A health care referendum

I am increasingly of the opinion that we cannot trust Congress to enact legislation that reflects the will of the people, they are, unfortunately on both sides of the political spectrum, sold out to the special, interests. As Robert Reich recently coined "capitalism has swamped democracy" http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/06122009/watch.html
I see only one solution to what appears to be the majority desire for a single payer system, that this be submitted to the People under a referendum. Beware Congress, you may be thinking that coffers need to be filled for the next elections, if you betray the will of the people the backlash will change the political spectrum.
Enough with those in bed with the health care industry, together with their of masters and the K street brokers they bear the responsibility for bringing our system to become one of the worst in the developed world.
Upon a time I would say to colleagues and family if I am sick I wish to be treated only in the US or France, today it is France as one must be able to afford to be well treated.
The only way to ensure quality and availability is some form of government sponsored umbrella empowered to regulate the private sector, considering we the People own AIG we could:
- trade off AIG's non heath insurance parts in exchange of the other health insurance activities of the industry;
- make AIG the central repository of a national payroll tax or other form of universal contribution dedicated to funding health care;
- integrate AIG into HHS and empower it to regulate the health care service providers.
We need a bold move like another TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) to resolve the health care crisis, we are failing to reform Wall Street so let us avoid the same pitfall. looking beyond CONUS, France is #1 in health care quality and availability, whereas we are in the double digit doldrums, yet France is also a leader in productivity among developed nations so let us avoid the "socialist" scarecrow that that is used to shy us away from understanding a better model that works, as an expat I know, I live in it.

Views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Campaign for America's Future or Institute for America's Future