Rockefeller on health care reform

Credit where credit is due. Although I will never forgive him for selling us out to the telecoms on the FISA immunity issue, Jay Rockefeller came out on the right side of health care reform. He recently "introduced the Consumers Health Care Act that would give all consumers the option to participate in a government-run plan competing with private plans." He admits he expects no bipartisan support.

"There is a very small chance any Republicans will vote for this health-care plan. They were against Medicare and Medicaid [created in the 1960s]. They voted against children's health insurance.

"We have a moral choice. This is a classic case of the good guys versus the bad guys. I know it is not political for me to say that," Rockefeller added.

"But do you want to be non-partisan and get nothing? Or do you want to be partisan and end up with a good health- care plan? That is the choice."

Politicians. You never know when they're going to do something good. I also see Arlen Specter came out for the public option but with the way he's flipped back and forth on every issue since he joined the Democrats, I'm not counting on his vote just yet.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]