Single-Payer Is Out, but a Public Option Still Might Be, well, an Option

While we would have preferred a single-payer system, this year's health care reform bill should at the very least include a robust public option, but in the past few days, even the chances of that have seemed slim. Despite the Blue Dog Coalition's attempt to chop the head off of a public option, it looks like some Senators are still working for the people and pushing for a public option in the health care reform bill. I hate it when people ask me to sign petitions, but come on, this one's important!

Conceived by Senators Leahy, Schumer and Durbin, here's the short, simple message on the petition:

With nearly 50 million Americans lacking health insurance, and premiums rapidly rising, it's time to address the health care crisis in our country. All Americans deserve access to affordable, quality health care -- and today, nearly one-in-six of us don't have it.

I join Senators Durbin, Leahy, and Schumer in their efforts to pass strong health care reform legislation this year. In particular, I support the creation of a public health insurance option that would foster greater competition in the marketplace, create more choices for consumers, and lead to lower costs and better quality for all.

Please reform our health care system this year!