Today’s Boston Globe announced Senator Kennedy’s leadership in pressing for bipartisan health care reform.

But a review of the article shows the folks working on this “bipartisan” effort are all the usual suspects looking to flawed ideas.  Congress and key advocacy groups have made up their mind on what we need to do, without consulting the public.

Congress is incapable of finding a bipartisan solution. It is a bitterly partisan institution that doesn’t listen to the other side.  I think the Democrats are hoping they will get a large enough majority in the House and Senate to pass a health care bill in 2009.  But, to pass this bill, they will need some Republican support, especially in the Senate.  The Massachusetts bill is badly flawed.  There are no cost containment measures. 

The public is deeply concerned about the Wyden-Bennett Bill. 

What Congress and/or the Candidates should be doing is building consensus on some core elements of a plan that would have support across party lines. It clearly exists, as CodeBlueNow!’s research shows.

This should be a wakeup call to the parties and the candidates.  What is the definition of insanity? “Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.” 

We can no longer leave health care reform to the candidates and advocacy organizations, they have failed us since 1929. 

Cheers and more later. Kathleen