So the 'Obamanon' is not after all. Yes, that right folks; he more or less admitted that himself. At a time when he should be rallying his majorities in both chambers to pass health care reform, he listens to Rahm Emanuel whisper poll results in his ear. Forty-four put the onus on Congress to pass reform legislation at a Thursday night fundraiser saying that, "If Congress decides we're not going to do it...then the American people can make a judgment as to whether this Congress has done the right thing for them or not." The special election defeat in Masschusetts obviously has him rattled. But interpreting that election as a definitive referendum against health care reform is ludicrous. There were several factors at play in that election, including the superficial. Scott Brown, former nude model, is a lot better looking than Ms. Coakley. He knows his Red Soxs from his yellow dogs, and he drives a manly pickup truck as well. It must be very disconcerting to find out the "agent of change" that was larger than life is really a timid, calculating Washington politician after all. One of the chief reasons Obama was elected is to accomplish the task that has eluded Democratic presidents since FDR: establish universal health care. He convinced the American people he could do it. Now, he is failing to exert the unequivocal, muscular leadership necessary to guide a bill pass the ciphers of corporate dictate. Forty-four knows there is a way to pass health care legislation, now. He simply does not have the hutzpah to use every legislative means at the majority's disposal. There is nothing representative about a minority party that refuses to engage on the issue, and is willing to abuse the anti-democratic filibuster to oppose reforms the majority of Americans clearly want. From "yes, we can" to "no, we can't" in a year! That has got to be some kind of record even for the swamp of special interests that is Washington, DC. The Senate bill is no doubt the insurance industry's preferred outcome, but no legislation at all is just as good, maybe better.
Fortunately, the state of California is not willing to let health care reform die. Last week the state Senate passed a bill approving single payer health insurance for all Californians. Only one Democrat voted against SB810, and only one Republican voted in favor. A study shows that state senators voting against the bill received twice as much campaign cash from insurance companies. The single Democratic senator voting against the bill, Lou Correa, received 2.5 times as much insurance money as the average Senate Democrat. The bill's author knows that Governor Schwarzenegger will veto the bill if it reaches his desk as he has done twice before, but Senator Mark Leno wants the issue put to a referendum which Californians will support. He thinks that could happen as early as 2012. California has 6.6 million uninsured residents (20%), and a majority of voters there understand that a single payer system will save money by removing the private insurance middleman. Health care spending rose to an estimated $8,047 per person in 2009, the fastest rate in more than a half century, and it is projected to double by 2019. Single-payer health care works both in the United States and abroad. It is not socialized medicine, regardless of what the delusional 'Tea Bag' rabble claim.