"For some in my caucus, when they talk about a public option they’re talking about another entitlement program, and we can’t afford that right now as a nation." —Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas where 55 percent support the public option
Senator Lincoln is very mistaken, and I'm fairly certain she's lying.
FACT: Blanche Lincoln, by rejecting the public option, wants a bill that's more expensive -- by as much as $400 billion, according to the CBO.
And the HELP bill, with the public option, costs $200 billion less than Baucus' own target for the Finance Committee bill. The CBO scored the HELP bill at $611 billion, with the public option. The Finance Committee bill has a target cost of $800 billion -- no public option.
Blanche Lincoln isn't necessarily stupid. She's just been corrupted by the healthcare lobby.
The public option saves money.