To say that Progressives ought to be extremely disappointed with the likely outcome of the Healthcare Reform bill would be an understatement. The likely bill though missing a public option and a Medicare Buy-in will ultimately allow most Americans to afford some measure of healthcare insurance. With the nominal elimination of pre-existing conditions and more stringent restriction on caps, it is a bill we must swallow our pride and accept.
It should be noted that this compromise in no way is the fault legislatively of the Republicans. Their opposition to any government program not run by a private entity to skim a profit is an ideological fixation that defines their party. It is the incoherency and loyalty of those Democrats that believe they have more to lose from their lobbyist than from their constituency that will create a less than optimal bill.
Inasmuch as it’s not easy to accept, Progressives as I mention in this article have failed to instill the fear in their Congress People of their re-election prospects because they were not able to sufficiently persuade the average American that the single payer system or strong public option would be best for them. Progressive must keep pushing for the best deal attainable quickly as President Obama is doing right now. Remember, those attempting to stall the bill know that in the 2010 election year, this bill would likely die and not come up for another generation or until medical bankruptcy leads to a popular revolt.
After the marginal win of the President signing this bill, we must immediately continue the grassroots battle of educating American on the entire health insurance scheme, wealth distribution, taxes, and their interrelations. That is the only way to neutralize the echo chamber of misinformation from the Right. At the same time we must work extremely hard to find primary candidates to oppose all those Democrats that turned their back on the well being of Americans as the Republicans have.
Make no mistake; the passage of this sub-optimal bill is a huge win in the context of this country’s healthcare history. Do not allow the Right Wing or GOP to change that narrative by defining the ultimate passage of this bill as a defeat.
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