"Mr. President, you've been very consistent about your desire to adopt pragmatic, tested ideas to solve problems without ideology.
On health care, many in the debate (on your side of the aisle) wish there to be a government provided health care option for healthy-working people. Many on the other side oppose it for varied reasons, not the least of which is the lack of evidence that the government can do so efficiently and effectively.
In the spirit of pragmatism, why not delay moving forward with the idea of a government sponsored health care plan for healthy working people until we have some evidence that the portion of the health care system ALREADY UNDER THE CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT can be run efficiently and effectively? Medicare and Medicaid are travesties of inefficiency and mismanagement. Why not fix them first, build some capital and believability on the subject, then show Americans that a government administered system can work?"
Here here! Now, Bryan, how do we get that exact question to the west wing beehive? I don't see the MSM covering it at all - not that the Administration would even listen to the 'right-wingers."
ReplyDeleteHow was Newport?
Well, DJ--I don't imagine I come up with too many things that are original...and in this case, the idea is so obvious that I have to believe others are saying it and it is getting covered....one can only hope.
ReplyDeleteNewport was wonderful.
"not the least of which is the lack of evidence that the government can do so efficiently and effectively."
ReplyDeleteWho administers the healtcare plan currently enjoyed by Congress? Give that to the people.
An excellent question, and one that has been asked elsewhere on the blogosphere over the past few weeks, including one Virginia Postrel who actually received a response to her post from Peter Orszag.
ReplyDeleteOrszag's answer: changing Medicare and waiting to see how it works before messing around with the rest of the health care system won't work politically.
http://www.dynamist.com/weblog/archives/003001.html
Hmmmmm...
At least orzag was honest about it.
ReplyDelete