Oh, wait. I think I might know...

Sheesh!

It is more important that health-care legislation inject stiff competition among insurance plans than it is for Congress to create a pure government-run option, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Monday.

Oh, stiff competition. All right, then!

No one has ever blames Paneta or Podesta (Clinton chiefs) or Card (W's chief) of anything. It's only Emmanuel that is blamed at least once a week.

What's behind that?

Apparently, it has occurred to Harry that cowtowing to Republicans in the hopes of one or two votes on health care may not be worth the price.

Word is Harry has now told Baucus to stop giving away the health care reform store because picking up a couple Repubs won't make up for the 15-20 Democrats they will lose if there isn't a strong public option.

When did Harry learn to count?

h/t via Susie.

The Other Sarah
Lubbock, TX

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Odessa American
Midland Reporter-Telegram
San Angelo Standard-Times
Plainview Daily Herald
(NOTE: Each recipient will only see his/her own address).
Dear Editor:
America's health insurance system is broken -- not just because almost 50 million Americans lack insurance, but because the millions of Americans who don't lack coverage depend on their employers to provide them insurance. In today's economic climate that's a burden American companies cannot continue to bear without relief.

Premiums rise at four-to-one rates compared to wages (not to mention the insurers' ability to bankrupt businesses by imposing surcharges when a covered employee or dependent falls ill or is injured). Like the costs of utilities and property taxes, employers face a one-way escalator as the cost of insurance steadily rises, constantly. While half of the nation's personal bankruptcies come from medical expenses, employers' risk is greater still -- to pay catastrophic insurance hikes, force employees to go without insurance, reduce the workforce, or even close down altogether.

Our Congress must pass true health care reform this session; without a push from American businesses, no relief will arise either for employers or workers, businesses or families. Likely the best way to do this is via a single-payer system made available to all Americans, making standard payments at set rates to all practitioners.

Please contact the Senators and Congressmembers whose constituent you are to urge them to support our national economy and create genuine, sensible, rational health care insurance reform now.

Sincerely,
The Other Sarah
Lubbock, Texas

Given that I live deep in the scarlet bleeding heart of Bush country, where Rush Limbaugh has his own damn radio network, never mind broadcast, and one of the local radio personalities got elected to the city council so he could do things like propose a city ordinance forbidding the release of helium balloons, I doubt it'll ever see print. But I'll keep watching.

Least I could do, what with the kid getting over the bone graft and my truck in the shop and all.