Sigh. I guess it's "surprising" that the guy who spent most of his time as Leader caving, went and caved to Republican pressure. But the real question isn't about the morality or qualification (not) paying taxes confers. It's about whether or not the new administration willl ever figure out that there's a real good reason for truly having ideological diversity in the applicant pool. As has already been commented here, it's interesting to wonder if Obama would've had all these problems with appointees, if he'd gone for actual working people, non-Villagers, and real world experts instead of Beltway insiders and left-overs from Dem administrations past. I made the snarky remark to one person that progressives usually pay our taxes, and frequently, we're so poor we can't even afford things like limo drivers and housekeepers, with whom we later get into trouble for non-reporting and payment. Shocking, that.

But I have to say, even I am a little taken aback by the fumbling coming from the administration on these matters. They are really starting to look like amateurs.

Report: Montanans like 'Medicare for all'

As part of a grassroots effort to reform health care, Montanans are sending ideas to President-elect Barack Obama - and, so far, many are saying that a national, ``Medicare for all'' system is the way to go.

``The consensus of (our group) was that we did not see a lot of change coming unless we went to a single-payer, universal health system,'' said Deborah Hanson of Miles City, who organized a meeting of local citizens at the behest of Obama's transition team. ``That was sort of a general consensus - knowing, of course, that may not happen.''

These house parties do not seem to have worked out quite the way Daschle intended.

Letter for Healthcare-NOW!:
Dear Healthcare-NOW! members and supporters:

The second round of voting in Change.org’s “Ideas for Change in America” competition has begun. Let’s make single-payer healthcare one of the ten ideas that will presented to President Barack Obama on January 16th.
According to Change.org, “The top 10 rated ideas from the final round will be presented to the Obama administration on January 16th at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, co-hosted by the Case Foundation. At the event we will also announce the launch of a national advocacy campaign behind each idea in collaboration with our nonprofit partners to turn each idea into actual policy.”

Residents send health care reform recommendations to Obama

The results are in and the word is out to the Obama-Biden transition team: Sonoma wants sweeping health care reform.
At a Sonoma Valley community discussion last week, part of a nationwide response to invitations from the Obama-Biden transition team to communities throughout the country to speak up on health care, nearly 70 people spoke out individually and worked together in groups to express the problem and recommend solutions to what many described as a broken system.

 Read more…

Linda Mulka wites for the Rocky Mountain News

Single-payer health care system can help America

Public Single-Payer: Health Insurance Done Right

As we see from the case of of the couple paying bills for breast cancer and a heart transplant, it doesn't make sense to tie health insurance to jobs. You don't deserve health care because you are a good employee. You deserve health care because you are human.

[I'm leaving this sticky because it's important and creative -- a virtual Daschle house party with reality-based material! But I'm also seeing people volunteering for house parties on the ground. Kudos to all on this thread, and let's do it! --lambert]

Edited to add:

RL house party volunteers as of 12/18:

• allys gift in Baltimore
• basement angel in L.A.
• Paul Lukasiak in Philly
• Me and the fab GF in Monroe/Seattle area

Can't host but will help a host:

• ElizabethF in West Palm Beach

We also have document development:

• -6Qs That Should Be Asked
• -Press release and PSA templates
• -Fun Facts factsheet

[I will revise and sharpen if others will draft. Perfection is not necessary! --lambert]

Keep a lookout for dates for virtual house parties here in the Mighty Corrente Building.

Via the PNHP website, I downloaded the Participant Guide PDF and the Moderator Guide PDF to HHS Sec.-designate Daschle's healthcare house parties thing just to take a quick look. My impressions as follows...

Physicians for a National Health Plan has a complete set of talking points for house parties, the better to counter any lobbyists present. The also have the link to hosting a House Party. I hope residents of the Mighty Corrente Building will go and post about their experience.

Single-Payer Talking Points & Why Mandate Plans Won’t Work

California Nurses Responds to Daschle Appointment

OMG, the Orange Frat House endorses HR 676.

Obama Names Daschle to Head Health Reform Effort

President-elect Barack Obama announced former Senate Majority leader Tom Daschle as his pick to head the Health and Human Services agency Thursday.

Daschle will also oversee a new White House Office of Health Reform and be charged to fulfilling Mr. Obama's campaign pledge to take a fresh look at the nation's health care woes.

Daschle told reporters he's looking to implement health care reform from the "grass roots up."

 Read more…

PNHP

What is relatively unique in Daschle’s proposal is the recommendation for a Federal Health Board, based on a model similar to the Federal Reserve System. One of the more important functions would be to provide oversight of the private insurance industry in his multi-payer system, a role that would be unnecessary in a single payer system. The other functions he describes can easily be or already are provided by existing agencies, though introduction of a single payer system would certainly be accompanied with appropriate bureaucratic reform.

 Read more…

Email from Healthcare for America Now

The Obama transition team is encouraging activists like you to hold health care community discussions between December 15th and December 31st. Can you host a discussion and give President-elect Obama and Senator Tom Daschle your input? We'll try and get Members of Congress that support our efforts to attend!

Fill out the form below to let us know you'll host a discussion. Then we'll redirect you to change.gov to sign up with the Obama transition team.

If any reader would be willing to host a party for single payer it would be fabulous. We can use HCAN's and Obama's tools to mobilize support for HR 676.

Ceci Connolly has an article entitled, U.S. 'Not Getting What We Pay For': Many Experts Say Health-Care System Inefficient, Wasteful, where she quotes, without irony, all the parasites of our health neglect system.

First a few words about Ceci Connolly; if you read The Daily Howler, you know that more than any other member of the celebrity press corps, she is responsible for smearing Al Gore and giving us Bush. An example of her notion of humor:
Smile-a-while (10/3/00)