Are you disappointed there was no single payer or public option? Sick of Blue Dogs?

[IndianaGreen]

Here is what progressive forces are planning to do: a united front against rapacious capitalism. It is called the Fifth International:

El Salvador's FMLN welcomes Hugo Chavez's call for a Fifth International

December 23rd 2009, by FMLN - Links
Resolution of the XXV Ordinary FMLN National Convention on the initiative to establish the 'Fifth (V) Socialist International'

This FMLN National Convention,

CONSIDERING:

(I)t is evident that neoliberalism, that extreme form of uncontrolled capitalism, has not and will not be able to resolve the great challenges faced by modern civilisation, currently immersed in a deep economic and financial crisis that has deepened the conditions of poverty and misery for millions of human beings. To this is added, among other calamities that afflict humanity, the evident and destructive effects of climate change, the growth of diseases and illness, the energy crisis, the food crisis, the rise in transnational delinquency, and the threats to peace and democracy in various regions of the planet.

4. That in this context it is of paramount importance that all of the social movements and political organisations that characterise themselves as progressive, left and socialist, wherever they are around the world, intensify our theoretical discussion and the formulation of alternative development projects -– in order that we meet the aspirations of prosperity, freedom and self-determination of the people, and that this in turn stimulates solidarity and fraternal cooperation between us all.

5. That it is the right of any national political force, whatever its ideology, to promote links of friendship and the exchange of experiences with likeminded political organisations around the world, without undermining their independence and identity, and respecting the realities of their socio-political process.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/5029

[Mike Nelson]

1. Yes

and Yes

[ChicagoSuz219]

10. Me, too!

I hope Lieberman got visited by the Ghost of Chanukah Past!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. I'm disappointed there are Repukes and conservatives on the planet....

However, everything I want, cannot always be.

[janedum]

3. Yes. We were SUPPOSED to get a "PBULIC OPTION". I'm very disappointed.

[winyanstaz]

4. yes I am...but I am not surprised.

[Vidar]

5. This is why Latin America gives me hope, & the US naught but despair.

[mbperrin]

6. Yes, and single payer was never given a moment's thought.

I do wish we'd get a new name for the Blue Dogs, though. Blue is a nice color, and we own great dogs. They should be called something a little more accurate: Out for Themselves and Damn the Rest.

[Demeter]

9. Skunks at the Picnic, Perhaps?

or maybe that's too cute and friendly and PETA-safe.

[northernlights]

7. I was, but I'm not any more...

there can be no universal health care, in any form or by any name, until there is sufficient infrastructure to support it.

We do have the option of paying the small penalty and paying for our health care out of pocket. I plan to use that option, since I've been without health insurance most of my life and when I did have health insurance the corporations left me to die anyway. I realize that's not an option for everybody, but I believe that those who can...should. I'm writing this as a Medical Lab Tech student. Imho, you're all putting the cart before the horse.

A major bottleneck to affordable universal health care is the shortage of facilities and trained providers. And the bottleneck to that education is student funding and the critical "clinical" training. Hospitals can only take on so many students at a time given the need for close supervision with a low teacher:student ratio to prevent medical disasters.

I'm pushing for Bernie Sanders 1350 or so new Community Health Centers (which I understand will also be training centers) to remain in the bill to provide low-cost health care to anybody who walks in the door. Increasing the number 4 or 5-fold (over the existing 350 community health centers) will make health care more available. 10-fold would be sweet! (btw, as an aside, building 1350 community health centers is *major* economic stimulus)

And increasing the grants and loans to students -- so weeding out is based entirely on ability to do the job as opposed to ability to finance learning the job -- is critical. Personally, I'm in a situation along with multiple other students, who may be forced out with one year of training to go due to terminated education loans. It's not our doing and at least 2 of us (myself and one other student) are 4.0s. We could face financial ruin and you could be short several providers as we were blindsided by fine-print rules...that were on a financial aid web page that isn't even public!

The bottom line is that health care is a *Community Service* and should be funded by the community. That means infrastructure and training. Fund the training -- train more providers and stop burdening healthcare students with loans the size of a hefty mortgage -- and service fees will come down.

Without the infrastructure to deliver, universal health care and single payer remain impossible. The fact is that until more *health care* is available, in terms of more trained medical staff and more facilities (beds), both universal health care and single payer will remain out of reach. This is a case where supply-side economics will work.

So I strongly recommend that all of you quit whining about the "sellout," recognize where the real problem lies, and help focus on that. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And that first step is within reach.

FWIW, I can see a scenario in which, as more and more community health centers come on line, providing lower cost health care while training more and more students, people will start "opting out" of the insurance industry and paying the "fine" (think "tax for down payment on community centers")

[Demeter]

8. No, I'm FURIOUS! And I'm Not Alone, Either