When David Brooks endorses Hillary's health care plan, you KNOW it sucks

[PA Democrat]

Last time, they threatened people who were satisfied with their health coverage. This time they reassure them that nothing will change. Last time, they were out of touch with the American values of choice and individual freedom. This time they emphasize those values every chance they get, never seriously considering a Canadian-style single-payer system.

This time the change is evolutionary, not revolutionary. The private insurance/employer-based system will still remain the heart and soul of the social contract — it’s just that more people will be given tax credits so they can afford to buy in.

The Clinton plan makes life politically difficult for Mitt Romney. She relies on an individual insurance mandate. So does his plan in Massachusetts. The Clinton plan also takes the brave step of taxing the wealthy for gold-plated health care benefits — a reform that almost every Republican health expert endorses. Meanwhile, the plan seems to have driven John Edwards around the bend. The statement he issued yesterday qualifies as the shrillest statement issued by a major presidential candidate this year.

But the Clinton plan does have the weaknesses of the communitarian approach. She creates a magic circle of companies, providers, government entities, all interlocked in a system to provide health security. But there will still be forces outside the magic circle that will be adapting and innovating in ways that might upset the plan.

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/opinion/18brooks.html?_r=1&n=Top/Opinion/Editorials%20and%20Op-Ed/Op-Ed/Columnists/David%20Brooks&oref=slogin

[SHRED]

1. It sucks because...

...there are still private, corporate health insurance companies involved.


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[PA Democrat]

2. Yes, let's FORCE people to contribute to the greedy insurance companies' profits.

And tax credits do NOTHING to help the people least able to afford health insurance. This is actually just about the SAME plan that Bush proposed.

[Vinca]

3. If Edwards wants to win, this is his moment.

He should change position and adopt the Kucinich/Conyers bill. Democrats by and large want universal, single-payer healthcare, not some patchwork insurance company scheme. Email John Edwards and tell him what we want. I'd love to vote for him and that would win my vote.