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In an interview with Time Magazine, Karen Tumulty pushes Obama to be specific about what his health care goals are. Obama says that when he sketched out his health care principles to Congress, "we talked about the need for a public option as part of that health-care exchange."
TUMULTY: Although you didn’t define what a public option really is.
OBAMA: I would say, Karen, actually we defined it fairly clearly in terms of what we thought would work best. What I said was, is that it shouldn’t be something that’s simply a taxpayer-subsidized system that wasn’t accountable, but rather had to be self-sustaining through premiums and that had to compete with private insurers.
TUMULTY: And would a co-op fit that definition?
OBAMA: Well, I think in theory you can imagine a cooperative meeting that definition.
That’s exactly what the insurance industry and Kent Conrad designed co-ops to do: satisfy the 76% of Americans who want a public option by developing a fake one that they could substitute. And now the President is their pitch man.
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The key words there are, “…in theory…” I agree with President Obama. In theory a regional cooperative could meet that definition.
Unfortunately, the practice doesn’t work.
Oh, and that sort of bait-and-switch bullshit is exactly why it is crucial that the public option be mandatory for Federal employees. Including Senators and Congresscritters.
This shit is so damn funny – yet so sad. I say this with the firmest of convictions – if the White House and Democrats in both chambers screw up health insurance/care reform this time – then they and us better get real used to be a ‘noisy minority’ because the American People will turn their back on ‘our party’ and the ‘repug party’. Once again complete voter apathy will cover our nation for at least another generation. I do not mean to be overly dramatic but I feel fairly certain that most Americans regardless of party affiliation understand personally the deleterious nature of our current health insurance and care model. In all reality, we have allowed the American Citizen to be dealt a 30% health tax or more each year with a complete understanding the gross dollar amount will rise each and every year.
We have totally fucked up the framing of this argument – it really isn’t health care reform but rather health insurance reform (control). When we speak of ‘health care’ most low information voters think that ‘we’ are going to tell them and their doctor how to practice medical care. On the other, hand if we would have started back in the Primaries making the insurance companies the ‘bad guys in the mix’ we would have an almost immovable frame. But know we wanted to have a seat for everyone at the table – well except ’single payer’ and doctors and nurses who were willing to talk about the horrible burden insurance companies place upon the entire system.
Again, if Baucus and Conrad get by with another backdoor scam to their corporate pimps – it is our shame not theirs. They have no shame – we still have pride and should not allow them to destroy what we have all worked so hard for. Consequently, it is imperative that we complete the ‘Progressive Bloc’ and then hold is in place. If the Progressives hold and real reform is accomplished we then will be the turn to party going forward.
totally agree – they are selfish fucks and would not design anything but the best if they had to use it.
Oh Doctor, which is it? Most Americans understand the deleterious nature of our current system, or most low info (i hate that term) voters believe the govt. will dictate medical care? If you wish to have Progressive pride then be sure and make a coherent argument. Most Americans struggle with their health insurance much more so than their actual health issues. Despite that fact republicans seek to block/slow health care reform of any sort – to safeguard the outsized profits of their business donors. Not to provide any benefit of any sort to their voting constituents. The President will take any road down the path of health reform that he can build on. There is no reason to attack him as a bait and switcher.
Is
date rapebipartisanship that important? Geez Louise.This isn’t really any different from what Obama has said all along; i.e. that if the co-op plan could be made workable enough to cover most uninsured people, he would support it. But he’s also on record stating that he doesn’t think the plan Conrad’s propsing wouldn’t work. It may be a softening, but I’d prefer to wait and see what Obama says in the days to come before I get too pessimistic.