I can't wait for the first red state to opt out!

I just can't wait.

Why?

Because, assuming the PO works, in the following election cycle you are going to see the biggest state by state shift in the history of this country.

I want to see the republican party explain to their constituents why they decided that they are not worthy of affordable health coverage when all the "blue states" have it and are getting the coverage they deserve and need.

One Cycle.

That's it.

One election cycle and you will see every red state that opts out turn bright bright blue.

I can't wait.

It worked so well the other provinces adapted similar solutions.

and it came to fruition incrementally. Even Saskatchewan introduced it incrementally, starting with hospital coverage.

http://www.healthcoalition.ca/History.pdf

decided a market based solution would lead to more campaign contributions for one political party.

And our incremental reform was frozen in it's tracks!

We've been trying to get it done for 70 years. Your 20 years sure seems like the blink of an eye compared to how long we have been at this here.

Truman first proposed it. Johnson passed the senior citizen portion in the 60s, and then the right wing has stopped us, with the help of the corporate-Democrats, for the last 50 years from making any real progress on a socially responsible system.

Instead, it looks like we are getting Romney Care.

A huge bailout for the private insurance companies is what they are trying to pass off as reform.

Only the partisan few are fooled though. Everyone else sees it for what it is.

of the facts regarding our universal health care and that it was not done in two steps but many over a period of many years and done incrementally. The governance structure of the US and that of Canada are very different which seems to affect how change is made as well as the length of time it takes.

Your post seemed to imply it was a two step process, universal health care in Saskatchewan and then to the other Provinces and that is incorrect so I provided the timeline for clarity.

:eyes:

...just to score a political point.

Either all states get the public option, or this is a failure.

I think they will be the first state to op-out. If then, Texas turned blue... imagine 20 continuous years of Democratic Presidents.

I live in Texas. If we opt out, people are going to die. The insurance companies will show no mercy. By the time Texas opts back in (if ever), the damage will be done.

of coarse they are going to poll the issue and the local governments will have to reflect the will of the people. As of right now even most average conservative people on the street want an option. I think if any governor tried to opt out, even in Texas, there would be an absolute firestorm and said gov would be either recalled or shot before they could opt out.

I really have faith that not a single state will opt out. regular republican people on the street wont really give Dems any credit at the polls for it, but they'll keep it.

I don't understand why supposed Liberals on this board would be so glib about trading human lives for political dominance though. That aint right.

is being reflected.

I find it both amusing and telling that the people who assume no states will opt out (or will return quickly) tend to be from blue states while the DUers in red states are markedly less optimistic.

I dont know what I will do without it. Im skimming by now with all my visits to docs and coumadin clinics and medicines, because their little computers show Im still pending yet another appeal to get medicaid...Im scared to death, no pun intended either.

And those red states will have chosen the situation for themselves, based on their votes.

Frankly...being willing to let people die just to win big in the next election seems very right-wingish....

Let's not go overboard. I never said any of that... If you can't have any sense of humor then you are in the wrong place.

That's the bloody point. No state will opt-out it would horribly illogical. The point is to force the hand and make sure it's a main stay----at that point when the opt-out plan comes up to deadline point and no state decides to follow through another health care provision will be enacted in order to repeal that provision and make it a mandatory supplement. I don't understand what's wrong with this idea.

...but if Republicans could manage to lie us into an illegal occupation of Iraq, some of them just might be able to opt their states out of the public option.

Still, I will try to keep optimistic. We also need to expand the public option so that it will cover anyone who needs it, not just those who aren't currently insured.

what reason is there for a state to opt out?

Additionally it would be the way Perry went on in Texas. How he didn't want the stimulus money in order to placate a loud base. So it would be a political win. In the end it was an epic fail because he took the money---as a matter of fact begged for it.

It's politically undoable, just like turning down the stimulus was. Hell, they even had to take stimulus funds in SC and Louisiana. They'll take the public option everywhere, and they'll like it. Opt out is window dressing, and nothing more, and only the usual suspects who are inclined to despise anything this administration accomplishes are pretending nbot to see it (even they're not this stupid).

Reform/PO/single payer is a no-brainer as most anyone in all the other western democracies will tell you. Opposition to it is therefore not based in reality but is rather almost entirely political/ideological. The blind supporters of the "Party of No" may just keep blindly saying NO.

:shrug:

What I'm waiting for is to see how many of that first state's poor and uninsured/uninsurable pack up and leave that state for greener pastures where the public option is offered.

It's probably not going to happen, as it would be political suicide for the repugs... but it would be fun to watch them try to explain why they did it.

You want to see real outrage at town halls? That will be it.

on the PO. We see how the RW has demonized healthcare in other countries for decades and they will do the same to the PO option. We will need commercials, articles, etc.

"Never" usually takes a while. ;)

If it's done correctly and costs start coming down,
the citizens will prevent it during the
legislative part of the opt-out process.

And that is my preference. I was just saying.... that's all. :)

P-p-p-p-please!

and if republicans who need healthcare will vote out of the office the repub politicians who are against affordable coverage.

So you know how that is going. Plus with all the publicity of well known former repub politicians supporting the Pres. This shit is not politically safe becuase it will say Glenn Beck/Limbaugh share head stupidity of the RNC.

Let's see the details .... sooner rather than later.

Therefore the experience of the public in both red and blue states will be identical for four years.

They're throwing themselves under the bus every time those ignant rednecks elect douchebags like Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal who would opt out of real health care for them.

You elect 'em. You don't like the consequences? Throw those assclowns out and elect someone who'll fight for your interests instead of shoveling bullshit in your face.

if we get a TN, KY, AL, OK or MS opting out, that it is an injustice against those who need HC reform in those states.

Gov. Ritter ... I was thinking he would have a hard time - but not so much now.

Most of the Red States, those most likely to Opt-Out, are also "right to work" states, and that's where all the jobs have been going during the last thirty years. When the cost of providing health care goes through the roof in these states, employers will have to either cope with the rising costs or cope with an increasingly dwindling work force, as the best and brightest employees will be migrating to states that have a public option.