Community | March 16, 2010 | 9 comments

Fight for single-payer health care will continue after bill passes, senator says

source: http://rawstory.com/2010/03/sanders-the-fight-medicareforall-continues-bills-passage/

WakeUpPeople
One of the most trusted progressive voices in the senate said Monday evening the effort to improve health care in America will not be over once the Democratic bill passes. In fact, he declared, it's just the beginning.

"I believe that at the end of the day, what we need is a Medicare-for-all, single payer system," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said on MSNBC's The Ed Show. "This is far from that. But that fight continues. So, this is a step forward. And let us not underestimate the good in this bill, let's continue to fight."

After a year of extensive debates, the resulting legislation has drawn the ire of many progressives, who are upset that it does not expand public alternatives for consumers. But according to Sanders, that isn't enough of a reason to strike it down.

"The answer is pass this bill and make it better the day after," Sanders said, citing the Congressional Budget Office's conclusion that it will cover millions who are uninsured and ban insurers from denying care to sick people and individuals with pre-existing illnesses.

"Let's not ignore the reality that 31 million more Americans are going to get health insurance," he said.

more at link...
  1. groups:
    Community,   US Politics,   Progressive America,   Humanism,   3 more
  2. tags:
    Health Care Reform,  Single Payer,  Bernie Sanders
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9 comments // Fight for single-payer health care will continue after bill passes, senator says // Video

  • oppressed1
  • common_sense_please
    • 0
      common_sense_please  

    • Wake up guys (and girls) this is a crappy bill--it doesn't have ANY support from the true Democrats or Republicans that make up the un bought off American public--it won't accomplish ANY of the goals the political pundits seem to think it will because DUH! about 2 seconds after the President signs the bill there will be a lawsuit filed saying that the mandate everybody now has to buy crappy overpriced and pretty much worthless insurance or be fined is unconstitutional and unenforceable. And since ALL our currently elected officials are a bunch of whores who have sold themselves to the insurance companies with the Supreme Courts blessing -- its really pointless to think they will ever honestly reform health care in ANY way that favors the American people over the insurance corporations.

      So I say we all need to go register to vote and come November we vote ALL these yahoos out of office and start impeachment proceedings against the bought and paid for Supreme Court justices too.

    • 1 year ago
  • montesooma
    • -2
      montesooma  

    • Always take a socialist at his word do ya?
      no ulterior motive there lol.
      You honestly think they've spent 14 months trying to cram this thing because they so desire that 30 million more people get insurance?
      NAIVE! They have admitted that it wont stop here. They won't stop until all is in subjection to them.
      Progressive = taking progressive steps to achieve total govnment rule and to wrestle control of this country from wrong minded free people.
      Read a book will ya.

    • 1 year ago
  • WakeUpPeople
    • 0
      WakeUpPeople  
    • montesooma:

      There are all kinds of books from all different perspectives on the value of progressivism. You seem to take the extreme point of view that all progressives are trying to destroy the country. Most progressives simply want our govt to adapt to current national issues/crises and protect the little guy. We don't want govt control of everything, but for the large issues when the private sector fails to uphold the general welfare, I think it is the govt's responsibility to address the ills of its society.

      "The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government." ~Thomas Jefferson (good govt should care for its people)

      "Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." ~Thomas Jefferson (status quo vs progress)

      "Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor." ~Thomas Jefferson (Billions/yr profiteer denies life saving coverage)

      "It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good." ~Thomas Jefferson (tea partiers afraid of social healthcare)

      "Liberty is to the collective body, what health is to every individual body. Without health no pleasure can be tasted by man; without liberty, no happiness can be enjoyed by society." ~Thomas Jefferson (equating individual health with social liberty)

      Now, as a progressive and with all of these quotes in mind, I believe that we need to institute a Medicare-for-anyone/single-payer/non-profit healthcare alternative to private insurance. That of course is not what this current HCR bill is. What started out as a good idea is now a corporate/govt mandate under the same name. The Public Option is now a misnomer. Now it is the Private Requirement. There are a few small consumer protections in the bill, but all-in-all it is a tremendous win for the private insurance industry.

    • 1 year ago
  • ChunkyCheezes
  • kennymotown
  • blackheartman
    • 0
      blackheartman  

    • "Let's not ignore the reality that 31 million more Americans are going to [be forced to give their hard-earned money, many against their will, to the insurance industry.]"

    • 1 year ago
  • WakeUpPeople
    • 0
      WakeUpPeople  
    • blackheartman:

      In the end, we all pay for others' non-payment. I am not opposed to having everyone pay into the system that they will eventually require, but I do not approve of that system being a private for-profit entity. If you want private insurance, you can CHOOSE to buy it, but for everyone else, there needs to be a non-profit model that they can buy into. Forcing Americans to put money into a private corporation is not a new concept though. Just look at the Federal Reserve.

      For the record though, I do NOT approve of this reform. I was in favor of the Public Option when it was an instrument of competition and consumer protection. Now it's a piece of crap legislation that private insurance is salivating over.

    • 1 year ago
  • blackheartman
    • 0
      blackheartman  

    • Sure, they'll fight for it. They'll put on the show. (of course, Senator Sander's and maybe a couple others are sincere) But if anyone buys this as an argument to back this bullshit bill in the making, which is nothing more than a giveaway to the insurance industry, then I have a car you may be interested in buying. It's in my backyard right now and it doesn't really run. But if you'll only give me $10,000.00 for it, I promise to drop by your place in the next few weeks and fix it up as good as new. Really! It will be better than new and you'll get well over a $10,000.00 value out of it. But you've got to pay me now. OK?

    • 1 year ago
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