SINGLE PAYER - And the Fundamentals of Politics

[WeekendWarrior]

For a political forum it amazes me how so many people can be completely clueless about politics in this country.

There are many here who are moaning that the Dems should have simply ignored the Repugs and voted for single payer healthcare. As much as most of us -- if not all -- would like to see this country have a single-payer system, the REALITY of the situation is that single-payer WOULD NEVER HAVE PASSED. The way the Democratic party is made up at this particular point in time, there would not have been nearly enough votes in Congress to pass such a bill.

What we have witnessed instead is political gamesmanship at its finest, designed to do two things: 1) pass SOME kind of meaningful healthcare reform upon which we can build; and 2) keep the Democrats in power in Congress.

I can only assume the mastermind behind this strategy was Obama, with an able assist from Nancy Pelosi and (gag) Harry Reid. The plan was to reach across the aisle in a gesture of bipartisanship in hopes of forging a bill both sides could support, but with the full knowledge that if you gave the Republicans enough rope, they would hang themselves just in time for the November elections.

Which, of course, is exactly what happened.

So as much as we would all have loved single-payer, it just couldn't happen in this political environment. But now we DO have something that can be improved upon, and we may well have the political capital to get more progressive representatives into Congress who can revisit single-payer in the future.

If you thought an entire health insurance infrastructure was going to change in one fell swoop, you were sadly naive.

[MineralMan]

1. You're absolutely correct.

You will hear presently, though, from many who don't care about practical politics. Idealism is a great thing, since it drives progress, but idealism rarely gets through our legislative process. Perhaps never.

[Dappleganger]

14. My thoughts exactly. If we never get anything accomplished

we will go out of power once again and stay out of power so that will assure a perpetual life in the desert.

[Fumesucker]

2. We got what the powers that be wanted..

Health insurance has now become an individual obligation and there will be a massive transfer of taxpayer funds to the health insurance industry.

And Obama is part of the powers that be.

[Tansy_Gold]

3. +1 for that dose (pun intended) of reality. n/t

[salguine]

4. But...but...you're spoiling Christmas! Hush, now!

[ixion]

6. Exactly

spot on, that.

[WeekendWarrior]

9. Cynicism doesn't win votes

or persuade the electorate or our representatives. You're unhappy with the bill, then work within the system to improve it.

I'm sorry, but I can't get behind the defeatist frame of mind.

[Fumesucker]

12. It wasn't a defeat, it was a win..

For the health insurance industry..

Acknowledging reality isn't defeatism.

[WeekendWarrior]

13. Here's a dose of reality:

Millions of people will be helped by this legislation. MILLIONS.

That's a win for them.

[Fumesucker]

15. Why don't we wait and see how things actually turn out?

Let's see what the cost-benefit ratio is and whether it curtails the skyrocketing inflation in health care costs.

I don't see any way a bill mostly written by health insurance industry lobbyists is going to be all that great for the average individual.

[xchrom]

11. +2

[Captain Hilts]

5. It should have been ON THE TABLE to tilt the table further left. nt

[WeekendWarrior]

8. NOTHING would have tilted this farther left -- that's

just the point. The makeup of Congress -- despite a Democratic majority -- would not allow for it. There are too many centrists and blue dogs in office. Single payer was off the table because it meant one less thing for the right to attack.

I mean, think of the brilliance here. THEY OFFERED UP A REPUBLICAN BILL and got the Republicans to vote against it. That's SHEER genius.

And it's a bill that can and will be greatly improved upon as time goes on, but ONLY if we, as voters and activists, can change the makeup of the Democratic party.

[Oregone]

7. Most of the shit Reagan pulled NEVER would of flew in Carter's America

He used his charisma and campaigning to re-align the political spectrum, such that he didn't have to craft policy that was restricted by the old political environment.

People like to pretend that the political spectrum is static. This is fallacious.

[BeFree]

10. Question:

If we had single payer wouldn't there be a mandate that everyone has to buy in?

--------------now a rant--------

The reality is that comprehensive Health Insurance Reform, for the first time in our lives, is done. It is an accomplishment that arguments to the contrary are getting tiresome.

'Twould be nice were there were some real and politically possible solutions presented along side the bitching, but all we get is bitching.

We understand the frustration, hell who doesn't want the problems of the world to be solved and we live lives of bliss and tranquility?

But then, nothing ever changes without force, eh?
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over."

So, cheers to those who are pushing for mo' better.
Just realize exactly what it is you are pushing against.