THE SAME DICHOTOMY

One party has a plan to address a serious threat to American families.  One has no plan, but has shifting reasons for opposition from cost to letting the “free market” work to…well…the fact that elitist, intellectual, socialist, communist, fascist, dictatorial, racist, secular-humanist, foreign-born, atheist, gay, Muslims are trying to make Americans into gunless, latte-sipping, feminist Frenchmen who drive Volvos.  It’s all so obvious.  Don’t you watch Glen Beck?!

Whether it’s health care, economics or the president trying to motivate kids to study it all comes down to the same dichotomy.  Potential solutions versus denials without proposals.  Reasoned debate versus unhinged name calling.  A political majority trying to help people versus screaming that one wants “my country” (i.e. the Bush era) back.  Reasoned debaters versus gun-toting dead-enders at political events.

In very different ways, Professor Paul Krugman and Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida have distilled the health care and economic debates down to what they’re really about: either we invest now or we let more Americans continue to suffer in greater numbers and to a greater degree.  Medicare and the VA, and various national health systems are shining examples of the path we need to take for all Americans.  The success of the stimulus plan and FDR’s response to the Great Depression do the same in the economic sphere.

HEALTH CARE – CONGRESSMAN ALAN GRAYSON

Here’s Rep. Grayson’s original speech on the Republican “plan” for health care:

And here is Grayson on Ed Schultz (including Grayson’s follow-up speech and Shultz’s commentary):

THE STIMULUS – PROFESSOR KRUGMAN

The great Dr. Krugman is dispensing doses of reality today.  Simply put, more economic stimulus will prevent medium term economic stagnation and long term negative social consequences at a fairly mild fiscal cost.  Conventional wisdom that immediate economic stimulus is hurts the long term economic picture is exactly wrong.  He knows it’s a tough political sell, but there is long term damage done to an economy that continues to grow slow and live with high unemployment.

We know that the odds are stacked against kids who live in poverty long term and that there is a cost to society for that in terms of economic growth, crime, education and social upheaval.  And we can do something about it.  Republicans who tried to water down the stimulus with tax cuts and a smaller price tag are arguing that it hasn’t worked.  Typical Republicans: do whatever you can to make sure government doesn’t work and then argue that government doesn’t work.

But despite the Republicans’ worst efforts, the stimulus plan is working.  As the Economic Policy Institute and others have reported, the stimulus package has already saved 500,000-750,000 jobs and GDP would have been 2-3% lower this year without it.  Moody’s Economy.com estimates that the stimulus package will add a total of 2.5 million jobs to the economy overall.  IHS Global Insight estimates that it will add 2 million jobs and increase GDP by 1% this year alone.

IHS Global Insight consultants and Moody’s analysts are not known for liberal leanings, so why wouldn’t Republicans put America first and support further stimulus?  Because the Republican economic plan is actually an electoral plan conjured up by Rush Limbaugh and dozens of Republican politicians scared to death of stepping out of line with him and their congressional leadership.  Limbaugh’s Hope for Failure Party sees no benefit in supporting anything for which Obama will get credit, even if it’s good for the country.

At the same time, Democrats must remember that they will not get concessions on any of this so they shouldn’t give any.  You have the majority, 122 people die every day because they have no health insurance, families are struggling and the Republicans have no plan – get it done!

CAPTIALISM – A LOVE STORY

Here is Naomi Klein’s interview with Michael Moore on his new movie, Wall Street and the Obama administration.

THE MEDICARE BUY-IN IDEA

Dean Baker proposes allowing people to buy into Medicare here.  Conservatives tell us government can’t do anything right – how about putting that to the test by giving people a choice?  Senator Ron Wyden also supports allowing everyone to have a public option instead of limiting it to people without employer-based coverage.  Let’s keep forcing Republicans to explain why their big corporate insurance companies aren’t as good as Medicare.