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All this year, the Republicans have been putting a lot of pressure on the Obama Administration and the Democratic majority in both houses of Congress to pass a compromised health care reform act that makes only superficial changes in the present Medical Industrial Complex. Especially, they don't want a law that puts a public option safety net under all Americans similar to what Medicare and Medicaid provide to the elderly and disabled. And so far, this "flapping of the right wing" has succeeded quite well -- every new version of the health care bill that gets mentioned in the press seems to be more conservative than the last.So isn't it time for the left wing to start flapping as well, and force the big bird we call our politico-economic system to change course? It's usually assumed that the progressives in Congress will support a compromised health care bill "because it's better than nothing". However, if they make it clear that they will only vote for a bill they feel represents actual reform of the health care financing system, this tends to balance out the pressure from the right and produce compromises that represent a true centrist position.
It's also important to point out that the health care reform bill that is taking shape in congressional committees right now will leave the present private health insurance industry essentially intact over the short haul, leaving the actual changes to be implemented gradually over a period of years. Is this really any better than have no reform act all until the politicians are able to pass one that will make significant changes immediately?
So why don't all of us progressives from Blue States with representatives in Congress who belong to the left wing of the Democratic Part start urging them to "just say no" to any health care reform bill that doesn't meet certain minimum standards?
