Goodbye Public Option

Yes it was expected, but it is still sad to see that although 2/3 of Americans approve of the public option (CBS poll 9/24), it was voted down by 2/3 of the Senate Finance Committee. Although there were various reasons each senator gave for their nay vote, I found Senator Max Baucus’ reasoning most intriguing, “My first job is to get this bill across the finish line…No one shows me how to get to 60 votes with a public option". I think we all agree that something is better than nothing, but how much compromise must take place before a much-needed big shift is watered down to something that resembles yet another increment? In this case though, I am confident that whatever happens will be more than just an increment in policy change, but one has to wonder how much is enough when it comes to gutting up good policy in the name of passable policy. Furthermore, I have to say that this whole business about a real Democratic filibuster-proof majority is just an illusion, overblown by party members as well as the media. There was so much hype when Al Franken was made the 60th Senator, but what has really come of that? One thing that the federal government truly needs to learn from successful is the notion of under-promising but over-delivering. Government seems to do just the opposite (remember FEMA, No Child Left Behind, “mission accomplished") but I suppose that’s what happens when you want to make your electorate happy and get elected to office. Not to sound facetious, but I hope that those who are against or voted against the public option, or any of the reform efforts live long and prosperous lives…long enough to witness a true reformation of healthcare in the future. Imagine that!