Open Letter to Jeff Bingaman
Senator Bingamanr:
There are few states in the country in greater need of a strong public health insurance option than New Mexico. Yet you have shown a disheartening and invertebrate willingness to negotiate away the "public option" in the name of unattainable bipartisan compromise. The ideal public option would be a Medicare-like single payer plan - in particular, the co-op option that you seem to be willing to settle for is an unsatisfactory sham.
A few years ago Grover Norquist clearly stated the Republican attitude toward bipartisan compromise - then and now - when he said "Bipartisanship is another name for date rape." One would think that the last 15 years or so of abusive Republican tactics would convince the Democrats to stand firm on important progressive issues, now that they enjoy Congressional majorities. If they do not, they can expect to pay come election time.
Woody WoodruffSanta Fe
There are few states in the country in greater need of a strong public health insurance option than New Mexico. Yet you have shown a disheartening and invertebrate willingness to negotiate away the "public option" in the name of unattainable bipartisan compromise. The ideal public option would be a Medicare-like single payer plan - in particular, the co-op option that you seem to be willing to settle for is an unsatisfactory sham.
A few years ago Grover Norquist clearly stated the Republican attitude toward bipartisan compromise - then and now - when he said "Bipartisanship is another name for date rape." One would think that the last 15 years or so of abusive Republican tactics would convince the Democrats to stand firm on important progressive issues, now that they enjoy Congressional majorities. If they do not, they can expect to pay come election time.
Woody WoodruffSanta Fe
