After all the silly political grand-standing and delay tactics, the US House of Representatives finally voted to pass a significant piece of health care reform legislation last night.
Ultimately, some semblance of common sense won out, and while the bill does not do nearly enough to combat the damage done by for-profit insurance companies, it is a small step in the right direction.
To those on the left, who lament at how Democrats sold out to conservatives and centrists regarding the public option, relax; this is how politics is played in the current political climate here. Eventually, as this program succeeds, the majority will see the benefits of a single-payer system.
My only concern is that many of this program's initiatives do not come into action until 2014, and it may be until 2019 when the additional 32 million Americans covered in this bill finally get coverage. However, all such bills are subject to improvement, and the Dems having taken one step, hopefully additional ones will follow soon.
To those on the right, thank you - for fear-mongering and turning a popular initiative into one widely feared and increasingly disapproved of; and for contributing nothing of substance and continuing to ignore the reality of health insurance in this country.
And to all of you who put stock in these polls, there is only one poll that matters: the 2008 general election. Since when does a Rasmussen poll gain precedence over voting? Barack Obama and the Democrats were elected into office with a significant majority and controls of both houses of Congress, running on a platform that included comprehensive health care reform. America, you wanted this, and like any major social legislation, it will eventually come to be popular and widely-supported.
By the way, the legislation also includes an incredibly significant bill regarding student loans, one that is not getting nearly enough publicity.
UPDATE: Ezra Klein's smart breakdown of the health care reform bill.
UPDATE #2: NYTimes' breakdown of the bill.
Ultimately, some semblance of common sense won out, and while the bill does not do nearly enough to combat the damage done by for-profit insurance companies, it is a small step in the right direction.
To those on the left, who lament at how Democrats sold out to conservatives and centrists regarding the public option, relax; this is how politics is played in the current political climate here. Eventually, as this program succeeds, the majority will see the benefits of a single-payer system.
My only concern is that many of this program's initiatives do not come into action until 2014, and it may be until 2019 when the additional 32 million Americans covered in this bill finally get coverage. However, all such bills are subject to improvement, and the Dems having taken one step, hopefully additional ones will follow soon.
To those on the right, thank you - for fear-mongering and turning a popular initiative into one widely feared and increasingly disapproved of; and for contributing nothing of substance and continuing to ignore the reality of health insurance in this country.
And to all of you who put stock in these polls, there is only one poll that matters: the 2008 general election. Since when does a Rasmussen poll gain precedence over voting? Barack Obama and the Democrats were elected into office with a significant majority and controls of both houses of Congress, running on a platform that included comprehensive health care reform. America, you wanted this, and like any major social legislation, it will eventually come to be popular and widely-supported.
By the way, the legislation also includes an incredibly significant bill regarding student loans, one that is not getting nearly enough publicity.
UPDATE: Ezra Klein's smart breakdown of the health care reform bill.
UPDATE #2: NYTimes' breakdown of the bill.
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