Krugman On Universal Health Care: "If Mr. Obama gets the nomination, it just won't happen."

[NashVegas]

That's the bottom line.

[JPZenger]

1. What is possible vs. what is desirable

The Hillarycare plan in the early 1990s was widely believed to have failed because it was trying to change too much at a time. The complexity made it easy for opponents to scare the public, because the public couldn't understand it. I would much rather have important incremental improvements that go into effect, vs. trying to revolutionize the whole system at one time and fail. If we fail, we end up with the curent non-system for another decade.

[NashVegas]

2. You Should Read the Main Article

Sorry for not posting the link:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,532906,00.html

The crux: Hillary's proposal is taking shots because in it, insurance is mandatory (like Mass.) while Obama's isn't. However, with her plan, people can be insured for far less per person.

[Barack_America]

3. Krugman is the bottom line?...n/t

[NC_Nurse]

4. Newsflash: It won't happen right away no matter who wins.

It's going to take a long time and a lot of working with congress to get ANYTHING done.
Remember LAST time Hillary tried this? NOTHING changed. Let's give someone else a chance,
shall we?

[NashVegas]

5. Who? McCain? Romney?

You think they'll come up with better? How much does Romney's cost Massachusetts per person?

[NC_Nurse]

6. No, what I'm saying is that Obama's plan has a better chance of

getting support and getting passed in congress. Either way, it's going to be a long haul.
Our health care system is a clusterf*ck at the moment and our country is heavily in debt.
I'm just saying - there is no quick fix, which is why I disagree with Krugman on this.

[NashVegas]

7. Getting Passed Doesn't Mean Being On the Road to Universal Health Care

Which Hillary's is. At $2700 per person, while Obama's will cost $4400 per person.

[NC_Nurse]

8. That is all speculation. She cannot enact her plan without

Congressional approval, both of their plans will go through changes during that process.
The reality is that the president will have to round up a lot of public support to get ANYTHING passed.
I see Barack having more success at that than Hillary.

[jacksonian]

11. it's about leverage

getting support and passing congress means negotiating. I don't understand why a progressive candidate surrenders half the issue before that process starts.

The key to health care is making it universal. Universal means paying for it universally. Taking that off that table only ensures we will end even further away. And I fail to see how nominating the candidate with the weakest health care stance forces the Repugs to the table and moves them toward any good solution.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Tell that to Senator Kennedy!

"It's the passion of my life, universal comprehensive health care, and I wouldn't support Barack Obama unless I was absolutely convinced that he was for universal comprehensive health care as well," Kennedy said in a television interview. "I've tried for 38 years to get the universal comprehensive health care. I've supported 12 different proposals to try to get there. Elect Barack Obama and we will get there."

[demo dutch]

10. Passion of his life my ass!

[bpeale]

13. well then Sen. Kennedy is just plain stupid and ill informed.

[bpeale]

12. i agree completely

considering what his plan is, i hope congress sees fit to block it. we simply cannot allow a plan to come into being that STILL leaves 15 million not covered. all the way to single payer. it should be all or nothing at all.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

14. Who cares! WE WANT HOPE AND CHANGE, not results

[Didereaux]

15. k/r

[Bread and Circus]

16. Krugman has over reached and jumped the shark...

A comparitive criticism is warranted. Acting like an oracle of the future is another.

[NashVegas]

17. Oh My, Well

Thus spaketh ...