Step One: The Democratic Leadership in the House and the Senate both come out in support of the single payer bills currently introduced in their respective Houses, introduced by John Conyers (D-MI) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), explaining that they are doing this because a majority of Americans favor single payer. They then whip single payer, getting enough Democrats to pass it by majority vote, or at least getting close enough to doing so that the healthsters will have to wonder whether they’ll continue to remain in business.
Step Two: The Democratic Leadership then offers a deal to Republicans in both Houses. Specifically, in return for a guarantee of 50% Republican yea votes in both Houses, the Democrats agree to back off of single payer, and accept a reform bill with a robust public option, instead of single payer. If Republicans refuse to supply half their number in support of such a compromise bill, then the Democrats pull out all the stops to pass the single payer plans, including a vigorous public speaking tour by President Obama, pointing out that the insurance companies deserve to be put out of business for the way they’ve treated the American people, to gain support for the bill.
Step Three: Assuming the Republicans haven’t agreed to the public option, pass the single payer bills in both houses, go to Conference Committee, resolve the differences and return the Conference bill to both Houses for the final vote. Assuming the Republicans have agreed to providing 50% support for a public option bill in both houses, pass the bills, go to Conference Committee, resolve differences and return for final votes.
Step 4: President Obama signs either the single payer or the public option bill as the case may be.
See, it’s simple. Why not do it this way? Why wasn’t it done this way? Why all the kabuki? Could it be that we can’t get 60 votes in the Senate to do it this way? Well, yes, but we don’t need 60 votes because Health Care Reform can be placed under reconciliation where 50 votes plus Vice President Biden’s tie breaker are all we need to pass it.
Could it be that we can’t even get 50 Democratic votes for single payer in the Senate, even though a majority of Americans favor it, and even though it will cost the least among all alternatives. If that’s really so, then I and other progressive Democrats would sure like to know it. We’d very much like to know who among us Democrats would vote for the continued existence of the healthsters at the expense of working people and other taxpayers.
Enough said?