Would the American people jump at the chance for single-payer, universal health care?

[brentspeak]

Poll question: Would the American people jump at the chance for single-payer, universal health care?

[old mark]

1. YES!!! Presentation would be everything, though - the brainwashing by the right

and the insurance companies has been going on so long it will take a great effort to dislodge all the mental crap.
WE NEED HEALTHCARE AS GOOD AS EUROPE'S.

mark

[Andy823]

5. I agree.

I think they need to bring in people from other countries for commercials, interviews, etc. Get doctors, average citizens, and get some of the well off people who like the system to do interviews on talks shows. Michael Moore did it, but the right wing won't listen to anything he has produced, so I think something else needs to be done to get the word out that it really does work, and the care is just as good or better than what we have now.

[Occam Bandage]

2. No. It would have to be carefully crafted, expertly pitched,

and even then it would be a long, hard fight to convince people that it was worthwhile to "pay for their neighbor's Viagra." Which is not to say it is a fight we cannot win, but to think that the American people would simply "jump at the chance" is wishful.

[snowdays]

15. And the WH CAN this in this way--IF they had the political will

to do so. But single-payer is off the table.

[leftstreet]

17. Obama could sell it in one prime time speech

He's an outstanding communicator and he still has massive political capital.

[CTyankee]

18. Lots of people are "over the edge" on the health care issue now and they weren't

back in the 1990s when Hillary's plan failed. I think we are seeing a huge shift in the public's views on many issues, but health care definitely. So many Americans have lost/couldn't get health care at this point that they look at things quite differently.

Obama's people know this. They wouldn't be taking a flying leap at health care if they hadn't done some focus groups and polling to get a sense of what people want. Calling it a public plan like Medicare sells people on it because everyone loves Medicare. That's really all Obama has to do. That, and go around the country giving speeches to amplify the public's understanding of his plan. Which he'll do. I think he'll pull this off. And I would not have said that last November when he won...

[Thothmes]

25. and adequately finance.

In a manner that keeps the medical taxes from being spent for any congressional programs that come down the line.

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. If the American people heard the truth, they would overwhelmingly support it

HOW they will hear the truth is another matter entirely. The corporations did their damndest to bury Michael Moore's "Sicko", though anybody who DID actually see it certainly got a wake up call.

Ed Schultz, to his credit, opened his TV show the other day with a call for single payer health care, backed up by Bernie Sanders, no less. Unfortunately, Ed's not on in the best time slot for a lot of "Joe Sixpacks" to see his show, certainly not on the West Coast. But that's probably the closest you're going to get with "mainstream media" attention.

[havocmom]

4. Yes, most have been inoculated against the Insurance Industry scare of: it is RATIONED HEALTH CARE!

Inoculated by finding out that the Insurance Industry LOVES rationed health care so long as THEY get to do the rationing. Inoculated by being victimized by Insurance Industry bean counters deciding they don't get the care they need, deserve, PAY FOR.

[Oregone]

7. Private insurance is rationed too

Yes, they ration paying on their claims.

[CTyankee]

19. I had a CT scan last February and when the radiologist wanted to take a further

look they had to call the insurance company to get permission. It was granted, but I had to lie on the table while we were awaiting the permission. So nothing is automatic now.

[Posteritatis]

6. They'd have to be dragged kicking and screaming into it

The Cold War hasn't ended yet in the heads of too many.

[Oregone]

8. Only if you offered a public health insurance program that charged more than the status quo

I think they see value in the price tag. :) Then once we bait them and implement it, lower the premiums to their great surprise!

Yeah...just joking of course.

[dorkulon]

9. Americans already support it.

Consistently.

http://www.wpasinglepayer.org/PollResults.html

[mnhtnbb]

16. This should have its own post.

[stillcool]

10. Who knows? When I read shit..

like almost half of the American people are cool with torture I have to wonder. But then, I think of the election..and what seems to be just isn't so. It's too bad we don't get to vote on these things, but have to rely on the media to tell us what most of us think.

[GreenTea]

11. Absolutely! We ALL need Universal health Care for All. Fuck the insurance corps robbing us blind

stealing our tax dollars and our income and offering almost nothing in return and kicking us off their plans for profit if & when we get too sick and it infringes on their profit margin!

Our health care should NOT be a business for profit, because we will all lose and the corporations with their billion dollar lobbyist will always profit, cut corners at our expense & our health!

[supernova]

12. In my utopia, they would.

But realistically, I think we have to have an interim step where the the insurance companies are chopped down to size. Then introducing UHC will be much easier becuse the insurance co noise machine will be much diminished.

[DJ13]

13. As long as it was pointed out that those who want to can still buy health care

Of course.

The reason the insurance industry has been successful in campaigning against single payer is because they've framed it as an all or nothing debate.

Those promoting single payer need to become vocal that those with the means to buy insurance would still be able to.

Of course premiums would rise due to most people opting for single payer, but spreading the risk out among 99% of the populace is why single payer would be the cheapest way to go, and no insurance coverage could match that, but those who can afford the higher private premiums are within their right to be stupid enough to pay for it.

[Ron Green]

14. The scare campaign will make Harry and Louise look like Winnie the Pooh.

The vested interests in the Health Biz won't give up their power.

[raccoon]

20. The ones who still have it, and believe they always will, would be against it.

Also, sadly, some Medicare recipients, for God's sake, would be against it. I know of one who believes that if Medicare were extended to cover everybody, they would ration care for her.

[Solon]

21. Hell, this is one of the few types of programs the majority of Americans support even if it raises..

their taxes. Think about that, the majority of Americans supporting a raise in their own taxes, that's extraordinary.

[OHdem10]

22. We simply do not have the Party which is willing to get out and fight

for what we believe.

Let's face it we will have a Republican Lite Health Insurance Program.
Most likely pay more and get worse care than we get now.

The Only reason some people fear single payer is the GOP (does not
believe in Health Care as a National Issue) has done a much better
job of getting their fear message out.

The Democrats (My Party) never commits. They just promise Health Care.
This simply tells the American People they do not care. They will put
anything together, roll over for the Conservatives and shaft us once
again.

It has been proven--the only way to bring down costs is Single Payer.
Therefore, we will pay more and get less.

[dorkulon]

23. They're not rolling over for conservatives, they're rolling over for money.

It's about corruption, period.

[jmg257]

24. Depends on how the costs/coverage compare to their current coverage. nt