Healthcare: how the Public Option was removed as an Option (salon)

But now, definitive evidence has emerged that this is exactly what happened:  a new book by Tom Daschle.  As Igor Volsky of ThinkProgress expertly documents -- both by citing to Daschle's book and by interviewing him -- the White House had negotiated away the public option very early in the process (July, 2009), even though Obama and the administration spent months after that assuring their supporters that they were doing everything they could do have a public option in the bill.

So, we get all of the political damage associated with the massive push for equitable healthcare for all Americans, but none of the benefits thanks to back-room deals that took place before a vote was ever called.  Special Interests style democracy in action.