On The Public Option

The big public option news yesterday was a New York Times/CBS News poll showing 65% of the country supports a public option plan, with just 26% opposing it. Even a plurality of self-described Republicans favor the public option. Of course, trivialities like widespread popular support are irrelevant given the undemocratic nature of the Senate, which offers only a hopelessly distorted representation of the population of the country at large (see chart). Regardless, it's comforting to see these results on the same day that Schumer and Rockerfeller are telling everyone the public option will happen, though Steve Benen isn't exactly optimistic. (Which is not to say Steve is pessimistic either. Things are just very much in flux.)