I got an email back from Michael Bennet after I proposed he put forth a public option amendment to the health care bill.

“As you may know, I pushed to have as strong public option included in the reconciliation package. My position did not ultimately carry the day. And there were well intentioned people who wanted me and other strong proponents of the public option to amend the reconciliation bill to include a public option. I remain a strong proponent of the public option. Along with my colleagues in the Senate and House, I pushed continuously to include a public option in the reconciliation bill, and was very disappointed it was not included.

But offering an amendment would have jeopardized the entire reconciliation bill. Amending the reconciliation bill would have meant playing games with lives of thousands of Coloradoans and millions of Americans, and I refused to do it. No single amendment was adopted on this measure, because supporters of health care reform realized that reopening the package was playing right into the insurance companies’ hands. Opponents of the new law tried mightily to amend the package in their effort to kill it, but we stuck together and ultimately prevailed. I will continue to fight until we have our vote on a public option, but I refused to risk a much larger and groundbreaking health care reform package.”

But without offering full on single payer or even a public option amendment and by instead mandating health insurance, isn’t this just playing into insurance companies’ hands?

…I hope you lose in the primaries to Romanoff if this is your leadership.