The fact that President Obama's new health insurance reform plan does not contain a public option could have been a deal breaker for me except I think he has done something better, which I believe is a conservative approach.  Instead of a public option, the President has proposed a public commission that would regulate rate increases among insurers.  Given the abusive practices of insurers like Anthem Blue Cross which has raised rates 35 percent on California policyholders, it is critical to regulate the industry.  It isn't as if consumers have many choices.  They don't.  The industry is exclusionary.  There is not a free market.  Maybe we ought to allow insurers to sell across state lines at some point but if so that will just indicate even more so the need for a regulatory scheme since definitely at that point their product--health insurance--will be interstate commerce and subject to all sorts of federal laws.  I like this approach by Obama.  All conservatives acknowledge the need for regulation since they believe in a fair playing field.  I think this is a good start.  Blue Cross of California makes it clear that the companies need regulatory control.