firedoglake: Why Can’t a Better Health Care Plan Be the Next Stimulus?

[avaistheone1]

by Jane Hamsher

We bailed out the banks to the tune of 2 trillion dollars in the past year, put through an enormous stimulus bill, bailed out the European banks, put through yet another war supplemental, and never asked how we were going to pay for it. We just wrote a bunch of big checks.

But now that it has come to taking care of the health of Americans, well, we have to tighten the old belt and it's suddenly "pay-as-you-go."

Everyone is obsessed about "how we're going to pay for this" when discussing health care. And as long as we're prisoners of a CBO score (is it $1 trillion? $1.4 trillion?) we're going to wind up passing a bill that does not cover average Americans in the way they need to be covered so that as a country we can step forward into a new business era of international economic interdependence. Other industrialized nations cover health care. We're saddling business with that cost, and a huge chunk of what we are planning to spend will go to bail out insurance companies.

Meanwhile, just as Krugman and others predicted, White House aides are saying we need another stimulus plan. Joe Biden and Steny Hoyer have sent up trial balloons...

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/09-9

[FrenchieCat]

1. Because we are too busy discussing how the first stimulus didn't work?

:shrug: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8518843

[Dragonfli]

11. And we shouldn't talk about a plan that is better by far because corps would not like it.

I know, Insurance companies are more important that people that will die, I get it. You don't have to rub it in.

I would introduce you to my wife but an insurance company killed her - +1 for Rahm and company - Yeahhh!!!!

[drm604]

2. K&R

Good points!

[annabanana]

3. I think I'D have some more "disposable income" if it was passed.. . n/t

[avaistheone1]

4. I would have quite a bit more disposable income if this passed,

and a priceless sense of security. The legislators who fight and vote for this would have my fervent support and loyalty too.

:thumbsup:

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. K&R

[JayMusgrove]

6. Sounds like a good idea to ME!

What's a few hundred billion among fellow Americans to get us all in better health?

Sounds better than fixing superhighways, to me.

[erinlough]

7. I was just talking about this with my employer

We were in a meeting and the subject came up. He and I agreed that for both of us in our respective positions a single payer system would save us both money and stimulate the economy. This is a great way to frame the health care debate.

[drm604]

8. Exactly.

Why aren't other business leaders (other than insurance and health care) being brought into the conversation?

[Dragonfli]

13. Because it is pay to play when passing anything, Insurance is high bidder n/t

[grantcart]

9. Excellent point

[annabanana]

10. kickers. . n/t

[undeterred]

12. Exactly how would that help the bankers and Wall Street?

They git theirs first.

[harun]

15. Unfortunately I was thinking the same thing. If it doesn't make the super rich more rich

the Corporate Media doesn't think it counts.

[mzmolly]

14. An excellent question.

K and R