Joe Lieberman knows the public option is a one way ticket to hell and will fight it to the death! Well, not really, but Ken Layne can always fantasize.

"I can't see a way in which I can vote for cloture on any bill that contained a creation of a government-operated and run insurance company," the Connecticut senator said. "It's just asking for trouble."

What kind of trouble? This kind:

"Well all the history we have of health entitlement programs, including the two big ones that I dearly support, Medicare and Medicaid, is that they end up costing more than we're prepared to pay, and they add to the debt, and then they add to the burden on taxpayers."

Hmm. Where have we heard that argument before?

So does this kill the opt-out compromise?

Harry Reid doesn't think so, especially if he can get Olympia Snowe, a proper lady person who is "frightened" of the public option, back to the table.

[Pic: The Washington Post]