something I just wanted to throw out here, not knowing if it really makes sense but please bear with me...
These days I'm reading stories all over the media about how bad it would be if Congress can't come up up with a healthcare bill by the time it usually recesses in August. I beg to disagreee for the following reasons:
- The House came up with a bill that wasn't as bad as many doomsayers thought it would be - with a pretty strong public option, tougher restrictions on the inhuman practices of the insurance companies (rescissions, denials of coverage for preexisting conditions etc.). So that was good. Same thing holds true for the Senate HELP Bill.
- With every hearing held the insurance mafia dug themselves deeper into their shitholes. Remember the CEOs categorically refusing to even consider stopping rescissions?
- With every week passing, more and more stakeholders come out supporting a public option (even the AMA!)
- There are more and more pretty good or at least interesting amendments (see here and here) being considered and even passed as time moves on.
- Public support for comprehensive reform shows no sign of weakening and that even before Obama has really started to work hard on winning the public over.
- Republicans really can't stop shooting themselves in both their foots (left and right and left again)
- Progressive Dems in the House are getting bolder by the day by refusing to vote for reform that doesn't include a strong public option.
- Analyses by the CBO consistently show that a solid public option is the most cost-effective way to reform healthcare.
I could go on and on. In short, it is my impression that the momentum is clearly on the side of good, solid reform with a strong public option and there is no sign of that momentum turning around. To the contrary, opponents continue to embarrass themselves and now even William the bloody Kristol, the man most consistently wrong about everything under the sun, has come out against Healthcare reform. And if that is not the surest sign that healthcare reform will be passed and will be strong, I don't know sh...
In conclusion, I don't see anything wrong with dragging this out a little further - after all, if your enemy is already drowning, let him dig deeper (or something like this...).
Caveat: I'm really no expert on this whole debate and the intricacies of the lawmaking process, so if I'm totally wrong here, don't hesitate to say so.
Thanks for listening.