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Clear Blue Sky

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67. Too many in Congress and the WH get big $$ from the insurance companies to support this...nt

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Thu Nov 14, 2013, 02:37 PM

Nov 2013

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Sorry I've just got to say it.....A Public Option would have avoided most of this crap [View all] Armstead Nov 2013 OP

Don't apologize. Brigid Nov 2013 #1

I supported (and still support) the public option... Skinner Nov 2013 #2

Would not have been perfect -- but would have avoided a lot of the present problems Armstead Nov 2013 #6

+1. A cheaper better alternative would have been a huge win! grahamhgreen Nov 2013 #157

+1 that is one issue that has nothing to do with this. treestar Nov 2013 #10

It has everything tpo do with this Armstead Nov 2013 #18

If you lie down with Blue Dogs ... WowSeriously Nov 2013 #103

the public option would have been an insurance policy treestar Nov 2013 #108

insurance companies websites WyLoochka Nov 2013 #171

no the big problem is the cost questionseverything Nov 2013 #47

A progressive sliding scale would make a big difference Armstead Nov 2013 #53

A progressive sliding scale is why we needed single payer instead of mandates DJ13 Nov 2013 #83

public option could have a sliding scale questionseverything Nov 2013 #136

Not Keeping existing plans would not have been a problem. MyNameGoesHere Nov 2013 #78

Even if there were a public option, the website still would not work. <- in it's present form, such jtuck004 Nov 2013 #85

Not true WyLoochka Nov 2013 #172

But they are already signing up for Medicare, without this so-called site. So it would jtuck004 Nov 2013 #186

Medicare is an existing program...and has been working now for 50 years. zeemike Nov 2013 #92

+1.. They could have lowered the eligibility age a little bit each year SomethingFishy Nov 2013 #106

Yes but its not cheap Sgent Nov 2013 #149

Where do you get those figures? zeemike Nov 2013 #150

Ok subsidies was the wrong word Sgent Nov 2013 #151

OK fully realized cost. zeemike Nov 2013 #170

I have to disagree. The public plan would provide a cheaper/better plan, nullifying the logic in the grahamhgreen Nov 2013 #156

and very importantly..... Sheepshank Nov 2013 #182

Of course it would have. gcomeau Nov 2013 #3

It's part of the job of principled politicians to convince them otherwise Armstead Nov 2013 #19

I have yet to hear sharp_stick Nov 2013 #4

I said we as a nation collectively screwed up Armstead Nov 2013 #7

There hasn't been a reasonable sharp_stick Nov 2013 #45

True, but there are many of them Armstead Nov 2013 #60

Nor, it has to be said... DissidentVoice Nov 2013 #161

it had passed the house questionseverything Nov 2013 #137

Simply by persuading 1 senator with an ambassadorship, cabinet position or grahamhgreen Nov 2013 #158

EXACTLY!!! bvar22 Nov 2013 #183

No it wouldn't brooklynite Nov 2013 #5

Maybe but.... Armstead Nov 2013 #12

How does adding a Public Option to Medicare address matters? brooklynite Nov 2013 #20

An Option is an improvement over the private insurance monopoly.... Armstead Nov 2013 #26

But that's not what your OP discussed... brooklynite Nov 2013 #42

Would not have been perfect....But a lot more managable than this horrorshlow Armstead Nov 2013 #43

But that was never the plan SpartanDem Nov 2013 #109

And there were enough votes in Congres for the public option Cali_Democrat Nov 2013 #8

I said "As a nation we collectively screwed the pooch." Armstead Nov 2013 #13

And you know that how? Evidence? cali Nov 2013 #14

freakin wow cali!!! Are you sseriously asking this question!? uponit7771 Nov 2013 #29

It didn't even make it out of the finance committee: Cali_Democrat Nov 2013 #32

Back at the time, had we an outstandingly progressive President who truedelphi Nov 2013 #123

I blame Obama for letting blue dogs write the bill. Dawgs Nov 2013 #40

Lieberman was never going to vote for a PO. JoePhilly Nov 2013 #115

Irrelevant to my point. Also, we'll never know what would have happened. n/t Dawgs Nov 2013 #131

Well, yea get the red out Nov 2013 #9

True, but we should have pushed harder to counter the propaganda Armstead Nov 2013 #16

I'm not zeemike Nov 2013 #97

Why has no Democrat stepped forward to take advantage of the hysteria with a TwilightGardener Nov 2013 #11

Some did but they got ignored or squashed by the "centrist" Democratic establishment Armstead Nov 2013 #15

Now is the time, then. Publicize it out the wazoo, and get Reid to allow consideration. TwilightGardener Nov 2013 #17

I agree...But the horse is out of the barn....at least for a while. Armstead Nov 2013 #22

Not at all...the rollout still would have had huge bugs in it Rex Nov 2013 #21

Not necessarily if it had been phased into gthe present Medicare system Armstead Nov 2013 #23

