Key point from Mark Binker’s write-up of the U.S. Senate race:
None seemed happy with the idea that Congressional Democrats could give up on the public option — a federally run health insurance plan that would be available to those who don’t have coverage. Creating such a publicly run player has been touted as a way to encourage insurance companies to keep costs low and to prod them to cover those who they may have rejected.
“I am very doubtful we can achieve those objectives without there being a public option in the mix,” Lewis said.
Marshall said oversight and eliminating loopholes would be critical in any new health care plan.
“The public option would be the best way to do that now,” she said. “We’ve got to have a way to do that.”
For his part, Cunningham said, “the public option can be an important component to cutting costs and providing consumers with real options.”
Meanwhile, JLF president John Hood notes that while a Ken Lewis victory would be historic —- the first African-American from North Carolina to be elected to the Senate —— Richard Burr has the chance to make a little political history —– finally holding down a Senate seat “since the retirement of North Carolina’s two conservative powerhouses, Ervin and Helms.”
