>>Given the news over the last few days, are you sure about that? :)

My understanding is that Obama admitted he was wrong to make a blanket pronouncement that people who wanted insurance plans could keep them. Of course- without legislative control over insurers, he can lead a horse to water but he cannot make it drink, and the banking crisis shows that you cannot expect vested interest always to act in rational self-interest. Unless he makes the same mistake again, I don't see any cause for Chicken Littling. Obama also committed to earn confidence back by making the ACA work. I guess it is to be expected that some people will ignore the million who managed to sign up since October- or more importantly, the lack of angry consumers trotted out every day to undermine and embarrass. If there's more to it than the story coming out of partisan talking heads, where is it? Where are the hundreds of thousands of expressions of anger at the suffering people endured to reclaim a policy out of the exchange?

I agree it's a shame that the meddling began so early. I agree that this just sets the scene for death by a thousand cuts and seems to reward dissent- like giving a chocolate to a kid who squalls for half an hour. Either these people really are political neophytes or you're right and there's more to this than meets the eye. Have to tell you, there's lots of other pressurizing going on re other initiatives and this just encourages pressure groups to shake the tree harder so a fruit may drop out for them too.

Meantime it will be interesting to see how many utilize an opt-out provision that may end up just a defusing exercise. Fact is that most people who had insurance before, still want to be insured and won't be interested in opting out. And once again Obama cannot force insurers to offer "catastrophic" coverage just because he says it. If he appears to make that same mistake twice, definitely I'd be inclined to join your pov that something smells.

>> AHCA is likely over.

Are you serious? Far from over, and increasingly difficult to overturn.

>>For now, I'm going to listen to Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin, who has some decent ideas. Not perfect, but certainly a better step in the right direction.

You mean this sort of discourse? "One thing I’ve been trying to do is discipline myself to use the full name of this law: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I mean, that is Orwellian in origin and let’s face it, it’s really not protecting patients as we’ve seen millions of people - contrary to President Obama’s repeated promise - they’re losing not only their coverage, but access to the doctors and treatments that have kept them alive."