I'm ALL FOR single-payer, but I feel some of you are just not living in reality sometimes.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. In what reality is single payer the only other choice?

We are the only nation among our 'peers' that does not do health care for all. Only 3 nations on the planet use a true single payer system. Other nations use mandates as well, not one of them allows profit from mandated products. They also offer public options, which ours does not.
There are many, many ways it can get done. The one way we simply did not discuss was true single payer. So this sudden framing of the issue as if the choices were what was passed or 'single payer' is just nonsense. Nonsense.
Also, until this law gets past the SCOTUS, the argument that 'this is what we could do' is not ready for the stage. If it does not in the end get done, it was not in fact 'what we could do'. Passing law that does not stand is not really a good use of time, nor of the moment in terms of teaching the issue.
They will let it stand, I think. Still, the choices were not 'single payer or this' and they still are not limited to those two choices. To pretend that is the case is just that, pretense.