How did the public option become the public's option?

[Cleita]

It seems like one extra letter and a slight turn of phrase has turned this health care reform into a whole different animal. Let's see...a public option would be a government run health program like Medicaid or Medicare or the VA that the consumer could opt to buy into if he weren't happy with his private insurance. That would make it public and an option. The public's option seems to be about John Shmoe Public having to go into the market place and try to choose which private health plan will screw him the least for what he can afford with any subsidies he might be eligible for. It seems there isn't even a real choice here. It's what we already have except now it's going to be mandated. For many in the working class, there won't even be enough money left over for the KY jelly.
:-(

[eleny]

1. k&r with an "ouch!"

[HBravo]

2. I want the same plan as Congress

[Deep13]

6. Which is what Senator Obama promised. nt

[leftstreet]

3. K&R

[ljm2002]

4. Slimy politician-speak, that's how...

...and I for one am not inclined to forgive Ms. Pelosi for this. Up until now I have been willing to cut her some slack, at least the House bill was a bit better than the Senate bill.

Now? Hell no, she's just another hack who is willing to parse words until all the meaning has been squeezed out of them, along with any vestiges of integrity she and the rest of the so-called leadership may once have had.

From me to you, Nancy: SCREW YOU

[Cleita]

8. Remember when she talked about a "robust" public option? There was

no ambiguity there.

[ljm2002]

9. Yes, I remember...

...and I also think her little jab at the President was because she did not get any support on that front from the White House ("Well, the President said lots of things on the campaign trail..." -- or something to that effect).

But still, playing word games at this point is beyond disgusting, at least to me. No, "the public's option to hold insurance companies accountable" is not in any way equivalent to "the public option", and I really resent her use of the phrasing in a blatant attempt to frame the tattered bill we have before us.

[IndianaGreen]

5. It is exactly the way Orwell described Big Brother and The Party

Orwell's cautionary tale has become SOP.

[FiveGoodMen]

7. Yup.

And both parties are in on it.

[lwcon]

10. Once progressives accepted "public option" as the goal...

it was all over.

See here:
http://vastleft.blogspot.com/2009/12/public-option-mother-of-all-teachable.html

And countless other posts here:
http://vastleft.blogspot.com

[Cleita]

12. I argued that back then and was told that demanding single payer

was a leftie loonie dream and that everyone wanted a pony but no one was going to get one. Well the insurance companies not only got their pony but it turns out to be a thoroughbred Arabian. :-(

[Mari333]

11. exactly. they are using the word public option with their own definition

knr

they think we ARE that stupid.