Biden: Americans open to practical solutions

[gateley]

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden termed himself a pragmatist Wednesday in laying out what a Democrat could quickly enact as president.

While there are pent-up expectations for change among the rank-and-file members of the party and Congressional Democrats, he said, changes to the health-care system have to be accepted by a host of entities. Not only are Americans not comfortable with drastic change when many Democratic presidential candidates discuss a single-payer health-care system, but the reality is that it will take Republican votes, too, Biden said.

In a meeting with the Journal's editorial board, Delaware's senior U.S. senator said there is a "national social obligation" to make the health-care system more accessible to all, given decreases in employer-paid health-care plans. Change can occur, Biden predicted, since big business is ready to move, and the American people are as well, so long as the changes aren't "stark departures."

He advocated for the option of Americans buying into Medicare coverage earlier, at age 55, or electing to buy into the health-care plan that federal employees have.

"I don't want a whole new bureaucracy," Biden said.

He also spoke extensively about his plan for federalism as the solution in war-torn Iraq, on the need for reducing foreign oil reliance by mandating higher auto gas-mileage requirements and reversing tax cuts for the top earning 1 percent of Americans.

Read more of this story Thursday in the Journal's print edition and online. See video and hear the complete interview at siouxcityjournal.com


http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/10/17/news/latest_news/8f111207a17f67cc862573770081247c.txt

[gateley]

1. I had wondered why Biden and most of the other candidates weren't

endorsing a single payer health-care plan, because it sure sounds good to me! I understand and agree now with his statement that many people - aren't comfortable with a drastic change and there's always that pesky Repub vote to consider. One step at time - hopefully toward a one payer system ultimately.

I wasn't aware of his idea of allowing younger people to participate in Medicare - great idea.

[PatSeg]

3. His solutions are more reality based than most

A drastic change would be a bureaucratic nightmare. Change has to come incrementally and has to be realistic.

[gateley]

5. You're right, of course -- we just get so impatient! I'm glad Joe is taking

steps to get the forward motion started.

[murbley40]

2. Kick

[murbley40]

4. Kick