"The most significant step the United States could take to resolve its budget and demographic imbalance is to press forward with health care reform. The Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare, if you prefer, is just a baby-step. The bottom line is this: The United States spends too much on health care and gets too little in return, our health care coss 17.6 percent of gross domestic product. No other country in the world spends that kind of money. The average among most nations is under 10 percent of the economy and even the second most expensive country, The Netherlands, only spends 12 percent on health care.

We do that one thing -- fix health care -- and we don’t need to rip apart the federal budget and priorities. We don’t need to strip promises made to American Indians and Alaska Natives by treaties, law or executive orders. We don’t even need to shortchange elders and soon-to-be elders from the promise that was restated in every paycheck (you know, the payroll tax).

But to make that happens we need to keep pressing for next steps in health are reform. We need to move on beyond fighting about what’s barely been started."

Get the Story:
Making the case for progressive austerity, and a new push for health care reform (Mark Trahant 1/22)

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