...because the reason Medicare is so efficient administratively is because it's a single payer system. The primary benefit of a public plan would probably not be administrative costs but rather bargaining power with providers, and to get that it would need to be very large, certainly much larger than anything currently "on the table."

that America had graduated into the knowledge economy?

What happened to that? Other then corrupt politicians, corrupt bankers, and corrupt business men exported our entire manufacturing base to other countries (like India & China) and ran up HUGE national debts.

You still think they care about us?

is a good way of putting it. Obama promised transparency, change and a new way of doing business. Yet, everything is just as clandestine, pay to play, sc**w the people as before. Obama "PRIVATELY" supports PO. Why isn't he publically fighting for a strong PO. That's what he campaigned on. That's what leadership is all about. Stating your position and then fighting for it to bring others around. All he has done is give vague speeches with lots of weasel room. He is looking more and more like a corporate whore just like the rest of DC. I wonder if the Democrats have an idea that they are shedding voters like a bad case of dandruff.

The Week Ahead. Corporate earnings season gets underway.

This should be interesting.

The congressional leaders were particularly miffed that Steele had in late August unveiled a seniors’ “health care bill of rights” without consulting with them. The statement of health care principles, outlined in a Washington Post op-ed, began with a robust defense of Medicare that puzzled some in a party not known for its attachment to entitlements. :-o

Elected Republicans urged Steele to focus on the governors’ races in New Jersey and Virginia and other political matters, such as fundraising, rather than on attempting to establish party policy.

Steele was taken aback by the comments from Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Senate GOP conference Chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Senate GOP policy Chairman John Thune of South Dakota and grew defensive during the 10-minute discussion, according to two people in the room.

There are larger issues at hand, though, beyond a tense exchange over strategy. Since Steele took over the party earlier this year, congressional leaders and their staff have often cringed at the voluble chairman’s gaffes and rolled their eyes at his unambiguous view that he alone leads the party.

“He’s on a short leash here,” said one top House GOP leadership aide.

Is the token Steele going Rogue? ;)

As much as I dislike them... GOP leaders to Michael Steele: Back off
[ http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/278... ] ;-)

Will have a robust public option.

It will not be a perfect bill. It will not address every concern of everyone.

It is a good start and FAR FAR better than anything that would come down the pike under a McCain/Palin presidency.

All the pessimists can bellyache all they want to.

It is a done deal. Obama isn't going to let you down - you all seem to do THAT (esp you Susie) all on your own no matter what the "news" is.

Is it anybody else's understanding that half a trillion dollars in government spending will go directly to the insurance companies?

I suppose it is to get them to do things like stop denying for pre-existing conditions and declining coverage when people are critically ill.

I hacve heard zero concessions coming from private insurers. Where there are concessions, it was because of direct financial consideration from our government.

president obama knows that health care insurance cost needs serious reform. he knows this is a matter of economic necessity. he and his staff understand this is a collective issue but that there are those that are against that political/economic philosophy. the opposition was ready for this fight way before obama was on the scene. "we the people" have been taken out of the system and replaced by special interest(s). some of this is political strategy by both sides. i feel president obama has good/correct intentions and will get the best reform possible. i feel he's revealing the right's inability to be bipartisan so not to require a super majority. having said all of that i hope that the house/senate understand beyond the special interest that the public options needs to be open to all. otherwise it will fail much to the liking of those who don't like government.

National Health/Single Payer privately AND publically. The Public option is shite.

This president and his administration have proven themselves to not only be ineffective but a heck of alot weaker than anyone who voted for Obama thought so. This man talked the talk during the campaign and quickly after consolidating the vote and winning, this man was back pedaling and making excuses for all the "change" we all believed he would lead this country into. Obama, instead, has proven himself to be manipulated by the minority party into a powerless position time and time again. He is proving to have been the wrong choice, at the wrong time, with the wrong qualifications. America needed a strong leader with vision and determination; instead we got a weak capitulating ineffective orator of bovine excrement.