Finally, we now know public option will be fine. Though less sound than single payer, with a Medicare extension to cover all citizens and where the parameters of Medicare funding and payments can then be adjusted and optimized and kept optimal as medical science evolves, creating for the present a public option is a step toward that ultimately proper direction, hence, for now it clearly makes sense. Moreover, the ultimate proof of the wisdom of at least public option reform is the the quality of its opponents and the quality of their opposition arguments, read about that here.
"If you don't like the price of toilet paper and toothpaste, are we going to have a government-run Target or Wal-Mart to keep the private sector honest?" Pawlenty said. "I mean, it's a ludicrous proposition that government's going to come in in this space and compete directly with the private sector."
Toilet paper and toothpaste must be big, big, big ticket items to the man - constituting dominant percentage items in the Pawlenty family budget - for him to make such an analogy.
Toilet paper must be a life and death concern facing him. If it is that compelling a thing in his mind to be comparable to healthcare, and forty seven million people because of pricing had to go without, it would be hard on tree leaves and worse in winter absent stockpiling.
What an incredibly shallow, stupid and deceitful man. And Hatch got fewer votes. It is astounding.
_____UPDATE_____
It really is a Grand Old Party. Get this - and they are serious and not intentionally mocking themselves - Tim Pawlenty as RINO. To demuring on drinking up on the stronger party factional Koolaid. Holding onto his PAC money for himself and his ambition (that part, I believe), and not butting into the NY-23 GOP internecine war. Not Palin enough is the implication.
Here (comments included), here, here, here, here, and here, for a sampling.
It is astounding. These people are exceptional. At least they, unlike Blue Dogs, have gravitated to the party they belong in. Bless them and their affection for Palin, her wisdom, and her cultured manners.