A number of pieces today on the Public Option and Health Co-ops. Though many of those reading this blog have little interest in the former proposal (as is the case with me, a fervent advocate of single-payer), and virtually none in the latter, the health care legislation that passes, if it does, will define the Obama presidency until the mid-term elections at least.
From what I've seen, these links are the most helpful in determining exactly what is being proposed, and why (it looks like the co-op proposal may be a mere feint by the Republicans, simply used to provide some sort of non-hysterical--to put it mildly--criticism of the public option).
First, this short Financial Times piece provides a useful scorecard of the votes in the House and Senate.
Second, Ezra Klein suggests that the co-op proposal isn't serious, and certainly isn't well thought out (i.e it's a tactic/gimmick, anyway, by those hell-bent on derailing the public option anyway).
Third, Mark Thoma provides a few specific objections to the co-op proposals. Note that these are hardly radical points of critique.
Finally, one of the country's foremost health care economists, Uwe Reinhardt of Princeton, outlines the following scenario if healthcare reform ceases to be passed. Courtesy if LBO Talk
At the end of the day, it looks like something will be passed, given the fact that the administration has staked so much on it. Strange, then, that they've been so cowed by a few village idiots at industry-staged "town halls"? One wonders what the revolt of left (using the term extremely loosely) Democrats spoken of by the FT will do. Even given that revolt, it seems that even a dismembered public option will be the best anyone can hope for at this point. So there's nothing in this legislation for thee left to support anymore, if there ever was anything at all. But, seeing that they're hell-bent on passing something, we have one choice: to get out there and yell like mad for single payer, single payer alone, and single payer once and for all. Because you can bet we'll be the ones paying for the direct costs (higher premiums) and shortfalls (related to the increased national debt involved in paying for the faulty legislation, or, as Reinhardt illustrates, in the lower wages that will offset increasing company health costs if legislation is ineffective at controlling costs) of the horrific legislation that will be passed.