I believe the greatest crises we face in America today is not cancer research, nor is it the failure of the nation's pension plans, nor is it the squeezing of the middle class, nor the inability of American labor to compete on the world market. The greatest crises we face is at the center and a major contributor to all of those crises. It is health care in America. The profiteering by drug companies and insurance companies is warping our economy, and weakening our economic strength. Every day we continue pouring money into the most expensive, least efficient and lest effective health care plan in the industrialized world brings us one day closer to economic collapse. We can fix this, and we can do it quickly by agreeing that politically we cannot fix this. So we must convince the politicians to step out of the way.
I propose the following NATIONAL MEDICAL CARE EMERGECY BILL. This bill will authorize a 24 person NATIONAL MEDICAL CARE COMMITTEE, complete with staff and budget. Within 72 hours of final passage of this bill the Executive Branch must nominate to Congress 12 individuals to serve on The Committee. Within 72 hours of that submission Congress, meeting in general session, must vote to confirm or reject each Executive nominee separately. Congress may reject up to four Executive nominees. Once four have been rejected all other nominees are automatically confirmed.
Also, within 72 hours of final passage of the Bill Congress will submit to the Executive Branch 12 nominees. The Executive Branch may reject up to four Congressional nominees. Once the Executive has rejected four nominees all remaining such nominees will be considered confirmed.
All confirmed Committee members must meet within 1 week (seven days) of the final confirmation vote by either Congress or the Executive at such place as the Executive shall determine. All Committee business, meetings, work and work product will be held secret. All support requested by Committee members shall be provided by the Executive branch, with full notification of Congress. No information on Committee meetings, deliberations, considerations or votes shall be communicated to anyone outside the Committee members and staff. Any communication to the public or branches of government may be made by members or staff only with a majority approval determined by vote by the full Committee in general session.
The Committee's first order of business will be for each member to take an oath of silence, integrity and dedication to the American people, in front of all other Committee members. The committee will then elect a chair by plurality vote (a show of hands) in full session. The Committee will then, in full session, nominate and elect individuals to fill the empty seats to the full authorization of 24. As with all other Committee business, all nominations, elections or debate shall be held en camera.
The Committee shall conduct it's deliberations as it shall see fit and as required. It may hear witnesses, it may consider proposals from outside sources, or it may not. It shall not have the power of subpoena. No permanent records shall be kept beyond those required for Committee business, but all such temporary records shall be destroyed after the Committee reports out to congress.
Within 180 days of first meeting as a full Committee, the Committee shall report to Congress a National Health Care Act, and will then disband. This Act shall set down guidelines, programs and schedules for a national health care program. Upon submission of this Act both houses of Congress shall immediately cease all other business until, without amendment or attachment, it has either approved the bill or not by simple majority vote. Within 72 hours of full Congressional approval the President shall sign it, and it will become law.
This will not produce a perfect plan. But it may produce a revolution. And at this point, damn near anything else than what we've got is to be preferred.
Can we at least agree on this much before we start arguing what a National Health Care Emergency Act should look like?