Griper Blade: The Good News is That it Probably Can't Get Any Worse

Yeah, yeah, yeah... Public option, public option, public option... It's all I'm talking about lately. Sure, I take the occasional sidetrip to Iran or Crazytown, but -- let's face it -- the big domestic story is still healthcare reform. Among supporters and opponents, it's almost like a presidential campaign. Unless the moon explodes or something, this thing is going to suck up all the oxygen in the room until something passes or the whole thing dies.

To a certain extent, this may be a good thing. People who don't follow the mechanics of government are getting a pretty good education on the legislative process. We didn't watch the resolution to authorize the use of force in Iraq as closely as we're watching this legislation. We all remember "How a Bill Becomes Law" from Schoolhouse Rock, but that didn't really tell the whole story. You've got your horsetrading and your conference committee and your internecine political warfare; this is how the sausage is made and we didn't tell kids about it back in the day because we didn't want them to grow up cynical and convinced that the political system blows. It's a real education.

But back to the public option; what is it really? Senate majority leader Harry Reid has begun promising one. "We are going to have a public option before this bill goes to the president's desk," Reid said Thursday. "I believe the public option is so vitally important to create a level playing field and prevent the insurance companies from taking advantage of us."... [CLICK TO READ FULL POST]