"These Are Not The Final Numbers"

Remember, the Governor said that he had a plan to fix the state's health care system in October, 2006.  He said he'd tell everyone about it after the election.  ONE YEAR LATER, Schwarzenegger announced at a big press conference yesterday that the bill is almost ready.  It's not a bill being carried to the Legislature by anyone, at least not yet, although I expect the leadership will bring it along just to have something to negotiate against.  But this is a complete waste of time and energy, to wait 12 months to present something that has no earthly hope of passing.  And paying for it, in part, by privatizing the lottery, which is a long-term money-loser for California.

I mean, this is ridiculous:

Every time he was asked about the numbers, he revealed that this proposal is still a ways from being fully cooked, starting with this response to a question about the financing of the bill--where the money comes from: "This is our proposal. We think that's the best way to go. But this is not final because it is still being negotiated. A lot of this stuff is still being negotiated."

Counting on money from the Feds seems tricky to me, given the veto of SCHIP by President Bush. That will leave a gaping hole as far as children's coverage, and paying for it, are concerned.

When asked about affordability and what Californians at different income levels would have to pay out of pocket, he said: "Well first of all, the numbers that I have given you--this is our proposal. So these are not the final numbers. Because like I said, with the numbers, those things are still being discussed--what the numbers should be." Maybe we should be happy that the exact shape and form of affordability, a key part of the bill, are not yet written in stone. With an individual mandate, that seems to me to be an area to really scrutinize.

There's a summary of the plan, which ISN'T THE FINAL PLAN SO DON'T CRITICIZE IT, at the link.  It seems to me that the deal here is to try and avoid all specifics so there can be absolutely no discussion about the biggest domestic issue facing the state and the nation, so Arnold can evade all responsibility for whatever transpires until the moment he signs a bill, at which point it's entirely because of his leadership.

That's post-partisan, baby.