Obama gets behind Public Option — finally!

well, sort of … in a letter, at least …

msnbc.com

President Obama issued a public letter to Sens. Ted Kennedy and Max Baucus, the two Democrats seen as most key to the design of potential health-care legislation.

June 2, 2009

Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus:

[…]

In short, the status quo is broken, and pouring money into a broken system only perpetuates its inefficiencies. Doing nothing would only put our entire health care system at risk. Without meaningful reform, one fifth of our economy is projected to be tied up in our health care system in 10 years; millions more Americans are expected to go without insurance; and outside of what they are receiving for health care, workers are projected to see their take-home pay actually fall over time.

We simply cannot afford to postpone health care reform any longer.

[…]

I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that’s best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest.

[…]

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

(emphasis added)

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com…

Strong Words, need to be followed up with Stronger Actions.

(kind an inconvenient time for a Presidential road trip, eh?)

SO, Why isn’t the “Public Option” a Right, already?

We already have the “Public Option” as a Right in other cases in the this country. For instance, we have a Right to “Public Option” in Education (even though “Private Options” for Education, are also available as “competing Educational alternatives.” — Home Schooling, Private Schools, etc.)

A Child’s Right to an Education

Michigan Legal Aid

The Supreme Court said that denial of education violates our political and cultural history, but also the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Justice Brennan stated:

 

+ Education provides the basic tools by which individuals might lead economically productive lives to the benefit of us all. In sum, education has a fundamental role in maintaining the fabric of our society. We cannot ignore the significant social costs borne by our Nation when select groups are denied the means to absorb the values and skills upon which our social order rests.  Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202, 221 (1982)

(emphasis added)

http://www.michiganlegalaid.or…

Many resources in our Modern Democratic society, are Publicly available, (and no one blinks an eye):

Scenic Areas

National Forests

Public Parks;

Highways

Bridges

Streets

Bicycle Paths;

Water lines

Sewer lines

and Power Grids;

Libraries and

Education

So Why Not Health Care?

Why is there so much resistance, from the Status Quo, against the the Public Option in the Health Care system?  (it’s not like we haven’t done this before)

In a Word — Competition!

Cover more people via public option

DesMoinesRegister June 3, 2009

[…]

It would improve the entire system

Besides giving Americans yet another choice in health insurance, a public option would force the private sector to offer adequate and enforceable coverage or lose business. In other words, it would increase competition. If government is really as “inefficient and incompetent” as some claim, people won’t purchase a public plan. If it’s more affordable and satisfactory, people will join.

(emphasis added)

http://www.desmoinesregister.c…

If the Private Plans offered by the status quo Private Insurers are SO Great — they should have NOTHING to WORRY about, from that scary, inadequate “Public Plan”, which they are alternatively Bashing, and then trying to Censor!

A little Competition never hurt any one —

In fact it’s the key to finding the most efficient, highest quality products.

Educators are much better, when they can just focus on Teaching.

So too, will Doctors and Nurses be, when they can just focus on Health and Healing.

Quality is a Product, that can not be doled out, through “fine print” filters, and computerized care-denial checklists.

Quality Solutions, usually take, whatever time and care, they take!

(Otherwise there is No Quality, or there is No Care.)

Health Care should NOT be a Profit-based industry — it should be about the Quality of Health provided.

If things don’t change soon, in substantial and serious ways, including the “Public Right to Health Care” — we are destined to complete our slow transformation to a system “Vulture Capitalism”.  

(the Profit Predators, and their Lobbyist friends, are already circling in the wings, waiting quietly, to cash in on their habitual take …)

… Who will be their NEXT Victim?