General Discussion

The logic behind the public option was exactly that. The insurance companies would have to compete with it and theoretically the market would force them to price completely. However, there were not 60 votes because Joe Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln, Pryor, and Ben Nelson were all against it ... as were all the Republicans.

Olympia Snowe proposed initially starting with no public option, but metrics showing lack of competition would trigger making one available. Her logic was the trigger alone would foster competition. Incidentally, even with no public option, she voted yes in the committee vote saying she did not want to be on the wrong side of history ... then like all Republican Senators voted no on the Senate floor!

Republicans, like Snowe, Collins and others who had in past Congresses sponsored healthcare plans similar to the format of ACA, all voted lockstep against the plan. 2010 was the last and only time when we had the strength to pass anything comprehensive on healthcare. ( Back then there was far less support for even weakening the filibuster - such as a proposal to lower 60 to 55.)