Should Obama sign a health care reform bill, even if it contains no "public option"?

The president has played a very weak hand on this issue...expecting the Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate to propel his vision into a bill that he would sign into law. He cannot afford to veto a compromise plan that will be overridden and - with it - alienate members of his own party. He is now in the caboose and is no longer controlling the debate...though he is desperately trying to climb back onto the high ground through town hall "meetings."

Yes I would say so. The congress has health insurance and they do not have a public option. The key is competition. The industry is too closed so they need competition to get better. You cannot throw out our system and go with a EU style system because we already have a system that works for far too many people. Besides there are many people employed working for insurance companies, with insurance companies, and companies who depend on the insurance companies to survive.

You do not go into a system and radically change it over night. To do so will cause a shock to the system. Better to make changes but slow ones that you can tweak if needed. Cover everyone, lower costs, and move towards prevention. After you get that done slowly add to your plate.

If somebody comes up with a better idea.

And by better, I mean BETTER.

But...I don't see that happening. The Democrats back the government option, and the Republicans are only putting forth bills that will cut the insurance company's overhead (although insurance companies make their money through investments not insurance).

Yes, if health care reform bill expands access and all insurance is bought on the health insurance exchange.

No, and it angers me no end that he is even considering it. I'm hoping that when all the Congress people go back to their constituents during their August break, they get an earful about what we really want and how they're blowing it--especially the blue dog Democrats!

he's already stated that the lack of a public option isn't a deal-breaker. he will sign till the invoice is incredibly undesirable and supplies little on what has been promised by way of the left.

No. And he should veto a plan that does not have any hope of bringing our health care costs down from the atrocious 16.6 percent of GDP.

It depends what is in the rest of the bill. If it only offers suggestions and promises of cost controls, then hell no.

I don't think so. I can't imagine that it would really cover the uninsured without a public option.

Yes he should.