individual mandates

The negotiations over health care reform have begun in earnest again. Arnold stated yesterday that he would not support the Democratic plan AB8 for two reasons. He will not sign legislation that does not require Californians to have insurance (individual mandate) and relies on just a payroll fee for financing coverage. Arnold favors his proposal, which would require hospitals and doctors to bear part of the fiscal responsibility for expanding access to health care.

Here is the thing, his plan just isn't politically viable in the legislature. By most indications, requiring doctors and hospitals to pay would necessitate a tax. Passing a tax increase requires a 2/3rds support in the legislature. There is absolutely no way that you could get even a single Republican to vote for it, especially in the wake of the budget impasse (not that anyone thought it was possible before). The only way for it actually make it into law would be a ballot initiative. LAT:

"The governor -- with all due respect, and I love him because he's a good friend of mine -- he has to start operating in the same world that I'm operating in, which is the real world," said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles).

"In the real world that I live in, I can control and manage a simple majority bill," Nuñez said -- one that does not require GOP support as a tax would.

Schwarzenegger, however, continued to assert that Republicans could be swayed. He said that although budget negotiations were "a tedious process that drove a lot of people up the wall and anger and everything, in the end, that's not the definition of accomplishment or failure."

"The definition of accomplishment or failure is, can we get the reform done or not?" he said.

It's not that Nunez does not want Republican support for major health care reform, it is that he recognizes that it is next to impossible. Much of what the Republicans support simply tinkers around the edges and sticks to their free market philosophy. That is what we have right now and it isn't working. Unfortunately, Arnold's relationship with them is so soured that it is next to impossible to imagine him being able to convince them for the need to significant reform.

Meanwhile, while Arnold stopped by the AARP rally yesterday outside the Capitol, he has not been meeting with the Democratic leadership to try and hammer out an agreement. Instead, he has been seeking to influence the debate by speaking to the press. SacBee: