SoonerBlue

That's the new name for Public Option. We had to find a new term since righties made it a dirty word in the heated townhalls of last August. And guess what? When you rephrase it like that - people understand better and warm up to the idea.

Everybody understands Medicare, everybody knows someone who is on Medicare...and the elders are pretty much satisfied with it. What's wrong with the government negotiating for the best doctor and hospital fees?

I've always supported changing the term because the public seems so confused about what Public Option actually means.

I said as much in a blog last month - "Instead of 'public option' let's just call it a public insurance plan...one that essentially asks people if they would like the option - the voluntary option - of buying into Medicare before they're 65?"

Another good idea would've been Medicare-4 - like Medicare for Everyone.

Anyway, we're a little late in the renaming game...but it seems to be gaining some traction.

From thehill.com: "Say hello to "Medicare Part E" -- as in, "Medicare for Everyone."

House Democrats are looking at re-branding the public health insurance option as Medicare, an established government healthcare program that is better known than the public option.

The strategy could benefit Democrats struggling to bridge the gap between liberals in their party, who want the public option, and centrists, who are worried it would drive private insurers out of business.

While much of the public is foggy on what a public option actually is, people understand Medicare. It also would place the new public option within the rubric of a familiar system rather than something new and unknown."

[R]ep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) spoke out last week in favor of re-branding the public option as Medicare, startling many because he has loudly proclaimed his opposition to a public option."[..]~~~

Of course, Republicans are still agin it - even though there is overwhelming evidence that a vast majority of American people want a public option - the R's continue to doubt their lying eyes.

Medicare is a very good program - it has improved so many lives in so many ways. But it's a public program...and Republicans would die before they'd admit that Medicare is a testament to the government's ability to help people.

They're still singing that tired ol' song about how a public option would drive private insurers out of business.  

YET, Medicare is a prime example of how a public option would NOT put private insurers out of business.