Obama: Psst, Psst – I Have a Plan

Three days before the White House health care summit, the 44th president is still setting the stage by posting his version of the ideal plan online. For the first time, every American can read, on his own computer screen, the actual Obama health care plan — and judge it for himself. If this is not a publicity stunt, it certainly looks like one.

The Feb. 25 meeting is designed like a thriller and every day brings something to feed the suspense. For the summit, director/producer Obama clearly understood that it is important for those not attending the Blair House show to have the script in advance. That is, to have his script.

The others will cope. They have been squabbling for months: Republicans and Democrats, senators and representatives, Democrats amongst themselves, and Republicans not doing much better.

So taking his time, like Clint Eastwood in a Sergio Leone film, Barack came and slipped his plan behind the screen, albeit a version that already had some concessions. The phrase “public option” is out, although honestly, if [the minimum age for] Medicare coverage goes from 60 to 50 years, it is essentially a public option. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and let’s accept that this formula always benefits the one who proposes the idea to participants before the meeting begins — and therefore serves the base.

And there lies the key to the idea, to make every American, in advance, a real participant in the meeting, whereas they will only be spectators on Feb. 25.

So until Feb. 25, you and I will debate Obama’s script, OK?