Question for Obama Supporters: Should He Go With Kucinich's Health Care Plan?

[David Zephyr]

Question for Obama Supporters: Should He Go With Kucinich's Health Care Plan? I think he should.

Obama should go with the national plan that Dennis Kucinich has endorsed. It's the weakest point in Obama's campaign.

Americans want and need single payer, not-for-profit, universal health care. Kucinich has this right, but Dennis doesn't have Obama's appeal.

Here's hoping Obama will move to the only healthcare proposal that works and do so soon.

[LSparkle]

1. Without hesitation -- YES

THAT would certainly distinguish him from Hillary (in a very positive way).

[quinnox]

2. It would provide a boost for his campaign

This would get some attention, it would be a bold move. I think this makes a lot of sense.

[Strawman]

3. I don't know if his big money donors would like that

Don't hold your breath on that one.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/06/opinion/main3024386.shtml?source=RSSattr=Opinion_3024386

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/11/0081275

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117280472819024400.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[sunwyn]

4. Dennis Kucinich has THE best healthcare plan.....I think all the candidates should

be examining his plan.

[David Zephyr]

9. Absolutely.

And welcome to the DU!

[Mass]

5. Yes...\nt

[illinoisprogressive]

6. Actually Obama has done successful heathcare here in Illinois.

He has experience in working on healthcare and the program works. It's not universal but, it covers those under 18. He did this and managed to get alot of his important things thru with a republican controlled state house.
I hear DK this morning talking about his and I liked it alot. He has some good ideas.

[maximusveritas]

7. The real question is should Edwards go with single payer?

It seems like some posters are treating him like he doesn't exist anymore. Adopting a single payer approach would help him more than it would Obama and he has nothing to lose at this point. He's the one who needs to run to the left to have a chance, so this would be a great move for him.

[David Zephyr]

12. You have a valid point. John Edwards should adopt Kucinich's plan.

If Edwards and Obama joined with Kucinich, then the preaching of the message would resound from mulitple speakers (woofers included) and that would be a great day for democracy.

Universal Healthcare Now.

[davidwparker]

8. Yes

[elizm]

10. Yes. nt

[zulchzulu]

11. Single Payer HC is not going to realistically happen any time soon

I would LOVE IT!

But... the pharma and health insurance industries are too strong to do anything except incrementally get it to single payer healthcare over a period of time. To just try to go into setting up single payer healthcare plans and not universal healthcare that's very affordable first will end up with the same old crap.

Let's start with universal healthcare that's affordable first. Then get into single payer in due time.

[David Zephyr]

13. I wish you were right, but...

The Medicare "Reform" was the product of the HMO and Pharmaceuticals because it wrote them right into the scheme and criminally so.

If we adapt a similar national healthcare, then we are forever empowering these crooked corporations with tax dollars that they don't deserve with which they can continue to purchase our lawmakers.

It has to be not-for-profit.

I've lived overseas in the U.K. and in South America. I've been in the hospital in Hong Kong. All free. Never waited in a "line". And in Hong Kong, they saved my life.

We have the worst care in the world and it's only because it's for profit.

[zulchzulu]

19. I couldn't agree with you more...but...

...the idea of going from what we have now in healthcare to leapfrogging to single payer healthcare is a lot like trying to get rid of racism. You can decree that it should happen, but it's going to take time to actually make it happen.

Thinking that the pharma and insurance industries, with billions of dollars in investments and lobbyists, would just stand down and not fight with all they have is not seeing what we are up against. It has to be incremental or it will never, ever happen.

[obamian]

14. Obama economic advisor Austan Goolbee explains why single payer is a bad idea

See this article: http://www.slate.com/id/2169454/

[David Zephyr]

15. Not a very good article and full of erroneous assertions.

First of all, Americans pay up to 35% more for health care than our counterparts in other industrialized nations. We are already paying more. And with 40 million uninsured, when they drop in at the emergency wards, those paying premiums pick up the tab.

Obama's current plan is a complete turn off for me and caused me to pull back my enthusiasm in supporting him. Having articles like this one written on his behalf will not help him with either the HMO's and Pharma who will oppose him anyway...and most of all, it alienates him from those who would like to support him.

[Bullet1987]

16. Yes, he SHOULD

Will he? Or any of the other Dems outside Kucinich? NO!!

[David Zephyr]

17. I hope you are wrong, but I fear you are right.

.

[SoonerPride]

18. Well, he's wrong

so there

[hedgehog]

20. I think Obama's plan is really a stealth single payer plan.

What happens when everyone is offered a chance to buy in to the Federal Employees' plan at low premiums? My mom is on that and she and my dad are a lot better off than they would be if they were covered by Medicare.


I'd love to go single payer today, but there are a lot of people whose paycheck depends on the crazy system we have today. My guess is that most of them are undepaid keyboard operators. A plan that gradually shifts us all to a single payer would take longer but wouldn't cause as much pain for those just trying to make a living.