Could someone tell me more about this "Opt-out" idea re: the public option?

[GreenPartyVoter]

Is it the governor or the legislature who decides? Or is it put to a public referendum? Are the odds low that that any state would opt out if there would be a likely backlash in the voting booth against the party that did the opting out? Does that mean the opt-out is a meaningless sop that the Dems should give in on when crafting the bill?

What do you all think?

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. It depends on the state

[NNN0LHI]

2. The odds of any state opting out is minimal

When businesses see other states with more a more cost effective health care system for their employees they will threaten to move their business to one of those states that doesn't opt out.

And we all know that when business talks Republicans listen.

Don

[enlightenment]

3. Why would businesses care?

From what I can tell, people who are employed will not be eligible for the public option anyway - so that 'more effective' program doesn't impact businesses. The public option appears to be stripped down to being open only to the most destitute - everyone else will have get to play roulette with the 'co-ops' or whatever they're calling them this week.

[Pirate Smile]

4. I think Republicans running on the idea that their citizens don't get an option other states do will

not be particularly popular AND it puts the onus back on Republicans who would be trying to take something away from their constituents.

Politically - it shifts the hot seat to the Republicans - which I luv! It also provides cover for Moderates to support it and makes it so a stronger PO can pass and be in place for the entire country (unless the Repubs tell their people - No! Not for you!

I have yet to see anything re specifically how the opt out would work in the states (Gov. v. Legislature v. Referendum). I don't know that it has been decided.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. I am sick of the words "political chess" but it does seem like they might fit here.

[Oregone]

6. Its a political tool to punish red staters with mandates but no PO

Its not supposed to be used ever though, although, its supposed to make anti-PO people vote for the bill. Either those newfound supporters are total idiots, or maybe the opt-out bandwagon riders aren't as brilliant as they think.

[grytpype]

7. It is a trick to get a few more "moderates" to vote for the plan.

You'll remember it was a prime Teabagger complaint that this was socialism being forced on their pure capitalist states.

So some very smart person came up with this idea to let states block their own citizens from participating in the public option, just to shut them up.

It doesn't matter how it would work, no state is really going to opt out, it's just for show.

Like how the Repug governors had to say they would not take any stimulus money, before they took the money and bragged about it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Yes, the Repub govs and their stimulus money shenanigans are what I was thinking of too.

[Life Long Dem]

9. I think someone is trying to pull one over on us.

How long have we had a backlash for health care reform? And now they want to pass the buck to the states for more backlash to health care reform? I suppose it will be just like the states lacking dental care and the backlash of getting medicaid with dental care in each state. How nice.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Still no medicaid with adult dental care in my state. *sigh*