Senate Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid (D),  has announced his intention of driving to a vote a health care reform bill that includes an option for states to opt out of the public option. The specifics of this opt out option haven’t been revealed yet, and are being kept under wraps, but the concession is most likely the result of a compromise between liberals and conservatives in congress who have been at a tug-o-war over the public option and the number of votes needed to ensure the bill goes to a vote on the Senate floor.

While conservatives may hail Reid’s decision as being a win for state’s rights, the losers will be those uninsured in Republican “red” states who will likely have to wait for access to a public option, or be denied access completely by their conservative leaders. It should be noted many of these states have a significantly higher percentage of uninsured people who will likely be blocked from the full benefits of health care reform due to the opt out concession.

Health care reform is not an issue for the states to decide. All people, throughout the nation, should have access to affordable health care. While there are indeed issues which should be decided at the state or local level, health care is not one of them. This congress needs to step it up and start serving the interests of the people, and stop playing political games. It’s time to get things done as the majority and actually lead for a change.

Related posts:

1. Why I’m Walking Away from the Deeds Campaign