Does Obama support single-payer universal health care?

He should.

But does he?

He claims he does not. In fact, he offers a less comprehensive plan than Edwards or HRC did. I decided to do some investigating, hoping the Secret Obama that BHO wants to hide would once again come up at the right position. (Only Dennis Kucinich had the guts to support single player.)

For those not in the know, single-payer would take the insurance companies out of health care, and provide health care for all. This is one of the most basic rights a person can have, the right to medical treatment, the right to health.

Here is what I discovered: a speech Obama gave to the AFL-CIO in 2003 - in which he says, "I happen to be a proponent of single-payer health care coverage."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/22/clinton-hits-obama-for-wa_n_82662.html

Obama is now backing off this very strong position. But, with a caveat: In a profile of the Senator in the New Yorker this past spring he offered that, "a single-payer system-a government-managed system like Canada's, which disconnects health insurance from employment-'would probably make sense. But we've got all these legacy systems in place, and managing the transition, as well as adjusting the culture to a different system, would be difficult to pull off. So we may need a system that's not so disruptive that people feel like suddenly what they've known for most of their lives is thrown by the wayside.'"

Verdict: Obama actually wants single-payer health care, as he should. However, in this case, the difference between what he wants and his proposed plan is not because he is hiding his true feelings. It is because he is being realistic, and trying to do what is actually possible right now in this country. I give Obama's health care plan an A+. This is a good reason to vote for BHO.