The Politics of the Public Option

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Sunday June 28, 2009 · 4:40 PM PDT

2009/06/28 · 16:40

A robust public healthcare option is certainly good policy. But policy does not generally sell itself, especially in complicated fields such as healthcare. How can a more robust political will be mobilized in favor of a strong public healthcare option?

Two points come to mind, one from examination of the Republican opposition to a strong public option, and the other from a search for new sources of support.

We need always to keep in mind that the Republicans are terrified of a strong public option. Once put in place, and seen to successfully deliver healthcare to c. 48 million Americans who now lack health insurance, plus millions more who have weak policies or who see themselves at risk of losing what health insurance they have, public healthcare will become an essential part of America's social service fabric--and delivered by the Democratic Party. Moreover, all the scare stories put out by Republicans will be seen for what they are--lies and special pleading on behalf of special interests.

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