"Public Option" killed by Obama Administration

[Better Believe It]

"Public Option" killed by Obama Administration
by Mike Chapman
LA Populist Examiner
August 16, 2009

Michael Chapman is a physician in LA whose interests include economics & politics, having written extensively & administered an online forum covering those areas in detail.


President Obama has now essentially killed the public option for health care reform. Though Obama clearly and unmistakably said previously that there would be a public option, he's since reneged on that promise (like he's done on numerous other issues).

Without a government-administered public option, any health care reform legislation will worsen health care in this country. This was the ONLY part of the legislation that had any potential to "bend-the-cost-curve."

Now insurers will receive the huge windfall of mandated health insurance enrollment for another 50 million Americans, without any competition from a non-profit driven government-administered program.

Any legislation put forward now will be nothing but Corporate Welfare for the health care insurance industry, with Big Pharma tagging along.

Without the public option, health care reform legislation will be nothing more than an extension of the Bush Administration's no-corporation-left-behind policies. By subsidizing the health care industry with public money, Obama is proving that even the most profitable of all industries can feed at the public trough—and share in the same taxpayer-funded largess that the financial industry currently enjoys.

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.examiner.com/x-17571-LA-Populist-Examiner~y2009m8d16-Health-Care-Reform-Public-Option-Killed-by-Obama-Administration

[NYC_SKP]

1. I know people who became physically aroused when they read this headline.

I won't name names.

Wouldn't be prudent.

:hurts:

[Political Tiger]

2. It was his DEATH PANEL that killed it! Oh my!

Yeah, that's the ticket.....!

[Enrique]

3. that's a right wing website taking a populist pose

they throw that stuff about corportations and we're supposed to just be stupid and buy their crap?

[ProSense]

6. See how clueless some people are? n/t

[Cha]

8. The OP is going for

broke.

[FrenchieCat]

10. You've just described poster of OP to a "T"!

And plenty are buying his schtick....

and with him, it ain't only health care,
but anything and everything that the Obama administration does.

Yep.....fools sucking on that straw all day long,
and liking it too!

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mkultra]

18. we know. BBI is a long standing troll here

he is kind of like a mascot.

[Oregone]

4. I don't blame em

While it would of been nice for the 10 million people covered by 2019, thats just peanuts of the entire reform, which has a ton of other substantial points that will effect everyone else. It was just a damn distraction from its inception to coral the liberals and get them on board. But based on its scoring, its next to worthless beyond the idea of it.

Maybe the debate can get back to reality now that you remove the distraction. Is the reform, based on its merits alone (without the romantic notion of some tiny option) worth it? Does it do enough? Should the US instead try and socialize the insurance industry, rather than band-aid it? Will the regulations make an impact on the consumer, sufficient enough to justify the legislation? Could more be done with as much effort, if other avenues were pursued?

The entire option, which polarized people but wouldn't manifest itself as actually covering people (other than 10 million), was a distraction that was skewing the debate. Though, Im surprised it may not be delivered in the end just to keep people happy.

[inna]

21. +1

i agree with your point re. inadequacy of the so-called public option.


still, the article in the OP makes some valid points:

But now it's too late. Much of the public has been convinced by insurance industry propagandists and their dupes that the current legislation is government-controlled health care.

Any legislation put forward now will be nothing but Corporate Welfare for the health care insurance industry, with Big Pharma tagging along.

Without the public option, health care reform legislation will be nothing more than an extension of the Bush Administration's no-corporation-left-behind policies. By subsidizing the health care industry with public money, Obama is proving that even the most profitable of all industries can feed at the public trough—and share in the same taxpayer-funded largess that the financial industry currently enjoys.

[Laelth]

5. Excellent essay. k&r

:dem:

-Laelth

[uponit7771]

7. **********BOOOOO!!!****** (unrec, Obama said any bill he signs MUST have pubOption)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/obama-demands-the-bill-i-sign-must-include-public-option.php

[Baltoman991]

9. BBI starts

another thread full of right wing spin.

Obama has killed nothing. The public option is still what Obama wants or haven't you been paying attention to his stops this past week? I already know the answer to that one, you didn't pay attention because you're to busy every day running around to find as many negative articles as you can to slam Obama.

Honestly, are you a progressive? Because in my opinion you're nothing but a bullshitter who continues to spew garbage even when called on it.

[Better Believe It]

11. Do you also think that Sanders and Dean are right-wingnuts?

Guess you didn't hear the news. You need to follow what's happening in the health care debate more closely.

Being uninformed is never a good thing.

OK. Here's the news for you.

Right-wingers are opposed to both a single payer Medicare for All healthcare system and also a strong public option.

So you think the right-wingers are promoting single payer and a public option.

Well, you need to read a bit.

If you insist on launching hateful trash talk and personal attacks against DU'ers rather than engage civil debate and discussion find a trash talk board that meets your personal needs.

I'm not going to play with you.

You're going on ignore so rant all you want.

Bye Bye!

[Baltoman991]

12. Did I miss

something? I heard Dean on Olbermann Friday night and he was ready to guarantee the public option would be in the bill.

And honestly, you putting me on ignore is probably a blessing for me. You post nothing but bullshit and when proven wrong, you run away like a coward instead of standing up and admitting you were wrong.

The public option is not dead. I don't give a rats ass what Sebelius said today nor do I give a rats ass what Conrad said today. I've heard what Obama has been saying all along and I heard him say it again last night. There will be a public option and folks like you will have to find something else to piss and moan about.

[Historic NY]

14. Breaking News the pubic option was not killed...was not killed.....

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/08/administration_official_sebelius_misspoke.php

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/7273

[firedupdem]

15. What a load of rightwing bullshit you're pushing here. The whitehouse

has already debunked the latest outrage.

[scheming daemons]

16. Another false story posted by BBI.... what a surprise...

:eyes:

[johnaries]

17. Wrong. Obama has stated repeatedly he supports the Public Option

and Gibbs and others stated it again today.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[Mz Pip]

20. Here's what I'm going to do:

I'm going to wait until congress comes back from recess. I'm going to wait and see what kind of bill they finalize. Then I'm going to wait and see what the Senate does.

THen when all is said and done I will wait to see what Obama does with whatever lands on his desk.

Until then, everything is just speculation. We have miles to go before we sleep.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

22. well said. n/t

[dionysus]

23. another day, another distortion. you're a busy lil fella aintcha?