Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

MA-05 Health Care forum post-mortem

June 4, 2007 By Charley on the MTA

Well, I came out of the health care forum on Saturday pretty happy with our slate of candidates. The candidates were all essentially well-prepared, clear and forthcoming with their thoughts on health care. They did not avoid questions, they did not filibuster, they stayed within their times, they were all civil. I thought they all came across well, each in his or her own way. Very cool.

So here’s what I come away with:

  • Eldridge has the most aggressively “progressive” position: Single-payer all the way. Dispense with the insurers and the special interests. He comes across as a “fighter” kind of candidate; draws contrasts between himself and the other candidates, notably Tsongas; is repetitive for effect; throws out the most red meat for a prog crowd; and consequently gets the most applause. It is a very strong and clear strategy, but it remains to be seen if it translates to a wider constituency.

    I’m skeptical of single-payer’s prospects in Congress, and I’m unclear how he would expand support for single-payer in Congress beyond its 70 sponsors. But there’s something to be said for providing ballast on the left end of the discussion. But could Eldridge vote for a less comprehensive restructuring of our health care system — an Edwards plan, for instance? Does he work well with others? Ted Kennedy is a great example of a legislator who is able to both stand on principle and cut the deal — can Eldridge do that? (Anyone out there know from his work in the legislature, for instance?)

  • Finegold speaks well; he’s clearly a bright and thoughtful guy. His big idea is Health Markets, creating a government health care product in competition with the private sector. That’s a fine idea, but it’s not universal health care. He’s definitely more of an incrementalist than most of the other candidates. He’s well-versed, direct and progressive on health-related issues.
  • Tsongas is now on the Edwards bandwagon which is structured much like the MA plan. She seems eager to take advantage of the political window of opportunity for health care reform, citing several times the fact that we’ve been waiting for this since President Truman’s first proposal in 1945. For her, right now that’s clearly more important than the details.

    In any event, it’s a definite improvement over her previous fumbling on the issue. She’s done her homework. She’s right on related issues like the nursing shortage, needle exchange and medical marijuana.

  • Donoghue speaks clearly and passionately, and I felt comfortable that she was a very sane and sensible person. I can identify with her professing of support for single-payer in the abstract, but also with the necessity of getting results — of not missing the window of opportunity to act positively if imperfectly.

    Without judging her negatively at all, I wonder if this isn’t an unnecessarily “administrative” attitude: After all, in Congress, you’re only one of 435; you’re not making the decisions yourself, you’re just putting your weight on one end of the scale. Is it better to ask for what you want, and accept something less? Or is it better to ask for the best that you think you might get? I don’t know the answer to that question.

  • Miceli was not very much in step with the other candidates — he’s pro-life (but pro-stem-cell); his answers were not as thorough as the other candidates’. But he was dignified and sometimes thoughtful and passionate in his answers — he did not pander, and emerged with dignity intact.
Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0
0

Filed Under: User Tagged With: donoghue, eldridge, finegold, health-care, ma-05, miceli, tsongas

Comments

  1. lynne says

    June 4, 2007 at 5:12 pm

    Eldridge did work hard in the lege for the best health care reform package we could get, but when it wound up with the compromise that many of us, including him, found came up rather short, he did vote for it, as a way of getting at least a few more vulnerable citizens access to health care.

    <

    p>
    For what it’s worth.

  2. ryepower12 says

    June 5, 2007 at 1:42 am

    In his favor, he did vote for the Mass Health Bill. He obviously would do his fighting for single payer, but given his record would probably vote for anything that helps more and more people. I chatted with him a bit after and listened to him speak with others, like Lynne, and he basically made that same point as well.

    <

    p>
    Personally, I like that. I’d rather see a bunch of people argue gung ho on single-payer, because then a compromise is much more likely to look like single payer. I do say that I find a proposal like Finegold’s an option that could even be better, it certainly works well in Germany and could be something that would unite private and public interests: just offer medicare to all people, at a reasonable cost, and mandate some sort of coverage. Chances are, just like in Germany, 90% of the population would choose medicare… but may the best system win.

Recommended Posts

  • No posts liked yet.

