David Brooks prefers single-payer to status quo

[cal04]

http://rawstory.com/2009/12/david-brooks-prefers-single-payer/

Conservative columnist David Brooks expressed support Sunday for a system of health care otherwise demonized in the press by the right wing. "I wouldn't mind a single-payer. Frankly I prefer a single-payer to what we have now," Brooks told ABC's Jake Tapper.

(snip)
He was asked about single-payer on July 29th but deflected the question, writing, "I'm not that thrilled with the insurance companies." He also wrote, "There is no way something that big and complex and dynamic can be run out of Washington."

Brooks said he can't support the health reform passed by both houses of Congress. "I oppose it," he said. "It's a close call for me." He has consistently charged that health care cost controls are not enough to support the Democrats' bill.


(snip)
Also appearing on ABC, liberal economist Paul Krugman argued, "There's a whole list of things that we think might control costs. This is going to be in the legislation, its something that's going to be tried. This is the first serious attempt that we've made to control health care costs and by doing that it actually proves something that people like me, advocates of universal coverage, have been saying... The only way to control costs is as part of a package that also covers the uninsured."

[laughingliberal]

1. You picked a fine time to tell us, Dave nt

[varelse]

2. He's free to say that now that there is no chance in hell of getting it done (nt)

[Better Today]

3. Sometimes he really gets on my last nerve, but he always seems to have

at least thought things out, compared to many other conservatives who just chant the BS.

I'm not sure if I support this bill or the final one if and when that happens, but I will always appreciate a conservative that engages in fair and reasonable consideration of the topic.

[FrenchieCat]

4. I didn't bother to read this one......But I have a question--

Is he advocating that we "scrap" these bills and start all over again?
Because if he is, you know he's doing a "set up", right?

[blondeatlast]

5. Brooks would love to be a player in RRRepub politics. It might help to work on that timing thing,

Brooksie.

In politics, you have to be both right--and at the right time.

[CTyankee]

6. People like him I'd like to get in a room and have a one on one conversation.

Here's what I'd like to say:

"Great. You've finally got it straight on health care. And I notice you've been warming up to the progressive side of things a bit lately, but not enough.

"You know what? I'd like you to say out loud that we progressives have been right and you and your side have been WRONG on just about everything over the past decade! As a liberal I sometimes get tired of being right and I sometimes wish I wasn't always right...but we are and we have been and I go all the way back to the Vietnam War.

"Do something good with your life, Mr. Brooks. Become a liberal Democrat and work hard for social change in this country so you won't one day die with hard and bitter regrets!"

I could do it. I have the gray hair and the 'tude to say that to him. I just wish I could...

[mmonk]

7. Kind of shoots down the theory single payer has only crazy left supporters.