State Senator Mark Leno
Public option, public sector

November 19, 2010 -- Today I shook the hand of another of my heroes, California State Senator Mark Leno. He is a man of principle! Part of my University (UCSF, where he spoke) is in his district.

Contrary to the loathsome and self-serving declarations of such right-wing demagogues as Grover ("shrink government to the size we can drown in a bathtub") Norquist, the public sector, says Mr. Leno, is critically important. Not only because it is the best mechanism for delivering such services as public safety and justice, but because without it there can be no revival of the private sector. It creates the foundation upon which growth can occur. Around the world, the countries where growth is limited are those with little infrastructure. And (dear to our UC hearts) public education is a big part of any robust infrastructure. An educated middle class has been an essential part of what has made California the world's eighth economy.

Mr. Leno has been instrumental in the revival of Sheila Kuehl's Senate Bill 840 (which, placating his monied friends, Governator Schwarzenegger twice vetoed) as SB 810. Don't be fooled by the misinformation, Mr. Leno tells us -- no one is asking for "socialized medicine". Rather, what we need is health care that continues to be privately provided but publicly funded. Eliminate those middlemen, the health insurance companies, whose profit was $12B last year yet added no value. Like me and a lot of people, he is convinced of the need for a single payer. This is the only way to contain costs.

With Jerry Brown in the Governor's seat, Mr. Leno will reintroduce this bill. Will Mr. Brown sign it? When he campaigned with Bill Clinton, Mr. Brown was a knowledgeable advocate for a single payer system. As Governor he will no doubt feel pressure from the right and how he will respond is anyone's guess.

Expect, said Mr. Leno, a huge disinformation campaign from the insurance companies. We must innoculate the public with education about single payer -- "Medicare for all" -- an idea whose time has come and yet another opportunity for California to lead the nation.

Guided by visionaries like Mark Leno, we have hope once again.

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