Joe Lieberman: Blinded by the Right

Health care reform is almost ready for a vote, and now Joe Lieberman, Independent Senator from Connecticut is promising to filibuster with the GOP.

I say: let them filibuster. Let them spend the holidays reading the phone book and trying to deny health care to the American people. Eventually they will have to let the vote happen, and health care will pass.

Public Option NOW

The insurance industry has decided to turn on the health care reform bill, and attacks at the best possible moment for Democrats. Rather than continuing to work on this bill that protects insurance companies, the foolish corporations have elected to mount an offensive on the bill. They will regret this decision, because it means the beginning of the end of private insurance.

With cover provided by private companies who want to raise rates on consumers, the Dems will have every reason to pursue a robust and universal public option. If private insurance companies want to raise rates by thousands of dollars, then the best solution for consumers is an option that eliminates them from the process.

The left is gearing up for a fight in 2010 - and answering the insurance companies with strong congressional action is a great way to earn the trust of voters, and bring real reform to America's health care systems.

SCOTUS - pants on fire

The Supreme Court failed to address the unconstitutional ruling of Florida's judiciary, and let stand a law that violates the basic rights of students in that state. The decision not to hear this case is a direct attack on current precedent. In 1943, the SCOTUS ruled on a similar case, and concluded that students enjoy the same right of conscience as any other citizen, and cannot be compelled to salute or to pledge allegiance to the flag.

This hits very close to home for me, as I was one of the few students in my school who objected to the pledge, and refused to legitimate the indoctrination it represents. If I had been subject to discipline of the nature practiced in Florida, I expect I would have brought a suit as well. Coercing students into reciting the pledge serves no legitimate purpose, and requiring parental excuses does nothing to remedy the assault on the first amendment.

This is a travesty, but at the same time, I am of mixed mind - would the SCOTUS have overturned their previous ruling? That could have been an even worse disaster. Still, I encourage students in Florida (and everywhere) to ignore such laws and follow their conscience and the constitution. The precedent from 1943 still stands, and the right to freedom of expression trumps any judicial pronouncement in these cases.

Boehner's Blog

http://republicanleader.house.gov/blog/?p=632

I am an American voter who supports the public option as part of comprehensive health care reform. There are 200 million Americans like me who want Congress to act in our best interest and include a government plan to keep insurance companies honest.

You currently have access to public health care as a member of Congress, care that I pay for when I remit my taxes each year. I want to have access to a similar program, where pre-existing conditions, ability to pay, and restrictions on participating facilities are not an issue.

Thousands of my fellow Americans die each month for lack of health insurance. Our nation currently spends twice as much as similar nations who have implemented public health care - and all of these nations also have better health outcomes than we do.

The Republican plan to date has been nothing short of insanity. Please, if you want to do something for America, support the public option. Or at least stop lying about the massive grassroots support that it enjoys. If you claim not to have met a supporter of public health care, you might want to look in the mirror. You already enjoy it - why should the rest of us have to do without?