Just DUMP HR 3200 and Start Over

HR 3200 has justifiably become a Waterloo for Obama and his Statist coterie. He cannot win except by Rahm-a-Jamma, which might incite a very serious reaction.

Better for him to publicly disavow the whole damn thing now--or there may be no reforms whatsoever.

And reforms are needed. So the Administration should focus on the Necessary Things:

1) Devise a method to accomodate pre-existing conditions;

2) Ensure portability;

3) Require upfront, clear, understandable pricing notices from hospitals and other providers;

4) Allow "no-frills" insurance packages and let insurers devise them; (some might exclude abortion and contraceptives mandates);

5) Expand HSA and HRA limits, allow using them as premium-payment vehicles, and/or reviving the old "major medical" concept; allow States to contribute to HSA/HRA accounts for those who cannot afford coverage, perhaps 'inverse' to tax liability;

6) Remove the tax penalty for individual-purchase of policies;

7) Require the several States to abrogate mandates and require "open markets" across the country.

Start, and stop, there. See what happens.

It will be foolhardy to push Statism, "counseling" of any sort, or increased-deficit-dependent plans. It will be foolhardy to Rahm-a-jamma HR 3200.

You can have change. You cannot have Statism.