Wouldn't this be something.

I keep hearing, in one iteration or another, that Medicare rates are too low. They're unfair to doctors. Hospitals would go out of business if they were only reimbursed at Medicare rates.

All of these protestations are either from the interested parties (docs and hospitals), or from those whose political ambitions are diametrically opposed to HCR.

I'm all for the free market when we're talking about selling commodities that the customer can walk away from if prices get too high, but we've got a captive audience here: if you need a doc, you need a doc. I'm not willing to take their word for it about the paucity of Medicare rates.

Having said that, I don't know what a solution is. Couldn't this be regulated, like other essential needs? (Utilities come to mind).

YES!

Expanding an already (mostly) successful government-run program makes the most sense!

Shall we tie a white ribbon (symbol of the single payer movement) around this Blue Dog.

And Bob, I could not agree with you more when you write:

"I think Ross knows which way the wind is blowing..."

Yesterday, in fact, there were 54 arrests in 10 cities across the country (in NV, NY, DC, FL, MA,OR, AZ, CA...) when People-Not-Profits sit ins took place INSIDE the lobbies of the health insurance companies.

In several locations the health insurance companies locked their doors and protesters went to every entrance-way and parking garages and made a scene.

The protesters wear t-shirs that read "Victim of the For Profit Health Insurance", sit-in a locked arm circle, and chant, strongly, in unison, "People Not Profits! Medicare for all!"

When police come, they resist arrest and continue to sit, lock arms and chant.

Yesterday activist Kevin Zeese, Executive director of Prosperity Agenda was scheduled to appear on MSNBC from 4-4:30 slot --- but the boy in the balloon story dominated and he was bumped!!! That was really too bad for these mobilization efforts.

The first sit in took place in NYC, the second one in Chicago, and yesterday in 10 cities across the nation.

The next sit in will take place on October 28th and you can sign up and read all the news of the day.

www.mobilizeforhealthcare.com

Participants hold these views:

1. Health care is a right
2. The health insurance industry are the real "death panels"
3. Single Payer is the solution

Stay tuned!

Additionally, it appears that some individual states may begin the process of obtaining a single payer system.

There is a big rally in PA next week: Bob,as a PA resident, will you attend?

One Thousand to Rally for Single-Payer Healthcare in Pennsylvania Capitol

Demand for Genuine Healthcare Reform Intensifies, Drawing Crowds from
Pennsylvania and Surrounding States

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS175025+15-Oct-2009+PRN20091015

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- From towns throughout
Pennsylvania and at least 6 surrounding states, crowds of single-payer
advocates will gather in the Capitol rotunda for a rally and march from 10am
to 12pm on Tuesday, October 20. The crowd will be addressed by a host of
speakers, representing the diverse groups that support single-payer healthcare
as embodied in both state legislation (SB 400 and HB 1600) and national
legislation (HR 676 and S 703). The rally represents the increased attention
and advocacy around single-payer as current proposed health reforms are
falling short of the widely shared goals of universal healthcare coverage and
cost control...

Thanks Terri. Great news.

Would we have arrived here sooner if single payer had been on the table from day 1?

Hey MSM! Time to step up.

Who knows? I just know where we are at the moment. I also know that a genuine solution FOR the people cannot come from the gov't. The gov't officials are too tied to the industry itself and we can't pry them apart.

The people want and need Single Payer and we have to PUSH the gov't on this, they won't voluntarily go there.

And the MSM is part of the problem itself!

Did you catch this about CNN's Alex Costellano?

I heard it this morning on Democracy Now!

CNN Commenator Revealed To Be Working For America’s Health Insurance Plans
In other healthcare news, the watchdog group MediaMatters has revealed one of CNN’s regular on-air commentators is on the payroll of America’s Health Insurance Plans, an industry lobbying group opposed to the current healthcare reform efforts. Until yesterday CNN had never acknowledged Alex Castellanos’ affiliation. MediaMatters revealed that Castellanos’s consulting firm, National Media, recently placed over $1 million of TV advertising for America’s Health Insurance Plans. Castellanos’ company has also done work for the Federation of American Hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry group PhRMA, and the HCA Sunrise Hospital

Sorry, I'm not convinced.

Every time we make a step forward to a final vote, someone suggests we wait just a bit and look at a different idea. We'd almost certainly have to scrap what's been done so far and, yet again, wait for that insufferable asshole Baucus to waste a few more months on another bill, only to get a bill that says "Medicare For All (Except People Under 65) with a Mandate to Purchase Private Insurance or Be Put in Ye Olde Stocks."

If Mike Ross really thinks this is a good idea, let him sponsor the legislation and actually work for it instead of just yapping his Arkansas trap about it. And there's nothing that says he can't support the legislation as is and start working for Medicare for All next year, you know, as a way of making sure he doesn't lose his fucking seat in Congress.

I think it's in the "waiting a bit" that they stall for time and kick up dirt...delay...make trouble.

The "more time" is a ploy, I think.

And, let's start pressuring Ross to take action and not just yap :)

I think it's in the "waiting a bit" that they stall for time and kick up dirt...delay...make trouble.

The "more time" is a ploy, I think.

And, let's start pressuring Ross to take action and not just yap :)

No disrespect, but there will be NO Single Payer and NO Medicare For All, I don't know why anyone is still pushing for this in what looks like the 11th hour.

Medicare for all is the ONLY sensible solution.

I don't believe in current reform efforts. It's a half-assed sham. It's an effort that is protecting health insurance companies above and beyond any anti-health insurance corporation rhetoric to the contrary. It's protecting an industry that offers NO SUCH MERCY to their victims/customers in building their useless empire.

