The Public Has No Option
There are people who dismiss Keith Olbermann's 'Special Comments' as the maudlin, overwrought moralizing of an arrogant, hypocritical man. One presumes such persons would find his Oct. 7th, 2009 show-length comment concerning insurance reform the height of his arrogance. If you oppose single-payer or hate Keith Olbermann I challenge you to spend the three-quarters of an hour it will take to watch this video.
The elements of the insurance reform debate are simple. Much simpler than opponents would have one believe. We need a plan and we need to pay for it.
The plan ought to be simple enough: Medicare-For-All.
Paying for it is more complicated, but the outline still fits in a paragraph. Well persons who work or are wealthy pay, same as now. The disabled, retired or needy don't, same as now. The amount people pay will need to go up, so fix it so the amounts employers are currently paying to insurance companies instead go to pay for the new plan. Perhaps leave some money on the table for employers, so that they might purchase supplemental Medicare insurance, as many seniors do now.
"We don't have the money," some will exclaim. There are trillions to spill into the sands of Asia, and trillions more to refill the coffers of Wall Street. There are billions upon billions to press into the hands of rapacious defense contractors and other rent seekers in and around Washington. To say that there isn't money to pay for health care for the needy is utter, weapons-grade bullshit.
No matter what side of the debate you come down on, one thing is certain: Unless serious, dramatic, systemic reform is undertaken in the very near future things are going to get much, much worse for America and her people.
The elements of the insurance reform debate are simple. Much simpler than opponents would have one believe. We need a plan and we need to pay for it.
The plan ought to be simple enough: Medicare-For-All.
Paying for it is more complicated, but the outline still fits in a paragraph. Well persons who work or are wealthy pay, same as now. The disabled, retired or needy don't, same as now. The amount people pay will need to go up, so fix it so the amounts employers are currently paying to insurance companies instead go to pay for the new plan. Perhaps leave some money on the table for employers, so that they might purchase supplemental Medicare insurance, as many seniors do now.
"We don't have the money," some will exclaim. There are trillions to spill into the sands of Asia, and trillions more to refill the coffers of Wall Street. There are billions upon billions to press into the hands of rapacious defense contractors and other rent seekers in and around Washington. To say that there isn't money to pay for health care for the needy is utter, weapons-grade bullshit.
No matter what side of the debate you come down on, one thing is certain: Unless serious, dramatic, systemic reform is undertaken in the very near future things are going to get much, much worse for America and her people.