House conservatives have no patience for 'trigger'

A leading House conservative blasted a so-called "trigger" for the public option, a modification Democrats have floated to win over Republican votes.

“A terrible idea today is a terrible idea tomorrow,” said Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee.

"A government-run plan will destroy choice and innovation by squeezing private options out of the market. Americans have made clear their firm opposition to this idea. Rather than admit that the country rejects Washington control of health care, some Democrats are now floating the idea of a ‘trigger’ that is nothing more than a political end-around."

See the full statement after the jump.

A sizeable number of House Democrats have threatened to vote against any bill that lacks a strong public option, suggesting that Democratic leaders may need to draw some Republican support to pass a bill that can survive both the House and the Senate.

Full statement from Price's office:

Washington, D.C. – Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement regarding the Democrats’ latest idea to impose a government takeover of health care via a “trigger” mechanism. This trigger would automatically implement a massive new government-run health care program at a later date if certain Washington-dictated outcomes are not met.

“A terrible idea today is a terrible idea tomorrow,” said Chairman Price. “A government-run plan will destroy choice and innovation by squeezing private options out of the market. Americans have made clear their firm opposition to this idea. Rather than admit that the country rejects Washington control of health care, some Democrats are now floating the idea of a ‘trigger’ that is nothing more than a political end-around.

“The trigger plan doesn’t change the destination, just the path to getting there. Proponents want to enact the same disastrous government-run plan now as they did before August. The American people will not be fooled by this ruse. They understand the public option will be just as harmful in five or ten years as it is today, and no amount of timing gimmickry will change that.”

“As has always been the case, there are positive reforms available to increase coverage. We have proposed a plan that empowers patients, and we stand ready to work across the aisle to enact responsible solutions. Once Democrats recognize that their government-run plan idea has been rejected by the American people, we can move forward with patient-centered reform.”