans, or anyone else, for that matter. You’re a tool for saying so.
The Manhattan Project, the interstate highway system, NASA…
But you sure love it when poor people get hosed.
http://zeppscommentaries.com/Other_Voices/all_the_good_of_liberalism.htm
(James Carville’s “We’re Right, They’re Wrong”)
That last item BTW is why we are talking now about a really bad recession rather than the great second depression.
Apologies…I misunderheard the OP. Re-reading I see that it has nothing to do with a single-payer system.
Exactly. FWIW I think such a system is do-able, though I think it will cost more than it’s proponents think it will.
While I agree with you that there will never be a ‘best time’ I think there are certainly ‘worst time’…and I think the current economic situation is a good general characterization of that. We aren’t just in any old economic downturn or run of the mill recession atm.
Well, I tend to agree…I will note however that we DO have at least a minimal ‘safety-net option’ atm. It’s just not a really GOOD safety-net with all the bells and whistles some could wish for. I’m sure you realize that I’m not a big proponent of having the government do this kind of thing…myself, I think there are better ways to accomplish the same goals than a huge new government entitlement program. That said though, I think some kind of change is needed…and Obama IS the President, so I guess we’ll do it his way and see how it works out (assuming he can get Congress to go along).
-XT
The Manhattan Project? The one that killed tens of thousands of civilians? That sure was helpful, wasn’t it?
Not a very good example but historians will tell you that it also saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of American soldiers that then did not need to invade Japan as the war ended sooner.
I’m aware that it wasn’t a good example, that’s why I commented on it.