# Congress will kick the can down the road on health care **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 19, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015 "2009-05-19T21:55:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sishoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sishoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sishoch)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/1 "2009-05-19T21:55:53Z")
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](http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aZH_tU6TpHeM) And there was much rejoicing (in the health insurance executive suites) ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/2 "2009-05-19T22:06:24Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/3 "2009-05-19T22:07:20Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/4 "2009-05-19T22:09:47Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/5 "2009-05-19T22:29:04Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > To be fair, Obama doesn’t seem to be in favor of a single-payer system either… 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. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/6 "2009-05-19T22:53:01Z")
> [@sishoch](#): > > So Congress elects to do nothing [yet again](http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aZH_tU6TpHeM) Excellent news! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/7 "2009-05-19T22:53:12Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > 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 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. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/8 "2009-05-19T22:56:06Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Excellent news! 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. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/9 "2009-05-19T23:02:10Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Excellent news! Says the person who makes their living off private, for profit health care! Color me surprised! ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/10 "2009-05-19T23:14:17Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Says the person who makes their living off private, for profit health care! Color me surprised! Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/11 "2009-05-19T23:16:36Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Excellent news! 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? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/12 "2009-05-19T23:19:54Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Excellent news! Why do you hate Americans? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/13 "2009-05-19T23:30:14Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Are you one of the folks who believes everything the government does fails badly and consumes an incredible amount of money? Yes actually, I do. Tell me, when has the philosphy of “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” actually worked? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/14 "2009-05-19T23:33:16Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Why do you hate Americans? I don’t hate Americans, or anyone else, for that matter. You’re a tool for saying so. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/15 "2009-05-19T23:33:33Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Yes actually, I do. Tell me, when has the philosophy of “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” actually worked? The Manhattan Project, the interstate highway system, NASA… > [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > I don’t hate Americans, or anyone else, for that matter. You’re a tool for saying so. But you sure love it when poor people get hosed. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/16 "2009-05-19T23:39:55Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Yes actually, I do. Tell me, when has the philosphy of “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” actually worked? [http://zeppscommentaries.com/Other\_Voices/all\_the\_good\_of\_liberalism.htm](http://zeppscommentaries.com/Other_Voices/all_the_good_of_liberalism.htm) > [@](#): > > The GI Bill > era: 1950’s > This act of Congress enabled millions upon millions of Americans to get college educations, something that most Americans had never had the opportunity to do previously. An entire generation of leaders, scientists, and business people owe their education to the GI Bill. > > Labor Laws > > era: 1930’s-present > An end to child labor, 40 hour work weeks, the right of employees to collectively bargain, overtime pay, workplace safety, all of the things we take for granted today are thanks to liberal laws passed in the first half of this century. It was the conservatives who fought tooth and nail against the end of sweatshops and exploitation. > > Marshall Plan > > era: late 1940’s-1950’s > Foreign aid is a popular scapegoat these days. Those who would cut it should look back at the Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Europe, and is the major reason that Communism never made it past East Berlin. > > Environmental Laws > > era: 1970’s-present > The environment has gotten much better in the last 30 years thanks to liberals. Bald Eagles fly once again thanks to endangered species laws, most rivers and lakes are clean again due to anti-pollution laws, and frequent smog days are a thing of the past in most big American cities. > > Food safety laws > > era: 1910’s-present > Ever read Sinclair’s “The Jungle?” That’s what things were really like before food purity laws were on the books. Today cases of food poisoning are rare, and consumers know that whatever they buy is safe to eat. > Workplace safety laws > > era: 1930’s-present > Long hours in unsafe conditions are much rarer today than in the past. Tragedies such as the Triangle Shirtwaist fire and child labor have been eliminated by liberal and progressive legislation. > > Social Security > > era: 1930’s-1970’s > This program has provided three generations of Americans retirement benefits, and nearly eliminated poverty among the elderly. The program is weakening now, but for 50 years it did its job to a T. > > Economic Growth > > era: 1950’s-1960’s > Liberalism and economic prosperity go hand-in-hand. Unlike the pseudo-boom of the 1980’s, the 1950’s and 1960’s were a period of sustained and real growth for all sectors of the economy and all social classes. Taxes were fair, government worked, and America prospered under both Democratic and Republican administrations > > Space Program > > era: 1950’s-present > It was Kennedy who challenged us to make it to the moon, and it is under his and Johnson’s administrations that the space program took off, with numerous benefits to American industry and peoples’ standard of living, not to mention national pride. If you are reading this on a computer, thank the space program and the liberals who got it going. > > Peace corps > > era: 1960’s-present > Kennedy inspired thousands of Americans to ask what they could do for their country, and the Peace Corps is his most visible and effective legacy > Civil rights movement > > era: 1950’s-present > Liberal ideals drove the biggest change in American society since the Civil War, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. All Americans who believe in freedom and opportunity cannot help but be inspired by the valiant struggles of MLK and others. Also recall if you will that the major opponents of civil rights were conservatives. > > … > > Bank Deposit Insurance > > era: 1930’s-present day > About 1934, as part of extensive New Deal banking legislation, Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to provide federal insurance for bank deposits. This was instrumental in restoring confidence in our nation’s banks, and remains so to this day. (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. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/17 "2009-05-19T23:42:12Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] First of all, the link provided by the OP never said that Congress was attempting to scuttle a single-payer system. [/QUOTE] Apologies…I misunderheard the OP. Re-reading I see that it has nothing to do with a single-payer 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. Exactly. FWIW I think such a system is do-able, though I think it will cost more than it’s proponents think it will. > [@](#): > > 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. 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. > [@](#): > > Second, in tough times is precisely when people need to have a safety-net option. 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 ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/18 "2009-05-19T23:43:22Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > The Manhattan Project, the interstate highway system, NASA… > But you sure love it when poor people get hosed. The Manhattan Project? The one that killed tens of thousands of civilians? That sure was helpful, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/19 "2009-05-19T23:46:37Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/20 "2009-05-19T23:49:54Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > 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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015.md?page=2)