Hey guys-
This was going to be a post about my fall plum pie recipe, and imma gonna let you have that, but first I have to share what a reader ofSully's (Andrew Sullivan on The Atlantic portal) has to say about about the Public Option version under consideration, the so called opt out:
The reason moderates are balking on the public option opt-out is because they see it for what it is -- a false concession... The opt-out does not make the public option weak. It does not change the substance of the "full" public option in any meaningful way.
OH SHIT SON THEY'RE ON TO US!
On process grounds, opting out would be very difficult because it would require two houses of a state legislature to pass a bill and the governor to sign it. Having even one of those three branches be in Democratic hands likely would end chances of opting out. And the ability to opt-out expires in 2014. Furthermore, even if the entire state legislature and governor are philosophically against a national insurance plan, it's a very different thing to turn down a benefit that your state residents are already paying federal taxes to support. Let's be clear: You cannot opt-out of the taxes to support the program. You can only opt-out of the benefits.
OH SHIT SON THEY'RE ON TO US!!!!
Yup. You heard it from a fiscal conservative reader writing to Sully- the reason why the opt out is being so strongly resisted by so called moderates is that they know this compromise can actually work, according to Federal laws of the land. You don't have to take Fed money after all. But you sure as shit must pay Fed taxes. So, to not take a Fed program that can directly benefit your constituents is political- and possibly literal- suicide. Nawh, not even the idiot murdering Governor of Texas would dare do that.
According to Sully, that's how we are all being played by Obama and his team- this compromise, while not the heavily regulated system German styled system I would like, has a chance of actually working. The compromise is a real fricking threat, and the so called moderates dogs are responsible to their Corporate masters, not the great unwashed.
Here's the possible endgame: The conservadogs wanna play bs, then fine- reconcilation is entirely possible, Madame Pelosi is completely open to it- and a even stronger, more robust public option with more insurance industry regulation is a complete possibility, tacked on by the house and having Joe Biden's +1.
Meanwhile Luke Skywalker, er, I mean President Obama can say 'Hey, I always wanted a public option in some form.' He can look reasonable and sign a bill with the compromise...or go all Dark Side and sign something even more stronger. Both ways, he smells like a rose.
We have got to ramp up and fight. And I know, this bloody sucks- having to fight for crumbs from the table that is rightfully ours. I know that. But man, they are on to us, son, and we have to keep going on.
Tomorrow, I will post my Plum-Rum pie recipe- both in a regular and gluten free recipe!