Disclaimer: I support a strong public option. I'd really like to see a single-payer system. BUT I REALLY WANT TO SEE ALL AMERICANS COVERED!!!
I keep seeing variations of the following phrase thrown about on this site:
The public option is a compromise.
Maybe I'm missing something, but when was the legislative summit where the Obama administration agreed to pursue the public option as a "compromise"? Did I miss a meeting?
Almost everyone on here loves the idea of a single-payer system. I'm with you. But I think it's fairly arrogant to decare that the most progressive plan for healhcare that can get 50+1 votes (a public option) is a "compromise". Who compromised with who here? Single payer was never even on the table. It wasn't part of the negotiations at ANY point (other than in people's imaginations). It hasn't ever been mentioned by the President or leaders of the key committees. So where was this supposed compromise?
It's pretty arrogant to throw phrases around like "we compromised!" without ever having met with the other side to work out such a deal.
I would compare this to walking up to a woman at a bar and demanding that she sleep with you as a compromise option in place of Scarlett Johanson. They'd say, "What the hell are you talking about? First of all, you have no chance with Scarlett. Second of all, that's incredibly rude. Third, have you ever met Scarlett Johanson? Does she even know that she's involved in this compromise?"
It's a perfect analogy. We had no chance to pass single-payer. It wouldn't even get votes from 30% of Congress, it would enrage people who like their current insurance plans, and it would be logistically impossible to unravel the entire insurance industry anyway. And yet, people are pointing to the single-payer plan as if it was a part of discussions. It wasn't! It's a pipe dream!!!
I bring this up because there are people working pretty hard on the Hill and weighing various options for an ACTUAL compromise that will get them to 60 votes (while KEEPING the public option alive). I kind of doubt that these legislative aides are starting off these meetings by stipulating that they've already compromised at some imaginary meeting that took place in the heads of bloggers.