Someone is being sane in congress.

[tsukinofaerii]

Hold me. I'm frightened. D:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/hr-4789-the-public-option_b_496977.html

In a more serious take on this, I can't say I fully approve, but I think that might be because I'm in shock and keep re-reading looking for the catch. Not rereading the article, but rereading the bill itself, which is linked. Not being a lawyer, I can't say for certain, but it looks clean.

I'm just... sitting here, feeling stumped. I'd honestly sort of given up on a public option. Just yesterday, I told someone that our best hope was that a few states would pass it, and in a few decades the federal ball would be rolling again. I hope that this isn't another disappointment.

(In case anyone can't tell, I'm a US version of a liberal. If you disagree, you disagree and I'll be happy to chat about it sanely. Please, no one make me test the shiny new Close Commenting feature on LJ.)

Comments

[sophie-448.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not perfect in that ... it's still MEDICARE. Which has a host of issues. BUT STILL. Some form of health insurance is MILES better than none at all. And fiscally speaking, I don't see how the GOP could object without looking like complete idiots. You want it, you pay for it seems totally reasonable to me. Especially because one of the biggest problems with health care is those who can afford it, but are denied coverage.

That being said, my understanding of both the health care debates that are going on right now and the workings of health insurance in general are sketchy at best, so I can't really comment on the technicalities. My stance on health care is basically: people deserve to NOT DIE of preventable illnesses or treatable conditions. Not because they've somehow "earned it," but because they're people.

[tsukinofaerii.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. If my choices are "buy into Medicare or buy into a for-profit insurance company", tell me where I sign up for Medicare. As I understand it, the mandate in the current HCR bill is going to end up being an insurance company hand out. Yeah, they'll have to take on all those currently uninsured pre-conditions, but they're also going to be getting a lot of healthy people who couldn't afford it before, and are mostly buying it now because 1) they have to and 2) government subsidies. And they still won't have any serious competition. Considering how well the current industry's handled things, I'd rather take my chances on Medicare.

And maybe this will give us a good reason to fix Medicare too.

(Is nearly socialist, ohnoes)

[chaosakita.livejournal.com]

Obviously, all of those other people are on the default side of not being sane.

And all the people in Congress are so incompetent, because...they're born that way? idk :/

[tsukinofaerii.livejournal.com]

Except that I didn't say that? Politics is an emotional subject for many people, and it can get a little crazy. If that's the sort of conversation that's going to happen, I'm not going to get involved. I am generally willing to have hyper-emotional, not-quite-together, wank-filled political discussions with, but I just don't have the energy for it right now, and would prefer to stay, yes, sane.

IMO, Congress is playing party politics and worrying so much about the next election and the fringe groups (who scream the loudest) that they're accomplishing nothing and making hollow their own ideals. This goes for both parties. Democrats are so worried about the screamers that they keep back-pedaling. Republicans are in lockstep over blocking anything a Democrat suggests, also to pander to the screamers. Both parties are more worried about the next election and on-upping each other than they are about doing their jobs.

So a congressman who is actively trying to get something done? That's just a breath of fresh air.