What's the difference between a Republican and a single-payer advocate?

[lwcon]

This:

Two single payer doctors were arrested this morning outside the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel where President Obama was scheduled to speak to a retreat of House Republicans.

Dr. Margaret Flowers and Dr. Carol Paris were carrying a sign that said: Just Letting You Know: Medicare for All.

I've heard some disingenuous things from Obama since he hit the national scene, but this one from the SOTU has to take the cake:

If anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know.

He knows precisely what must be done. At least he did in 2003:

I happen to be a proponent of a single-payer universal healthcare plan. And I see no reason why the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, spending 14%, 14% of its Gross National Product on healthcare cannot provide basic health insurance to everybody. And that's what Jim's talking about, when he says 'everybody in, nobody out.' A single-payer healthcare plan, a universal healthcare plan. That's what I'd like to see, but as all of you know, we may not get there immediately. Because first we've got to take back the White House, and we've got to take back the Senate, and we've got to take back the House.

Obama's own longtime physician was barred from making the case for single-payer at Obama's so-called town hall meetings.

I agree with the 2003 version of Barack Obama: We need to take back the White House. Somebody has it now, but it certainly isn't we the people.

[napi21]

1. The only way you're ever going to see single payer is there is an uproar from the people!

The advoctes were certainly in an uproar, but the majority of people were not. Far too many people have their HC paid by their employer, and since they never see the $$, they don't feel the high cost is hurting them.

[lwcon]

5. Alas, much of the left got co-opted into supporting the fake "public option" solution

Well-connected and well-funded operatives made that meaningless "solution" into roach motel for progressive energies.

[LWolf]

2. Disingenuous is right.

Apparently, winning his way to office has blinded him. He no longer "sees" clearly.

[lwcon]

6. It seemed to have happened well before he won

That "bipartisan" shtick made no sense if he'd really wanted to seize the moment for change.

The Republican brand was in the toilet, and he helped reinvigorate it by pretending it was possible to cross the aisle and work with them.

[LWolf]

7. Yes.

Not exactly the "change" so many were looking for.

[PufPuf23]

3. The Senate Bill is a corporate wet dream

that will impede any incrementalism towards more efficient and less expensive health care if passed as is.

Some posters have calculators provided by Kaiser (that was a "good citizen" in the 1960s at least). Look at your results. Cost plus by % ruloes will increase health care costs to maintain profits.

I like the 2003 Obama and parts of the SOTU and GOP faceoff have helped my attitude but want concrete action.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. 3 chromosomes.

[johnaries]

8. As Obama himself pointed out, there has been a bill for

single-payer presented in Congress every year since Medicare was passed. Unfortunately, it was always sent to die in committee.

Obama is not the one we have to convince.

[lwcon]

10. True

He's just the President of the United States and the de facto leader of the Democratic Party, who was chosen in large part as an agent of change and unusually gifted speaker.

Why should he lift a finger to promote a real solution to our healthcare woes?

[hfojvt]

9. it has to be well over 200

there are 219 Republicans who have been elected to Congress and there are well less than 19 advocates of single payer.

Okay, I guess I was way off, there are 93 co-sponsors to HR 676.

So apparently the correct answer is 125, but the 41 Senators should probably count more than the 94 Representatives. Kinda similar to the beginning of Fahrenheit 911 "Do you have a Senator?"

Gotta be one or two Senators as well. Maybe Bernie and Sheldon?