Wow. David Shuster just Demonstrated what Reform Without a Public Option Really Is

That is, Health Care Reform without a Public Option is a Financial "Bonanza" for Private Insurance companies giving them 10s of millions of new customers, some of which are actually subsidized by the government. The only way to keep this from happening is a Public Option. He laid out the reasons why and then covered Sen. Schumer's statements that Democrats have the votes in the Senate to pass a Public Option.

Wow. Add David Shuster to the list of pro-Truth MSM, along with Big Ed, Rachel and Olberman.

Of course they all should be saying this.

Romney care?

The older I get, the more it looks like the only thing that separates Democrats from Republicans is whose friends get the contracts.

The only way to expand coverage and eliminate the term "pre-existing condition" is to significantly bring down costs. That cannot be addressed without the public option.

we automatically get a mandate? :shrug:

I think he's great.

Was he talking about reconciliation?

See here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6381541

My only question is, if it's so easy, why hasn't it been done before?

I'm guessing it's because nobody wants to set the precedent because they don't want the ability to filibuster to not be available when they're out of power at some point in the future.

So, is health care worth the precedent to them?

get a huge windfall for the insurance companies.

Pretty easy math, I'd think.

If the Public Option fails - then give the teabirthers exactly what they want. ZERO federal government role in health care. No subsidies, to tax breaks, no federal dollars at all - zip, zero, zilch. Demand all Americans have health care and let the insurance companies try to squeeze payments out of everyone. Maybe then folks will get mad enough to march on their corporate offices, burn them to the ground and decorate the telephone poles with their top executives.

if health insurance is mandated and i can't afford it? fuck the insurance companies. i would much prefer to pay the doctor directly to tossing away unnecessary bucks that i can't afford just for the sake of the CEOs of some coldhearted corporation making a million or more bucks in a year.

i am very fortunate in that i have a great job with excellent benefits, 90% of which are covered by my employer. but when my job ends, and it will end, i'll be up shitcreek and i will still have high blood pressure. i'm not getting any younger. and how many - what is it, close to 50 million now, are not as fortunate as i am?

why should i be able to go to the doctor when necessary and get the meds i need when i need them, and others cannot, because they are poor? how can it be fair or right in any way at all that my ability to take care of my and my son's health depends on me staying employed? not just employed, but employed here (cause most employers do not provide such good benefits)?

so my fantasy these days is simply shucking any pretense to health "insurance" and going back to the olden days of paying the doctor directly, in the office. i actually know of a practice here in raleigh, with good doctors, that does not contract with any health insurance company. they took care of me when i was sick and my PCP on the HMO plan refused to see me for 3 months because i was a new patient. i paid them directly and it was worth every cent.

Demand all Americans have health care and let the insurance companies try to squeeze payments out of everyone.

i'm all for a movement of consumers that simply says no, if real reform fails at this point. that would definitely be a bottom up solution, from those of us on the bottom getting screwed.

the DU cheerleaders unrecomended our posts or snickered and called us names..

so now you are joinging the disgusted party train????????

did you just have an epiphany?

wow..welcome aboard!!

or was it the selling us out by Obama?? perhaps????

sooner than others. Problem is, the sort of verbal aggressiveness/ad hominem comments we know happens on DU is very divisive, not to mention hurtful.

My sense about that is that for some it is painful sometimes to take in new, edgy, information I think, feels like an attack, so attack back, viciously.

Shows something about attackers though.....

What do you think our options as citizens are, berni?

people..when we get a prez with cajones! who is not owned by the shadow government!

He seems to be a pretty smart cookie

had been to pass a law that everyone must buy a Chevy?