Prometheus 6

Really. When September started, a guy at Firedoglake said

Rational conversation isn't possible. We need an emotional message.

I suggested a national public health insurance plan with an state-by-state opt-out option.

The emotional message is fear. You WILL lose your health care if nothing is done because the nature of employment is changing.

...which isn't a prediction.

I figured the ability for a state to opt-out would appeal to the states-rights folk, but any politician would realize opting out would be the end of his career.

Between Senators Schumer and Carper on the legislative side and Keith Olbermann on the emotional message side, my evil plan has been set into motion. Mua-ha-ha!

I should be satisfied. But no...I am compelled to think once again, after the ritual examination by the CBO, politicians are still whining about how are we going to psy for it...It doesn't reduce the deficit enough.

So let's reduce the deficit more. Instead of pricing the public insurance option plan on an at-cost basis, budget a one or two percent profit. We can sunset the mandatory profit in ten years, because that's what we seem to do. I got no idea how much money that would be but I suspect it would be huge.