Single-payer health care: dead in Washington, but alive in the states

Two state legislatures – Vermont and California – have, in fact, passed single-payer legislation in recent years only to have them vetoed by Republican governors. But California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is ineligible to run for a third term and Gov. Jim Douglas (R) of Vermont has decided not to seek reelection. Either of these states could soon become the first to pass a statewide, public healthcare system that covers everyone.

N.E. Hills are alive with the debate on whether marriage must be restricted to one husband and one wife - lesbian and gays need not apply. In Vermont, both Houses have passed bills that allow same-gender marriage but the Governor has promised a veto.

Vermont does have Civil Unions, which at the time of passage, appeared to be a big step forward but now as more states are making marriage legal, the push is on to join in or be left behind.

Protesters Rally Outside Health Forum

Supporters of a single-payer system of health care used a special White House forum to send a message to the man in the Oval Office.

"Barack Obama said it at an AFL-CIO meeting in 2003 that he was an advocate of the single-payer health care system," said Dr. Deb Richter, who helped organize the protest. "He said we had to take back the White House and take back the Senate and take back the House, which they've done. Now it's time to get the single-payer bill he promised."