Howard Dean on MSNBC earlier today:
[Senator Conrad is] wrong about this. The co-ops are too small to compete with the big, private insurance companies. They will kill the co-ops completely by undercutting them, using their financial clout to do it. In the small states like mine and like Senator Conrad’s, you’re never gonna get to the 500,000 number signed up in the co-op that you need to in order for them to have any marketing [power].
This is a compromise designed to deal with problems in the Senate. But it doesn’t deal with problems in America. And I think it’s time for the Senate to stop playing politics, do what has to be done.
Killing the co-ops is the whole point -- pass a placebo alternative that feels like a public option, but will ultimately be smothered to death, leaving everyone with one -- one! -- federally mandated choice: private health extortion.