I don't know if the idea was fully his, but it was brilliant. I'd like to find out if anyone voted in favor of his amendment.

Here's a link to Michael McAuliff's blog on the subject.

And this was Rachel Maddows interview with Weiner last night:



Nice Move!

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Our "Spock in Chief" had a most logical moment at his press conference yesterday. But because I didn't see anyone else cover it on the news last night, I thought I'd share it here.

Obama was answering a question from reporter, David Jackson, about the "public option" part of his health care plan. He outlined why he thought it was important. Jackson followed up with, "Won't it drive private insurer's out of business?"

President Spock answered with, "If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they're offering a good deal, then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not logical." He then went on to acknowledge that, yes there would need to be discussion about the specific form such a plan would take. He was then quick to add, "Just conceptually, the notion that all these insurance companies who say they are giving consumers the best possible deal, that they can't compete against a public plan as one option, with consumers making the decision (as to) what's the best deal, that defies logic."

After I picked myself up off the floor from laughing at the way he pummeled all the free-market cheerleaders with their own arguments, I realized something more. The public option as discussed would need to cover all the uninsured, underinsured and uninsurable. I'm thinking that it's something that the private companies would be happy to see. Those are the high-risk consumers aren't they? That should free them up to make more profits.

We need more Vulcans.

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I've been asked a lot lately about why I hold such strong views about universal healthcare in our country. Invariably, the argument against adopting it is, "talk to people in the countries that have it. They don't like it." My question is why they don't like it? Do they have anything to compare it to? If the only discount store in my town is Target, and that's the only place I ever get to shop, eventually I'm going to have a gripe.

On the other hand, I don't feel we have much to brag about here, either. People are denied life saving treatments by insurance companies every day. Those who are lucky enough to be insured. Even the small stuff is bad. Recently, my wife and I waited for SIX hours in an emergency room (from 9:30 PM until 3:30 AM) when she sliced open her finger and needed stitches. We had someone look at her finger after the first hour and were told "ooh, that's pretty bad. You're going to need some serious stitches. Now go sit back in the waiting room and we'll be right with you." After waiting a couple of hours, I asked the receptionist when they would see her. She said she had no idea. Finally, my wife insisted we leave. The bleeding had finally stopped. This is not an indictment of the people who work in the emergency room. I know they had their hands full. However, under a single payer, they could have told us, "Hey, St. Generic's emergency room is slow, why don't you zip over there and they will be able to help?" Our insurance would have been just as good at either one.

I think what it all comes down to is this question: Would you rather have a bureaucrat from a non-profit government agency deciding on your healthcare or, a bureaucrat from a huge for-profit insurance conglomerate deciding on your healthcare with profit as the main priority? Give me the government every time. At least I get to vote on the leadership.

Below are the links to a series of articles that illustrate why I feel the way I do and why it's the best direction for this country.

Universal Health Care Can Save Our Economy

Universal Health Care Can Save Our Economy Part II: Quality Control

Universal Health Care Can Save Our Economy and Keep 1.7 mill

Obama on Health Reform: The Dog That Didn't Bark

The Health Care Cave-In

The Only Sure Way to Fund Universal Health Care

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