Giving Credit

Throughout the emotional gauntlet that is health-care reform in 2009, I have been hard on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nevada), and rightfully so. He never seemed ready to step up to the plate for progressives and liberals, plus he had a tough election coming soon. But he came through (it looks so far) with a opt-out public option in their version of the bill that now must be merged with the similar House bill. He deserves credit, but I certainly reserve the right to judge him again if bails on other key proposals that may yet materialize.

I've been mostly negative on him, and then with the opt-out news yesterday, I was skeptical that this was so simple all of the sudden with the Senate, House and a White House that behaved somewhat oddly this entire process (or maybe oddly as in kowtowing to industries at risk). And I was disappointed that people in some red states won't get much-needed care.

But Anonymous Liberal, who lays out perfectly the entire scenario of the next few years, and how the opt-out may work better than the all-out national option, since this will be the envy of many denied red-staters. They'll see their friends and family in other states getting care they need and at a better price.

Acknowledging that some Republican leaders and legislators that are against it will grandstand and make the argument that nothing's changed by more debt. But they're not seeing big picture. AL writes:

Indeed, it's possible (likely even) that Republicans will point to the lack of any significant premium disparity between opt-out states and public option states as evidence that the public option doesn't work (even if it is working on a national level to control prices). Fortunately, while this might score rhetoric points, it is very unlikely to lead any additional states to opt-out. Once the national public plan is up and running, state legislatures will be loathe to opt-out of it because such a move would necessarily deprive many of their citizens of their existing health insurance (which could be disastrous politically). Thus, it's a smart bet that the universe of opt-out states will only get smaller as the years go on, not bigger.

Though ideally I wouldn't have to be surprised, I'll give credit to the White House and Congressional Democratic leadership. Maybe this is the right strategy, at the end at least. The first several months weren't just uncoordinated, they were models in cluelessness it seemed. Again, more details will come out, and there will be more battles to spin, but this feels nice right now ... just being in this moment and knowing those initial care assurances will be available for most, and hopefully soon all, Americans.