Pollsters are supposedly finding that 70-75% of respondents favor some kind of single payer national health insurance. The right wing is going to ramp up its anti-single payer propaganda to eat away at that majority.
A lot of the progressive talk programs I've been listening to of late have been getting calls from the 25-30% who are against single payer. The thing is, most of them have trouble articulating their reasons.
It's really sad to hear their plaintive reasoning: if only everyone could take responsibility for themselves (in an employee-based coverage system?); if only we give the free market a chance (how can a choice be free if you must have coverage?); a government-run plan will lead to rationing (we have rationing now -- appointments and pre-authorization).
After listening to the fear I hear in their voices, I suddenly hit on what I think is the underlying cause of those fears.
The Resmuglicans keep screaming things like, "do you want a bureaucrat between you and your doctor?" I think the fear being triggered isn't fear of government, so much as the fear that the government will operate health insurance the same way the private insurance companies do now -- if not worse. And single payer would mean no recourse.
I think what people aren't realizing is that the reason for the private insurance system being such a miserable one wouldn't exist under single payer. Insurance companies create profits by denying claims, whereas under single payer there is no profit motive, and therefore no reason for a bureaucrat to deny claims! And because the federal government can run deficits, budget ceilings do not have to be a cause for denial of coverage either.
Under single payer, if you're a citizen, legal resident or legal visitor, you'd be covered.
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