Let me make myself clear, from the Wall Street Journal [1]:
In the health debate, liberals sing Hari Krishnas to the “public option” — a new federal insurance program like Medicare — but if it’s good enough for the middle class, then surely it’s good enough for the political class too? As it happens, more than a few Democrats disagree.
On Tuesday, the Senate health committee voted 12-11 in favor of a two-page amendment courtesy of Republican Tom Coburn that would require all Members and their staffs to enroll in any new government-run health plan. Yet all Democrats — with the exceptions of acting chairman Chris Dodd, Barbara Mikulski and Ted Kennedy via proxy — voted nay.
In other words, Sherrod Brown and Sheldon Whitehouse won’t themselves join a plan that “will offer benefits that are as good as those available through private insurance plans — or better,” as the Ohio and Rhode Island liberals put it in a recent op-ed. And even a self-described socialist like Vermont’s Bernie Sanders, who supports a government-only system, wouldn’t sign himself up.
Dan Riehl, Riehl World View [2],makes a point:
Democrats: No Thanks On Public Option
As precious, as it is telling. When faced with an amendment requiring Senate members to join any passed public option, the Democrats declined. But the amendment passed nonetheless. Here’s one that will never make it through reconciliation. What’s good enough for you is not good enough for them.
Mike, Cold Fury [3], makes a blunt point:
Rope. Tree. Socialists. Some assembly required. And on a related note: still foolishly swallowing those lies about being “allowed” to keep your own private insurance?
It sounds like a threat to me. What say you? If the public option is not good enough for Congress, it is not good enough for you.