IT'S A BILL ABOUT IDEOLOGY, NOT HEALTH CARE:

After all the fuss, govt health plan to cover few (RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, 10/31/09, Associated Press)

What's all the fuss about? After all the noise over Democrats' push for a government insurance plan to compete with private carriers, coverage numbers are finally in: Two percent.

That's the estimated share of Americans younger than 65 who'd sign up for the public option plan under the health care bill that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is steering toward House approval.

The underwhelming statistic is raising questions about whether the government plan will be the iron-fisted competitor that private insurers warn will shut them down or a niche operator that becomes a haven for patients with health insurance horror stories.