Coverage for thee, but not for me

Ezra blogs about a modest proposal to get universal health coverage passed:

My ace reporting reveals that one element of the health reform strategy Edwards will announce today is a bill, to be submitted on his first day in office, ending health care coverage for the president, the Congress, and all political appointees on July 20th, 2009, unless they've passed health reform that accords with four non-negotiable principles Edwards will detail in the speech. If they don't pass comprehensive health reform, they lose their coverage until they do.

The populists got direct election of senators passed by reforming local state legislature procedures to force support for the 17th amendment in the Senate. In this case, however, methinks that this act would have trouble getting passage. And if it did, that the affected politicians would have little difficulty obtaining coverage from insurance companies fearful of change. But it would probably make good political theater.