John Boehner is either an idiot or a liar
Do I really need to say more? See Steve Benin for more commentary. I saw this on Countdown last night and was appalled.
It is simply impossible for him to literally have never met anyone outside of paid liberal lobbyists and members of Congress who is in favor of the “public option”.
Approximately two-thirds of the country is in favor of some sort of public option.
Let me be clear. I buy health insurance on the private market because I’m self-unemployed, to use my old friend Ron Burk’s phrase. It’s expensive and they might cut me off for some spurious reason if I actually contract some serious condition.
So yes, I am in favor of a public option to create some real competition for the insurance companies. Failing that, we need serious regulation, which doesn’t happen in this country.
We are the only developed country that allows its insurance providers to be run for profit. This doesn’t work. Health isn’t a commodity like soap, or television sets. You don’t know your provider is scum until it’s too late.
At a minimum, we need an individual mandate. Everyone must have insurance to spread the costs around and make the playing field level. Companies cannot be allowed to refuse coverage. And they must be made not-for-profit.
Personally, I’d buy Medicare if I could.