Obama and Health Care

When it came to health care in Pres. Obama's first "State of the Union" address, I was perched on the edge of my seat. I was hoping he was going to say something that I longed to hear: "let's get busy passing a bill in Congress that has a public option." It did not occur. Instead, he spoke in general terms about "the plan" and asked for both sides of the aisle to initiate some kind of reform since they are so close. No mention of public option for our health care reform. As a matter of fact, the only reference to public and health came when he talked about infectious diseases in foreign countries!

The problem with the current administration as it pertains to health care is the fact that it began on the wrong foot. Obama should have insisted that his Democratic colleagues in Congress write a health care reform bill that incorporated a single-payer plan. Instead, it ratcheted down its progressive agenda, which was so popular during the campaign season, and substituted a feckless and impotent compromise that failed nevertheless to win Republican support! Obama did not have a mandate to kowtow to Republicans, curry their favor, and enervate his legislative agenda. He was not elected to engage in endless concessions to the losing party in order to appear winsome or just to get any old thing passed so he could claim some kind of victory, however disingenuous and insubstantial.

I refrain from being too captious in my remarks about Obama on health care, because I, too, have done some acquiescing. For I have believed at the very least throughout my adult life in some manifestation of socialized medicine, i.e., a government-owned and -sponsored health system in which doctors, nurses, hospitals, etc., are employed and paid by the federal government. In my more prescient moments, I have advocated for a health care system that is not only a right for every citizen, but also free to the consumer. Of course, I have not been naive enough to believe that it would happen in the short run, but I have prophesied that it could happen piecemeal in the long run.

I will continue to speak out for a public option as I did during the early Clinton years, although I articulated a more socialist policy. I look forward to the debate!