It's strange, how many prominent conservatives are laboring under the unshakable (but utterly unsupported) notion that the American public is opposed to creating a government-run public option that would compete with the existing private health insurance companies. . . no matter how many polls tell them otherwise.

In reality, the "public option" is the most popular element of health care reform that's currently under consideration. . ."socialist" or not. In fact, I think the public is in the mood for a bit of socialism, where health insurance is concerned. I'll wager "single payer" would have polled even higher, if anyone in the Senate had found the courage to support it.

Yes, my friend…

But then you’re talking about the same population that urges their representatives to ‘keep the government’s hands off my medicare!’ (?) and equates ‘socialism’ with ‘communism’ as a cold war state of mind relic.

Being against government provided health care on the grounds that it’s socialist or holding that the private sector can do anything better than the government is like preferring private as opposed to public: armies, roads, bridges, damns, sewers, etc.

If the people pushing a public option (much like the rest of the civilized world benefits from—and I’m buying my prescriptions from Canada currently because I prefer paying $36 for 100 pills instead of $100 for 30 pills) than I agree—we need more of it.

Let’s hear it for the socialists! (What say we greet them as liberators?)

Demosthenes2:

Let’s hear it for the socialists! (What say we greet them as liberators?)

In the beginning at least. If history is any guide, though it almost always seems to turn into "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss".

Hard not to wonder if the enthusiasm of Lenin's followers would have been tempered had they known that their revolution would lead to Stalinism in just one generation, or if Mao would have been as successful if the people knew that it would lead to the massacre in Tienenmen (sp?) Square and the violent supression of protests in Tibet.