Us3 – Pay Attention

Glenn Greenwald – 19 August 2009

Thanks in large part to the months-long efforts of Jane Hamsher and her FDL team — who spent enormous amounts of time and resources getting large numbers of progressive House members to emphatically commit on video to opposing any health care bill that lacks a robust public option — there’s actually a chance this time that the outcome could be different.

Different?
Physicians for a National Health Program
– The Senate HELP Committee “public option” will be multiple “options,” and these will be run by insurance companies

Leaders of the “public option” movement have an obligation to advertise the HELP Committee bill truthfully. It is not accurate to say the HELP Committee bill creates a “robust” or “strong” public option. It is not even accurate to say the HELP Committee bill creates one “option.” The truth is the “option” is balkanized and very weak. In fact, HCAN, Andy Stern, Howard Dean and other “option” advocates who have praised the HELP Committee bill should do more than cease to praise it. They should tell Congress they oppose it.

– Reply to critics of “Bait and switch: How the ‘public option’ was sold”

“Public option” advocates should start talking about the “public option” as if it were inextricably tied to an insurance industry bailout. They should write the phrase “public-option-insurance-industry-bailout” on a Post-it note and paste it to their bathroom mirror to remind them to be honest with themselves and the public about this fact.