Ezra Klein has done the discussion on health reform a big disservice by making false claims about what could, in fact, start a race to the bottom in the insurance market.

The “opt-out” didn’t actually achieve its objective of picking up a single Senate vote. But it was a wholly successful effort, using a chorus of well-timed liberal voices with ties to think tanks and other veal pen outfits, to further weaken an already weak public option. And it looks like we’re ready for the sequel, “The Return of Trigger,” starring the Urban Institute and other featured players.

Let’s see who steps in to whistle that tune on the “liberal” side this time.

The Senate’s ConservaDems don’t appear to have the necessary 60 votes to change or remove the public option from the Health Care Reform bill. So why was the opt out provision introduced?

Sen. Ron Wyden has reached agreement with the leadership to get an amendment into the bill which would allow as many as 1 million additional individuals who get health care from their employers to participate on the insurance exchanges, including selecting the public option — just one day before voting on the motion to proceed in the Senate.

Ed. Note: There has been a wealth of great analysis of the Senate’s new merged health care bill around the FDL sites today. In addition to Jon’s post here, please see Dave’s comprehensive rundown, his report on the biologics language, and his analysis of the long-term excise tax. And, see Jon’s posts going more in-depth on the move to gut state insurance regulations, the superior efficiency of the House bill, a comparison of abortion provisions, and the trigger beast that just won’t die. Also, always check out Jason’s daily health care news digest.

Activists from Firedoglake, CREDO, and Democracy for America have placed hundreds of calls to progressive Members of Congress to organize opposition to a final health care bill that has triggers to delay a public option, or that allows states to opt their citizens out of choosing the public health insurance option. Reps. Raul Grijalva and Michael Capuano both committed to opposing such a bill last week.
Can you call progressive Members of Congress and find out where they stand on triggers and opt-outs? Click here to get their numbers and report your calls.

Since Monday, activists from Firedoglake, CREDO, and Democracy for America helped put in hundreds of calls to progressive Members of Congress to find out where they stand on triggers and opt-outs in the final health care bill.

Can you call progressive Members of Congress and find out where they stand on triggers and opt-outs? Click here to get their numbers and report your calls.

We need to find out where progressive Members of Congress stand on a bill with triggers or opt-outs. Can you call now?

Click here to get the numbers of progressive Reps. and let us know what they say.

There’s been lots of political and economic discussion about exchanges and bending the cost curve, but not a lot of real-world answers to some pretty basic questions about health care reform. Maybe you know these answers? Or maybe you’ll have a chance to ask a Congresscritter the answers?

Here’s some detail from last night’s meeting between President Obama and the “Quad Caucus,” a combination of leaders from the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.