Much has been made over several remarks made by prominent folks on Sunday political talk shows in regards to the Public Option's place in the Health Care Reform bill. Many regular news sites as well as blogs from both sides of aisle have announced the death of the public option. Even Nate Silver at 538, who is usually pretty on the money with his analysis, is beating the "Public Option is probably dead" drum.
Meanwhile, several prominent folks in the democratic community are decrying this. Gov. Howard Dean, a doctor, says you really can't reform Health Care without the public option. Paul Krugman, winner of the Nobel Prize in economics, says all that stands in the way of Universal Health Care is greed. Well, that's a mighty tough thing to overcome.
When I decided to support Barack Obama early on in the primary process, it was largely because of his strong support for Public Health Coverage. I supported Howard Dean in 2004 for the same reason. This is a priority issue for me. People in the United States are dying needlessly because they don't have health coverage. People in the United States are going bankrupt over medical costs. These things don't happen in other countries. Why not? Because they have Single payer health care. They treat health care as a basic human right, not a for profit, billion dollar industry. Candidate Obama said he agreed Health Care was a right when he debated John McCain. I want to see him back it up as President.
Now, Obama hasn't said he's given up on the public option. Let me say this though, if he does, I will not vote for him again. We're falling back into the same old trap where the money and the corporations run America. Though Obama said it would be different under his leadership, I'm starting to have my doubts.
If Obama gives up on the Public option, two things are going to happen. One, the Republican Party will be energized like it hasn't been since 1994. Two, many of the Progressives and liberals that helped elect Obama will again abandon the democratic party. I don't care if the Republicans are worse. I'm tired of voting for people who say they share my views then don't back it up. Maybe I'll vote for the socialist candidate next time around.
Anyway, I think Obama still has time to get this thing right. Daily Kos has floated the prospect that the administration was just sending up a trial balloon to see what would happen if they did drop the public option. I hope they are sufficiently scared with the reaction. We need to get this done for the people, they deserve it. Let's do something for the folks instead of the corporations for once.
Update, 3:00 PM: CNN reporting President Obama is NOT abandoning the Public Option.
Update, 3:21 PM: Speaker Pelosi hinting that she will throw the whole weight of House Dems behind the Public Option.
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