Junk insurance with no way out
In response to Josh's Where's This Going? post of September 7, 2009, 10:31AM --
It seems clear that the administration's preferred path (and Olympia Snowe's preference) is the direct path to "junk insurance" -- expensive, crappy coverage that is mandatory and that hurts those with the least flexibility in the system (i.e., those with preexisting conditions, those who've been turned down, those who already have expensive junk insurance).
The real idea behind "triggers" is to provide these cowards with political cover for making no meaningful progress at this time.
Public policy triggers never get pulled. There's no compelling argument that says they would get activated in the future.
It's all about lacking political will, and it's starting to look like the Obama administration lacks both will and spine.
It seems clear that the administration's preferred path (and Olympia Snowe's preference) is the direct path to "junk insurance" -- expensive, crappy coverage that is mandatory and that hurts those with the least flexibility in the system (i.e., those with preexisting conditions, those who've been turned down, those who already have expensive junk insurance).
The real idea behind "triggers" is to provide these cowards with political cover for making no meaningful progress at this time.
Public policy triggers never get pulled. There's no compelling argument that says they would get activated in the future.
It's all about lacking political will, and it's starting to look like the Obama administration lacks both will and spine.
