Bend over, here come the rubber gloves and no health care

It is now the progressives in Congress who might just say no to proposed health care reform.

Health care costs and accessibility have gone out of reach of a significant portion of Americans. While advances in technology are part of the escalating costs, the insurance companies and HMOs are major obstacles to affordable, effective health care for all.

The opposition to health care reform has managed to turn the focus from people being denied health care to a government takeover and a cost that some claim we can't afford. The opposition is particularly militant against the public option, although the insurance and drug companies have created the current state of health care accessibility. In other words, the opposition wants any bill stripped of the very things that would reform health care. The proponents of reform think government intervention is necessary for any genuine overhaul. Leaving control in the private sector will not produce any change in the practices that leaving so many without access to care.

While the Blue Dog Democrats claim to have reached a compromise with the House leadership on the bill, progressives have signed a pledge not to vote for any bill that does not include a public option. Their concern is not a government takeover. To them, the only way to achieve reform is to take control of health care out of the hands of the insurance industry and drug companies.

The debate needs to get refocused on the primary question: should health care be available to everybody or not?