Carper Still Pushing Triggered Co-ops

Remember this one? The "Plan B" for getting all those moderates on board by creating state level triggered co-ops in lieu of a public option? Carper is still pushing it, acting as concern troll, catering to those vaunted "moderates" of the caucus.

"We're concerned that a number of centrists aren't prepared to vote for a national public plan, even with an opt-out," Carper said in response to a question from TPMDC. "We're trying to find something that addresses their concern about government run, government-funded, but still addresses the need for the affordability needs and the need for more competition in states that don't have it."

"What we're asking centrists is, What concerns do you need to have addressed so that you can vote for cloture, either to bring the bill to the floor, or to take the bill off the floor and to go to conference? And the two concerns we keep hearing over and over again: government-run, government funded."

I wonder if he got his non-public option "alternative" to a public option idea from his former chief of staff, who is now a lobbyist for WellPoint, the nation's largest health insurer. Surely just coincidence, right?

The ConservaDems have held this process hostage long enough, and it's time for the progressives--and in this case it's the 54 or 55 who would have no problem voting for a public option--to take the process back. Sherrod Brown says they've compromised enough. If he and his progressive colleagues mean that, then they need to start pressuring leadership to use the same hardball tactics as Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln.

The answer is there: reconciliation. It's potentially ugly, but policy-making, particularly on the important stuff, isn't supposed to be easy or pretty. At the very least, the threat of the ConservaDems being left behind on this bill has to be made. At this point, a halfway decent outcome depends up on it.