Dean: Public Option Will Hurt Democrats in 2010 Elections

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the so called 'level playing field' option that was voted down last week
or that Carper opt-in/opt-out monstrosity they are presently floating ?

clarissa of CO 2:09PM October 08, 2009

I looked into Medicare Advantage when I turned 65, and there was nothing there whatsoever that gave me any "advantage" over straight up Medicare. I opted to stay away, as some of the restrictions and options made no sense at all. It's a scam, intended to further Medicare by increasin it's cost to the taxpayer.
One needs to consider who was in power when "Advantage" was passed into law: politicians whos philosophical bent is opposed to Medicare and any other large, relativaly successful federal program.

Tom Finlay of OR 1:46PM October 08, 2009

You have articulated the spirit we taxpayers should all have about health care for everyone in America. You also seem to correctly understand the real economic effects of tax cuts at the high end---and how too much of that by Reagan and Bush has crippled America.
The truth of the matter is that no one in the western world who works at a $12.00 an hour job (or less) has an "economic value" as a person that is high enough to justify keeping them alive and healthy to old age with the current costs of modern medicine.
Rather, we must rely on our sense of morality to find the reason to cover all people. Very secular countries in Europe and Asia have gotten it done----and so-called "Christian" America can't seem to find the moral justification. It's enough to make us question what our churches are for, really. Someplace-to-go-on-Sunday clubs?

Muser of NM 1:25PM October 08, 2009

It didn't bother right-wingers about COST when we spent over a trillion on the Iraq war, a so-called "success" in their view which ultimately resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis and thousands of American soldiers. Or the COST of giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires (TWICE) which resulted only in stagnant wages for 8 years, and a collapsed financial system by the time Bush left.
What bothers them about COST now is that they simply LIKE knowing some Americans die or go untreated or undertreated because they didn't "work as hard" as them and that's what you get when you're a loser, unlike the wonderful Republicans who "succeeded" in life and can afford a good plan (until THEY realize the private companies try to shaft them when they most need it). They love to tell people how they worked for everything in life and the rest don't deserve what they have, which apparently includes the right to STAY ALIVE in America. I make 6 figures and I'd GLADLY pay more in taxes to make sure we're all covered like all civilized societies do. Shame on you, Republicans. Democrats will force a bill down your throats because you deserve nothing less.

Howard B of FL 6:03AM October 08, 2009

According to Joe Biden, Medicare will go broke in
2017. Yet, the present version of the Baucus plan
will take $500 billion from Medicare, thus ensuring
a quicker insolvency.
I have a Medicare Advantage plan. It works great.
I don't like the idea of Congress, who don't know
what they are doing, mandate insurance coverage
while not putting cost reduction provisions into
place. And, frankly, in order for legislation
to pass, pork and special interest group exemptions,
tax breaks or govt. grants will be added to the
final bill in order to buy necessary approval votes.
What I have seen and heard will only cause insurance
rates and medication costs to continue to escalate.
Fuzzy logic employed in health care discussions
will not result in a law beneficial to most Americans.

Tim Brennan of NV 1:08AM October 08, 2009

This head is so misleading. The public option won't hurt Democrats. It's actually the absence of a public option quickly that will hurt Democrats. Let's take the revers - will not passing a public option help Democrats? No. Especially when 60-75% of Americans support a public option. Please correct this headline.

Jerry of CA 1:05AM October 08, 2009

Because we'll manage to push medicare to bankruptcy even quicker than it already is? So doctors will lose more money and charge even higher reimbursement rates from people with private insurance? So the democrats can pass a bad reform just to have something to get bad senators and congressmen, none of which have ever studied economics, re-elected so they can continue making bad decision after bad decision? Which great reason is it exactly?

Eric of IL 10:41PM October 07, 2009