Rahm Emanuel on healthcare reform (via langer) (via soupsoup)

What he said. (via mikehudack)

I appreciate Mike’s love for Rahm’s statement here — it sounds attractive and realistic — entrepreneurs love that. But, even if you’re willing to accept Rahm’s statement at face value, the point this ignores is that “as good as we can get” isn’t always an acceptable compromise. All it does is motivate everyone involved to say “Phew, well, problem solved!” when in reality it just kicks the can down the street, leading to a more explosive problem when it is finally dealt with.

Delaying the work required to bring together a functioning system means making the eventual solution more, not less, painful.  Propping up an antiquated, ineffective system as a false nod to reform doesn’t do good things.

Maybe I’m being unreasonable. I am willing to accept that. Because of that, perhaps I’ll be marginalized. That’s also fine. But I think that in ten years time, our country will be closer to economic ruin and the population will be less healthy — and you will look back and prefer what we did out in the margins.