Tuesday, November 24, 2009

I'm With Joe.

(Link regarding Lieberman's opposition to the Senate's Reid health care bill is set forth below). Like Lieberman, I would also like to see a health care reform bill, and I've even tried to tell my liberal and progressive friends that I'd even be open to a new federal government entitlement to help those who can't afford health insurance obtain it. But I draw a line in the sand (like Lieberman) at a public option, which I'm convinced is intended and will probably ultimately result in almost virtual control of the health insurance industry by the federal government (i.e., a single payer system or something very, very close to the same). I do not want that. I do not want to see the federal government in the health insurance business. The radical progressives very much want it, which says a lot right there. Am I open to a federal government entitlement that helps pay for health care coverage for those who can't afford it? Yes, as already stated above. But I cannot accept the federal government starting its own health insurance agency. Just can't do it. Even if I'm wrong about a public option eventually resulting in a virtual single payer system, I have other concerns: I trust our federal government to run something like a health insurance agency about as much I trust my ability to heave Mark Mangino for a world-record shot-put toss. Boot the public option, and a lot of my opposition evaporates. I hope Lieberman sticks to his guns in the same way.