"Sanders is among the few in the Senate not afraid to say he supports government-run, universal health care. But his calls for such a program have gone unanswered, much to the chagrin of progressives who still feel it is the best way to solve the nation's health care crisis."

By saying that "the road will not begin in Washington" means at the Presidential level, there was no support for it. Which is true as Obama himself took it off the table.

I don't quite understand what the big deal is on this one.

hence the discussion of it needing to start at the state level

During the time, Obama did take the Universal Healthcare option off the table even before actual negotiation started.
That shows a lack of support from the President, as the leadership was not on board with the idea, then of course one could say it would not work in the "Federal" level at that point.

Which is why I didn't really see this as a big deal as that was the only reasonable method at the time.

Don't get me wrong, I am still quite happy that the ACA has passed, even though I consider the implementation flawed and the law needs work.

It is also one thing to basically say, we will try our hardest to get the best possible outcome, rather than saying flat out that something can not be done.

He knew it could not begin at the Federal level with Obama dead set against it!

Just exploiting the issue while people die for lack of health care.

When do you anticipate that happening again?

Except Hillary supporters. They'll deny that she'll be corrupted by all the dirty corporate cash doled out to her.

History has shown that politicians that take the money are much more willing to do what the corporations want rather than what the people want.

Hillary took millions from. Keep your head in the sand though. Like I say you Hillary fans will ignore the obvious.

takes money from.

She's not just ANYONE.

It's called a CONFLICT of INTEREST.

It's legal under current laws but it sure as hell shouldn't be.

Good grief. I remember when Democrats use to be upset when the Republicans would pull this shit. And the GOP didn't even come close to the levels of cash Hillary has been receiving.

And then he pissed them off so much while in office that they all donated to Mitt Romney to try to get him out of office.

than campaign donations.

As for Obama, Holder did more than enough to help the banks avoid any serious prosecution for their crimes.

Holder is back working for the same law firm that defended Citigroup while he was prosecuting their crimes.

I like Obama but don't think Eric Holder wasn't the gift Wall Street was looking for and got....

corruption meme is just another smear. Envy is an ugly emotion

the VT single payer program from collapsing.

You can learn more about it here: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/single-payer-vermont-113711

He could have asked the Democratic governor to at least give the appearance of studying single payer, rather than dropping it like a hot potato because it costs way too much to convince the voters. Maybe one day, you'll learn something beyond high school civics.

What you consider my pretense at a "vast knowledge of civics" is in fact a vast enthusiasm for what our founders intended for us when they created this democratic republic. It's more along the lines of idealism rooted in the notion that all human beings are intrinsically worthy.

You know: old-fashioned liberalism?

No, I guess you wouldn't know.

Lucky me, I learned how to view the original, and here it is:

Now quit dragging a hero of mine through the muck with every comment you write. If he were alive today, he would at the thought of your candidate.

It really is time for a new avatar.

Sure it is. And you know it.

That's the real question.

and I favor Vermont or some other state implementing a single payer plan to prove it can work, and to work out the bugs, so we can try it on a national level.

...with a phased in dropping of the age requirement.

are on the track towards single payer

You see how we agree on this? This is because what separates us in many cases is not where we want to go, but rather what the best way to get there is.

Some would say he's on a Roll

The best we could hope for back then was state by state.

2017-20 could be an entirely different story if Bernie is elected.

The key is convincing the people, and he will have the bully pulpit to do just that.

Once you convince the people, the Congress will follow.

He was not saying that it could never be done, only that it could not be done given the conditions at that time.