ELECTION THOUGHT
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
MORE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
Over the weekend the Obama administration again signaled a retreat on the public option as an essential part of health care reform. In its misguided efforts to seek bipartisanship with the Republicans, the White House seems to be negotiating with itself, making more concessions to no avail. The priority for the Republicans is to bring down Obama and the Democrats, not to co-operate in the enactment of legislation that would benefit the American people.
The retreat led to increases in the stock prices of health care insurers. More profit for them seems to be a Republican goal. But since Republicans oppose government spending, you might think that they would consider this: the legislation will provide subsidies for low income uninsured people so that they can buy insurance. If a lower cost public option is available, the government saves money.
But of course we can't have more socialism, like Medicare.
During the primaries, I enthusiastically supported Obama. I was confident that Hillary would make a good president. But I considered Barack Obama to be someone special, a tranformative person who might well be a great president. I still support President Obama but some of his Bush-like decisions have been a disappointment and I think his political decision to court Republicans assiduously on health care has been a grave mistake.
Over the weekend the Obama administration again signaled a retreat on the public option as an essential part of health care reform. In its misguided efforts to seek bipartisanship with the Republicans, the White House seems to be negotiating with itself, making more concessions to no avail. The priority for the Republicans is to bring down Obama and the Democrats, not to co-operate in the enactment of legislation that would benefit the American people.
The retreat led to increases in the stock prices of health care insurers. More profit for them seems to be a Republican goal. But since Republicans oppose government spending, you might think that they would consider this: the legislation will provide subsidies for low income uninsured people so that they can buy insurance. If a lower cost public option is available, the government saves money.
But of course we can't have more socialism, like Medicare.
During the primaries, I enthusiastically supported Obama. I was confident that Hillary would make a good president. But I considered Barack Obama to be someone special, a tranformative person who might well be a great president. I still support President Obama but some of his Bush-like decisions have been a disappointment and I think his political decision to court Republicans assiduously on health care has been a grave mistake.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Freed U.S. Man Departs Myanmar With Senator
We are pleased and thankful that Senator Jim Webb has been able to secure the freedom of John Yettaw, who had been sentenced to prison for swimming to the home of pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi. The Senator, and the Obama administration and its State Department, are to be congratulated.
One somewhat disturbing thought. North Korea, which has a nuclear weapon, was able to secure the visit of a former president, Bill Clinton, to accept the release of imprisoned Americans. Burma, which has no such weapon, got only a Senator.
Would Iran, maybe on its way to nuclear capability, settle for a former vice president in order to release the captured hikers?
