(Howard Dean) Health-care bill wouldn't bring real reform

If I were a senator, I would not vote for the current health-care bill. Any measure that expands private insurers' monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. Real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. Real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all Americans a meaningful choice of coverage. The current Senate bill accomplishes none of these.

Should we break out the popcorn as we watch this? Geez louise, now some liberals want this bill de-railed too?

It’s been amazing to watch this health care “debate” about health care “reform”. Increasing numbers of people are against this, yet Congress and the president seem determined to shove it down our throats. The more people know about the plan, the more they are against it.

“Any measure that expands private insurers’ monopoly over health care”

No doubt various laws give various insurance firms an unfair advantage. There is no pure free market in that industry. However, doesn’t the fact that he uses the plural form of insurer suggest that it’s not a monopoly? Oligopoly, perhaps.

Also, since when do insurers control healthcare? Certainly they touch all parts, but last time I checked it’s a pretty complicated industry, what with hospitals, private doctors, drug companies, suppliers of capital, etc. Insurance companies couldn’t control it all if they wanted to (without the government’s help).

“Should we break out the popcorn as we watch this?”

Absolutely. Obamacare is dead.

Nobody has noticed that with the hard left jumping ship Dem “moderates” no longer have any substantial reason to stay on board. Consider Blanche Lincoln's position. Two weeks ago she was caught between a clear majority of her constituents who didn't want Obamacare and a vociferous minority of leftists who did. That minority had disproportionate influence because they were the people she needed to animate her campaign. That minority is the only source of money and enthusiasm she can tap and she couldn't afford to annoy it. Voting against Obamacare might even have drawn a primary challenge. voting for it on the other hand would have given her Republican opponent a huge stick to beat her with in the general election. Whether she said yea or nay she was doomed; so she stayed curled up in her foxhole hoping the whole mess would go away.

And it did. Thanks to Roland Burris, Bernie Sanders and Howard Dean, Lincoln need no longer fear the wrath of the hard left if she joins in killing Harry's bill. At least a half dozen red state Dems are in the same situation. They were only staying on board the sinking ship because they were lashed down by their fear of the lunatic left. Howard Dean just cut the ties that bound them. Now that they can, they'll all be going over the side en masse.

We not only need popcorn, we need a lot of popcorn.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.