One of the single best tools for more jobs in America:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

Single-payer health care delivery system.

Removing the crushing health-care costs from the backs of employers would strip them of one issue that they can hide behind, while they ship jobs overseas.

Yes, the insurance industry, Big Pharma and some doctors would squeal, long and loud. Fsck 'em. We cannot afford to continue to let health care to effectively strip jobs from this country. I suspect that most industry executives and shareholders would breathe a sigh of relief. I know that a shitload of people in the hospital and nursing home industry would be incredibly relieved.

In this, Gephardt gets it right. It is sad that he is so wrong in other matters. At least in my humble opinion.

Oh, as regards that incredibly specious argument about Single-Payer causing degraded services and delays in care? Here's a cluestick moment for you: It's already here. The delays and lack of care already exist. In the service of The Gods of Mammon and G-V executive jets, et al, ad nauseaum.

[Democrats unite]

1. I thought the single best tool was to...

Throw Bush out of the office that he stole?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. Oh yah...

That clearly leads the field. ;-)

[snippy]

3. To get more job creation just elect a democratic president.

Republican presidents are always, always, always bad for job creation. Since the 1920's, the annual rate of job creation under republican presidents has always been lower than under democratic presidents.

Since the depression, not a single republican president has had a better rate of job creation than any democratic president. The highest rate of job growth under a republican was 2.2% per year during Nixon's time in office. The lowest rate of job growth under a democrat was 2.3% per year during Kennedy's time in office. Bush has had a -0.7% annual rate which is the first negative number since the depression.

Since WWII ended, a total of 57.51 million jobs were created during the terms of democratic presidents which is an average of 2.054 million jobs per year. During the terms of republican presidents a total of 31.11 million jobs were created which is an average of 1.003 million jobs per year.

[Toucano]

4. Great graph. Thanks! n/t

[AP]

5. I say, progressive taxation is going to be the biggest tool to fix the...

...economy.

The economy was great, and created tons of jobs when we didn't have single-payer health care in the late 40s and 50s (when New Deal programs were kicking in and teh economy was expanding fairly and equitably).

The thing that has changed the most in the last 30 years isn't health care so much as it is the increasing political and economic power of fewer and fewere wealthier and wealthier people, and the regressive tax code has been the singest biggest tool Republicans have used to achieve this.

[AP]

6. This needs a kick.

[Nobody]

7. You are right

but I also agree with the single payer health care being a very important means of stemming the hemorrhaging of jobs overseas.

The jobs being hemorrharged are full time, living wage, with benefits jobs.

Most new jobs being created now are temporary, part-time, part-time and temporary, no benefits jobs.

Companies who desperately need people aren't hiring. Instead, they're giving the extra workload to existing employees who may not necessarily have the skills to perform the extra work.

A single payer health care system would ensure that working Americans stay healthy enough to continue working, even if they work in temporary jobs. And I know temps who have worked at the same job for the same company for upwards of three years, longer than some full time employees who do get benefits.