Alabama Ass Whuppin': Opt-Out Public Option

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Opt-Out Public Option

Now this is a brilliant idea as long as the strongest possible, no trigger, no co-op PO is in the bill.

Political genius, too.

Wanna be all anti-gov? Your state can just opt the fuck out. We blue states will be more than happy to take all of the businesses that will flee your backward asses.

States rights? Well, here you go! Have at it, Randians.

Dems Discussing Public Option With Opt-Out Clause: The Silver Bullet?:

"But instead of starting with no national public option and giving state governments the right to develop their own, the newest compromise approaches the issue from the opposite direction: beginning with a national public option and giving state governments the right not to have one."

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Daily Kos: Opt-Out Public Option: EPIC WIN:

"Rarely do the Left and the Right have a head-to-head opportunity to prove out, in real time, the relative superiority of their respective value systems and legislative choices, with real and immediate consequences not only for the partisan legislators involved, but for the legitimacy of a Party's entire ideological underpinnings.

An opt-out system will allow Republicans to use their own psychotic, sociopathic momentum to carry them to their doom. With apologies to the long-suffering citizens of those states who may have to wait a few more years for needed help on healthcare, I say let each state do as it pleases, and let the chips fall where they may.

And within a decade, the writing on the wall will be so clear even in Alabama and Mississippi that not only will we have a national public plan, but we might even see some deep South red states turn blue as a result."

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"With full apologies due to my fellow Democrats in deep red states, I must nevertheless admit that I really love the idea of an opt-out public option.

Not because it's the best idea by any means. A robust single-payer plan would be the best idea. Not because tens of thousands of real Americans won't die and go bankrupt in states with morally bankrupt legislators.

But it would do wonders to completely reframe the entire debate over the public option and healthcare in general by allowing, at long last, those states with Randian ideological pedigrees to truly 'go Galt', in a head to head test of ideologies to see who comes out ahead and why. And if we play our cards right, it might just be the ticket to Democratic victories in the South."

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They would have never fixed it regardless. To the GOP there is absolutely nothing wrong with the way things are now. Nothing. Insurance companies are making money hand over fist while the rest of us eats cake.

Think Progress � Rep. Ryan admits GOP was negligent on health care for 12 years: ‘We should have fixed this under our watch.’:

"FRANK: I just want to ask Paul one question. … When did you figure that out? Because apparently for the 12 years that the Republicans were in control — eight of which had a Republican president — that hadn’t occurred to you. So I’m glad you now understand that. Can you tell me at what moment the revelation occurred?

RYAN: First of all, I introduced on this subject about six years ago.

FRANK: You had control of the Congress. Why didn’t the Republican Congress fix it?

RYAN: I will have a moment of bipartisan agreement. We should have fixed this under our watch and I’m frustrated we didn’t."

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And to personalize the issue, my friend Steve sent this to me yesterday.

It is an interview with his sister from 1992. Cheryl had breast cancer and, surprise, the insurance companies denied her specific treatments. In 1992. Let's see, wasn't there a Democrat in office who tried to reform health care back in 1992 and wasn't it the Republican party who put all of their money and effort into killing any type of reform.

Cheryl died in 1996.... from breast cancer.

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So they want to trump up some shit on ACORN with silly hidden cameras.

Two can play that game.

Exclusive: Gun show dealers caught on video selling to people who tell them they'd fail a background check | Crooks and Liars

Unlike the phony ACORN undercover operation -- which only offered for public view a single instance of actual miscreancy, and refused to report the several instances in which they were turned away -- this report is clear that some gun vendors adhered to the law.

But some 19 out of the 30 vendors approached sold to investigators who said they'd probably fail a check. Along the way, they bought semi-automatic handguns and assault rifles. All told, 39 of 51 attempts to buy a gun illegally were successful. Several vendors told their buyers that they probably wouldn't pass a check either.

Only 11 vendors said no.

There were exchanges like this caught on tape:

"I don't need your address."

"No background check?"

"Nothing. Just show me that you're from Ohio."

"That's good about the background check because I probably couldn’t pass one."

"I don't care. All's I got to do is demand you show me your license."

"You don’t care about the background check, right?"

"Nope. Nope. I wouldn't pass either, bud." [grin]

"Is that right?"

This is why some 30 percent of all illegal gun traffic in the United States emanates from gun shows. It's long past time to shut this travesty down.