Robert Reich: Republicans are enjoying the healthcare law being dismembered piece by piece.

[Better Believe It]

The Untimely Death of Long-Term Health Insurance
by Robert Reich
October 15, 2011

Today’s decision to jettison long-term care offers clear evidence why that individual mandate is so necessary.

Unfortunately, the mandate isn’t popular — because it wasn’t modeled on Social Security or Medicare but based instead on private insurers who’ll want to maximize revenues. It’s also vulnerable to constitutional challenge, largely for the same reason. The Supreme Court will likely decide its fate this term.

Why, oh why, didn’t the Obama administration make life easy for itself and for Americans by choosing the simplest and most efficient system for both primary and long-term health insurance — Medicare for all?

It didn’t because it wanted to get Republican votes. It got almost none. And now the Republicans are enjoying the prospect of the law being dismembered piece by piece, starting today.

Read the full article at:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/10/15-3

I disagree. Obama didn't choose Medicare for All because he opposes single payer healthcare and he made a deal to protect the insurance industry and big Pharma. BBI

[Pirate Smile]

1. Idiotic. People act like they don't understand that legislation has to get passed through Congress.

Congress wouldn't pass Medicare for All or a Single Payer system.

[Better Believe It]

3. You need 51 votes. There was no effort to even include a public option!

If Democrats won't pass legislation when they control the House, Senate and the White House whose fault is that?

And don't blame it on bogus Republican "procedural filibusters" in the Senator.

Senator Reid once again demonstrated that he can end such phantom filibusters whenever he and the Democratic majority wishes.

Those fake filibusters are just a lame excuse and political cover for Democratic Senatorial inaction and surrender to Republican demands.

And we all know about the backdoor deal that President Obama made with big business regarding the so-called "healthcare reform" bill. Facts are facts. No amount of political spin can cover up those facts.

[Bobbie Jo]

5. "Facts"

Yes, we've been a witness to your version of "facts."

Keep trying, you still have buyers out there.

[Poll_Blind]

2. Yep, same as the jobs bill. Death by a thousand cuts.nt

PB

[OHdem10]

4. The Democrats did not have the fire in the belly to fight for better

legislation.

[banned from Kos]

6. CLASS monthly premiums were $231 - $391 per month -- it was doomed

Healthy people would never sign up for that.

Which illustrates how difficult full health coverage is without a mandate.

[bluestateguy]

7. Just tell me how Medicare for all passes in the Congress in 2009-2010 and I'll listen

I'm all ears.

[Better Believe It]

9. Well, first of all you need to have a President who supports Medicare for All

After that's accomplished I'll tell you what a President who supports Medicare for All would do to get it passed.

Deal?

[WinkyDink]

8. I am now of the opinion that Obama does what Obama wants, no matter the "plausible deniability."

[Tesha]

10. We knew it was a crap law to begin with.

Almost-entirely "health insurance reform" rather than "health
care reform", it was mostly a sop to the insurance industry.

It should have been Single-Payer Health Care and done
with it. And failing that, it should have included the Public
Option that someone or other ran on.

Tesha