"Health Care Showdown," by Paul Krugman, Nobel prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist:

"For the record, neither regional health cooperatives nor state-level public plans, both of which have been proposed as alternatives [to the public option], would have the financial stability and bargaining power needed to bring down health care costs."

"Un-Cooperative: The Trouble with Conrad's Compromise," by Jacob Hacker, author of Health Care for America and U.C. Berkeley political scientist:

"[The co-op plan is]...not going to have the ability to be a cost-control backstop, much less a benchmark for private plans, because they are not going to have the reach or authority to implement innovative delivery and payment reforms."

"Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan," by Robert B. Reich, former secretary of labor and professor at the University of California:

"...cooperatives would lack the scale and authority to negotiate lower rates with drug companies and other providers, collect wide data on outcomes, or effect major change in the system."

 Call Senator Nelson's Director of Outreach, Lynn Bannister at 850-942-8415 or fax at 850-942-8450 and let her know what to tell Senator Nelson.  We need to support his efforts in the Senate to reform the health care system.