If we get a good public option, all will be forgotten

[bluestateguy]

Sometimes we all forget how ugly the legislative process is. Even some of the best legislation out there came about as a result of a truly ugly process. Truly ugly. And along the way you thought your friends might really be your enemies.

I am cautiously optimistic a public option will find its way into the bill. I'm just not so sure as to how it will happen. But I sense much more confidence from PO supporters than was the case a month ago.

[hokies]

1. Even the best public option now will only insure a small fraction of the American people

Change I can believe in. :eyes:

[Flabbergasted]

5. The best po would be available to everyone.

wtf?

[BzaDem]

6. A PO available to everyone is not even being proposed.

It is not in any of the 3 House bills or the 2 Senate bills. All limit the PO to people on the exchange (limited to those who do not have employer based health insurance).

[truedelphi]

7. Problem is - the OP's wording is ambiguous (At least to me, it is.)

I am not sure if the OP is referring to an ideal that we can talk about and dream about or the reality.

In the real world, like you say, the Public Option that is available to everyone is not being placed into any of the 3 House bills or two Senate bills.

[SpartanDem]

9. Yes its only on the exchange

,but people at least in the House bill are allowed to drop their employer coverage.

[CTLawGuy]

14. hmm those would be the people who NEED insurance

you know, the uninsured.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Heh - made me look up something similar I said a few months back...

Amazingly, I still agree with it! :rofl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8541907&mesg_id=8541924

[LooseWilly]

11. Any change is progress... no matter what sort of horseshit it involves....

Noted.

There is no progress... there is only sausage... and you are holier than "leftists"... because you propound the practicality of sausage?

Ironically... I find that Eating One Sausage Per Day Causes Cancer...

I think there's an allegory to be had there... but I'm not so hamfisted as you... so I'll leave it to you to draw the conclusions... or revert to denial... :)

[Oregone]

3. Its gotta be more than "good"

To balance mandates & penalties, it must be accessible to ALL Americans and should be subsidized or (employee covered for those above need based levels). Wyden's amendment seems to try and solve those.

If not everyone can access it, or if they even may do so without forced employer contribution (equal to what they pay for the private plan), then the whole system will remain largely mandated private insurance and not a damn thing will be forgotten.

[saracat]

4. Exactly but Shhh. You aren't supposed to notice.

[eridani]

8. It is utterly irrelevant how good a public option is if it is delayed until 2013

This leaves two election cycles for Dems to go through attempting to explain to their constituents why the health care situaion continues to get worse and worse. The only incremental approach that avoids this problem is letting anyone volunttarily buy into Medicare.

[pollo poco]

10. How right you are n/t

[glowing]

12. Exactly.. They should have just said "medicare for all" and the entire

bill would pass right on thru.. its already written. Most people understand medicare. Shoring up the cost of prescriptions and the medical institution to help with the costs that are out of control on that end would have been the sausage.. insuring everyone thru a single-payer source would have been super popular and the old people wouldn't be hopping mad thinking they are going to lose their medicare.. they wouldn't care.. everyone would be on the same type of plan based on their income.. with the wealthiest helping to pay the biggest portion.

[ShortnFiery]

13. Yes, the people of America are not as important to our legislators as the God Almighty Insurance

Corporations. Bank on that. :(