[lbo-talk] showdown over piece of crap

[Somebody Somebody]

I agree that it's the best option, but why should we accept nothing less than Medicare-for-all? Frankly, when you take a look at the various health care models on offer in the industrialized world, what sticks out is that you can get about equal health outcomes in a fully government-run system like the NHS in the UK, a mostly public social insurance system in Germany, or a mostly private non-profit insurance system in Switzerland or Singapore. Obama's health care proposal could move us closer to the last type of model, and that arguably would be an improvement on the status quo. 

If the subsidies for purchasing private insurance are later increased on the one hand, and if the regulations constricting insurers are strengthened on the other, then we could eventually end up with a more decent health care system in this country. Of course, we could just hold out for an American Hugo Chavez to expropriate Wellpoint and set up worker's committees to run our hospitals. It'll be a long wait.