BO on reform

Tuesday the President sat in on a Senate Finance Committee meeting on health reform, and afterward released a letter addressed to Baucus and Kennedy summing up his support.



Here's the gist: BO supports reduced costs, keeping the health insurance you have if you want to. These things are neither new nor surprising. The letter continues, "I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange." Saw that one coming. And BO strongly supports a public health insurance option to compete with private plans. Yep. Further the President is "open to [some Senator's] ideas on shared responsibility." What does this mean, you ask? Insurance mandates. BO was not open to such an idea for anyone other than children during the presidential primaries. I will admit I'm slightly surprised this one is coming up so soon, though i note the noncommittal "openness" which shows a flexibility to jump on board or off whenever the jumping is good. I do believe that the President supports a mandate but will bide his time until a politically safe moment.


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I've now been sitting here staring at this screen trying to figure out the best way to analyze and sum up my feelings about the president's letter. All I can say right now is: Get ready America.