Many of us want true health-care reform, but the reform package being considered by the U.S. Senate could give us instead a confusing package of insurance options that serve special interests more than the people who need access to affordable health care.
Considering the choices, advocates for health-care reform have little to lose by continuing to push for a vote.
I support single-payer health insurance, and yes, I understand advocating for a vote could be wishful thinking. We all have heard and know the arguments against a vote; we've heard them many times: "If we at least get our foot in the door with a compromise plan we can build on what we get."
The problem is that if Congress votes for compromises now in the works, the party in power -- unfortunately, the party that holds any hope of pursuing or getting real health-care reform -- is likely to lose, and lose big time, in the next election. And then it would be another 10 years, at least, before another political cycle allows for real reform.
So I say let's just get it over with and have the cloture vote in the Senate be on real reform -- single-payer health insurance that a vast majority of Americans say they want. This would allow those in Congress who voted for or against what the American public clearly wants to be fairly evaluated in next year's election. I'll take my chances that the American public will do the right thing in that election if faced with clear choices.
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In fairness to our own senators, it is nice that Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., seems to want to protect quality health care like that given at the Mayo Clinic and elsewhere in our state. But what she fails to consider is that thousands of people don't have access to that great health care. It is nice, too, that Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., says he is concerned about creating jobs in northern Minnesota that will help purchase health care. But it is not so nice that only 400 of his constituents might get a sulfide-mining job he now supports despite the potential for environmental impact.
It's time for Congress to get back to the real world where there are significant numbers of constituents who can't afford and who never will be able to afford -- let alone understand -- "reform" options that soon could be approved.
It's time for all of us, whether we consider ourselves environmentalists, health-care reform advocates, business people or just ordinary citizens who care about quality-of-life issues, to do whatever we can to let our senators know our position on health-care reform. It's not too late to let them know. Maybe with a Christmas card.
Whatever your point of view is on this subject, it is important your voice be heard. Believe it or not, our elected officials do consider the opinions of their constituents. And they do open Christmas cards.
Will Munger is a Duluth business owner and a board member of several area environmental and civic organizations.
