Digby speculates about the Opt In:

Howie Klein and I both speculated yesterday about whether Reid would end up substituting Opt-in for Opt-out if push came to shove. It's sounds silly, but I could see it happening. Cloture vote fails, Reid comes right back with Opt-in as the substitute and gets Nelson and Lincoln --- maybe even Snowe as a late conversion. The problem being that Opt-In is unworkable and basically kills the public option.

I think Reid can not do that politically. It would basically end his chances for reelection (the unions are critical for Reid.) But more than that, the words "opt in" sound like "opt out," but unlike the Federalist Public Option, which actually creates a national plan that states can later opt out of, an opt in national plan is uncreatable. A national plan must first exist to opt in to. "Opt In Public Option" makes for a nice sounding phrase, but you simply can not create legislation to bring it into existence - no person in the program means no program. Opt In is simply a trigger proposal with a new name. It is a non-starter and makes no sense. Indeed, I would like to see the proposed legislation for "creating" an opt in national plan. Can't be done. A trigger by any other name is still a trigger. And that ship needs to be burned now.

Speaking for me only