The claim that the House bill would amount to "government-run health care" suffered a blow last week, when the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the so-called "public plan" in the revised bill wouldn’t offer much in the way of competition to private insurers. But that hasn’t stopped Republicans from repeating the claim.
Excuse me, but wasn't increased competition the whole freakin' point of a public option? "Conservative groups have... claimed that a federal health insurance plan would be the death knell for private insurance, offering a much cheaper alternative and eventually leading to 'a government-run system.'" the site reports. "As we’ve written, how competitive the 'public plan' would be depends greatly on how it’s structured. And the latest iteration in the revised House bill isn’t expected to have much of an impact on private insurers, according to the nonpartisan CBO and an independent analysis of this scenario."
Still, as I've been saying, you can't strengthen something that doesn't exist. Without a weak public option now, a strong public option later becomes that much more difficult. After this though, it's hard to see how anyone in Washington will be eager to revisit healthcare reform in the near future and tweak a public option in the right direction. In order to get something passed, Democrats have fought themselves and negotiated something that's as close to nothing as possible.
But, from a different angle, it also demonstrates just how shameless a bunch of liars Republicans are. If this isn't a "government takeover" and is, in fact, just a very weak method of competition, what's the big objection? Why all the hysterics?
It's because Democrats are on the verge of accomplishing something. It's not very good or especially effective, but it's something. And Democrats must fail at everything -- no matter the cost to you or me. At this point, Republicans don't actually stand for anything anymore, other than the high and patriotic principle that Republicans must be in power at all times. Their objections aren't ideological anymore, they're just strategic. And if that screws you, well who cares?
