Every time President Barack Obama tries to climb out of the political sinkhole known officially as the Affordable Care Act, he just slips deeper into the abyss.

His recent slide started when he told NBC’s Chuck Todd he was “sorry” for misleading Americans by repeatedly proclaiming they would be able keep their current health insurance plans. It’s what the president believed to be true, but “sorry” doesn’t cut it for five million cut off Americans when the issue is the signature “achievement” of his administration.

Then, on Thursday, bowing to apoplectic pressure from worried congressional Democrats, Obama announced insurance companies would be allowed the option to keep offering consumers plans that would otherwise be canceled. Allowed? Wow, that’s a biggie.

The concession was met with instant criticism. Allowing insurance companies to extend formally cancelled plans doesn’t mean they will. It’s also unclear if individual states will go along with the change. Some have already said “no.”

Insurance industry officials are worried the plan will lead to higher premiums because, according to one analyst “changing the rules after health plans have already met the requirements of the law could destabilize the market.”

“We’re going to solve the problems that are there, we’re going to get it right,” the president pledged Thursday.

What’s that old saying? “Fool me once…”

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