I just got finished reading an article on The Daily Beast about Daschle's caving to Republican ideas of health care reform. It's a little ditty that goes something like this...
“This is difficult stuff...It’s not easy. There’s no painless way to reach compromise. There’s no painless way to reach the revenue targets we’re trying to reach.”
[snip]
Daschle’s big compromise was to weaken the so-called public option, making the federal government a fallback in case state governments fail to establish so-called insurance exchanges.
[snip]
In return, Daschle felt that his Republican counterparts dropped their opposition to universal coverage, and especially mandates for companies and individuals—which would levy fees or taxes on those who don’t offer coverage or take up insurance.
--Article
Let's back this up a few miles and pretend, PRETEND, I'm five. Why can't our politicians explain this stuff to me like I'm a five year old?
Here's what I don't understand...
- What EXACTLY is wrong with a strong, government administered public option? Why is this option considered so out there?
- How can there not be enough money for a public option, but somehow there's enough money out here to keep a private option? If we can afford the latter, we can afford the former.
- Why do we have to "compromise" with Republicans at all on this? It's not like the Party of No is going to vote for it anyway. Funny story, they got that name by voting a certain way just to make a political point.
- If the Republicans' idea of compromise is "drop[ping] their opposition to universal coverage" why can't our idea of compromise be "dropping our determination to give a free Pony to every child on his fourth year checkup?" We'll meet in the middle at a single payer system. How 'bout that?
I. Don't. Understand.
If there's any reason to kill a strong public option OTHER THAN "because it will make the insurance companies sad" I would like it explained to me like I am five.
Seriously...
Here I am with a giant lolly-pop and a sailor's hat, wearing my knickers with a Band-aid on my knee.
Just sit me down on a stump and go step by step through EXACTLY why this is so frickin' difficult and it damn well better not start with
"When insurance companies and politicians love each other VERY much..."
I'm of the school of thought that if a concept can't be clearly articulated, it's because it's either A) Bullshit B) Not well thought out or C) Intended to confuse.
And so far the opposing Dems have yet to clearly articulate their positions.
Whatever the case is, Daschle is not our friend on this and sadly he's not in office so isn't given to pressure from regular folk these days. Oddly, neither is Fienstein given to public pressure.
Call call call call...ask these people to explain EXACTLY their position on the public opion
Thanks to slinkerwink's phone number list.
Please CALL Senator Max Baucus at (202) 224-2651
Please CALL Senator Olympia Snowe at (202) 224-5344
Please CALL Senator Charles Schumer at 202-224-6542
Please CALL Senator Edward Kennedy at (202) 224-4543
Please CALL Senator John Rockefeller at (202) 224-6472
Please CALL Senator Ron Wyden at (202) 224-5244
Please CALL Senator Kent Conrad at (202) 224-2043
Please CALL Senator Jeff Bingaman at (202) 224-5521
Please CALL Senator John Kerry at (202) 224-2742
Please CALL Senator Blanche Lincoln at 202-224-4843
Please CALL Senator Debbie Stabenow at (202) 224-4822
Please CALL Senator Maria Cantwell at 202-224-3441
Please CALL Senator Bill Nelson at 202-224-5274
Please CALL Senator Robert Menendez at 202-224-4744
Please CALL Senator Thomas Carper at (202) 224-2441
Please CALL Kay Hagan (202) 224-3121