Via Capitol Alert, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Speaker Núñez have filed the initiative that would fund their health care reform package with the attorney general.  The Bee explains:

Filing the initiative with the attorney general is critical to begin the process of qualifying the measure for the November 2008 ballot. The office of the attorney general now has as many as seven weeks to write a title and summary for the initiative before proponents begin gathering the estimated more than 1 million signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.

Meanwhile, from the “knock me over with a feather” newsdesk, Maviglio is adamant that this week’s ERISA ruling won’t cause any problems for the state plan.  Because there were experts involved.  San Francisco’s plan (and every other plan) forgot the experts.  Thus we press forward.

So here’s an open thread for 2007’s final Friday.  In keeping with our theme, please enjoy Matthew Sweet performing “Sick of Myself.”

The Employee Retiree Income Securtity Act of of 1974 means that only Hawaii can legislate employer mandates (10 steps down from Single Payer). Hawaii is unique for a whole bunch of reasons, but they have done better for decades than the rest of the states due to their excemption.

When the Fed didn’t step up, Hawaii did. Now that the California has yet to step, San Francisco is trying (can’t wait to see the author — Tom Ammiano — in the Assembly). Yet the same old ERISA complaint.

And the Consolidated Omnibus Income Security Act of 1985 pretty much means health care will suck (despite out of the best intentions) until we get real primary care.

ERISA did a lot of great things, but it should be amended. Of minimum, common sense revision would still not bring about single payer, but it would give local governments some parlay room.