Let’s Fight for the Medicare Option

We spent most of 2009 fighting for single-payer Medicare for All or, as a compromise, a robust public option. But Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson blocked both, and now demand our surrender. Will we surrender to LieberCare?

I believe we can fight, but with one caveat: for once, the broad progressive movement must work a bit harder to unite. We can only win this relatively brief fight if we’re all working together every day.

I believe the policy that would unite the broadest coalition is a “Medicare Option” – a “public option” that specifically lets Americans under 65 buy into Medicare if they want that choice.

Why “Medicare Option”? For two simple reasons:

1. An overwhelming 64%-30% majority of Americans support the Medicare Option.
2. Joe Lieberman himself supported the Medicare Option until he discovered how popular it was.

Of course many progressives have other “bottom lines” we should also fight for as a unified coalition:

1. Tax the rich, not healthcare – a key issue for unions
2. Mandate employers, not people – another key issue for unions and civil libertarians
3. No new restrictions on abortion coverage – a key issue for feminists
4. Prescription drug importation and negotiated prices – a key issue for patients

To succeed, we must unite as much of the progressive movement as possible:

1. Across the organizational spectrum – blogs, c3’s, c4’s, unions, PACs, 527’s, for-profits
2. Across the ideological spectrum, from single-payer to public option to universal coverage
3. Across the tactical spectrum, from DC insiders to street protesters
4. Across the technological spectrum – bloggers, emailers, Facebookers, Tweeters, texters

As a coalition, we should fight with all the weapons we have:

1. Persuasive blogging and press outreach
2. Direct lobbying of Members by DC insiders
3. Email and phone lobbying by activists across the country
4. Hard-hitting video ads for Youtube and broadcast
5. Protests at district offices
6. Google ads targeting Members

That’s my proposal in a nutshell – I welcome your thoughts here.

www.medicareoption.org

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