Sen. Ben Nelson on Health Care Reform: "The public plan wins the game." But He's Against It!

I thought this comment from Sen. Ben Nelson on a public health care plan in the reform package was classic.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said Friday that he will oppose legislation that would give people the option of a public health insurance plan. The move puts him on the opposite side of two-thirds of Americans.

Nelson's problem, he told CQ, is that the public plan would be too attractive and would hurt the private insurance plans. "At the end of the day, the public plan wins the game," Nelson said. Including a public option in a health plan, he said, was a "deal breaker."

A poll released this week by Consumer Reports National Research Center showed that 66 percent of Americans back the creation of a public health plan that would compete with private plans. Nelson, in comments made to CQ, joins the 16 percent of poll respondents who said they oppose the plan

This response in the comments section of Crooks and Liars said it best.

katy-boo hoo?

i listen to stephanie miller and ed schultz on XM... lately there have been some callers, supposed insurance agents/sellers, who want to know what's to become of them...

i liked ed's reaction... basically, find another job/profession, just like the auto workers, or textile workers or any other worker who's job was outsourced or downsized... it's called 'change'..

This response appears to be a letter to the Fergas Falls Daily Journal, and sums up the "complex" issues of health care reform in a way even a conservative can understand:

The public health insurance option is essential, but insurance companies are fighting it hard — and some Democrats are starting to waver.

In this economy, one of the best arguments for the public option is the fact that it'll dramatically reduce health care costs.

Two recent studies show that folks who choose Obama's public health insurance option would receive high-quality insurance and a choice of doctors — and save up to 30 percent off of private plans.

If Americans have a choice, the for-profit insurance companies will be forced to make their plans a better value, so those who keep their private coverage will save, too. This 30 percent savings is critical to the debate over a public health insurance option — and (your newspaper) should include it when covering health care.

Wanda Dempsey