Despite conservative talk show hosts and Republicans in Congress criticizing a public health care plan as too costly and trending toward Socialism, a vast majority of Americans in the latest NY TIMES-CBS NEWS poll support major changes including a public, tax supported plan to compete with private insurers.
The American people seem to have faith that the government can do a better job than private health insurers, and they are willing to pay higher taxes to guarantee that all Americans would be covered, as compared to nearly 50 million Americans now having no health insurance. 72 percent want a public plan to compete with private companies, and even half of Republicans, along with 90 percent of Democrats and almost 75 percent of independents support greatly expanded government involvement in healthcare.
It is obvious that public opinion supports the Democrats, and it is time for moderate and conservative Democrats to stop putting barriers in the way of reform, and to seize the moment to bring about a real health care program, making Lyndon Johnson proud that his Medicare and Medicaid legislation of the mid 1960s is FINALLY being expanded to offer the same opportunity for health care to ALL Americans!