Squeeze the Public Option Trigger

Ben Smith reports that, in response to the Senate shift away from a public option, an insurance industry insider says "We WIN. Administered by private insurance companies. No government competitor."

There are lots of reason to think a public option trigger won't work and will face opposition in the Senate. A well-crafter trigger that went into effect when measurable conditions weren't met (decreasing percent without health insurance, reasonable rates, elmination of regional monopolies, etc.) and was supported by a strong planning effort over the next few years, could be effective. Does anyone think our political process can produce such a result?

In the end, it's time for our political leaders to prove their stuff. They were elected to govern and now they need to deliver. If the only way forward is a public option or if it's expansion of Medicare or if it's expansion of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHB), now is the time to see whether our publicly elected officials can make policy that benefits the American people.