We are! (4.00 / 1)

Avedon thanks you for the link, and I thank you for the indirect link. You write:

If you still want to advocate for single-payer, not-for-profit health care, go for it.

That's what we're doing.

What I'm having a hard time understanding is why it's C list blogs that are doing the advocating, and not more important blogs with larger megaphones and a lot more clout. Robert Kuttner writes:

The second reason that liberal politicians wimp out on single payer is that the self-styled realists in this debate have decided that Medicare-for-All, even if it's the first-best system, is too hard politically. But think about it. Has the administration picked up one Republican vote by supporting the present system plus a public option? Hardly. The current House leadership bill, offering a mixed system, with a robust public option, a requirement that employers provide good insurance or pay a tax, and that insurers not discriminate against pre-existing conditions, is just as heavy a political lift as national health insurance-and far inferior policy. So why not just go for the first-best?

I think Kuttner asks a good question. Why putz around with public option, when you can advocate for the best? Isn't that the best course of action, both on policy and reader-service grounds?

I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD.  

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by: lambert @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 12:07:13 PM UTC

Best politics, too (0.00 / 0)

Medicare-for-all is not only the best policy, it is the best politics.  It is easily understandable unlike something vague like the "public option."  It puts us in a position where the compromise is a public option rather than federal subsidies of insurance profits through a government purchase scheme.  

The idea that saving huge sums of money is "bad" because insurance jobs disappear ignores the reality that the money will only be freed up to create more productive jobs elsewhere.  We get to choose where those savings go.  Businesses have a smaller burden and are more competitive on the world market. Medicare-for-all is a win-win situation.

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by: David Kowalski @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 12:18:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Two obvious sources of jobs (0.00 / 0)

1. Providing actual health care, instead of denying it

2. Helping in the data conversion efforts for electronic records conversion, where coding skills will be in high demand.

And HR676 provides for retraining.

If only we could get some CBO scoring for it. I wonder why that's not happening?

I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD.  

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by: lambert @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 12:31:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

DNA testing (0.00 / 0)

Well, the Supreme Court just ruled that a convict doesn't necessarily have the right to pay for their own DNA testing, and in Illinois, we are not doing DNA tests if other evidence is conclusive, such as when a suspect confesses after interrogation, so CA was actually behind the curve on this one.

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by: Fraud Guy @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 12:38:42 PM UTC

CA's lack of funds aren't necessarily the source of (0.00 / 0)

LAPD's problems on the sexual assault testing issue, despite what Baca has to say. Last October, Human Rights Watch issued a report pointing out that the LAPD had failed to avail itself of $4 million in federal funds designated for the purpose of testing rape kits:
http://www.commondreams.org/ne...

And it was only at the end of last year when, under public pressure, a policy to test all rape kits was initiated by the LAPD. Before then, they had worked with a policy of testing evidence only when requested by detectives.

     

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by: sb @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 13:48:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Support the Public Option? (0.00 / 0)

The PCCC just launched a new campaign that will put your name on a TV ad airing in DC.  Stand together for a public option here: http://www.WeWantThePublicOpti...

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by: Forrest_Brown @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 13:07:03 PM UTC

Always nice to see a policy-based appeal... (0.00 / 0)

;-)

I really need to do a little discourse analysis on the "stand with" rhetoric at some point. Team sports, different colored jerseys, and so forth....

I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD.  

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by: lambert @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 13:56:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sorry, I was treating forrestbrown as a serious commenter... (0.00 / 0)

... when in fact he's just a public option spammer. My bad.

I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD.  

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by: lambert @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 14:59:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I wonder if Neda was shot because she was a woman? (0.00 / 0)

.
I wonder if the sniper picked her out for not wearing even a headscarf? I wonder if it was years of pent-up sexual frustration that pulled the trigger? I wonder how sick the Basiji really are? They call themselves a militia. They call themselves "Aryans." I wonder how far we are from having our own "holy warriors" in the U.S.?

Sorry, which side are the Repukelickin's on? "BOMB, BOMB, BOMB, BOMB BOMB IRAN!!!" --Classic Iraq from the 'Pukes former lead singer.
.

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by: cosanostradamus @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 14:30:28 PM UTC

Are you from New England? (0.00 / 0)

Nobody says "Wicked" unless you're from around here.

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by: SocialistSwing @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 14:41:40 PM UTC

More "Morning NO's ". Where' the news on Israel's defiance?? (0.00 / 0)

We sure as hell can't say enough now about the role the media plays in world affairs.  
From Iraq to Iran - what is allowed to be said and aired versus what is hidden and not said speaks volumes to those who watch the cherry picking done and by whom.

We easily see now too, who suffers and who profits off such evil manuipulation and 'mischievious-ness' as Peggy Noonan brainlessly describes American style propoganda.

MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell just proved the media will always put profits over principle she conducted an interview this morning with ex-Intelligence Chairman Congresswoman Jane Harman.  
It first must be said that Mitchell favors in-depth interviewing of primarily the hardliners of Congress.  Today's interview was typical in the propogandized style of media coverage provided by American TV.
She went through the litany of current Arab/Muslim news ranging from Syria to Iran.
Yet, never once did Mitchel address to Harman the subject making worldwide headlines about Israel ordering new settlements to be built, openly expanded on in defiance of President Obama's blanket statement against them.  

Harmon is one of Israels most fierce loyalists in Congress and Israels defiance of the US is surely as newsworthy to the world as is Iranian and North Korean defiance, yes??  And Mitchell is supposedly MSNBC's chief foreign affairs correspondent.  
To simply not report on Israeli news in hopes of covering their ass  - is despicable.

But it is worth taking serious note of this:  Our cowardly profit driven majority in Congress and the American media are quick to chastise this President for his weakness in dealing with Iran.
But when he takes an unusually strong public stance against Israeli, after years of everyone brushing their unseemly deeds under the rug -the President is accused of being too harsh.
The continued Israeli pandering is screwing this country repeatedly and keeps our security in constant jeapordy.

We should stop any more funds to Israel, as we would to any other in breach of US policies and lay down our laws to everyone - equally.  

Nationalism is not the same thing as terrorism, and an adversary is not the same thing as an enemy.

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by: worldlymother @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 17:57:56 PM UTC