True if they would have gone that route, but they did not. Rex Nov 2013 #25

I'd rather not be having this conversation....I'd much rather... Armstead Nov 2013 #31

I hear that, Nixon and Agnew should have never been allowed Rex Nov 2013 #52

Well, duh. Orsino Nov 2013 #24

No, ... no it wouldn't uponit7771 Nov 2013 #27

Complain to Joe Lieberman... PoliticAverse Nov 2013 #28

It was a failure of the entire political syatem as it is now rigged Armstead Nov 2013 #33

That would include Harry Reid. tblue Nov 2013 #79

and Max Baucus who had single payer advocates arrested at a hearing solarhydrocan Nov 2013 #90

tell me how it would have passed in congress? lostincalifornia Nov 2013 #30

The same way that peace and harmony would avoid most wars. randome Nov 2013 #34

So we should never have ideals or goals? Armstead Nov 2013 #39

No, not at all. You're right, cynicism is our worst enemy. randome Nov 2013 #48

Maybe not single payer...But the Public Option was a compromise on that Armstead Nov 2013 #58

Lieberman and the blue dogs said no at the time. A Medicare for those 55 and above was thrown down lostincalifornia Nov 2013 #59

we had plenty of votes to go to reconciliation in the senate questionseverything Nov 2013 #138

The reality was it wasn't going to happen because there were not enough progressives. Until there lostincalifornia Nov 2013 #139

we had more than 50 senators on record supporting it questionseverything Nov 2013 #142

a Pubic Option Bill was passed in the house Rilgin Nov 2013 #77

Yes I remembr the frustration over that Armstead Nov 2013 #93

Great post. go west young man Nov 2013 #152

Sorry. go west young man Nov 2013 #153

No Need for apology Rilgin Nov 2013 #191

If more Democrats had shown backbone... Armstead Nov 2013 #37

Exactly. And one of the big reasons they gave for not pursuing it was it would behard to set up. jwirr Nov 2013 #35

Shouldn't be hard to set up, there are many excellent working systems throught the world NorthCarolina Nov 2013 #140

Don't be sorry. Iggo Nov 2013 #36

Was a figure of speech... Armstead Nov 2013 #38

Welll yeah, that. Iggo Nov 2013 #50

No s#!t. Cleita Nov 2013 #41

That's too straightforward Armstead Nov 2013 #46

Absolutely libodem Nov 2013 #44

How would a public option stop insurers from canceling policies? ProSense Nov 2013 #49

It might not. But.... Armstead Nov 2013 #54

Oh you can say it, but does that help us in the next election? Savannahmann Nov 2013 #51

I'm not talking about the partisan political frame Armstead Nov 2013 #56

But there is no way to accomplish anything without partisan politics. Savannahmann Nov 2013 #86

True but they have to be hand-in-hand Armstead Nov 2013 #94

Public Option wouldn't have prevented web site problems... or cancelled policies scheming daemons Nov 2013 #55

To repeat from my original post... Armstead Nov 2013 #57

It would have had it's own "disasters" included with its implementation. cbdo2007 Nov 2013 #69

Unless the public option was Medicare. zeemike Nov 2013 #104

Must've missed the roll-out of Medicare part D jeff47 Nov 2013 #116

Not the same thing zeemike Nov 2013 #118

There would be something that goes wrong. jeff47 Nov 2013 #119

Well I never went on line for Medicare... zeemike Nov 2013 #120

Actually, you did choose a plan. jeff47 Nov 2013 #122

Yes but that system is already there and working. zeemike Nov 2013 #125

Not always. jeff47 Nov 2013 #126

Well of course you are right. zeemike Nov 2013 #129

I agree. Tell Joe Lieberman. jazzimov Nov 2013 #61

Everyone blocked it -- each in our own way Armstead Nov 2013 #64

Yup ... trying to put a square peg into a round hole. 1000words Nov 2013 #62

+1000 Cleita Nov 2013 #68

Free healthcare for all paid for by 90% tax rate on those with incomes above $750,000 Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #63

A public option is a lot more moderate than that, and you know it Armstead Nov 2013 #65

no. I accurately said neither would have passed the senate. which is the point. Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #66

Yes. I acknowledge that in terms of the make of Congress at that time...and its worse now Armstead Nov 2013 #71

hey, I'm agreeing. Need a whole lot more education of the public to get critical mass Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #72

Okay I agree with that Armstead Nov 2013 #76

Too many in Congress and the WH get big $$ from the insurance companies to support this...nt Clear Blue Sky Nov 2013 #67

So would a magic wand, if we'd had one that could have given pnwmom Nov 2013 #70

No...If we allowed a situation where one man can hold off systemic reform... Armstead Nov 2013 #74

33% of CT Democrats chose Lieberman over Lamont, the Democratic primary winner. 1000words Nov 2013 #80

