Guaranteed health care key plank in Dems' platform

Advisers to Obama and Clinton both told the party's platform meeting they were happy with the compromise, adopted without opposition or without explanation as to how health care would be guaranteed.

In return for the guarantee, activists dropped a tougher platform amendment seeking a government-run, single-payer system and another amendment explicitly holding out Clinton's plan as the one to follow.

The party now declares itself "united behind a commitment that every American man, woman and child be guaranteed to have affordable, comprehensive health care."

Platform Fight: Activists Win Commitment to Guaranteed Care
posted by John Nichols

Pressured by progressive activists who objected to the tepid language in a draft document prepared by the Barack Obama campaign, the Democratic platform-writing committee reworked the party's official agenda Saturday to include a clear commitment "that every American man, woman and child be guaranteed to have affordable, comprehensive health care."

Not nearly good enough. Theorectically we could have a floor fight over this. We should wait for leadership from John Conyers. If he decides a floor fight would not serve our purpose, then he is likely in the right. Should he decide to go for a floor fight, we should be prepared to back him to the hilt. It's Conyer's call.