Public Option Trigger

So this makes little sense.

There's a movement afoot to gain support for the "public option" as part of health care reform by implementing a "trigger", whereby private insurers would have a set period of time to prove they are up to the task of lowering costs, increasing access, and doing all the other things to make use healthy and happy that they have previously declined to do.

Should they fail to meet specific measures within that timeframe, a government-sponsored public option would kick in.

You know, after a couple more years of things getting even worse while the plan forces us to buy their crappy private coverage that gives them massive amounts of our money in exchange.

The media is too timid to report the truth -a private option is cheaper and will drive down costs while widening coverage. That's why Republicans, BlueDog Dems, and insurance companies hate it. It will inevitably take a hatchet to the profit tree.

And if it's the best way to accomplish the two primary goals, why wait? To get more votes? Those who oppose the public option now will oppose it a year from now, or two, or three.

Public option now. Let the cards fall where they may.