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I am as disappointed as the next guy that the "public option" appears to be less than "robust." I favor a single payer system.
I am not happy about the "mandated coverage" that could force some people who can't afford it to purchase insurance.
This whole debate has been frustrating to me, as the best solutions don't even seem to be on the table, and disinformation is filling the airwaves.
The bill as I understand it, is pretty disappointing to me.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I would like to have a reality check.
For a reality check, let's look at what just happened in Breckenridge CO yesterday, where they voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
Just 15 years ago, there was virtually no such thing as medical or industrial marijuana in the USA. Starting about 10 years ago, states started enacting legislation for medical use. In the last decade, penalties for marijuana use across the nation has declined. Many states now have legal medical and industrial use. A town in Colorado just legalized it completely, and there is a possibility that the state of CA will vote on this next year.
So in about 12 years, things have changed drastically. It didn't happen overnight. But it all started somewhere.
Now taking this into account and looking at health care, I can see how this bill can be a starting point. Who says it's the end all? If they seriously eliminate "pre-existing conditions" and stop companies from denying health care, and provide some kind of financial assistance or coverage for people who can't afford it, I think that is a pretty good first step.
I don't think this will be the last health care reform bill/law. If we keep the pressure on, and some of the problems persist, there will be more debate, more bills, and more laws, after this one is done.
If it takes 12 years to go from what we have now to something radically different like a single payer system, I'll take it.
Conclusion: If this bill is seen as the end all-of health care reform, it basically sucks bigtime. But if taken in prespective as the first step towards real change, it's not a bad start. And we'd be stupid to not support it just because it "isn't good enough." Now let's just make sure that we don't allow it to be the end-all.
i know many will say, it's a shallow comparison, between marijuana rights and health care reform. there are many reasons these things are different, that is true. but just look back at history; most significant changes take a few years to unfold. and since compromise is at the heart of our system, it is more possible to make significant change by doing it in steps, than to hold stubbornly to the ultimate goal, rejecting partial steps towards it.
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