O.K., Stephanie, how you gonna vote on this one?
Wow! As the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved health care reform legislation Friday (public option intact), chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) announced that Speaker Nancy Pelosi will allow single-payer to come to the floor of the House for debate and a vote.
Single-payer. Single-payer. Holy cow!!!
Rep. Anthony Weaver (D-NY) finally got single-payer back on the table in the hearing yesterday by offering an amendment to replace the text of H.R. 3200, the House's primary health care reform bill, with H.R. 676, the United States National Health Care Act or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, sponsored by 86 House members, including my man Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).
Don't understand single-payer? Let Rep. Weiner explain why it's simpler and cheaper than H.R. 3200 and the status quo:
Single-payer: better than bupkis! Not a bad slogan, when bupkis is what millions have now!
And here is Chairman Waxman's surprising announcement:
High-five indeed!
Among other reasons to vote for this amendment (yes, I'm talking to you, Stephanie): Simplicity. H.R. 3200 is 1036 pages. H.R. 676 gets coverage for every American in 28 pages.
Single-payer: it's just that simple.
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Update 2009.08.02 10:30 CDT: For a better look at those charts Rep. Weiner offered, check out this video from Thursday's committee action. On the 44th anniversary of the passage of Medicare, Rep. Weiner offered Republicans to "dream amendment" to abolish Medicare. Rep. Weiner double dared his Republican colleagues to prove their philosophical consistency by voting to end the government-run health insurance that so efficiently covers America's senior citizens. The GOP committee members continued their "utter hypocrisy and contradiction" and unanimously voted no. Ha!
Wow! Now that's a Congressman with chutzpah! Weiner-Kucinich for President!
The key here is the funding scheme: a 5-percent income tax surcharge on the incomes of top earners and a "modest and progressive excise tax" on payroll and self-employment income.
ReplyDeleteDepending on the meaning of "modest," I'd consider voting "Yes" on such a bill, putting me in the minority (29 percent) right along with hard-core liberals.
I'd be willing to forfeit a dime per dollar to end forever the risk of having to choose between destitution and death should my body go haywire -- which, if I am like all the other humans that have lived since Adam, it surely will one day.
Income tax? Insurance premiums are eating 10% of my income right now. I can spot 5%. If it replaces my private insurance, bring it on!
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