The Value Of Primaries: Specter's Support For A "Robust Public Option"
Whenever people ask why we should primary Democratic incumbents, you can talk about Jane Harman and now, Arlen Specter:
As debate continues on much needed health care reform, I urge my Senate colleagues to support a robust public option plan.
Here's the trick though, Specter writes "It's important that the President's ideas on the public option be implemented to maintain a level playing field." That's not a robust public option. Joe Sestak, Specter's primary challenger, will likely support a true robust public option in the House and beat Specter over the head with that vote. Would Sestak be a robust public option supporter otherwise? Hard to say. But we can say that because he is a primary challenger, he will be one.
Therein lies the value of primaries. Not necessarily winning them, but as a discipline mechanism.
Speaking for me only
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