My only criticism is that I wish the ads would explain clearly that the option is an option. The word “option” is not registering with some people. There seems to be a widespread believe that the option will be mandatory.
The Mahablog
Politics. Society. Group Therapy.
I agree. I phrase along the lines of ” This is the only way where we can reduce the costs of medicare and give everyone the option to join into a program.”
Besides having called it the “Medicare Option” (which would probably have been understandable even to conservative moron’s, and it would also have reinforced that Medicare IS SOCIALIZED medicine), why not frame it as “The Public Option” vs. “NO Option?”
We liberals are real bad at framing our arguments. We get too wonky. Instead of saying, “Hey, look at the pretty sunset!”, we go on about how ‘one should observe the array of hues at the setting of the celestial orb in the western sky of our planets atmospehere as daylight gives way to dusk.’ By the time we get done saying that, the sun’s down, the moon’s up, and the other person is fast asleep. And they missed a pretty sunset!
I think the words “Open Enrollment” should be used frequently. Many of us have experienced the annual chore of deciding which package of fringe benefits fits our situation best once a year and by using the same terminology to describe a Health Insurance Exchange we can build on something people already understand.
The public option is simply one additional choice in bation wide Open Enrollment.
My only criticism is that I wish the ads would explain clearly that the option is an option.
It doesnt matter what words they use, wingnuts would find something else to cling on to. The fact that Public Option includes the word “Option” should be well understood. By buying into Republican/Conservativce talking points, the media has simply equated Public Option and “Nothing but Govt Insurance”.
We are at this juncture mainly because Media has not done its homework.
Open Enrollment Medicare for All is what it should be.
I got some bad news this week end, another old friend died from cancer. I took note of how many of my friends and family have been taken by the disease, and it is truly frightening. If terrorism touched as many lives, no one would leave their house.If we need to escalate any war, it is the war on cancer.
My friend “Big Tony” was a really good guy, and he had great health care through work, and a strong union to keep his job safe. He battled cancer for over a year, but because of his situation, his wife and family did not loose everything on top of loosing him upon his passing. Most don’t have it so good.
Tony was my old dive buddy, and a member of the Longshoreman’s union in The Port of Los Angeles.
erinyes, I’m sorry to hear about your friend. I lost both parents to the disease, as well as a beloved great-uncle and an amicable ex-boyfriend who died far too young.
In my current workplace, which has around 200 employees, about a dozen women have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 4 years. Every couple months I learn of another one. We’re sort of becoming known as “Wigtown.” We have decent health insurance, but my argument to my conservative co-workers is that everyone should have what we have. Plus we all should be protected from learning that our insurance doesn’t cover life-saving treatment in the event of cancer, MS, or other longterm, catastrophic illness.
You’d think our generation could pull off reform quite easily… but no. Too many stoopids in this country.
I thought this ad was excellent, and I thought it made the idea of “option” very clear. But then, perhaps that is because I know option when I hear it!
I find it interesting, actually confusing, that according to those opposing adoption of a public option because it would be ‘government run’ and thus disastrous, also express the fear that an available public option will spell the demise of their much beloved private health insurance providers – on the grounds that ‘everyone’ will rush to sign up for the public option.
My confusion is if health care run by private insurers is so superior to that run like Medicare, then what makes them think everyone will rush to sign on to it. (Again, most of the opposition messages make absolutely no sense.)
My representative held a town hall in my small Washington town last week. She explained that she is against the public option because it will lead to employers deciding to stop offering health benefits therefore people will be forced to sign up for a public option. So it is not really an option. Now I’m not buying that and I don’t know if she really believes that or that is just her excuse and she wants to scare people. She is a Republican and I did hear her say on TV that she wanted to see Obama’s documents (birth certificate) so I am not too impressed with her judgment.
I asked her what could be done to keep medical costs down and she talked about people taking responsibility for their own health, mentioning diabetes and heart disease. Now I agree with that but you can’t legislate that except with penalties. After all, people still drive without seatbelts and talk and text on their cellphones while driving.
I have lost faith that we will get real health care reform and I just want this to be over with. I’m tired of listening to all the BS.