Businesses should let go of health care

I've been avoiding the public health plan debate on the old blog because I don't even see another plausible side to the argument other than greed. Or maybe just plain evil.

So, on Friday, I really, really enjoyed this commentary on Marketplace of all places. I mean, I enjoy the program but it is usually chock full of conservative financial types. It was wonderful to hear a logical, and accurate, voice telling business that they are idiots for not wanting to get out of the health care business.

Case in point? Both Chrysler and GM exist today in a post-bankruptcy world and solvent precisely because the government found a way for them to get rid of their health care obligations.

It's a pretty "duh" moment for this country but big business and GOP are too stupid to see it.

And so, we have Senators who already have public health care reading the words of the private health care lobby, who is currently spending $1.4 million A DAY to fight off a public health care option. Why? Well, if the public plan can give care to the 45-47 million who don't have insurance, and draw in folks like me who hate paying more money for less coverage year after year after year, you could easily have a public plan of at least 100 million Americans fighting for better care at a cheaper price.

And that's bad for business while being good for American citizens. Since when was the health of a nation supposed to be something measured on a balance sheet rather than a health chart anyway?

If you want another reason to loathe the health industry, listen to this interview I heard this morning. Steve Inskeep is one of NPR's conservative bullshit artists and even he seemed to be creeped out by Dr. Sam Nussbaum of WellPoint. Seriously, give that one a listen and you'll see why I previously stated that greed and evil are the only stances against health care reform that seem accurate. And that guy is both.