When I heard that Congress might not push through a deeply flawed health care bill before it recessed, I was elated.

Single-payer has been making steady progress. At first we were marginalized and told we were a small minority. When that didn’t work we were arrested for attempting to speak out. When they ran out of cops, Obama admitted that single-payer is the best possible plan, but said that for some reason it isn’t possible, as if the American people do not deserve or cannot achieve the best.

I’m an American and I disagree. I think we can accomplish anything we set our minds to—yes we can. When what we are doing is possible, we do it quickly and easily. But when we do the impossible, such as building the first nuclear weapons or landing on the moon, it usually takes a little time.

So if Congress and the President think that single-payer is impossible, tell them not to be in such a hurry. We’re Americans and we’re accustomed to accomplishing the impossible.

In this case, since every other developed country already has a national health care plan, what we’re going to do is known to be possible, so all we have to do is study and adopt the best of existing plans. We save the cost of the research that other countries have already done for us, and we benefit from their successes and mistakes.

There is no reason whatsoever that we shouldn’t have the best single-payer health care system in the world, and when your Senators and Representatives come home during their recess, make sure to tell them so. Pack their town hall meetings. Visit their offices. (When you see the pitiful “better dead than red” folks opposing single-payer as socialist, tell them to go ahead and drop dead already—the cold war is over and we need health care for all Americans) Fly SINGLE-PAYER banners over their golf courses. Hold single-payer rallies outside their mansions and clubs and the ritzy hotels where they hold fundraisers.

Don’t donate a dime to any politician who hasn’t committed in writing to single-payer.

Use natural dietary or herbal remedies whenever possible rather than buying over-the-counter stuff from pharmaceutical companies that are lobbying against single-payer. Don’t let them use your money against you.

And don’t settle for the lesser of various evils that Congress may offer you. They all have single-payer health care themselves, so they know that’s the best plan, they just don’t want us to have it. Don’t let them rush you into buying a lemon—there is no timetable, but we have an obligation to ourselves to make sure that they get it right.

They pushed through deregulation, they pushed through tax cuts for the rich, they pushed through wars, they pushed through torture, they pushed through electronic voting machines, they pushed through the PATRIOT Acts and Homeland Security, they pushed through bailouts, but it is time for us to push back.

For many Americans, this is a matter of life and death. Most U.S. personal bankruptcies are due to medical costs. A government that can lose trillions of dollars (the Pentagon) and give away trillions more without knowing where it went (the Fed), can’t poor-mouth us when it comes to health care.

In addition to signing all those petitions, remember to phone or email your representatives a few times a day and tell them you want single-payer.

And start circulating petitions to take away single-payer health care from elected officials who won’t sign on to single-payer for the rest of us. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just write it up, print it out, post it online, and every time you get a few hundred signatures, send it to your representatives.

They’ve got trillions for war, trillions for bailouts, and no money for health care? Could that be because they’ve been throwing away so much of our hard-earned money on stuff we don’t want?

Maybe our elected representatives are simply not paying attention. Maybe they’re like kids who don’t want to do their homework. Maybe we have to sit them down, stand over them, and tell them that they can’t go back to D.C. to play until they get their homework done.

And it is okay to threaten them with the loss of your vote. Not that you’ll vote for their opponent, but that you won’t vote at all. Fifty percent of Americans already don’t vote because we believe that nobody on the ballot represents our interests (those who do have no chance whatsoever of winning because they don’t get media coverage and are barred from debates). If you don’t think that anyone of the ballot with a chance of winning will represent your interests, don’t vote. The one thing they can’t withstand is an election boycott. If only ten or twenty percent of the electorate turns out to vote, they can’t claim to have been democratically elected, to have a mandate, or to represent us.

You made a mistake when you voted to delegate your power and authority to other people to make your decisions for you. You have no way to hold them accountable when the decisions that they make are against your best interests. Stop authorizing other people to do things that you don’t want. Tell them that either they start representing you, or you won’t vote at all. We vote for representatives, not dictators or petty tyrants. Either they start listening to us, or we stop voting.