Recent User Posts

Predictions Open Thread

December 22, 2022 By jconway

This is why I love Joe Biden

December 21, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Garland’s Word

December 19, 2022 By terrymcginty

Some Parting Thoughts

December 19, 2022 By jconway

Beware the latest grift

December 16, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Thank you, Blue Mass Group!

December 15, 2022 By methuenprogressive

Recent Comments

  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftSo where to, then??
  • Christopher on Some Parting ThoughtsI've enjoyed our discussions as well (but we have yet to…
  • Christopher on Beware the latest griftI can't imagine anyone of our ilk not already on Twitter…
  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftI will miss this site. Where are people going? Twitter?…
  • chrismatth on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022I joined BMG late - 13 years ago next month and three da…
  • SomervilleTom on Geopolitics of FusionEVERY un-designed, un-built, and un-tested technology is…
  • Charley on the MTA on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022That’s a great idea, and I’ll be there on Sunday. It’s a…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

notoriousvog Notorious VOG @notoriousvog ·
1h

REALLY @GOP?! 🙄👇🏾 And how many House republicans who accepted ppp loan & loan forgiveness who voted for resolution denouncing socialism?! #UrbanAgenda #BOSpoli #MApoli

GOP @GOP

100 House Democrats voted against a resolution denouncing socialism.

Reply on Twitter 1622459540720566272 Retweet on Twitter 1622459540720566272 Like on Twitter 1622459540720566272 1 Twitter 1622459540720566272
stevejones322 T Stephen Jones @stevejones322 ·
1h

Stop building prisons in Massachusetts. No new womens prison.
#FreeHer #NoNewWomensPrison #mapoli

Progressive Mass @ProgressiveMass

Great write up of the Prison Moratorium campaign relaunch by @stavkeshet

#FreeHer #NoNewWomensPrison #mapoli

https://www.progressivemass.com/prison-moratorium-campaign-relaunch/

Reply on Twitter 1622458414302478338 Retweet on Twitter 1622458414302478338 Like on Twitter 1622458414302478338 Twitter 1622458414302478338
notoriousvog Notorious VOG @notoriousvog ·
1h

We had to LISTEN days of @GOP & @realDonaldTrump HOT AIR about how @JoeBiden didn't shoot down the Chinese Spy Balloon, yet three Spy Balloons passed over US during the Trump Admin AND he didn't do a damn thing about them.🙄🤦🏽‍♂️ #UrbanAgenda #BOSpoli #MApoli

Reply on Twitter 1622457112121974787 Retweet on Twitter 1622457112121974787 Like on Twitter 1622457112121974787 Twitter 1622457112121974787
thetimdefelice Conservative Masshole 🇺🇸 @thetimdefelice ·
2h

More “Transparency in Government” #mapoli

CW Magazine @CommonWealthMag

Gov. Maura Healey said that she will not introduce legislation that would make her office subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law. https://buff.ly/3DANOPI

Reply on Twitter 1622441247859154944 Retweet on Twitter 1622441247859154944 1 Like on Twitter 1622441247859154944 3 Twitter 1622441247859154944
our_cambridge Your Cambridge MA @our_cambridge ·
3h

NOAA: Average ground temperature in north hemisphere has decreased 1/2 degree in 25 years.

RECORD COLD = Deadly Ice Age crisis

Honest experts tell us planet cooling is fault of U.S. workers wanting to create abundance.

#CambMA #MEpolitics #NHgov #MApoli #VermontTax #NHpolitics

3

WBZ | CBS Boston News @wbz

LIST: Coldest temperatures recorded in Massachusetts on Saturday http://cbsnews.com/boston/news/list-coldest-temperatures-recorded-massachusetts-saturday/

Reply on Twitter 1622439346866364417 Retweet on Twitter 1622439346866364417 Like on Twitter 1622439346866364417 Twitter 1622439346866364417
mainenewshound mainenewshound @mainenewshound ·
3h

📛#Breaking--Ohio National Guard activated --WHIO 9:04 pm EST 'train derailment' in East Palestine,Ohio
"potential of a catastrophic tanker failure which could cause an explosion with the potential of deadly shrapnel,,,"
#happeningnow #mepolitics #ohio #midwest #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1622434736491696128 Retweet on Twitter 1622434736491696128 1 Like on Twitter 1622434736491696128 Twitter 1622434736491696128
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2023 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.