Comments on: Don't Hold Your Breath for Single-Payer

By: nathkatun7

nathkatun7 — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:19:00 +0000

In reply to Norbrook.

Norbrook, as always, you make so much sense! The sad thing about purity progressives is their total lack of understanding of how the U.S. political system works.

Almost from it’s inception this system has not been very receptive of revolutionary changes. All the changes that we now take for granted have come about as a result of incremental changes. It’s true that during periods of crises like the Civil War and the Great Depression the changes that occurred now appear revolutionary. But even then, many of those changes were not easy. And, they certainly have not been immune from being reversed.

I think the founders who wrote the Constitution, and wrote about their goal being that of trying to form “a more perfect union” were very wise men. They understood clearly that what they created was not perfect. It required process that has to be worked on all the time in order to make it perfect. Only shortsighted people expect immediate perfection.

By: D_C_Wilson

D_C_Wilson — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 22:42:00 +0000

Yeah, every time a reform idea fails, they try for something more conservative later. On the other hand, once a program is successfully implemented and become popular, it opens the door for more liberal additions later. In fact, that’s what the GOP fears the most right now: If they don’t kill Obamacare* in its cradle, it will become another “third rail’ in politics like Social Security and Medicare.

The ACA is the reform we got for this generation. Single payer or a public option will eventually come, but not for at least 15-20 years.

*I really think democrats need to own that term. Because, when the next round of reform is being debated and republicans will be casting themselves as the protectors of the current plan, people will remember who got us as far as we did and who fought tooth and nail to keep the old system of Die Quickly, So Insurance Execs Can Buy a New Luxury Jet.

By: Norbrook

Norbrook — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:32:00 +0000

Back when the ACA was still working its way through Congress, one aspect that I pointed out the “kill the bill” chanters was that each failure in the past had meant a 12 to 16 year gap before the idea would be brought up seriously again. The idea that “killing the bill” or if the Supreme Court had overturned the ACA would immediately lead to a “single payer” bill was just pure fantasy. The idea of healthcare reform would promptly become political poison, and no one would want to bring it up again for a long time. On the other hand, the present law gives a foundation to build on, which we haven’t had.

By: nicole

nicole — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:10:00 +0000

The Canadian health care system used LBJ’s original blueprint (in our country, we stripped it down and it became Medicare) for healthcare reform.
Cracks me up how many right wingers are screeching about moving to Canada!

By: Kerry Reid

Kerry Reid — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:46:00 +0000

Baggers of Fire and Tea are united in one thing: their unshakeable belief that if they simply WANT something badly enough and SCREAM for it often enough (“Bully Pulpit!!!!”), it will come to pass, whip counts be damned!

They’re like a cross between ADHD toddlers and those moony-eyed idiots who ate up “The Secret” because Oprah assured them that it works. The flip side of course is that this kind of puerile thinking also nearly guarantees that one views the failures of others to achieve what you think SHOULD be their goals as proof that those others are bad. So if the public option didn’t have enough votes to pass in the Senate, then CLEARLY the only logical conclusion to be drawn is that Obama didn’t really WANT it. Because all it takes is saying “I WANT I WANT I WANT I DEMAND!!!”

By: mrbrink

mrbrink — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 16:38:00 +0000

I think the court actually opened up the power of taxation, undoubtedly, to allow for the constitutionality of single payer, or medicare for all.

By: i_a_c

i_a_c — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Single payer remains a fantasy for now. The idea that the healthcare fairy would enact single payer if ACA were struck down is a fever dream for the “kill the bill” firebaggers.