Mandates are unconstitutional. I never thought I'd admit this, but Chuck Grassley's correct about one thing-- when he says mandates are unconstitutional.

You can't force people to purchase a product in the privare sector. When you stop and think about it...when I think about it, it scares the hell out of me that my government can force me into business with an immoral industry.

What's even more disturbing is that I read the Think Progress, and even Keith Olbermann's, rebuttal to Grassley's assertion-- and it's weak. Really weak. I know Grassley is a kook and two-faced SOB, but the counter-argument to his claim is this: "Grassley is a Tenther...roll eyes...I said ROLL EM!....just another GOP attempt to destroy reform efforts...congress can regulate interstate commerce...congress can do this...ha ha ha-- Grassley's a Tenther...we already have this sort of thing with auto insurance...congress can do this..."

Regulating commerce is one thing. The purpose and intent is to protect the public, investors, and the integrity of contracts. It is NOT a greenlight to impose force upon the public just to save an industry that begs to be destroyed.

I'm shocked at all the eye-rolling. I'm even a little scared that government is about to force people to do something like this.

I can choose not to own a car. I can't choose not to have an accident or get sick. How's that for capitalism? Fuck you! pay me!

There is no choice here. It's a choice between government coercion, or continue to fall to the mercy and whim of private health insurers-- both choices empower "the cartels," albeit with a little more no-shit-Sherlock regulations and provisions, but it's not really a choice.

I've said it before. I think Republicans are shocked that they're not having to debate a Medicare-for-all proposal. Democrats seem to be thinking(blinded?)they've got the opposition right where they want them, over-aggressively leaping to grasp an odd victory, to the detriment of the kids in this messy divorce from eachother's ideology--sacrificing right and reason in the process.

The Constitution gives them all the power they need to enact Medicare for all. Power to levy and collect taxes to promote the general welfare. This is their most faithful tool to do it.

When they start talking about mandates to purchase health insurance, or else!, who are they serving? Not the people-- and not the constitution.

Go ahead. Spin it all you want. When it all comes down to it in the end, we're slaves to corporations and the government is about to play the role of accomplice in a racketeering scheme.

But the train has already left the station and the snowball is rolling down the hill. It's unstoppable. When Anthony Weiner laughs off the notion that health insurance mandates are unconstitutional and very much within the powers of congress, I cringe and shiver from the implication. I feel a little betrayed.

If the government can force you to buy health insurance through the industry criminals, they're forcing you to buy protection for the same criminal industry.

A commentor by the name of Virtual Pebble on the Think Progress piece said this: "forcing someone to purchase somethins isn’t the same as “lay & collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises” 2nd, how could forcing someone to purchase something fall within the scope of “economic activity”? I have heard that Orange Juice is very healthy for individuals to drink….perhaps we should enact legislation forcing all individuals to purchase at least 1 gallon per week?"

Think about it.

Medicare for all is the only lawful solution. Democrats are over-thinking this to death and are failing to wage the proper argument and solution all in the name of corporate appeasement and the bitter sweet smell of bipartisanship.

It's rotten.

Right on, Mr. Brink.

Excellent points.

Also, please note that there are republicans, conservatives, and liberterian free-market/Ayn Rand types who also want single payer because it's fiscally responsible and when the gov't picks up the tab, businesses are not burdened with this expense as in the current employer-based system.

There is a group called Republicans for Single Payer.

I think the website is simply
www.republicansforsinglepayer.com

Single payer makes both economic sense and a strong moral argument.

Health care belongs in the PUBLIC SECTOR --- as it is only the public sphere which is concerned with the public good.

The profit-making aspect in our health care -- which would continue with any 'reform' other than single payer that passes --- must be removed completely.

We have to pry apart the politicians from their beloved health care industry and the money ties that bind them.

Right on, Mr. Brink.

Excellent points.

Also, please note that there are republicans, conservatives, and liberterian free-market/Ayn Rand types who also want single payer because it's fiscally responsible and when the gov't picks up the tab, businesses are not burdened with this expense as in the current employer-based system.

There is a group called Republicans for Single Payer.

I think the website is simply
www.republicansforsinglepayer.com

Single payer makes both economic sense and a strong moral argument.

Health care belongs in the PUBLIC SECTOR --- as it is only the public sphere which is concerned with the public good.

The profit-making aspect in our health care -- which would continue with any 'reform' other than single payer that passes --- must be removed completely.

We have to pry apart the politicians from their beloved health care industry and the money ties that bind them.

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Wouldn't that just make too much sense, especially the part about reinventing the wheel and creating ANOTHER big government system.

That's the way to sell this idea to all those "small government"-ers: it will create a smaller increase in the size of government to open up Medicare than it would to make a new Public Option. Hmmmm, probably too complicated.

I'm sorry for the double posts. I'm only clicking once!

"You can't force people to purchase a product in the privare sector. When you stop and think about it...when I think about it, it scares the hell out of me that my government can force me into business with an immoral industry."

Mr. Brink, apparently they can: they force us to buy CAR insurance from the private sector. They force us to buy a car seat for our children from the private sector.

??

How dug in is Lincoln? Maybe this will change the conversation in Arkansas.

Mt Brink

I am a little confused here. I agree that...

"Medicare for all is the only lawful solution"

For people over 65, the premium payment is deducted from Social Security payments. How would you handle payments from people that do not receive Social Security? Are you suggesting that care should be given to all without any premium?

I think the timing of this is freaky. Keith goes on last night and says the first of the free clinics will be in Little Rock. Coincidence?

And ceu has been saying the same thing all these long months. Let's use the infrastructure we have and build upon it. It really amazes me that this is so hard.