GUEST: Alexander Zaitchick, contributing writer for Alternet.org<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n![\"health](\"http:\/\/gconnect.in\/gc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/03\/health_insurance.gif\")
President Obama’s health care reform efforts received a boost this week when Wal-mart, the nation’s largest employer, officially endorsed a requirement that large corporations provide health insurance for their workers. This requirement is a significant part of the President’s plan. However, progressives continue to be disappointed with the weakness of his so-called public option and the complete exclusion of single payer health care. This explains the shock and anger expressed recently by many leading progressive groups toward a think tank called Third Way, when a memo was leaked indicating the group’s real position on health care. The memo in question, authored by three senior staffers at Third Way, argued against the creation of a public health care plan and for a so-called hybrid public-private plan with a 4 year sunset provision. The problem isn’t as much Third Way’s position, as it is their self-description: on their website Third Way calls itself a “non-profit, non-partisan think tank, developing modern progressive policy.” In fact the word “progressive” is ubiquitous on their website. Now, Alexander Zaitchick, a contributing writer at Alternet.org, has written a scathing expose called “Bogus Think Tank ‘Third Way’ Pops Up to Thwart Health Care Reform<\/a>.”<\/p>\n