An Important Reminder

The mainstream media is trying to make you feel like a freak. Conservatives want you to feel like Joe Stalin's bastard love child. "Moderate" Democrats are hemming and hawing and shaking and asking you not to make waves. And liars are lying, lying lying. But you're going to stick to your guns. The majority--a consistent, confident majority--of Americans favor a public health insurance option. That is the truth. Some trendy postmodernists and flashy former White House Baudrillardians might try to convince you that we live in a "post-truth" world, but we don't. Some stuff is true and verifiable.

The overwhelming majority across the nation in every single poll taken, without exception, favor the public option. The media has desperately tried to pick apart various polls to make it appear that a majority of Americans oppose the very idea of reform, but moderate, balanced commentators have deconstructed the doublespeak of the MSM, while reminding us, once again, that public health insurance enjoys the support of the majority across the board. The majority of Americans support a public insurance option even in polls that distinguish that option from separate opposition to the President's plan specifically. The majority of Americans have had no problem with a government run public option since last summer.

What does the mainstream media do?  Climb in bed with conservative Republicans and conservative think tanks.  Orrin Hatch lies, with the help of the non-fact-checking Washington Post. Mike Enzi, who admitted he would oppose any reform by any means necessary, calls the White House plan, which doesn't even include a public option, "polarizing." The Heritage Foundation lies.

The spin on Blanche Lincoln and her new progressive challenger, Bill Halter, is that Lincoln was forced to vote against HCR because of the attitudes of her constituents. This, too, is a lie. Lincoln is in bed with big insurance, and her constituents want a public insurance option. From the PCCC:

PUBLIC OPTION: Arkansas voters favor a public option 56% to 37%. Independents favor it 57% to 32%. Democrats 83% to 12%.
2010 GENERAL ELECTION: If Lincoln joined Republicans in filibustering a public option, 35% of Independents would be less likely to vote for her, 10% more likely. (Over 3 to 1). Among Democrats, 49% to 7% (7 to 1). Lincoln is only 2% ahead of Republican Gilbert Baker (41% to 39%), a net drop of 5% since last month's Research 2000 poll.
2010 PRIMARY: 57% of Democrats say they are not sure if Lincoln should be the Democratic nominee again, or want someone new. If Lincoln joined Republicans in filibustering a public option, 48% of Democrats would be even less likely to support her in a primary.

Nevertheless, the mainstream media continues to call the public option a "liberal" demand in the context of this upcoming primary. That's a deliberate misrepresentation. It's time to ask what stake mainstream media outlets have in preventing a public insurance option.

You're not crazy, and you're not alone. The next step is taking to the streets for public insurance, including revisiting the Single Payer option.  Desiring a public health plan, Single Payer or otherwise, is not insane.  It's rational.  And it's not "unpopular."  It's mainstream.  Say it loud, to everyone around.  Public health insurance is mainstream.