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
Progressives Should Not Follow Kucinich on Health Care
Mar 18, 2010
I don't blame Dennis Kucinich for changing his mind and deciding to
vote for Obama's health care reform bill.
The bill does have its merits: It greatly expands Medicaid coverage,
it increases funding for community health centers, and it subsidizes
people who don't have a lot of money to buy health care insurance. And
depending on the fine print, the bill may end discrimination against
people with preexisting conditions.
Plus, Obama and the Democratic leadership were putting enormous
pressure on him, and I'm sure he didn't want to hand the Republicans an
undeserved trophy.
But the bill is still grossly inadequate, as Kucinich himself
recognizes.
The bill is still a giant giveaway to the insurance companies, as
Kucinich has said many times.
The bill is nowhere near as good as single-payer, which Kucinich has
campaigned for time and time again.
Most of the benefits of the bill would kick in until 2014.
And the bill does a grave disservice to women, not only by
restricting abortion coverage but by allowing insurance companies to
discriminate in their pricing against women, as Dr. Sheila Levitt of
Physicians for a National Health Program recently
wrote.
Even though Kucinich now gives this bill his blessing, that doesn't
mean that all progressive citizens need to follow suit.
Howard Zinn, a couple of years before he died, put the issue
perfectly:
"When a social movement adopts the compromises of legislators, it has
forgotten its role, which is to push and challenge the politicians, not
to fall meekly behind them," he wrote.
He added: "The mantra 'the best we can get' is a recipe for
corruption. We are not politicians, but citizens. We have no office to
hold on to, only our consciences."
So let's hold on to our consciences and demand better.
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 The Progressive
Matt Rothschild
Matt Rothschild is the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Prior to joining the Democracy Campaign at the start of 2015, Matt worked at The Progressive Magazine for 32 years. For most of those, he was the editor and publisher of The Progressive.
I don't blame Dennis Kucinich for changing his mind and deciding to
vote for Obama's health care reform bill.
The bill does have its merits: It greatly expands Medicaid coverage,
it increases funding for community health centers, and it subsidizes
people who don't have a lot of money to buy health care insurance. And
depending on the fine print, the bill may end discrimination against
people with preexisting conditions.
Plus, Obama and the Democratic leadership were putting enormous
pressure on him, and I'm sure he didn't want to hand the Republicans an
undeserved trophy.
But the bill is still grossly inadequate, as Kucinich himself
recognizes.
The bill is still a giant giveaway to the insurance companies, as
Kucinich has said many times.
The bill is nowhere near as good as single-payer, which Kucinich has
campaigned for time and time again.
Most of the benefits of the bill would kick in until 2014.
And the bill does a grave disservice to women, not only by
restricting abortion coverage but by allowing insurance companies to
discriminate in their pricing against women, as Dr. Sheila Levitt of
Physicians for a National Health Program recently
wrote.
Even though Kucinich now gives this bill his blessing, that doesn't
mean that all progressive citizens need to follow suit.
Howard Zinn, a couple of years before he died, put the issue
perfectly:
"When a social movement adopts the compromises of legislators, it has
forgotten its role, which is to push and challenge the politicians, not
to fall meekly behind them," he wrote.
He added: "The mantra 'the best we can get' is a recipe for
corruption. We are not politicians, but citizens. We have no office to
hold on to, only our consciences."
So let's hold on to our consciences and demand better.
Matt Rothschild
Matt Rothschild is the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Prior to joining the Democracy Campaign at the start of 2015, Matt worked at The Progressive Magazine for 32 years. For most of those, he was the editor and publisher of The Progressive.
I don't blame Dennis Kucinich for changing his mind and deciding to
vote for Obama's health care reform bill.
The bill does have its merits: It greatly expands Medicaid coverage,
it increases funding for community health centers, and it subsidizes
people who don't have a lot of money to buy health care insurance. And
depending on the fine print, the bill may end discrimination against
people with preexisting conditions.
Plus, Obama and the Democratic leadership were putting enormous
pressure on him, and I'm sure he didn't want to hand the Republicans an
undeserved trophy.
But the bill is still grossly inadequate, as Kucinich himself
recognizes.
The bill is still a giant giveaway to the insurance companies, as
Kucinich has said many times.
The bill is nowhere near as good as single-payer, which Kucinich has
campaigned for time and time again.
Most of the benefits of the bill would kick in until 2014.
And the bill does a grave disservice to women, not only by
restricting abortion coverage but by allowing insurance companies to
discriminate in their pricing against women, as Dr. Sheila Levitt of
Physicians for a National Health Program recently
wrote.
Even though Kucinich now gives this bill his blessing, that doesn't
mean that all progressive citizens need to follow suit.
Howard Zinn, a couple of years before he died, put the issue
perfectly:
"When a social movement adopts the compromises of legislators, it has
forgotten its role, which is to push and challenge the politicians, not
to fall meekly behind them," he wrote.
He added: "The mantra 'the best we can get' is a recipe for
corruption. We are not politicians, but citizens. We have no office to
hold on to, only our consciences."
So let's hold on to our consciences and demand better.
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.