SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Where Are the Fighting Dems?
Oct 23, 2009
Let's hear it for false fact studies from lobbyists! This one seems
to have served as a declaration of war. Last week, America's Health
Insurance Plans released a study claiming that healthcare reform would
cause Americans' premiums to soar, and hey presto...
Suddenly, the Democrats are acting like they're actually in a fight.
Nancy Pelosi has vowed to bring a plan with a robust public option to
the House floor, and even Senate leader Harry Reid Twittered his
intention to strip insurance companies of their protections from
anti-trust laws.
Reid says that the law allows insurers to fix prices and monopolize
markets in ways that are illegal and uncompetitive. Surprise surprise,
some senior Democrats are starting to back him up. The President even
mentioned the exemption in his weekly address.
So are Democrats finally growing spine? Well, not so fast. Obama
still won't commit to ending the exemption that allows insurance
companies to do with our health what we don't let Microsoft do with
computer software. And he hasn't declared a war for Medicare for all.
Getting insurers to agree to cover everyone is nice -- but without a
public option, it does nothing to drive down price.
With new polls showing that public support for the public option has
only increased since August, it's time for Obama to take a stand.
Americans didn't elect a president of insurance, they elected a
president of the country. It's Obama's job to lead on this issue, to
fight for the promises he made on the campaign trail: a public plan to
keep insurance companies honest, no individual mandate and no taxes on
employer-provided care. It's time for the Democrats to fight for
measures that will actually improve care, not just sound nice on CNN.
Go for it.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
© 2023 Laura Flanders
Laura Flanders
Laura Flanders interviews forward-thinking people about the key questions of our time on The Laura Flanders Show, a nationally syndicated radio and television program also available as a podcast. A contributing writer to The Nation, Flanders is also the author of six books, including "Bushwomen: How They Won the White House for Their Man" (2005). She is the recipient of a 2019 Izzy Award for excellence in independent journalism, the Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award for advancing women's and girls' visibility in media, and a 2020 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship for her reporting and advocacy for public media. lauraflanders.org
Let's hear it for false fact studies from lobbyists! This one seems
to have served as a declaration of war. Last week, America's Health
Insurance Plans released a study claiming that healthcare reform would
cause Americans' premiums to soar, and hey presto...
Suddenly, the Democrats are acting like they're actually in a fight.
Nancy Pelosi has vowed to bring a plan with a robust public option to
the House floor, and even Senate leader Harry Reid Twittered his
intention to strip insurance companies of their protections from
anti-trust laws.
Reid says that the law allows insurers to fix prices and monopolize
markets in ways that are illegal and uncompetitive. Surprise surprise,
some senior Democrats are starting to back him up. The President even
mentioned the exemption in his weekly address.
So are Democrats finally growing spine? Well, not so fast. Obama
still won't commit to ending the exemption that allows insurance
companies to do with our health what we don't let Microsoft do with
computer software. And he hasn't declared a war for Medicare for all.
Getting insurers to agree to cover everyone is nice -- but without a
public option, it does nothing to drive down price.
With new polls showing that public support for the public option has
only increased since August, it's time for Obama to take a stand.
Americans didn't elect a president of insurance, they elected a
president of the country. It's Obama's job to lead on this issue, to
fight for the promises he made on the campaign trail: a public plan to
keep insurance companies honest, no individual mandate and no taxes on
employer-provided care. It's time for the Democrats to fight for
measures that will actually improve care, not just sound nice on CNN.
Go for it.
Laura Flanders
Laura Flanders interviews forward-thinking people about the key questions of our time on The Laura Flanders Show, a nationally syndicated radio and television program also available as a podcast. A contributing writer to The Nation, Flanders is also the author of six books, including "Bushwomen: How They Won the White House for Their Man" (2005). She is the recipient of a 2019 Izzy Award for excellence in independent journalism, the Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award for advancing women's and girls' visibility in media, and a 2020 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship for her reporting and advocacy for public media. lauraflanders.org
Let's hear it for false fact studies from lobbyists! This one seems
to have served as a declaration of war. Last week, America's Health
Insurance Plans released a study claiming that healthcare reform would
cause Americans' premiums to soar, and hey presto...
Suddenly, the Democrats are acting like they're actually in a fight.
Nancy Pelosi has vowed to bring a plan with a robust public option to
the House floor, and even Senate leader Harry Reid Twittered his
intention to strip insurance companies of their protections from
anti-trust laws.
Reid says that the law allows insurers to fix prices and monopolize
markets in ways that are illegal and uncompetitive. Surprise surprise,
some senior Democrats are starting to back him up. The President even
mentioned the exemption in his weekly address.
So are Democrats finally growing spine? Well, not so fast. Obama
still won't commit to ending the exemption that allows insurance
companies to do with our health what we don't let Microsoft do with
computer software. And he hasn't declared a war for Medicare for all.
Getting insurers to agree to cover everyone is nice -- but without a
public option, it does nothing to drive down price.
With new polls showing that public support for the public option has
only increased since August, it's time for Obama to take a stand.
Americans didn't elect a president of insurance, they elected a
president of the country. It's Obama's job to lead on this issue, to
fight for the promises he made on the campaign trail: a public plan to
keep insurance companies honest, no individual mandate and no taxes on
employer-provided care. It's time for the Democrats to fight for
measures that will actually improve care, not just sound nice on CNN.
Go for it.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.