Barney Frank: Public Option is Best Way to Single Payer

Yet more proof emerges that the so-called public option in the Democrats’ healthcare legislation is designed to clear the way for the U.S. government to impose total monopoly control of the nation’s healthcare system.

As reported at the Heritage Foundation’s blog The Foundry, President Obama said last month

What are not legitimate concerns are those being put forward claiming a public option is somehow a Trojan horse for a single-payer system. … So, when you hear the naysayers claim that I’m trying to bring about government-run health care, know this – they are not telling the truth.

In response to a frustrated socialist who asked why Democrats shouldn’t push harder for a single-payer system, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) said

Because we don’t have the votes for it. I wish we did. I think that if we get a good public option it could lead to single payer and that is the best way to reach single payer. Saying you’ll do nothing till you get single payer is a sure way never to get it. … I think the best way we’re going to get single payer, the only way, is to have a public option and demonstrate the strength of its power.

 

 
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) said much the same thing.