No maggiesboy, thanks for all you do. You are obviously far wiser than me. We quit. It’s all up to you single payer folks now.

What is your plan? Let us know what we should do to support you.

If I’m so wise I’d be the one with the world famous blog, giving speeches in Sweden and be a regular in the national media. I’m sorry my post was misconstrued, I was just trying to point out what the physicians at PNHP were saying that the only real public option is single payer.

I was only looking for some assurance or insight as to how the 3 criteria were derived. To me they are perfect but I was only trying to find out how those 3 came about and if there wasn’t something else that might be needed?

I guess you didn’t see my earlier comment that a public plan should have canines [like you mentioned a few days back] but I want them set in the jaws of a Pit Bull. When a Pit Bull bites they never let go. I feel that strongly about it. I fear that any public option short of Medicare for all will be buried by the insurance industry.

I believe nationwide, on day one, and answerable only to Congress and the voters are the best criteria and when I think about it they pretty much fit the definition of Medicare for all. Was that the aim in the first place? That’s what Bernie Sanders says is our best hope at this point and I have to agree.

My plan is to support you, which I have been doing….even if I did get scolded I will continue to do so. [g]

the public option — which is infinitely better than what we have now.

p.s. what public option?!!? it’s not clear to me at all that any old public option would be “infinitely better.” i’m calling for the whip operation here because i’d rather see progressives in congress vote against a crappy bill that makes things worse and turns the public off the dems and healthcare reform in general.

A lot more people than we think are concerned with the survival of the insurance companies, the survival of their own plans, and skeptical of government insurance…they want change and are willing to pay for public insurance assuming they’re not forced to use it (which single payer would do).

But my friend tells me single payer advocates are calling, but are outnumbered by those who are concerned about taxes, spending, deficit and immigrants.

The problem is that the single-payer people aren’t calling their congresscritters

you have any evidence to back this up?

i think you are completely wrong…. for example, i’ve been calling my congress critters for months (especially on the call in days), and in the past i’ve been told by the person answering the phone that they are getting lots of calls.

If everyone here who said “why aren’t we pushing for single-payer?” spent five to ten minutes talking on the phone with their congresscritters’ office staff, we might not get single-payer, but we’d be closer to the public option — which is infinitely better than what we have now.