Wow. I love how Harkin openly acknowledges that he doesn't like the agreement, but what the heck--let's pass it because it's a health care bill! Thanks for sticking to those principles, Senator Harkin.WASHINGTON — Democratic senators say they have a tentative deal to drop a government-run insurance option from health care legislation. No further details were immediately available.
But liberals and moderates have been discussing an alternative, including a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage. Additionally, talks centered on opening up Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government health care program that currently serves the over-65 population.
Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa told reporters he didn't like the agreement but would support it to the hilt in an attempt to pass health care legislation.
And what a great deal it is... swapping out a government-run insurance option for a "private" insurance "arrangement" under government "supervision." Hm... that sounds an awful lot like the situation Government Motors has gotten itself into--how's that working out? It's still a horribly managed company, still floating because WE have been pumping money into it.
...Perhaps now McCain and the rest of the Senate Republicans can stop wasting time on worthless amendments and actually FIGHT this thing?