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Lou: You have characterised Fred's response as one from someone who was 'soft' on Obama. I doubt you can - or should - honestly say that of me. (I may be naive of course!) I - think - that I was the first on this list to say that Obama's election was useful to the workers as a means of discrediting the "blackness" card - of disillusioning those who saw this as the way out. That it would help to open the way for a realisation that not a "blackl" solution - but a 'socialist' solution - was required. A variant of the haning rope of Lenin for Henderson's social democrats. I have no idea who Fred is - nor do I really care. What i do find difficult however, and thus do care about - is the sanctimony that so many of the (good) people on this list (led by yourself) as they tick off the deficiencies of this bill, and "write it off". Would they be in the shoes of many of my patients, perhaps they might think differently. Yes I did see the whining of those who would have to pay more that was before expressed on this list. This is in the nature it seems to me of a 'transparent' tax - rather than the hidden tax in Western Europe. Well in a *capitalist* society, I think that an incremental tax by wage is progressive and not a reason to baulk. But then purists might not agree, and apparently do not. So would you have written off the NHS legislation in the UK, where Aneurin Bevan "stuffed the consultant's mouths with gold" - to enact that legislation. No doubt that was a compromise too far for the ever-so pure to have stained their hands with. I really learn from this list. The level of erudition is enormous and often awes me. However I really do not understand this self-righteous ultra-pure r-r-revolutionary pomposity. To cut out the insurance companies in the USA of today - is akin to a revolutionary act. Where are the masses willing to stand for that demand? Amongst all the angst spilled on this question on this list, where is the way forward to enact such a demand? Yet shall we be content to stand on the side-lines and pontificate about "how it it *should* be better?" Ah well, let us all pray or Ohmmmmmmmmmm for Single Payer. Before you send any zingers about how I am so stupid that Ii do not understand that single payer is better, I must say that for years I was campaigning for such a solution. Indeed in your country I tried also. But.... Tommy Douglas's movement in Canada, and the LP and Nye Beavan's - still reformist but far more sweeping changes - were *only* possible with an underlying mass movement. Partly from the fear of the Soviet virus. I cannot smell that smell in your country right now. With Respect, Hari Kumar ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
