Ron Wyden is in the Gang of Six. Ron Wyden has proposed an exchange open to people who already have insurance. Ron Wyden wants to tax health care benefits. Does anyone understand just what his angle is?

Some possibilities: taxing health benefits and having a national exchange could be a stalking horse for single payer: make private plans more expensive, and the government plan will wind up enrolling everyone. But then why does his bill have so many Republican co-sponsors?

Wyden wants to separate health insurance from employment. Laudable if you like single payer (and I do), but there are some good systems out there with a strong employment/insurance link, like Germany.

Why the Gang of Six? Is he so convinced of the superiority of his own bill that he's willing to hand Obama (and labor) a defeat?

Any Oregonians or other out there who understand this guy? Thinking outside of the box is sometimes overrated.