Barney Frank: Public "Option" Will Lead Us to Government-Run Health Care

Barney Frank, last Monday in Washington, National Press Club, unidentified reporter for SinglePayerAction.org had this exchange with Barney Frank:

REPORTER: Congressman, real quick: Why is single-payer off the table?

FRANK: Because we don't have the votes. I wish it weren't. I'm all for it. I'm a big sponsor. I've been a cosponsor of single payer for a very long time.

REPORTER: Don't you think we should scratch everything and start anew with single payer?

FRANK: No.

REPORTER: Why shouldn't we start with single payer anew?

FRANK: Look, because we don't have the votes for it. I wish we did. I think if we get a good public option, it could lead to single payer and that's the best way to reach single payer. I think the best way we're gonna get single payer, the only way, is to have a public option and demonstrate its strength and its power.