There's a small number of Senators and Representatives who support Single-Payer. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.-Vt.) have introduced Single-Payer bills in the House and Senate (HR 676 and S 703). Most are Democrats. Presidential candidates Cynthia McKinney (Green) and Ralph Nader (Independent) promoted it during their campaigns in 2008, as did Dennis Kucinich before he was eliminated in the Democratic primaries. But the White House and most members of Congress have followed Sen. Baucus's lead and don't want it discussed. They don't want its merits compared with the health care reform plans that capitulate to insurance and HMO demands. The health of insurance industry profits takes precedent over the health of the American people.
On March 5, a White House policy summit on health care initially excluded Single-Payer advocates until complaints led to last-minute invitations for Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Program ( http://www.pnhp.org ) and Rep. Conyers. On May 5, a health care hearing sponsored by the Senate Finance Committee featured private insurance industry representatives, the Chamber of Commerce, the right wing Heritage Foundation, the Business Roundtable, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, but no Single-Payer supporters.
The hearing was interrupted by eight protesters who demanded public discussion of Single-Payer. The eight were arrested. Among them were Russell Mokhiber of Single-Payer Action ( http://singlepayeraction.org ) and Kevin Zeese, former Maryland Green candidate for the US Senate and currently Executive Director of the Campaign for Fresh Air and Clean Politics ( http://www.FreshAirCleanPolitics.net ). (Read Mr. Zeese's account of the protest: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Why-I-Was-Among-Eight-Heal-by-Kevin-Zeese-090506-255.html )
Such actions might be the only way to focus public attention on Single-Payer. In past generations, it took strikes, massive and sustained street demonstrations, and political campaigns outside the Democratic and Republican parties to win the eight-hour day and 40-hour week, an end to child labor, civil rights for African Americans, and other reforms. As more and more Americans learn about Single-Payer, how they're getting cheated under the status quo, and how the alternative proposals from Democrats are designed to sustain insurance company profits through mandates and subsidies, the demand for Single-Payer will reach critical mass.
Polls have already demonstrated widespread popular support for a national health care program that guarantees universal coverage ( http://www.wpasinglepayer.org/PollResults.html ). In 2008, the US Conference of Mayors endorsed Single-Payer ( http://www.usmayors.org/resolutions/76th_conference/chhs_03.asp ) as have thousands of physicians.
The recent economic crisis has made Single-Payer even more urgent. Its enactment would provide relief for businesses large and small, since it cancels the high expense and administrative burden of employer-based health care benefits ( http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=158 ). It would relieve municipalities and school boards from having to bear the cost of providing health insurance to employees, reducing budgets and lowering local property taxes.
Many business leaders understand that Single-Payer is the best proposal economically, but they're reluctant to support it. Why?
Dr. David Himmelstein of Physicians for a National Health Program has an answer. Dr. Himmelstein attended "a health care forum a couple of years ago sponsored by the Business Roundtable. And the moderator asked the audience -- made up primarily of representatives of big business -- to indicate their preference of health care reforms. And the majority came out in favor of single payer. Why then is the Business Roundtable opposed? Himmelstein put it this way: 'In private, they support single payer, but they're also thinking -- if you can take away someone else's business -- the insurance companies' business -- you can take away mine. Also, if workers go on strike, I want them to lose their health insurance. And it's also a cultural thing -- we don't do that kind of thing in this country'" ("Top Ten Enemies of Single Payer," by Russell Mokhiber, Common Dreams, April 16, 2009, http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/04/16-0 ). In short, business leaders don't want to lose leverage over their employees and they fear creeping socialism.
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