Time and time again, all opposition to the healthcare reform is reported as coming from the right, as involving too much government intervention and management.
This creates a dynamic where the misleading reporting causes legislators to back off and adopt a more conciliatory approach to conservatives–or at least conservatives ideas on healthcare economics. Meanwhile, more Americans, seeing the current reform bill for what it is–a giant bailout and subsidy of the health insurance companies–begin to oppose it.
I think this is a perfect example of how misrepresentation of facts by the media has enormously detrimental effects on the legislative process. The media reports all opposition to the health plan as coming from the right, the liberals who want real reform become disgusted with Congressional Dems’ pussyfooting and stop supporting this compromise, leading to more reports of opposition to the health plan… etc.
Meanwhile, a Kaiser poll found that 50% of Americans support
“Having a national health plan in which all Americans would get their insurance from a single government plan”
and 64% of Americans support
“expanding Medicare to all Americans, so that people have another option besides private health insurance or an HMO. Do you favor or oppose the creation of this type of public health plan option?”
So there is majority support for single-payer, as well.
The polls are great and all, but I think the jist of the statement is that there is not sufficient support in the Senate for a public option. Public sentiment isn’t a good predictor of the chances of one particular policy or another being enacted.
Now, if health care reform proceeds through reconciliation and only 51 votes are required (as opposed to 60 to defeat a filibuster), perhaps another look will be taken at the public option.
But I’m talking about public opinion, and the effect of the media’s coverage of polls on the legislative process. I’m arguing that these are not isolated variables.
And, as you can see from the references, conservatives have specifically and repeatedly claimed that the majority of the American public is against. And that’s a huge fucking lie.
As you can see, a majority of Americans has consistently supported single-payer / Medicare for all. Gee, I wonder why that’s not even under consideration.
And I’m no longer sure that the public option, in its current incarnation, would accomplish this. There are a whole set of restrictions on it that would limit the number of people eligible for it, driving up premium costs in the process.
There is no justifiable reason for not moving to single payer, but if we are going to use the public option as a stepping stone, everyone must be eligible for it. That’s real competition.
If the majority of the people support the current bills then Democrats wouldn’t be hiding in the tall grass looking for spin time in front of a camera.
Aside from the bizarre contention that Democrats are “hiding,” you are not actually disputing the poll numbers, which consistently show support for the public option.
I guess I could ask for a cite, but that would be like sticking bullshit on a toothpick, wouldn’t it?
That’s what I hate. Lie about a bill to the public, then quote poll numbers to support your opposition. “Would you support a health-care bill that kills kittens”?
I know you’ll want to pop over to the abortion thread in which a poster claims that if abortion is restricted, a miscarriage will be investigated to see if the mother’s “bad thoughts” might have had a role in the miscarriage.
That kind of statement to garner support for your position is just outrageous, isn’t it?
I believe Dr. Bricker is being sarcastic, and I believe he believes he’s a sincere and well-informed observer of the American political scene.
What I believe is, that like the frog which doesn’t jump out of a slowly heating pot of water, the growing Fascist-like tendencies in America are ignored by many otherwise sincere right-wingers. (Just today I noticed a news article about a teacher calling the police because a student refused to pledge allegiance.)
IOW, you don’t have proof that Democrats are “hiding” (whatever that means), you assume that all Dems support robust healthcare reform, and you can’t substantiate your claims concerning opinion polls because the data says otherwise.
But you’re nice enough to flick the latest shit from Rush et al. into this thread.
I think I’ve devoted more than enough thread space to a snide drive-by totally bereft of credibility. I will say this: if the healthcare legislation had “ground to a halt,” it would have been because of the liars, bigots and corporate whores who populate the Republican party and the leadership of the so-called Tea Party.
Quote from the right-wing echo chamber and you get what you deserve.
