Joe Wilson Wants Politicians To Use Public Option

Yes, you read that right. South Carolina Representative Joe “You Lie!” Wilson has proposed an amendment to the healthcare reform bill lumbering through Congress, which would require all congresspersons to enroll in the public option health insurance plan. He hasn’t switched sides and decided to vote for the Democrats’ bill; rather, his amendment is a stunt intended to point out what he sees as the failures of the public option.

Ironically, supporters of healthcare reform have pointed to the government-subsidized insurance enjoyed by senators and representatives as evidence that there should be a public option–if health insurance is good enough for our politicians, shouldn’t it be good enough for the rest of us? (In fact, although the federal government subsidizes their healthcare, it is actually administered by private insurers.) Wilson turns that strategy on its head, by saying that if a public option is suitable for average Americans, it should also be suitable for Washington D.C.

It’s quite unlikely the amendment will be ratified in the House. The current language simply allows Congress to sign up for the public option. Most Democrats probably won’t vote for this ‘poison pill’ provision; as they have admitted, most Americans would prefer to keep their existing health insurance. Republicans might vote for it as a lark, although they might refuse to dignify Nancy Pelosi’s bill with any type of ‘yes’ vote. Joe Wilson has 72 hours to get his own mandate into the bill, before it reaches the House floor.