Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer Calls for States to Move Towards Single Payer

[kpete]

Schweitzer calls for universal health care


HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Wednesday he will ask the U.S. government to let Montana set up its own universal health care program, taking his rhetorical fight over health care to another level.
Like Republicans who object to the federal health care law, the Democratic governor also argues it doesn't do enough to control costs and says his state should have more flexibility than the law allows. But Schweitzer has completely different plans for the Medicare and Medicaid money the federal government gives the state to administer those programs.

The popular second-term Democrat would like to create a state-run system that borrows from the program used in Saskatchewan. He said the Canadian province controls cost by negotiating drug prices and limiting nonemergency procedures such as MRIs.

Schweitzer said the province's demographics and economy are similar to Montana in several ways - yet its residents live longer while spending far less on health care.


Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_cf63727a-ea09-11e0-85fd-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1ZM3J8Z8L
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2011/09/29/montana-gov-brian-schweitzer-calls-for-states-to-move-towards-single-payer/

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[JVS]

2. Hmmm. I was under the impression that he was a "new democrat"

[ZombieHorde]

7. He has always been a strong advocate for health care,

He is not a new Democrat, and he is not really an old Democrat either. He is his own thing, but he definitely leans to the left on most issues.

Check out this video of him vetoing some Republican bills...with branding irons.

Full version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQNtyW15tI8
Short version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qur80XKiW9E

He also vetoed the Montana Medical Marijuana Repeal Bill. Montanans voted for medical marijuana, and the Republicans tried to take it away from us. Fortunately, Gov. Schweitzer stopped them. Unfortunately, they did manage to weaken it, so we are fighting to have it fully restored again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFwgeVSef-s

[Proud Public Servant]

8. He's more an old-school populist

So, largely progressive on econ, social, and environmental policies, pretty anti-corporate, but also pro-gun, pro-death penalty, pro-low taxes and balanced budgets.

That's my sense anyway. A DUer from Montana would be a better source than I am.

[JVS]

11. I must have been thinking of someone else. Kent Conrad maybe.

[Kingofalldems]

3. The US should be Single Payer

K and R

[subterranean]

10. It will take incremental steps like this to get there.

There are too many deep-pocketed groups with a vested interest in the current system to implement anything like single-payer on a national scale. The only way I can see that happening is when private health insurance becomes so expensive that only the very wealthy can afford it. That will probably take another 10-15 years. The states will have to be the laboratories. If a few states can show that such a system can provide access to quality care at a lower cost, the rest of the nation will eventually want it too.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Now, there's a smart man.

The more I hear about him, the better I like him.

This is an excellent idea!

[Overseas]

5. K&R. Yes please!

[LAGC]

6. Big fat K&R! Brian Schweitzer for President -- 2016!

This guy knows how to appeal to rural folks who traditionally vote Republican.

He could peel off considerable support from moderates and independents.

He knows how to deal with GOP bullshit as well:

[Proud Public Servant]

12. My sentiments exactly

2016 is an eon away in political time, but I'd love to see him run (and if he did, I'd expect the primary race would be between him and Cuomo).

[phiddle]

14. Given that Biden will be 74 in 2016, and WAY past his freshness date,

I wish that Obama would make Schweitzer the VP candidate in 2012. This would give the campaign an attack dog, could help the ticket in the west, and would help avoid a succession scramble.

[Proud Public Servant]

15. Actually, Biden's a great attack dog

And a Veep with nothing left to lose is a powerful tool. As for a "succession scramble," remember than the Veep running successfully for president is the exception, not the rule. I think the Dems could have a feisty field in 2016, but that's a good thing.

[montanacowboy]

9. That's our Governor!!

we love us some Brian Schweitzer here, at least most of us do. He is always ahead of the curve and he takes it to the pukes - in their faces.
This is the kind of leadership we need in a President!

[Scuba]

13. Thank you Governor! n/t