Why would anyone want the public option?

http://reason.com/blog/2009/10/29/new-at-reason-steve-chapman-on

What Steve Chapman writes is not surpising. Anyone who has paid attention to government run programs knows the inefficiencies, the manipulation, the hidden cost and the underlying goal to expand power.

What's surprising is that so many many people still support the public option. Surely the public knows by now that government programs aren't the answer. This just goes to prove how deeply ingrained is the dependence on government. You would also think that out of all the representatives in government there would be far more fighting against the public option on the Democrat side of the aisle. Because, even though there are many people who still don't get it, there are many, many more who are getting it, and this could be a political nightmare for many politicians with dreams of re-election.