Krugman: "America can’t get control of its budget without controlling health care costs"

In so many ways, the ongoing debate about health care "reform" isn't a debate at all, but a life-and-death struggle between the new administration (and Democratic party majority) and the Party of No. For the Republicans, health care reform is now about whether President Obama is "defeated" or not and it has become a priority for them to deal him a defeat as their (presumed) first step at taking back political control. They are joined by the so-called "blue dog Democrats" (Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln) who are wittingly and unwittingly casting doubt as to the final passage of health care reform while dealing for their own perks and more than slightly un-Democratic Party interests (restrict abortion and such).

I tend to agree that ANY legislative measure that seems to require 1,000 or 2,000 pages (depending on who is decrying its size) may be too complex for ordinary humans to understand. In general, it sure would be nice to have a nice simple bill or 6 or 7 pages that does it, wouldn't it?

HOWABOUT THIS?: The public option permits ordinary citizens to "opt in" to the same plan that covers Senators and Representatives OR the equivalent Medicare/Medicaid plan. 


As for the emotionally charged issues like abortion, what's wrong with staying with the status quo? Current law under the Hyde Amendment (long in force) is straightforward and simple and we've learned to live with it. There's no change needed here. Neither offer nor implement ANY changes in this area. Period.

It's time to get on with finalizing this Bill and getting other important matters some attention in the legislative process. (Like turning the economy around. Oh, yeah. Health Care reform IS a big part of that, but there are other factors--like re-establishing some safeguards and oversight on Wall Street and banking, stimulating the economy through infrastructure investments that need to be made eventually anyway AND getting the American worked back to work.)

See the complete Krugman NY Times article which inspired today's diatribe here.