On Mon, 14 Dec 2009, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Well, Joe Lieberman killed that one!
>
> Funny. I understand the economics of Woolhandler's analysis, but I'm not
> so sure about the politics. Opponent Ben Nelson said the buy-in was a
> furtive way of getting to single-payer - more than the public option.
> Anthony Weiner, the New York Congressman who supports single-payer, says
> pretty much the same thing. That's why it's gotta go!
Jordan was arguing the same thing with me over the weekend, and after arguing her corner for a while, I'm beginning to think you're both right. Whatever the devilish details, the very idea that medicare can be "extended" to cover more of the population seems to outweigh everything else in long term political terms. In one swoop, it makes "medicare for all" seem not utopian.
Too bad it just died.
Michael