- 2,908
Prepare thyself for Obama to get very ugly about insurance companies in the next week. He has no choice. He has defectors in his own party and in the public for reasons that have to do with his plan- independent of insurance lobbying. In the same way that Iranians lash out at the US when they have internal problems, Obama will have to lash out hard at insurance companies in order to make it look like the problem is opposition from them rather than from the public.
Look for the small signs: Two days ago he referred to his health reform bill as "the Insurance Reform Bill." Freudian? You decide.
The good news: He is doing this because he knows the public option is not going to fly. So his health reform must consist of fiddling with the insurance carriers and the related system. (ie. guaranteed issue).
He is holding plenty of cards, except he is playing defense now. Something we have not seen before. He is going to get ugly with the insurance industry but it is beginning to get plenty ugly for him too. Add August recess to it, and it is not a happy mix for him and we know he likes happy.
A bill this year? No way. Just some skeletal thing with generic goals of guaranteed issue and coverage for all and affordability, blah, blah, blah - if anything.
Look for the small signs: Two days ago he referred to his health reform bill as "the Insurance Reform Bill." Freudian? You decide.
The good news: He is doing this because he knows the public option is not going to fly. So his health reform must consist of fiddling with the insurance carriers and the related system. (ie. guaranteed issue).
He is holding plenty of cards, except he is playing defense now. Something we have not seen before. He is going to get ugly with the insurance industry but it is beginning to get plenty ugly for him too. Add August recess to it, and it is not a happy mix for him and we know he likes happy.
A bill this year? No way. Just some skeletal thing with generic goals of guaranteed issue and coverage for all and affordability, blah, blah, blah - if anything.
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