W. Wexler,

I appreciate your thinking and I envy your enthusiasm.  I’ve kind of had it with hoping for good things.  I’m hopeful about individuals but not about US government with the people who get elected to office. When something good happens, sooner or later we get short-changed in some other way.  There is no concerted approach to improve the quality of life for everyone in our society. You mention public strikes in Europe.  There’s a tradition there that calls for solidarity among the labor force. Here, everyone is out for himself.

I will support anything that comes my way regarding the issue of getting sensible health care reform.  I’m not an expert on organizing this and I’m in no position to do more than lending support.  I’ll sign petitions too but, please, don’t waste your time in getting signatures for internet petitions. According to experts, internet petitions are highly ineffective.  Letters via P. Office seem to get better attention from the pathetic politicians.

In any case, we need to keep the issues alive and share views and information in the hope that more people realize how important this is.

Mitch McConnell and his Republican cohorts are worried reform will create rationed health care and are worried American’s will end up standing in long lines to see a doctor.  That’s what we have already.  UnitedHealth is making record breaking profits.  My father died thanks to rationed care and what is called quality health care in Tennessee and Virginia.  As a former health care giver, I am sad to see profit care comes ahead of patient care.

http://www.wisecountyissues.com

Do not sell President Obama short.  Challenge him, he has said….. put it on HIS DESK.  Let’s put it there, right there, on his desk….. I say, he’ll sign it.
 
Time to “warm-up” the feet of our 535 congress members who apparently believe they are exempt from the voice of The American People.  START HOLLERING.

Make a couple of phone calls:
The crucial battle for single-payer healthcare is in the House Energy & Commerce Committee (E&C). On Monday, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) tried to offer a single-payer amendment but chairman Henry Waxman ended the meeting early to avoid a vote.

On Monday we asked our 600,000 subscribers to call E&C Democrats and below are the results you reported. Keep calling everyone who isn’t in the “support” column! Hill staffers tell us your calls are “very helpful.” And send our single-payer petition to your own Representatives.

http://www.democrats.com/single-payer-committee-whip

Consider Huey Long:
“Long proposed a new progressive tax code designed to limit the size of personal fortunes. The new tax code would tax the first million dollars of wealth at zero. The second million dollars of wealth would be taxed at 1%. The third million at 2%; the fourth million at 4%; the fifth million at 8%; the sixth million at 16%; the seventh million at 32%; the eighth million at 64%; and the remainder at 100%. Income tax rates would be at 100% for all incomes over $1 million.

Long believed that ending the Great Depression and staving off violent revolution required a radical restructuring of the national economy and elimination of disparities of wealth, retaining the essential features of the capitalist system. After the Senate rejected one of his wealth redistribution bills, Long told them, “[A] mob is coming to hang the other ninety-five of you damn scoundrels and I’m undecided whether to stick here with you or go out and lead them.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huey_Long

ENDORSE SINGLE PAYER.

“Tell me why”

Mothers crying in the street
Children dying at their feet, tell me why
People starving everywhere
There’s too much food but none to spare, tell me why
Can you see that shaft of sunlight
Can you see it in my eyes
I can feel the fire that’s burning
Anger and hope so deep
So deep within my heart
Before my eyes
For some it’s too late
It seems there’s no-one listening
People sleeping in the streets
No roof above, no food to eat, tell me why
See the questions in their eyes
Listen to their children’s cries, tell me why
If there’s a God
Is he watching
Can he give a ray of hope
So much pain and so much sorrow
Tell me what does he see
When he looks at you
When he looks at me
What would he say
It seems there’s no-one listening
Who would think it still could happen
Even in this time and place
Politicians, they may save themselves
But they won’t save their face
Just hope against hope
It’s not too late
You say there’s nothing you can do
Is there one rule for them and one for you
Tell me why
Listen can you see that shaft of sunlight
Can you see it in my eyes
I can feel the fire that’s burning
Anger and hope so deep
So deep within my heart
Before my eyes
For some it’s too late
It seems there’s no-one listening
Hurry for me, hurry for me, they cry.......GENESIS

http://www.elyrics.net/read/g/genesis-lyrics/tell-me-why-lyrics.html

Hi, there, MeHere,

I agree with you completely on your meta view of the Obama campaign/administration.  I saw it about 14 months ago when I quit working for his campaign and went to work for Nader.

