Best time to enact a universal health care bill - is NOW!

Paul Krugman on why this might be the best time (between the confusion surrounding the stimulus and the economic crisis) to enact a universal health care coverage bill..

The political argument that this is a bad time to be pushing fundamental health care reform because the nation’s attention is focused on the economic crisis is precisely wrong. Indeed. F.D.R. was able to enact Social Security in part because the Great Depression highlighted the need for a stronger social safety net. And the current crisis presents a real opportunity to fix the gaping holes that remain in that safety net, especially with regard to health care. And Mr. Obama really, really doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of Bill Clinton, whose health care push failed politically partly because he moved too slowly: by the time his administration was ready to submit legislation, the economy was recovering from recession and the sense of urgency was fading.

Painting post

Sunil, 'Boomer', Oil on canvas, 84" X 72"

Inspiration for this painting came from many sources, but the following incident came to mind as I was starting to undertake this one. I had recently ran into a colleague of mine at work who was remarking that he had about three years before he retires and starts to confront a world where he does not have to wake up and fight the morning commute at 6am every morning, five days a week. On asking him what he was planning to do, he said that he was not relishing the prospect but was still piecing together a post-retirement life in social services and volunteerism. Our talk veered into social security, healthcare and a host of other issues that one starts to think a little more seriously as they start to approach the sunset of their careers. He also talked about growing up as a teenager in the 60's, the free wheeling, artsy culture that pervaded then, the liberalism in the college campuses and the general feeling that ‘it was much better back in my times’. We live in interesting times. Baby boomers like him will be retiring in droves over the next two to three years putting untold stresses on the social net that many take for granted. Medicare and Medicaid will be overtaxed in trying to expand its support for the sudden influx of new participants - willing or unwilling. Faces like this remind me of the coming storm.