When President Obama convened a town-hall meeting in Rio Rancho, N.M., last month, he wanted to talk about credit card reform. But many in the crowd had a different agenda. ‘So many people go bankrupt using their credit cards to pay for health care,’ the first questioner said to applause. ‘Why have they taken single-payer off the plate?’ The ‘single-payer’ activists had struck again. As Obama and congressional Democrats work to hammer out landmark health-care legislation, they face increasingly noisy protests from those on the left who complain that a national program like those in Europe has been excluded from the debate. The White House and Democratic leaders have made clear there is no chance that Congress will adopt a single-payer approach — named for the idea that a single government-backed insurance plan would pay for all Americans’ medical costs — because it is too radical a change. That has not dissuaded single-payer activists, who have spent months hounding Democratic lawmakers and organizing demonstrations, including one that resulted in 13 arrests at a Senate hearing last month. The offensive continues this weekend with plans to swamp a series of ‘house parties’ on health care hosted by […]
Monday, June 8th, 2009
Single-Payer’ Supporters Challenge Democrats
Author: DAN EGGEN
Source: Washington Post
Publication Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009
Link: Single-Payer’ Supporters Challenge Democrats
Source: Washington Post
Publication Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009
Link: Single-Payer’ Supporters Challenge Democrats
Stephan: I am a strong proponent of the single payer system. If one climbs up inside of all the sick things that collectively comprise the illness profit industry it quickly becomes clear that the lack of a single payer accounts in large measure for the obscene profit taking through administrative fees. Let the citizen actions become larger and more intense. There is no other way to break the strangle hold of the special interests driven by profit who have the ability to otherwise bribe the Congress -- let's not mince words.