The Politico’s Ben Smith reports that Neera Tanden, Hillary Clinton’s former director of policy — and perhaps the leading architect of Clinton’s health care plan — has joined Barack Obama’s campaign as the director of domestic policy.
Hillarites will rejoice at this news. But those of us who favor a sensible health care policy will not. Clinton’s health care proposals, which keep health insurance tied to employment and depend on private insurance, are among the worst policy kludges ever to see the light of day. Hillarycare II is just another attempt by spineless Democrats to buy off the private health care insurance companies.
Obama’s health care proposal, unfortunately, is Hillarycare II without the individual mandate that sends the punitive class of economists into ecstasy. It’s basically Richard Nixon’s proposal.
The only solution to our health care crisis is a single-payer, national health care system; essentially, Medicare for all with benefits better than what the members of Congress now enjoy. Want to learn more? A good place to start is Physicians for a National Health Program.
I’ll have more to say on this subject as the campaign progresses.