In the Arena

Dean Dumb

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Greg Sargent is reporting that Howard Dean is recommending a “no” vote on the Senate Health Care bill now that the public option and Medicare buy-in have been dropped. This means he would scuttle a bill that would benefit the vast majority of Americans (by forcing insurers to cover those with pre-existing conditions and chronic illnesses) and the vast majority of lower-income Americans without health insurance (by providing significant subsidies for them to buy it) because it doesn’t include provisions that might benefit a few million Americans at most.

This is stupid above and beyond the call of duty. Democrats–and responsible Republicans–should stop the silly posturing and pass the bill. That goes for Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson; and it goes for Howard Dean and Roland Burris. This is not a perfect piece of legislation. But it is not the last word on health care reform, either; it is just the necessary next step.