Country First

As I discussed last week, the health insurance lobby has essentially become big heath care (akin to big tobacco) in the health care debate.  President Obama and his Administration, as well as Senate and House Democrats, destroyed the health insurance industry report with gusto. Senator Kerry has actually used this AHIP report to advocate for the public option, since the insurance companies have shown their true colors and are clearly unwilling to work with the government.  Senator Kerry, the man who lost to George W. Bush, is being tougher on the public option than our very own president.  Who woulda thunk it?

Yes, President Obama has made it clear he desires a public option, but he hasn't demanded it be included in any health care bill.  This past Sunday, after the release of the ridiculous AHIP report, President Obama had the perfect opportunity to push the public option, and of course failed to do so.  As Igor Volsky stated, 

Obama could have responded to the industry’s self-serving report by arguing that reform must inject significant competition into health insurance markets. He could have used their new-found tone to argue that reform must hold the industry accountable. The American people, in other words, should not be compelled to buy private coverage from an industry that has just admitted that it would increase premiums by some 111% if reform passes.

But rest assured that Obama still believes the public option is “the best possible choice” to restore competition and improve affordability. He just refuses to fight for it. Why? The public option is not a liberal ideological baton, it’s a sensible compromise that builds on free market principles.

President Obama, in his heart of hearts, obviously wants a public heath insurance option.  Hell, he probably wants a single payer system just like I do.  We all know single payer isn't a viable reality, but a public option is.  Over 70% of people support the choice of a public option, and the majority of House and Senate Democrats approve as well, so why isn't the President pushing this harder?  He may not currently have the votes he needs, but if he doesn't strongly advocated for the public option, then he'll surely never get them.

Republicans may be right for once, and the Democrats may take the Finance Bill and push it left.  Politically, it's a winner for Senator Harry Reid, as he is looking weaker and weaker in his reelection campaign, and could diffuse the anger of progressives and unions in his home state of Nevada.  Inclusion in a final bill at the Senate floor would make it that much more difficult to strip a public plan from the bill. Regardless of whether or not Republicans make this a wedge issue again, adding the public option in a merged Senate bill simply makes sense for the country.  

If only President Obama's slogan could've been Country First.