I'm surprised this hasn't gotten more attention. But imagine for a moment that the opt-out public option passes and becomes law (I give it a 65 percent chance at this point). Then what happens? Well, there has to be a debate in every state in which Republicans, where they hold a majority or the governorship, will presumably decide to deny their own voters the option to get a cheaper health insurance plan. When others in other states can get such a plan, will there not be pressure on the GOP to help their own base?... Won't many people - many Republican voters - actually ask: why can't I have what they're having?
This is why this is lethal. The argument against new entitlements requires a macro-level perspective.
This would be the ideal scenario and one that I am hopeful for and one that I think Dick Durbin and Harry Reid are counting on.
I'm also wondering about the politics between the White House and Reid on this. The leaks point to Obama working a more moderate approach and Reid pushing to include this opt out. Can the leaks be believed or is this more rope-a-dope from White House?
If they get this passed the backroom machinations will make a great book someday.
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