Activists felt that their calls for a single-payer system were not being taken seriously and the need for hearings on the subject were being downplayed. This is justified because, at the very least, there could have been debate on the subject instead of a complete shutting-out of their wishes. Sen. Baucus could have, at the very least, called for a committee hearing on the subject and questioned advocates of the concept about the pros and cons of a single-payer system, instead of completely downplaying the idea out-of-hand. This could have led to an increase in interest in the idea and maybe even bringing some of the ideas into the current health-care system.