Regarding support for a single payer option, I think some clarification is in order and I sure wish the press would have demanded it last night instead of whatever it was they did.  The polls register a high level of support for a “public option” or a “government sponsored plan” but you’re right, nobody really knows what that means.  Obama was the screen upon which we all projected our own image of him.

He clearly doesn’t support single payer now, although he would never say that.  He did say that he was in favor of it in 2001 or thereabouts.  But that’s water under the bridge. 

We can operate on one of several speculations.  First, single payer is just dead.  That’s the least palatable one to me.  Second, it won’t be included in this legislation but the door will be open for states to do it through the Kucinich amendment.  Third, it won’t be included in this legislation but after some period of time it will be added because in fact it’s the only relief we can get from health insurance costs.  Fourth, it’s still in play and if we pull the right levers and push the right buttons and rattle enough cages, perhaps it could just happen.

(Disclaimer:  there very well may be other speculations)

The fourth case is the one I would like to see exhausted before I start packing for Canada. Harry Reid’s declaration that the Senate will not pass a bill before the break is actually good news for the 4th case.  It gives those of us who want to pursue it the opportunity to do something spectacular to make a statement that the elected bums in Washington cannot ignore.

I have signed about every petition that comes my way.  It’s not going to change much.  One of our Senators (Grassley) won’t vote for anything. and Harkin will vote for anything the Democrats put together.  But what could actually change Grassley’s mind?

I have a theory about this.  I believe that if enough of us raise a stink, they will fold.  You may remember when the farmers in Wisconsin were dumping milk.  It worked.  Remember when the tractor convoy hit Washington?  In Europe, there used to be public strikes all the time. (As an aside, there probably still are but we don’t get that kind of news because our leaders don’t want us to get any ideas).

So I’m suggesting that we somehow organize a public action on a national scale during the Congressional recess.  This would be something simple, like a work stoppage, a walkout, a slowdown, or anything that will non-destructively show the mass of support that exists for single payer.

In order for this to happen, people have to know what “single payer” means.  They must know that HR 3200 doesn’t include it and they must know the Senate Finance Committee will never author a bill that contains single payer.

So we need a mass marketing project ($$) to raise awareness and then find a way to motivate people to join the action. 

I think it’s possible, I am not saying it’s likely. If anybody has any ideas on how to get this done please feel free to Tweet me.  I don’t have a lot of resources, but at least I am willing to try anything that’s legal and peaceful.

-Wexler

W.W. Wexler:

I agree….. “the fantasy continues, it expands.” You make some very good points.
But on the question that the public supports a single payer public option, I don’t seem to have evidence that it is so.  Most people distrust single payer or don’t even understand what it is all about—and, as you say, Obama never gave it a chance and it was never included in the reform talks. There seems to be some support for a having a public option but that’s a different story.

Let’s remember that, in his campaign, Obama never said he would fight for single payer, and he also said he would increase the number of troops in Afghanistan and expand the war.  Those who voted for Obama got what they voted for. What they may have expected from him was a mirage. It’s almost time to forget about Obama and his Democrat gang already and reflect instead on the subject of how we elect people to office.

But making a truly fresh start would require the political courage to acknowledge that the workplace-based, private insurance system is too far gone to save with a hodgepodge of fixes.

A “hodgepodge of fixes” may very well be all anyone will get.

