Somewhere in America, a man (with no insurance and no money for the medications he needs to ease the pain) is dying. Some with dangerous complications of H1N1 cannot get treatment. A woman (who thought she had insurance) was told her "benefits" had run out. In Arkansas, a third-stage cancer patient lined up for one-time free care. See the video above or Firedoglake.com here for the story about the woman with third-stage cancer.
All the while, the Senate could only think of Thanksgiving turkey. As Lowell suggests, (my paraphrase) Reid wrangled his 60 votes (only) to debate in preparation to vote to end the filibuster to vote to pass health care. In other words, it's just too much work to stay till Wednesday and bring up a real vote. The self-congratulatory behavior in the Senate yesterday appalls, even now.
Perhaps, it's just too unpleasant before the holidays to face the American people with the bad news that there aren't the votes actually to pass the bill, that there aren't the votes for even the most useless watered down "public option" emerging from the Senate this past week. Instead, Saturday night on CSPAN appeared far too much like "Live from New York, It's Saturday Night." But it wasn't a joke, unless a cruel one.
Yesterday Jon Walker of Firedog Lake revealed that Reid is prepared to cave on what's left of the so-called public option. Indeed it is pretty clear he doesn't have the votes to pass. What's left of a so-called "public option" makes the term "robust" look like the biggest con of the week. (But it's not. Stay tuned for my next post after I finish this one.)
We've waited 50 years for health insurance reform and things have only gotten worse. We've waited 50 years and health care itself has only gotten worse. We're not getting any advantage by a siozeable portion of the monies (more money than anywhere in the world) Americans pour down the Big Insurance and Big PhRMA rat-hole. I don't have to list the many ways our nation's health care is in decline, or that we are 37th among "developed" nations in health care outcomes.
BTW, that cancer patient in Arkansas is only getting her face-to-face with medical care because Keith Olbermann has personally funded or raised the money to host health care clinics where Blue Dogs have dug in their heels. Here's a link to the national site, the NAFC,for the free clinics. Blue Commonwealth's teacherken has volunteered with Missions of Mercy here, which gives free dental care.
Other than defunding the recalcitrant members of Congress (for whatever good that will do--they'll still have their corporate dollars), and working for REAL campaing finance reform, I have no recommended strategy. Beneath the veneer of teh vote last night, it appears that endless lobbying of our Congressional representatives has been pretty useless. They still are not listening, except to the medical industrial complex. Most of all, what we are seeing is the handiwork of the the former executives and lobbyists who wrote the legislation. If Democrats (and Republicans) refuse to deliver meaningful health insurance reform this time. The shame will stay with us a very long time.
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