You're confusing private insurance with private administration. Basically, he's talking about something a lot like what most companies that are self-insured do. It would have the distinct advantage of making it possible to get the public option up and running one hell of a lot faster than if they have to set an entire new government agency and staff it with new federal civil service employees.

"Reid went on to state that he very much enjoys gay sex, but only with women. When pressed for an explanation, a spokesperson said that the senator enjoys homosexual intercourse with postoperative male to female transexuals and occasionally with preoperative female to male transexuals. Women with strap ons are right out. A later clarifying statement from the senator was more ambiguous but appeared to be reserving judgement on his sexual proclivities until he has an opportunity to discuss the matter with Joe Lieberman and the Republican leadership."

I always feel like we're losing the health care debate because the dems aren't explaining their position. Right up until they start explaining their position. Why can't our party leadership get out of their own way? These people really need to higher a good PR firm and filter all communication through them.

yeah very true... the GOP has stopped even attempting to look like they want compromise and are openly announcing they won't vote for any bill no matter what it looks like (which most of the people on here knew long ago) - it was... Kyl? Last week? And Bachmann obviously. The whole lot are openly opposing any sort of reform whatsoever and Harry still feels it's necessary to cave to their demands... ugh. I hate the GOP for it's (lack of) ideas, but I hate the Dems because, save a few (Weiner, Barney Frank), they're a bunch of pussies.

OK, NCSteve, tell you what: Here's my bill. It's very short. Every American citizen must purchase health insurance from a private insurance company. There. Done. End of bill. It's the mandate without the regulations and of course without a public option. Sure it's not perfect -- no cost control measures (except those realized by broadening the risk pool, although no guarantees that those cost controls will be passed along to consumers), no regulations on insurers, no restrictions on denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions, no restrictions on post-claim underwriting or rescission, but hey, you know, we are broadening the risk pool, and that should, theoretically, bring down costs, right?

Maybe we'll throw in a subsidy to help people afford it. And they'll need it, of course. Pretty much a direct infusion of cash, right in the vein, from the taxpayers to Big Insurance.

Call it "Health Care Reform", declare victory and go home.

Close enough for government work. Not perfect, but it's something we can call reform. Certainly the health insurers will call it reform.

Oh, you don't like that bill, you say? Pray tell, why not? After all, we's gotta take what we can get, right? In five or ten or fifteen years we can revisit the issue.

And if you tell me you don't like the bill, that it's unacceptable, that it's not enough -- well, then, your position is really no different than those Ideological Purists among the Democratic Left you so love to mock and vilify. It's just a matter of where you draw the line between acceptable and not.