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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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 NATE SILVER 
24

Why the Public Option's Still Alive

Polls, time, and activism keep popular concept on the table

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(Newser) – Reports of the public option’s demise look to have been exaggerated. Nate Silver breaks down what revived it at FiveThirtyEight.com:

  •  “The tireless, and occasionally tiresome,” advocacy from liberal bloggers and interest groups.
  • The CBO thinks it will save money.
  • The shift of focus from the Gang of Six (Bingaman, Conrad, Baucus, Snowe, Grassley, and Enzi) to the Group of Six (Pelosi, Dodd, Obama, Reid, Baucus, and Snowe).

  • The opt-in/opt-out compromises, which liberals prefer to triggers or co-ops.
  • The fading memory of the tea partiers.
  • Various polls showing its popularity, particularly in swing states and districts.
  • The insurance industry’s misleading study—did they think it was still 1993?
  • The Washington Post’s “somewhat bizarre decision” to run its poll showing support for the public option on its front page, even though support’s been steady for months.

Demonstrators protest in front Blue Cross offices in downtown San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009.
Demonstrators protest in front Blue Cross offices in downtown San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Demonstrators protest in front Blue Cross offices in downtown San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009.
Demonstrators protest in front Blue Cross offices in downtown San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Katina Economou, 79, of Potomac, Md., holds a pin supporting the public health care option, during a rally to support health insurance reform in Rockville, Md. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009.
Katina Economou, 79, of Potomac, Md., holds a pin supporting the public health care option, during a rally to support health insurance reform in Rockville, Md. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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24 comments
VIEWING:
 
Thinker
Oct 21, 09 1:02 PM CDT
How about adding, "The unfortunate and continuous horror stories in the media that show how the insurance companies are screwing the middle class, one sick person at a time?" Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+19
IN RESPONSE:
tomodachi
Oct 21, 09 1:31 PM CDT
I heard the media had such a hard time finding examples of screwed middle class... that they had to hire actors to make the news articles. "I'm not an oppressed member of the over-burdened working-class... but I play one on TV."
Vote up! Vote down!
-11
IN RESPONSE:
kokuaguy
Oct 21, 09 1:40 PM CDT
And you heard this where? Examples? So, maybe the guy who enlisted in the Army for four years was lying about his wife needing chemotherapy? I've heard of method acting but that's incredible !!!
Vote up! Vote down!
+10
IN RESPONSE:
JonmarkP
Oct 21, 09 5:55 PM CDT
The public option is still alive because we-the-public have made it clear there will be a high career-mortality rate among politicians who don't vote to pass it. We're the "some of the people" they can't fool any of the time. Well, except for 9/11 and Jeebus.
Vote up! Vote down!
+3
Derni
Oct 21, 09 1:10 PM CDT
Insurance and drug companies have their own best interestes in mind-give us care-give us something to help compete with the big guns and keep costs down--don't be swayed by those in Congress that have great health care (paid for by you andme) telling you we can't afford it-we can afford a warthat costs billion daily-lets take care of our own and stop taking care of everyone-we must learn to help others within our means-so Congress? whats it goin to be? Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+6

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