""mandatory" coverage that conservatives hate"? thesquanderer Nov 2013 #73

You are correct -- and that's why this is all so sadly ironic Armstead Nov 2013 #75

Like you, I would have preferred there be a public option karynnj Nov 2013 #81

indeed. nt xchrom Nov 2013 #82

Eliminate the Medicare age requirement and tax the rich to pay for it. Spitfire of ATJ Nov 2013 #84

K&R quinnox Nov 2013 #87

But we'll never get it DissidentVoice Nov 2013 #88

I've been trying to get signed up for an individual policy and can't. JEB Nov 2013 #89

K&R LittleBlue Nov 2013 #91

We told you so NoOneMan Nov 2013 #95

I agree--a public option was never considered from day one AndyA Nov 2013 #96

Don't apologize, but talk to those Blue Dog Democrats, many of them no longer in Congress, Liberal_Stalwart71 Nov 2013 #98

In polls, 71% of the public favored the public option as part of reform. Before the wiggs Nov 2013 #99

I've been trying to look at the bright side of what we got, but this is a reminder that democracy yurbud Nov 2013 #100

Yep! Borchkins Nov 2013 #101

You know... I knew it was wrong from the beginning... ReRe Nov 2013 #102

I waited a long time to say it Armstead Nov 2013 #105

Do you actually know someone who is in that position? ReRe Nov 2013 #111

Public options fix websites? SpartanDem Nov 2013 #107

There were different versions kicking around at the time Armstead Nov 2013 #121

A public option The Wizard Nov 2013 #110

I do not give a fuck what conservatives hate. Enthusiast Nov 2013 #112

K & R !!! WillyT Nov 2013 #113

The ACA isn't the end. It's the beginning. jeff47 Nov 2013 #114

It's just the first step, but when will we start working on step 2? nm rhett o rick Nov 2013 #133

Well, can't do public option or single payer until at least 2017.... (nt) jeff47 Nov 2013 #145

The Republicans would have called it communism! DireStrike Nov 2013 #117

They call EVERYTHING "communism!" DissidentVoice Nov 2013 #162

If we had had political leaders and not bought and paid for mercenaries truedelphi Nov 2013 #124

ty true questionseverything Nov 2013 #141

Of course - TBF Nov 2013 #127

Someone please tell me sulphurdunn Nov 2013 #128

It confers about the same benefit that having 50% of our profit margin truedelphi Nov 2013 #143

Thanks for the comparison. sulphurdunn Nov 2013 #166

Here's some nice cartoons, whose creators think like you and truedelphi Nov 2013 #190

Forward, not back. IronLionZion Nov 2013 #130

A public option was D.O.A. in front of the Senate Committee Botany Nov 2013 #132

Let us hope it is the "slippery slope" so greatly feared by detractors. libdem4life Nov 2013 #134

Just lower the age for Medicare. muntrv Nov 2013 #135

Well said. Thank you! nonoxy9 Nov 2013 #144

Medical for All (Single Payer)would have been the EASIEST 2banon Nov 2013 #146

I knew we were screwed Change has come Nov 2013 #147

And a lot more of the crap that's coming up Doctor_J Nov 2013 #148

I think Obama tried to do this iteratively... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #154

This is the result area51 Nov 2013 #155

Or to hitch themselves to it. Now is the time to attack with a strong push for a public option. grahamhgreen Nov 2013 #159

Yes, but how would very, very rich people get richer? That's number one. nt valerief Nov 2013 #160

this is what happens when you run with the hares and hunt with the hounds srican69 Nov 2013 #163

Absolutely Correct louis c Nov 2013 #164

A public option would put the for-profit predators out of business in a decade. Scuba Nov 2013 #165

At the time, congress passed what they could! Win back congress B Calm Nov 2013 #167

Actually, it should have been the only reform in addition to Medicaid. Mass Nov 2013 #168

It would have been a better start Armstead Nov 2013 #169

You're absolutely right but... jimlup Nov 2013 #173

Nah....Watch Fox News Armstead Nov 2013 #179

Yeah actually now that I think about you're right jimlup Nov 2013 #185

medicare for all..... BlueJac Nov 2013 #174

Medicare for All paparush Nov 2013 #175

"We told you so" Estevan Nov 2013 #176

I think for myself and still say I told you so. Armstead Nov 2013 #180

Blinding flash of the obvious Politicub Nov 2013 #177

It's obvious but still sad and infuriating Armstead Nov 2013 #181

Agree 100% blackspade Nov 2013 #178

Well yea we wouldn't have got a plan at all in that case n/t doc03 Nov 2013 #184

We needed a Democratic House . . . everyone wanted single payer... fadedrose Nov 2013 #187

The planet on which an America had a Congress capable of passing single-payer... Orsino Nov 2013 #188

I said public option, not single payer Armstead Nov 2013 #189

Trouble is, the same forces would be arrayed against a public option. Orsino Nov 2013 #192