In its current form, the Senate’s health care reform bill includes an individual mandate but does little to force private insurers to keep costs down. Progressives are outraged at Senate Democrats and the Obama administration. Why? Because liberals have compromised and compromised. It never seems to be enough. As Ezra Klein explains:
. . . progressives had compromised plenty already. Single payer became a strong public option, a strong public option became a weak public option, a weak public option became Medicare buy-in, and Medicare buy-in became Joe Lieberman’s revenge. Progressive ends are submitting to conservative means, and industry is laughing all the way to the bank. All this amid the first year of a president they elected, a Democratic majority they built.
Democratic caucus member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has said that reform should have been achieved in reconciliation. During that process, budgetary matters can be submitted to a vote but not filibustered. If 51 Senators support it, it passes. That’s how the Bush tax cuts for the rich were passed.
So now that health care reform without single payer, a robust public option, a weak public option, or a Medicare buy-in appears to be a done deal, here’s a suggestion: Pass the bill. When it comes time to reconcile the House and Senate bills, progressive Senators ought to change the legislation so that anyone — regardless of age — can buy into Medicare. No limitation to people 55 and over. That was a compromise. Since the conservatives don’t want to negotiate, there’s no reason for progressives not to force a simple up or down vote on real reform.
Medicare for all. Discussed today on Partisan Gridlock. Listen here.
Partisan Gridlock with Geoff Berg airs every Friday from 3:00 – 4:00 pm on KPFT, 90.1 FM in Houston, 89.5 FM in Galveston, and everywhere else on Facebook or at www.kpft.org.
