Why is it that the elected officials are more than happy to pass certain laws as long as they can opt out?
Congress did in fact exempt itself from many laws it passed – OSHA, wage and hour, civil rights, open records and a host of others for years. The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 did away with many of those, although some exemptions still remain.
Congress is allowed to vote on their own pay increases.
Additionally:
"The government-sponsored health exchange would naturally write the rules of competition to benefit the government plan. Imagine if baseball umpires and the New York Yankees both worked for George Steinbrenner. The Red Sox or Rays wouldn’t stand a chance. Do you think a government entrant in the marketplace will not inevitably turn into a monopoly"