# Liberals, are you ready to abandon the public option? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 5, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938 "2009-09-05T03:21:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/81 "2009-09-07T17:33:32Z")
I’m happy to abide by that moderation, **tomndebb**. I should not have made that post. My apologies to **jtgain**. For the record, it was not at all clear to me that jtgain was asking a rhetorical question. I’m still not sure why you’re so confident that is the case. And your interpretation of my post as showing my intention to “shut down discussion” is without any merit and doesn’t belong in a moderator’s post. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/82 "2009-09-07T18:00:06Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Then there’s no point, and we might as well skip all political threads in the future. > > Will you be skipping them? > > -Joe I disagree, there’s all the more point. The problem is not candidates being represented by political parties, but rather with career politicians who nearly always become corrupted by the system. Strict term limits for all members of Congress is the only way out of the mess we are currently in. As I have already stated, this is not a strictly a Dem/Rep issue - they are both guilty as charged. Sorry for the hijack - carry on. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/83 "2009-09-07T18:02:28Z")
Term limits merely insure that the congresscritters are fairly inexperienced, and gives a ton of power to their unelected aides. We have natural term limits: don’t vote for the jackass. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/84 "2009-09-07T19:02:39Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > From Wiki: > > [Health care system in Japan - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Japan) > > Mad intertube skills, me. With this “Wikipedia” thing you’ve discovered, you could be a fact-checker for public broadcasting. Just in case the elucidating business every dries up. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/85 "2009-09-07T19:05:13Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > We have natural term limits: don’t vote for the jackass. While theoretically true, in practice it just doesn’t work that way. The incumbent has far too much power and financial backing amassed by allowing their votes to be purchased during their tenure. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/86 "2009-09-07T21:35:28Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > With this “Wikipedia” thing you’ve discovered, you could be a fact-checker for public broadcasting. Just in case the elucidating business every dries up. That would make it work. I hate work. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/87 "2009-09-08T00:30:38Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > I’m happy to abide by that moderation, **tomndebb**. I should not have made that post. My apologies to **jtgain**. > > For the record, it was not at all clear to me that jtgain was asking a rhetorical question. I’m still not sure why you’re so confident that is the case. And your interpretation of my post as showing my intention to “shut down discussion” is without any merit and doesn’t belong in a moderator’s post. > > Carry on. No offense taken. Generally, I am opposed to more government involvement in health care, and I have argued against that in other threads. However, my question in this thread was a sincere one. It was my understanding that having a public option was the centerpiece to Obama’s reforms. ETA: and my “Obama Death Panel” remark was supposed to be facetious. A previous poster had asked what type of decision making board I was positing in my hypothetical. I intended to say that it didn’t matter and gave a bunch of examples. I certainly don’t believe that Obama is proposing death panels. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/88 "2009-09-08T10:35:54Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > Talking (again) of “death panels”, Reuters takes another view: > […] > [etc.](http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS202570+02-Sep-2009+PRN20090902) Reuters? Aren’t they generally neutral? When Reuters is taking a position, you know it’s serious. > [@flickster](#): > > I disagree, there’s all the more point. The problem is not candidates being represented by political parties, but rather with career politicians who nearly always become corrupted by the system. Strict term limits for all members of Congress is the only way out of the mess we are currently in. As I have already stated, this is not a strictly a Dem/Rep issue - they are both guilty as charged. > > Sorry for the hijack - carry on. I disagree. I knew my Congressman was corrupt before he was my Congressman. Most voters probably fall into these categories: 1. don’t know how bad the guy they’re voting for is. 2. don’t know who would be better. 3. don’t care he’s corrupt (I used to be this way). So we send them to Congress ALREADY corrupt. > [@Mosier](#): > > Adding my two cents. The public option is non-negotiable, and I will consider health care reform a complete failure (and reconsider my admiration for Obama) without it. Well, I’m afraid I’ve already lost my admiration for Obama. I think he’s just too accommodating. It may come back, somehow. I really had no regard for Nancy Pelosi, but when she said nothing will pass without a public option, I was proud of her. Go House of Reps! ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938/89 "2009-09-08T10:46:26Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Reuters? Aren’t they generally neutral? When Reuters is taking a position, you know it’s serious. I took it they decided to expose the absurd rhetoric. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-are-you-ready-to-abandon-the-public-option/508938.md?page=4)