Single-payer mentions draw cheers at Baucus-sponsored health care talk

When the time came for questions, McArthur stood up and asked a simple question. Looking across a standing-room-only crowd of about 275, he asked how many were happy with their employer-based health insurance.

Less than 10 people raised their hands.

“The number is bogus,” McArthur said. “It's not working for 95 percent of us.”

McArthur drew resounding applause.

In fact, any mention of single-payer health care insurance brought raucous cheers and clapping. Any other solution to health care reform - including Baucus' “balanced” plan that would create a mix of public and private plans - was received more coolly.

Supporters of single-payer effort to rally in Augusta, Maine, May 30.

Dave Hornstein

While Single Payer supporters lack the financial resources to compete with insurance companies in campaign advertising, perhaps it's time to run some strategically placed ads that emphasize that this is a matter of life and death, while going after both the insurance companies that are the problem and the politicians they've paid off, holding them up to public shame. Until full public financing comes along, something needs to be done to break a corrupt system under which money trumps merit.

Funny you should say that, because they have done exactly that.

Letter to the Spokesman Review: Logic backs single payer

Michael Winship and Bill Moyers: Rx and the single payer

Jay Bennet, martyr to the American health neglect system.

Single-Payer Advocates Ambush Baucus in Washington, D.C.