Colorado Legislature & Health Care

Colorado Senate Democrats sent out an email a few days back patting themselves on the back for passing health care bills this year. I wanted to take this opportunity to put the following on the record: Democrats didn’t go nearly far enough on health care this year.

The 208 Commission was formed to solicit input from citizens. Regardless of the source, every story I heard about their public meetings contained some variant on: “Single-payer universal health care is the only solution we want.” I went to a few meetings, I’ve stayed in contact with other activists and people I’ve met. That message has not changed. Democrats have not offered any sort of universal health care plan. They have nibbled around the edges of the health care problem we all face. And that’s not good enough.

I’ve heard the Governor and the legislature basically want to wait until next year when a Democratic president and Democratic Congress is in place so universal health care can be introduced at the federal level.  Hmmm.  That sounds nice.  Except what happens if McSame gets elected?  How many more years do we get to wait?  Quite frankly, a Democratic-controlled Congress won’t guarantee universal health care.  They’ve proven themselves to be too scared of their own shadows to effectively do our business.

No, the Governor and Democratic Legislature in Colorado took the easy path this year.  Meanwhile, our accessibility to quality health care didn’t improve.  As progressive as I am, I will not help pat them on the back this year.