The Defining Moment - Krugman

[groovedaddy]

O.K., folks, this is it. It’s the defining moment for health care reform.
Past efforts to give Americans what citizens of every other advanced nation already have — guaranteed access to essential care — have ended not with a bang, but with a whimper, usually dying in committee without ever making it to a vote.

But this time, broadly similar health-care bills have made it through multiple committees in both houses of Congress. And on Thursday, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, unveiled the legislation that she will send to the House floor, where it will almost surely pass. It’s not a perfect bill, by a long shot, but it’s a much stronger bill than almost anyone expected to emerge even a few weeks ago. And it would lead to near-universal coverage.

As a result, everyone in the political class — by which I mean politicians, people in the news media, and so on, basically whoever is in a position to influence the final stage of this legislative marathon — now has to make a choice. The seemingly impossible dream of fundamental health reform is just a few steps away from becoming reality, and each player has to decide whether he or she is going to help it across the finish line or stand in its way.

For conservatives, of course, it’s an easy decision: They don’t want Americans to have universal coverage, and they don’t want President Obama to succeed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/opinion/30krugman.html?th&emc=th

fining moment for health care reform.

[Jakes Progress]

1. Dupe.

[Doctor_J]

2. Wow. The comments are not kind to Krugman or the current

bills.

Example:

Mr. Krugman, I'm on the side of single-payer in the near future and see the House bill as the only one so far that doesn't close off the possibility of single-payer public health insurance in the future. I hope you are also on the side of single-payer in the future as well, because it's the only system that has a reasonable chance of making significant cuts in spiraling insurance, drug, and provider costs in the US. The present House bill is a stopgap measure, but it's also the first step on a long journey of many steps.

The big problem now is the Senate. The president refuses to show any leadership at all until the Senate passes a bill. At best, this is irresponsible fence-sitting, a refusal to put any skin into the game, and at worst it may be an attempt to please big private insurers and others in the medical industry, which makes lucrative donations. In any case, since the WH refuses to help out on passing even a moderate public option, Harry Reid and all liberal senators need lots of support from pundits, from the press, and from the public around the country right now to ensure that a public option is in the Senate bill



http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/opinion/30krugman.html