Rep. Weiner single payer amendment to be introduced today, after yesterday's attack on the scourge of government-run health care

Rep. Anthony Weiner's office says the single payer amendment will be introduced today--any last-minute calls will be welcome. See this post for a "whip list" of likely supporters. The full House Energy and Commerce committee membership is here.

Meanwhile, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) introduced an amendment to the committee yesterday--not a single payer plan, but a "put up or shut up" amendment to eliminate Medicare. It was a challenge to his retrograde colleagues who claim that competition by the private sector is the best way to expand coverage and that government "interference" would deform the doctor-patient relationship. He makes good points about why we need to expand the single-payer government-run system we have, and defends the common-sense view that most Americans would welcome enlarging Medicare to cover everyone. It's theater, but he deserves a round of applause.