Okay. As my father used to say, "We're where we are."
It's pretty clear that the Democrats (Obama included) are not going to insist on a Public Plan in the final health care bill. Hell, we can barely even get them to say the phrase in public anymore. If this isn't clear to you yet (and with all due respect), I want some of what you're smoking.
Yes, there's always hope we can force a strong public plan in reconciliation, and I for one intend to do everything I can to make that happen, just as I have been for months now. Witness my tag line: "They don't win until we give up."
Having said that, what is Plan "B"? What's a Plan "B" that might actually do the following:
(1) Screw the Republicans (always my first priority)
(2) Screw the insurance companies (a strong second)
(3) Get something passed that actually makes a positive difference instead of something that just makes the situation worse
(4) Screw the Republicans and the insurance companies (oh, did I say that already?)
I only support the mandates if there is a strong public option. I believe a mandate that requires individuals to purchase for-profit health care policies from private companies amounts to only one thing if there is no Public Plan to push for lower costs and to offer a safety net:
Tax-payer funded Subsidies for Insurance Companies
Now I'm sorry, folks, but that just doesn't get it for me. It reminds me of Medicare D (a Republican plan I might remind you) and is a loser for us politically. We have enough backlash on our hands as it is. Just wait until everyone finds out they have to purchase some crappy and expensive insurance policy they can't afford. You ain't seen nothing yet. As further evidence of how bad this is for us politically, it is a Republican idea. Now they're doing the happy dance that the Democrats are going to be the ones to sell it! (After they've rubbed out the Public Plan, of course.)
Now the Republicans aren't the only ones who are doing the happy dance that the Democrats are going to push for mandates. The mandates have the insurance companies salivating too. They're willing to sell the little soul they have left to get them. I mean, what could be better for their bottom line than 50 million new customers who are forced to buy their product? Regardless of the price, I might add.
So here's the bottom line:
If there's no public plan, there can be no mandates.
That's really a very simple message, don't you think?
The way things are shaking out now, with all the Democrats running for cover and Obama calling the Public Plan a "sliver," or something like that, there isn't going to be any actual reform anyway. So let's just do away with the mandates and instead make it really simple. Let's:
(1) outlaw denial and price increases for pre-existing conditions
(2) outlaw recission
(3) outlaw lifetime caps
We can call it:
Health Insurance Regulation Reform
Yes. I want more, a lot more. I know this doesn't mean universal coverage, and I know it doesn't address the uninsured problem (but neither does the current bill the way it's headed.) I am sickened and royally pissed off that we don't look like we're going to get there this year. But the key at this point is not to pass "something is better than nothing," but to actually pass "something that works, something that actually helps Americans and something that doesn't kill us politically." It's bonus points that the Republicans and the insurance companies get the shaft.
How are the Republicans and the insurance companies going to argue against these three regulations? And who gives a shit what they say anyway.
In the meantime, we focus on getting some real Democrats elected to come at this again for universal coverage.
No mandates without a public option.