I've been watching the arguments and issues come and go, and I've noticed something that I think is missing from the, um screaming crying bullshit fear mongering debate.
I think there is an underlying issue. We're up about to come up against an enormous obstacle. The push back against a public option (or should sanity and reason ever return, a single payer system) is just getting started. Once the final bill is pulled together, IF the public option survives, I'm afraid the real work will begin. - because a public option will provide us with a choice, but NOT the choice you think!
...more...
I think there's a (yet)silent opposition to any public option / single payer program. If one becomes a reality, then Corporate America will loose it's grip on the common employees! You know, those reliable guys and gals that go to work every day, put in their week, and in return get a decent wage AND employer provided insurance.
That's the grip. That's the lock. That's what I believe many American workers are looking at when there's other opportunities or if they're unhappy with their current employment situation. So they may ask themselves...
"If I quit, WILL I be able to get affordable insurance?"
And, if they have a family, they may ask themselves...
"If I quite, Will I be able to get insurance to cover my spouse? my kids?"
...so, they don't even bother looking for other positions. They continue going to work, putting in their time, and not 'rocking the boat' due to fear of loss of affordable insurance (no matter how shitty it might be).
Now imagine IF a saner, logical, cheaper solution - a wildly popular public option (or in an alternate universe, single payer health care) became available to everyone.
Big Businesses would no longer have an advantage over the employees. To keep good workers they'd have to provide MORE than just insurance to keep them. They're the ones with MORE skin in the game than even the insurance lobby. ALL the other big businesses that provide insurance WILL loose a competitive advantage in keeping good workers (or getting away with abusing workers - your pick)
I don't think they'll go silently into the night. I think the big guns will come out once the public option officially sees the light of day. Be prepared for MORE BS.
(Now I think they're a flip side to all this... Smaller employers I would think would WANT this. What a great way to recruit! They can't afford to pay good talented workers because they can't compete with the fortune 500 companies on benefits. I also think that once employees are freed of the shackle of company-provided insurance, the more entrepreneurial types may decide they can build a better mouse trap on their own. Lot more productivity and creativity unleashed! -)
..meanwhile, back on the street... They hate us for our freedom (to choose our employer).