Talking Points Memo is leading right now with a story detailing how key Democratic lawmakers appear to be softening on the so-called Opt Out that would let governors opt their state out of any health care insurance public option enacted by the Congress.
This is unacceptable, IMHO.
From Senator Rockefeller ("I'm looking very much now at this opt out public option ... not opt in but opt out ... that has a sense of freedom") to Representative Weiner ("I would accept and would be open to the idea, after the program's up and running a couple years, if a state wants to opt out, if they want to leave 25, 30, 50 thousand of their citizens without that choice") formerly strong supporters of the public option are suddenly looking a lot weaker. I don't want to overstate the case, however, because right now Rockefeller and Weiner are simply saying they'd consider an opt out, but look at the response yesterday to Creigh Deeds' (Democratic candidate for Governor of Virginia) answer in a debate that he would "consider" opting out if the governor was given that power: Opt Out Fiasco Overwhelmingly negative. Deeds may have just cost himself any hope at winning.
Let's be clear, Senator Rockefeller, allowing a governor to opt out of the public option for citizens of her or his state is not "freedom". It is governmental interference with an individual's right to choose the health care options that best fit individual circumstances. I doubt that the uninsured residents of red states want Mark Sanford, or Bobby Jindal, or Rick Perry making their health care decisions for them. Would you, Senator, want someone else to have veto power over your choice of health care insurance? No? Well then don't give that unwarranted power to men that have proven they'll make decisions that hurt their states in order to thumb their wingnut noses at President Obama. Just look what they did with the economic stimulus.
How about Representative Weiner? True, you said that you believe it is unimaginable (I'm paraphrasing) that the residents of any state would actually let their governor opt out once the program is up and running. But can you really believe that a winger like Sanford or Perry wouldn't exercise their power to sting the Democrats? Do you really think these governors care about the welfare of the poor and uninsured in their states? Can you truly believe their wingnut supporters wouldn't applaud them taking that choice away? Really? I didn't think so.
Opt out should be a non-starter for any supporter of the public option in my opinion. It is precisely the opposite of "freedom," Senator, and it is not unimaginable, Representative, that right wing governors would take that choice away. Please, don't even consider the opt out. It's the wrong thing to do.
Update: a number analysis of what the Opt out might mean from Firedoglake
And for full discussion, and analysis from 538.com supporting the Opt Out.