(Promoted pursuant to our policy of front-paging diaries from candidates for statewide office. – promoted by Jack McCullough)
I just got word that Governor Douglas has allowed S.88 to become law without his signature. Thank you to everyone who worked with me to get this bill to his desk and made into law.
I am pleased that S.88 has been allowed to become law today. It is the essential next step for health care reform in Vermont. I am proud that, as chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, I was able to craft this bill with the help of many legislators and advocates, and to achieve a non-partisan, strong majority vote in both houses. I made a promise in the fall to move Vermont forward in addressing our health care crisis, and I kept that promise.
I am disappointed that the governor pointed to the anticipated design work as a reason for his refusal to sign the bill. Jim Douglas should understand what most Vermonters do, which is that our health care costs are out of control and access to affordable health care is becoming more difficult every day.
S.88 offers hope that Vermont can lead the way once again by charting our own course and showing that quality, affordable health care can be available for all Vermonters.
I look forward to the process that will happen over the summer and fall, and as governor, I will implement the best design option.
–Doug Racine
This is great news! One of the biggest under-looked benefits I forsee to establishing a sane single payer style health system in Vermont is the huge economic benefits. Removing this burden from businesses here will attract companies to the state and benefit the economy in a huge way. The way the nation’s healthcare is run at this point has been a weight on our competitiveness worldwide.
LOL Jack. How right you are. That would give him a bad name among his capitalist benefactors and friends. But who cares if this bears his signature. It is a huge step and that is all that counts. We can go ahead and get this done without his veto in the way. This is a milestone.