Can One Man Ruin President Obama’s Health Care Reform?
Back on September 9th, President Obama gave an important speech to Americans asking for their support in improving the country’s health care system. No matter what your politics are, you know that our country’s approach to health care is in need of reform.
But will the President’s plans to create a universal health care system actually take effect? Although it has become exorbitantly pricey to see a doctor, even people in his own party are disagreeing with President Obama’s health care strategy.
Senator Roland Burris of Illinois is proving to be one of the biggest thorns in the side of those Democrats who are fighting for universal health care. Sen. Burris, who is a Democrat himself, says that he’ll vote in favor of a health care reform bill only if it allows the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurers. 
Ever since Barack Obama won the presidential election on November 4th, health care reform has been thrust into the national spotlight, but his plans have encountered considerable criticism. Senator Burris refuses to support a universal health care bill that does not have a public option.
A public option is a government health insurance program that is similar to Medicare, which would be open to every American. However, this would be just one option for individuals and companies because it would leave private insurance in place. With the public option system, Americans would have a choice—take the government’s health care or stick with what they already have. This concept has proven to be terrifying for conservatives and insurance companies, who are afraid that more people will choose the government’s insurance over private insurance.
Senator Burris is not the only Democrat to insist on a public option, but he has been the subject of considerable scorn by members of his own political party. Burris started out on the wrong foot by being appointed to President Obama’s senate seat by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. By agreeing to the appointment, Burns defied the Democrats in Washington who wanted someone without a tainted patron.
Senator Burns, who is relentlessly determined to support the public option, says that he’s just representing the wishes of the 13 million people who live in Illinois.
When Burns admitted that he had lied under oath when asked if he tired to raise money for Blagojevich, many of his colleagues suggested that he resign. Burns refused. Democrats are refusing to support him if he seeks a full term, and he will leave the Senate in 2011.
Unfortunately for the Democrats, they really need Senator Burns’ vote. All 58 Democrats and 2 Independents are needed to work together to prevent the Republicans from vetoing the bill. Every single vote in the Senate counts, and Burris’ opinion is no longer irrelevant. However, Democrats are confident about having enough votes to pass what would be the biggest party overhaul in a generation.
Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said, “my strong feeling is in the end, the need for health care reform is to get 60 votes (and) is going to trump the concerns that some might have.”
Do YOU want the government to offer a public health option?
Make your voice heard below!
Filed in: Education News, Local Community Edition, President Obama.
I think a public option is a good thing. However, some improvement in the situation is better than no change at all.
K.
is it possible president obama has not considered alternatives to his health care plan?
his “health care strategy” appears to be very similar to sociaized medicine found in socialist countries.
i think he should try to find an alternative to the existing health care system that does not mimic socialized medicine.
Why not try to fix the problems with our current system, which is the cost not the quqlity of care or the delivery system. Replacing the current system will be the end of Democracy in the US as we now it.
Joe
If the goal of the president and Democrats in congress is to provide healthcare to those who need it and want it but don’t have it (probably only 12 million, not the 45 mill. often quoted), then why not address the needs of those people instead of changing the entire system? It would be cheaper to buy those 45 million people their own plan than to change the entire system for those for whom it is working for the most part. Let’s change the parts of the system that don’t work not the entire system. Unless, of course, the actual goal is control over people’s lives and not actually helping with healthcare.
Obama ’s health plan for poor people , for sure, will not end the democracy in USA.This false allegation shows,either HUGE IGNORANCE,or HATE for poors. But 140 billions in bonus offered by banks in this bad times for America, is not a real danger for democracy ? What about deregulation of economy? Or for griddy people this ” doesn’t matter”? A solution of these abuses can be a temporary CONTROL of these financiar Mamoths, otherwise we will be forever in crisis. May be this deregulation will push in jeopardy our democracy ? What do you think?
Congress wrote this plan not Obama. This talk of competition is window dressing to run private insurers out of business. We have over 1,700 health insurance companies in this country – how could you possibly get more competitive than that. When we have Public Health we will ABSOLUTLY have rationing and wait lists, just like Canada and GB. Governments cannot run anything efficiently.
THIS IS GOING TO MAKE IT VERY HARD ON WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.WE ALL KNOW THE COSTS WILL AT LEAST DOUBLE. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL IT TAKE TO RUN IT,HOW MUCH WILL THAT COST,?.IF THE HEALTH CARE BILL IS SO GOOD WHY WON’T CONGRESS AND THERE STAFF GIVE UP THEIRS AND BE PART OF THE PEOPLES PLAN.YOU REALLY MUST ASK YOURSELF WHY,THIS IS A DANGEROUS PLAN FOR SENIORS,DO YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR LIFE IN THE HANDS OF POLITICIANS. THEY SHOULD DO TWO THINGS TORT REFORM AND HEALTH CARE OPTIONS ACROSS STATE LINES. GIVE IT TWO YEARS STUDY IT AND SEE WHAT EFFECT IT HAS ON COSTS. YOU KNOW THE DEVIL YOU HAVE YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEVIL YOU ARE GOING TO GET’
Have you been in Europe, all the Health Benefits are provided by their gov’ts it cost nothing if you are hospitalized…. period
and the Doctors services are EXCELENT, and without Cost!!!!!!!
Obama SHOULD FIGHT FOR THIS PLAN, this Country is the ONLY ONE WITHOUT A HEALTH PLAN
DON”T LISTEN TO ALL THE RADICALS WITH THEIR STUPIDITIES THAT ARE WORKING FOR THE DRUG COMPANIES
EVEN THE DOCTORS WHEN THEY PUT THEIR BILLS TO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THEY GET PAID AROUND 10-15% OF THE BILL, THAT IS WHY THEY ADD A 100 ITEMS TO THE BILLS
OBAMA IS DOING THE RIGHT THING
THE SENATORSTHE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS THAT ARE AGAINTS THE HEALTH BILL SHOULD BE VOTE OUT OF OFFICE…..PERIOD
We must have a public option and hopefully it will lead to a single payer system. Right now the only hero
for health care reform is Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida who had the courage to tell the truth by stating the Repubican Health Plan, which is “If you get sick, die quickly” to save the private insurance companies
more money and increase their profit margins. But the senator with no principals at all and a 3.2 million dollar coffer for re-electiion from the Health Insurance Lobby is Senator Max Baucus. He is the Senate’s number one political prostitute and you will agree when you view a video from the C-Span Video Library ID# 205983-2
This tape shows Senator Baucus hosting a group that advocates a single payer system on 6/16/08 based on
successful systems that are functioning in several foreign countries. The presentation was entitled
“International Health Systems”. But Senator Baucus sold out the people of this country by saying that the full Senate couldn’t get the votes to pass the public option anyway, which is why he voted against it in The Finance Committee. That’s how he “fought” for it. For Shame!