August 23, 2009 06:56 PM UTC

Denver Post: Public option is critical to reform

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• by: ThillyWabbit

The Denver Post editorial board came down hard today on the side of the public option, and blamed the loss of it on the futile attempt at bipartisanship.

It is possible, as President Obama said during last week’s visit to Grand Junction, to revise the nation’s health care system without having a public insurance option.

But without strong competition for the health insurance giants that dominate the landscape, it just won’t be complete reform.

The Obama administration and congressional Democrats need to push forward with their plan to pass a public option as part of a comprehensive health care overhaul when they return to Washington next month. We don’t see how it works without one.

It is the best way to slow escalating health care costs and expand access to quality care. The country, ultimately, will lose if the public option vanishes because of Democratic efforts to make health care reform a bipartisan effort.

Seven of nine members of Colorado’s congressional delegation support a public option. Colorado’s governor supports a public option. The same Denver Post that endorsed Bush and printed a front-page editorial against the labor movement supports the public option.

I don’t care what the Senate has to do, they just need to get it done. Buy off Ben Nelson and Friends with some pork if you have to. Just get it done.