Hum???  Wonder how log it would take to have working Universal Single Payer Health Care if Ralph Nader was President?
  Problem is we DON’T have any leaders elected.  We only have followers of the Corporate will.

  Now think about it.  If you were being wined and dinned every day and had someone throwing money at you as long as the “debate” continues, exactly why would you want it to come to resolution?

Unfortunately for Obama he doesn’t have a senate majority leader like LBJ who could make things happen. Reid is a real lightwieght and it is mystifying how he bacame senate majority leader. Pelosi looks strong enough on the house side and they also are more enlightened than their senatorial colleagues. It doesn’t help that Kennedy is seriously ill either. And of course health care reform has been an almost impossible task for all Democratic presidents, and a non-issue among Republican’s. So we American’s might have to get used to health insures like United Healthcare rake up obscene profits quarter after quarter in the name of free markets, while raising our health care premiums.

Speaker Pelosi hinted that the August Break might be delayed - wouldn’t that be a joke? Imagine Congress actually sticking around until a serious problem is solved.  Congress HAS health insurance - they don’t see it as a critical problem (to them).  They “need” to go “home” and figure out how to, once more, put off any action.  The Blue Dogs (pseudo-republicans) and Republicans just want to run out the clock until the mid-term elections ... because they figure there’s nothing to lose: either they delay reform or kill it off with a new wave of conservative newcomers. 
Orrin Hatch (R, Utah) withdrew from negotiations because he is dead-set against mandatory health insurance either for individuals or businesses .... even though auto insurance IS mandatory in most states.  ANY excuse to slow down .... delay .... obfuscate.

Marie,  you are like an ant walking on an elephant saying it sure is rough going but we seem to be getting some where. Not however, realizing it on an Elephant going backward. 
  Bill HR 3200 is a sick elephant concocted by the insurance and drug interest and has nothing to do with creating affordable, accessible health care for all.  In fact, it actually will (if past ) kill any chance of having that happen. That’ is it’s prime objective.
  Obama has privately met with 27 or more Corporate Health Executives just prior to the forming of this bill.  It took a freedom of information challenge to even find out this.  Some transparency eh?  Yet he and the Democratic committees flatly refuse to meet with leader who wish to talk about a Universal Single Payer System. 
  Our representatives are like Addicts.  Only their “drug” is the money flowing from the Corporate lobbies.  Until we are able to get them “clean” they will, just like drug addicts say or do anything to get their fix from their Corporate dealers. 
  We desperately need a Universal Single Payer Health Care System.  But, in order to get it we need a dramatic change in the way Washington works.  Ironical this is what this administration had promised.  Like I said say anything do anything to get their fix!

Fredric,

your sarcastic analogy might hold some water if medical care was something everyone needed 3 times a day so the production and distribution system of it was as vast and variable as the food production network.  Same thing for housing.

Nice try, but no banana.

-Wexler

The press conference last night was reminiscent of the press conferences that Bush had when he was working up to the Iraq invasion.

Polls show that Americans support a single payer public option.  No questions about that.  The biggest non-productive cost center in the healthcare system is profit.  No questions about single payer.  The question about transparency was ducked.  There’s no transparency to this process; if it was transparent then why is single payer NEVER mentioned?  Why is there no Congressional study of national health plans in other western countries? Why are single-payer advocacy groups excluded from deliberations and hearings?

The press is letting us down again.  We have the potential through technology to be the most well-informed people in the history of the world.  But in order to do that we would have to have a government that’s willing to work in the realm of reality and a press that has the integrity to ask the hard questions and demand the real answers.

We have neither of those, so the fantasy continues, it expands.  One leading “progressive” commentator is telling us today that he thinks it’s a good idea that Obama made the issue of health care about HIMSELF last night.  So we’re supposed to support a health care reform disaster because OBAMA says it’s a good deal?  Come on, man, you know better than that.

Thank you for your article, MS Cocco, I wish you would have had a couple of questions and a follow-up last night.

-Wexler
http://twitter.com/wwwexler