Thread: Public option gains support

Public option gains support

Public option gains support
CLEAR MAJORITY NOW BACKS PLAN
Americans still divided on overall packages

By Dan Balz and Jon Cohen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health-care plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and wins clear majority support from the public.

Americans remain sharply divided about the overall packages moving closer to votes in Congress and President Obama's leadership on the issue, reflecting the partisan battle that has raged for months over the administration's top legislative priority. But sizable majorities back two key and controversial provisions: both the so-called public option and a new mandate that would require all Americans to carry health insurance.

Independents and senior citizens, two groups crucial to the debate, have warmed to the idea of a public option, and are particularly supportive if it would be administered by the states and limited to those without access to affordable private coverage.

But in a sign of the fragile coalition politics that influence the negotiations in Congress, Obama's approval ratings on health-care reform are slipping among his fellow Democrats even as they are solidifying among independents and seniors. Among Democrats, strong approval of his handling of the issue has dropped 15 percentage points since mid-September.

My major concern about a 'pubic option' is that it will be run by the U.S. Government. The notion that is a 'trojan horse' to socialized medicine is a ridiculous far-right talking point. (our Government is not that clever)

I would be more in favor of tax incentives to health care co-ops at the state and local level. Using the successful state-run programs as a model (not Texas) create incentives for hospitals and health care corps to start non-profit divisions that serve low-income patients.

Am I okay with my Tax dollar going to other peoples' health care? Yes. Especially if they have children. As long as its done in a pragmatic and effective way. I don't know that the public option is that.

It is cheaper to treat people before they get sick with regular check-up etc., then when they show up to the emergency room with heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure and obesity issues. Simple economics, folks.

The United States has always been a compassionate country with safety nets for the poor, disabled, elderly etc. Rethinking these safety nets from time to time is good thing.

Is this the same government that has been unable to get the H1N1 vaccine out in time to have an impact on the swine flu?

Is this the same government that isn't able to pay the auto dealers for clash for clunkers?

Yeah, I want THEM running healthcare. What a cluster **** that would be.

Originally Posted by Erod

Is this the same government that has been unable to get the H1N1 vaccine out in time to have an impact on the swine flu?

Is this the same government that isn't able to pay the auto dealers for clash for clunkers?

Yeah, I want THEM running healthcare. What a cluster **** that would be.

And THAT is a good argument. Want to know the reason that the public option now has so much support? While Democrats were pushing this, the Republicans got sidetracked by the birthers, the deathers, "The Obama is a Nazi" crowd, and all the other members of the lunatic fringe. If this passes, I won't blame the Democrats. I will blame those Republicans who had their chance to offer honest rebuttals, but pissed it away by losing focus and concentrating on the crazy. What we need are more arguments just like the one you have posted.

Now what buttons could the Republican party have pushed in order to derail the public option. Here are a couple of ideas:

1) How about the cost? THIS SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE TALKING POINT.

2) How about unfair competition against the insurance companies, and putting them out of business, thus killing hundreds of thousands of jobs at such a critical time in our economic history?

3) How about the fact that the government will gain more control over the economy, and we will become just a little more Socialist in the process.

It just seems to me that the standard Republican fare of namecalling and personal attacks is sinking the party at a time when they really need to stand up for their values. The GOP has abdicated its responsibility of offering an alternative, and in the process, have pretty much handed everything the Democrats want to them, right on a silver platter. If they don't reverse course, and do it quickly, we WILL see the public option passed in the final version of the bill.

It's not too late for Republicans to reverse their course, and stop the public option. Question is, are they up to the task, or will they go down in flames and silliness? Only time will tell, and there is not much of that left. If they don't move now, and move quickly, I am afraid that they are going to be shut out, and all the fingerpointing in the world will not mitigate the fact that they had their chance and blew it.

I believe it would make it all pretty moot if we would lift the antitrust exemption for the health insurance industry. It definitely would bring competition to states that the industry has had their way with since 1945.

http://leahy.senate.gov/DOX/HealthIn...rcementAct.pdf

There might be more support for a public option.

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/10/2...ption-support/

Posted by Hazlnut:
The notion that is a 'trojan horse' to socialized medicine is a ridiculous far-right talking point. (our Government is not that clever)

It's not a far right talking point.

Hot Air Blog Archive Sebelius: I’m all for single-payer system, eventually

Originally Posted by hazlnut

Public option gains support



My major concern about a 'pubic option' is that it will be run by the U.S. Government. The notion that is a 'trojan horse' to socialized medicine is a ridiculous far-right talking point. (our Government is not that clever)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAyan1fXCE&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Obama on single payer health insurance[/ame]



I would have also posted Shakowski's video here as well, but it has been scrubbed.


j-mac