Oh, I'm sure you are correct on what the plan is...but you are wrong to connect the Republicans with any of it. In fact, it was certain Democrats who objected to the public option...and that objection is why we have Obamacare. Obama, Pelosi and Reid HAD to pass something and they made whatever deals were necessary with their own Party members to do it. The Republicans were shut out of the whole stinking thing, so don't try to spin it as being THEIR fault.
First, the insurance mandate was created by conservatives:
"An individual mandate to purchase healthcare was initially proposed by the politically conservative Heritage Foundation in 1989 as an alternative to single-payer health care. From its inception, the idea of an individual mandate was championed by Republican politicians as a free-market approach to health-care reform.[2][3] The individual mandate was felt to resonate with conservative principles of individual responsibility, and conservative groups recognized that the healthcare market was unique."
Health insurance mandate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Secondly, a majority of the Senate Democrats supported the public option:
"# Senator State Comment
1 Akaka HI Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
2 Baucus MT Said reason for voting against on Senate Finance was the need for 60 votes
3 Bennet CO Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
4 Bingaman NM Voted for Schumer’s “level playing field” public option on Senate Finance
5 Boxer CA Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
6 Brown OH Voted for HELP Committee public option
7 Burris IL Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
8 Byrd “In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American.”
9 Cantwell WA Voted for Schumer level playing field on Senate Finance
10 Cardin MD Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May
11 Carper DE Voted for Schumer’s “level playing field” public option on Senate Finance
12 Casey PA Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
13 Dodd CT Voted for HELP Committee public option
14 Dorgan ND I do believe that some sort of public option needs to be part of the proposal, along with a focus on bringing down health care costs and prevention.
15 Durbin IL Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May
16 Feingold WI Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
17 Feinstein CA Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
18 Franken MN Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
19 Gillibrand NY Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
20 Hagan NC Voted for HELP Committee public option
21 Harkin IA Voted for HELP Committee public option
22 Inouye HI Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
23 Johnson SD I asked, “What about the bill are you opposed to?” He replied, “That it doesn’t have a robust public option”.a
24 Kaufman DE Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
25 Kerry MA Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
26 Klobuchar MN “I would prefer a public option that would be a competitive option that would allow people to buy into a Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, which is a series of private plans.”
27 Kohl WI Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
28 Lautenberg NJ Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
29 Leahy VT Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May
30 Levin MI Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May
31 McCaskill MO Voted for Schumer’s level playing field on Senate Finance
32 Menendez NJ Voted for Schumer level playing field on Senate Finance
33 Merkley OR Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
34 Mikulski MD Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
35 Murray WA Voted for HELP Committee public option
36 Nelson (Bill) FL Voted for Schumer’s “level playing field” public option on Senate Finance
37 Reed RI Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
38 Reid NV “I’ve told people, whoever will listen, that I am in favor of the public option.”
39 Rockefeller WV Voted for Schumer Level Playing Field public option on Senate Finance Committee
40 Sanders VT Voted for HELP Committee public option
41 Schumer NY Sponsor of Schumer Amendment
42 Shaheen NH Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May
43 Specter PA Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
44 Stabenow MI Voted for Schumer’s level playing field on Senate Finance
45 Tester MT “We need competition, and if we get a public option that will help Montana. I will support it.”
46 Udall CO “I support the President’s plan to include the public option as a tool help reform our broken health care system. But above all, any reform must be done in a deficit-neutral way and must provide choice, stability and security for those who have insurance.”
47 Udall NM Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May
48 Warner VA “It’s not a make or break thing–he wants to see a health reform bill that contains costs, and if it includes a public option…he would vote for it.”
49 Webb VA Told the Huffington Post he is open to a public health care option.
50 Whitehouse RI Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option
51 Wyden OR Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option"
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/29-11