…his intent, and the intent of those on the left is to have a government-run, single payer system.

if that were true, then why were proponents of single-payer shut out of the congressional discussion before it ever began?

pre-programmed neo-con talking point #2

If you asked the public whether they approve of the government running health care, a different question, they would be mortally opposed.

My grandma, along with her entire group of members of a local Indiana senior citizen’s center are quite happy with their government-run medicare. Are they not ‘the public’?

What they would be mortally opposed to is being rationed care by private insurance companies whose leash is securely wrapped around your neck you corporate lap-dog!

It astounds me that these are legitimate parameters of debate and that you are not locked in a padded room making boats out of pop sickle sticks.

(1).Were you in favor of a single payer system back when it was openly being talked about?

(2). Do you deny that a single payer Universal Health care system was ever touted?

(3). Can a Leopard change his spots?

Yes, no, and obviously. You prove it yourself. Obama criticized Hillary for a mandate and now his plan includes one? Sounds like a spot-changing leopard to me.

I don’t contest the past on this. Obviously Obama has indicated that he’d like to see a Single Payer system… but that doesn’t change what’s in this bill today.

It is fundamentally irrational to base opposition to a piece of legislation upon, not what’s in the legislation, but what someone else wishes were in it. Obama’s personal desires – spoken, videotaped, or otherwise – don’t change the words on the bills presently before Congress.

(1).Were you in favor of a single payer system back when it was openly being talked about?

(2). Do you deny that a single payer Universal Health care system was ever touted?

(3). Can a Leopard change his spots?

Look at the Huffington Post point out Hillary Clinton attempting to take advantage of Obama’s change of emphasis on Health care away from openly promoting Single Payer!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/22/clinton-hits-obama-for-wa_n_82662.html

Now, remember Obama critizing Hillary that her plan mandated that everyone would be forced into her system, but that his system would make participation optional?

What gives then Mr. President? Wherefore the penalties for not having a health care plan, and the threat of jail time?

Chris, we know you have a memory. If it has been clouded by political double speak, then consider this a refresher.

When Obama talks about a public option, it sounds benign, but his intent, and the intent of those on the left is to have a government-run, single payer system.

His intent? Is there a secret code embedded in the bill that, once it’s signed, he can point to and say “See! I snuck through single payer! Now all the insurance companies are screwed!”?

Who cares about his “intent?” What matters are the contents of the bill and amendments.

Where the Democrats’ plan falls apart is that public has figured out that the public option is a Trojan horse that will put us inexorably on the road to Nationalized health care and they don’t like it.

That’s the slippery slope fallacy. Passing a public option doesn’t “inexorably” lead to anything. It’s not as if healthcare reform also disbands Congress or something. Unless the public option actually *is* single payer that whole line of reasoning falls flat.

The public option *isn’t* a single payer system and thus opposing it because you think someone who backs it would *like* a single payer system is absurd. One has nothing at all to do with the other unless they are verbosely linked in the legislation.

You may as well state that you are opposed to the movie Casablanca because it happens to be one of Obama’s favorite films and his “intent” is to institute single payer healthcare.

Honestly…..

If you asked the public whether they approve of the government running health care, a different question, they would be mortally opposed.

Where the Democrats’ plan falls apart is that public has figured out that the public option is a Trojan horse that will put us inexorably on the road to Nationalized health care and they don’t like it.

I am sure you have seen video of Obama saying a couple of years ago that he wants a single-payer system and Rep. Jan Shakowsky and others frankly admitting that the goal is to kill off private insurance. The bill in the House does exactly that.

And that is why the public option is dead.