One of the least insightful questions I have ever encountered on health care reform (excluding any asked by Ezra Klein, of course) was posed by Andrew Sullivan yesterday:
Is there not a good argument to be made now that Obama, having failed to win any serious Republican support, should give his party what it wants: a public option or, at the very least, more generous subsidies for the middle classes this bill is designed to help?
This was inspired by the absence of Republican support for a “reform” bill also disliked by the Democrats. The answer, in case it isn’t blindingly obvious, is: NO, there is NOT a good argument for doing that.
Why? Because health care reform isn’t about providing what the DNC wants. It is about WHAT THE VOTERS WANT. As I noted yesterday, the actual voters do not share the Democrat vision on reform.
Polls have consistently shown that the voters want two things out of health reform: cost control and ready access. None of the Democrat bills, including the Baucus plan, make any real attempt to improve either.
Perhaps Senator Baucus, President Obama, and their accomplices in the House should try producing a reform plan that actually addresses the wishes of the voters. Maybe then they could get the Pubbies to sign on.
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