Congressman Kucinich Predicts . . .
by Hardly Waite, Gazette Senior Editor
Congressman Dennis Kucinich made an email prediction on Sept. 15, 2009
of the outcome of the ongoing debate on health care. I've decided to
publish it so we can check him on it after the fact.
I'm betting that his prediction will be very close to correct.
Here it is:
It is said one should not ask how sausage or laws are made. Are you concerned
about a public option? Let me share with you some insight about health care
legislation which may not be good for your health.
A lesson in politics. The Kucinich Prediction: Here's what's going to happen
...
- House will make a big deal about
keeping/putting a public option in HR3200 because it competes with insurance
companies and will keep insurance rates low.
- The White House will refer to the President's
speech last week where he spoke favorably of the public option.
- The Senate will kill the competitive public
option in favor of non-competitive "co-ops". Senate leaders like Kent Conrad
have said the votes to pass a public option were never there in the Senate.
- The bill will come to a House-Senate
Conference Committee without the public option.
- House Democrats will be told to support the
conference report on the legislation to support the President.
- The bill will pass, not with a "public option"
but with a
private mandate requiring 30 million uninsured to buy private health
insurance (if one doesn't already have it). If you are broke, you may get a
subsidy. If you are not broke, you will get a fine if you do not purchase
insurance.
This legislative sausage will be celebrated as a new breakthrough and will be
packaged as health insurance reform. However, the bill may require a Surgeon
General's warning label: Your
Money or Your Life!
Back to Gazette Front Page