Poll shows (kinda sorta) increased support for public option.

The WashingtonPost.com ran an article today about a poll that shows increased public support for a public option in the health care overhaul debate. Seniors and independents raised support for the infamous public option to a spellbinding 57%. Of course, there are a few caveats that will not fit into a headline or sound bite.

First, the public option has to be administered by the states, not the federal government. Second, only people without access to affordable private or employer provided plans can participate in the public option. Since the public option provisions all call for federal subsidies as "seed money" I doubt that the states will really run these programs. Too many state administered programs are vying for federal funds and subsidies as it is, what will be different about this one?

And now for the $64,000 question. What is affordable insurance? It will probably be a percentage of annual income. But what percent is a very big and very loaded question.

My prediction is if the public option is voted into law, these provisions will not be respected by congress. Congress will get its way on a short term basis and find themselves facing another republican or better yet independent revolution in 2010 or 2012 at the latest.