"Snowe Open to Public Option"

[Clio the Leo]

From NBC's Michelle Perry
Moderate Republican Olympia Snowe, a key swing vote in the U.S. Senate, told NBC's Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell reports that she would be open to some public/government insurance option.

"I don't think that a public national plan needs to be constructed that goes head to head with the private insurers," Snowe said, adding, however, that she thinks a fallback plan is necessary in the event private insurers don't provide adequate coverage. "I know some on my side view that as a government option as well."

(video)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31260298#31260298

On the Sen. Kent Conrad co-op proposal, Snowe called it an "innovative proposal," but the country would still need a fallback or contingency plan to make sure that affordable coverage is accessible to all. She added that the government needs to make sure health care options are expanded enough to those who need it.

"We want the private markets to work," Snowe said, "but we can't depend on them necessarily, given what we are facing today."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/06/11/1962201.aspx

[sasquatch]

1. Now, if we can get our cowardly blue dogs to grow a pair maybe we can win this fucking fight

[sarah553807]

2. If she signs that bill

She's not gonna have an R in the end of her name

[Captain Hilts]

8. Red Rover red rover, send Ollie over...the the blue side.

Hi Ollie...

[rvablue]

10. No one decides what letter comes after her name, except her. And she enjoys decent

popularity with the people of Maine, who I'm sure will be happy they have access to a public option, just like the uninsured Shrub-loving dead-enders who will huff and puff about it and then subsequently sign up for it at the earliest opportunity.

[sarah553807]

14. But,if she signs that bill

which I hope she does,republicans will kick her out in a heartbeat.Public health-care is kryptonite to the right-wingers,and after her vote for the stimulus bill,they will not touch her with a 30ft pole.The party is getting smaller and smaller,and the fact that a moderate will stay is very slim.

[Better Believe It]

3. She open to a weak version that won't challenge or threaten the private insurance industry

"I don't think that a public national plan needs to be constructed that goes head to head with the private insurers,"

With a weak or gutted "public option" or one that has a so-called fallback "trigger" we may as well not have any health care legislation pass this Congress.

[dflprincess]

9. And this:

"We want the private markets to work," Snowe said, "but we can't depend on them necessarily, given what we are facing today."

Today we've had Obama admitting that we can't trust health insurance companies (he said we need a public option to "keep them honest") and Snowe saying we can't depend on them so, would someone please explain to me why they're even part of the equation and single payer advocates can't get a real hearing?

Haven't the private markets already proven then don't work?

[crimsonblue]

4. she better be sincere ...

i'm sick of her snowjobs.

[Better Believe It]

5. She just layed out her "snowjob" in her statement. Does she need to draw a map?

[redqueen]

6. No. No "co-ops" artificially limiting the pool size. And no 'leveling the playing field'

simply to benefit the FOR-PROFIT insurance industry.

No no no no no.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Despite some demonization here on DU, she has not voted with other corporate toadies so far. nt

[Better Believe It]

11. She along with two other Republicans severely weakened the stimulus bill

She's good at that sort of thing while parading around as a "moderate" who just loves the people.

She and the two "moderate" Republicans who wrote the Senate stimulus bill gutted most of the House proposals for actual job creating stimulus measures.

And she'll rip the guts out out of any "public option" proposal if given the opportunity.

A strong public option and a bi-partisan bill is a contradiction.

Ya can't have both.

That's just the way it is.

[flpoljunkie]

12. How about leveling the playing field between health care consumers and insurance companies?

Now, that's a leveling I could go for. What Snowe is proposing is a weak option that would not, as Obama has suggested, 'keep the insurance companies honest.'

[HopeOverFear]

13. Who twisted her arm

[Mass]

15. As a fallback option... No, thanks...

How long will people need to wait for the private insurances to fail offering a decent and affordable coverage to all before she thinks it is time to call for the fallback option.

I tend to like Snowe, but this is not an option that will help people. Those who need insurance need it NOW.

[kenny blankenship]

16. So you think any public option plan should be intentionally crippled, then?

Unable to maintain its cost efficiency advantage relative to for-profit insurance, by design; and everyone on the public option can look forward to second class standard of care?

Thanks. Just wanted to be clear about what you're saying there. Thanks so much for going on the record, Sen. Snowe.

[DrToast]

17. It's that "trigger" bullshit again

[grantcart]

19. correct but if it is good enough for a fall back then why don't we start with it

The fact that she accepts it ideologically is a step forward.

One more step to take out the trigger.

In the end she will not be the Senator that defeats this. If we are close she will join.

[kenny blankenship]

22. Step forward? No. Sidestep as in jiu jitsu, yes.

Jiu jitsu is famous as a martial art for its doctrine that the opponent's energy can be turned and used against him. That's all this is.

Snowe and other Repukes publicly appear to agree to the possibility of a government run health care plan. Of course they don't want one that could work or be an attractive alternative for those who already have insurance. But in any case they want it -whatever it is- to be contingent. They want it also to be delayed. If, they say, IF at sometime in the future, the all singing all dancing free market has not mended its ways and met requirements and expectations of a decent society, THEN we may talk about implementing a public option, but not til then. Well how reasonable! What a deal, huh? "Let's do nothing now, and agree to talk about it later."

I mean, they only had from 1993, which was the last time they shivved healthcare reform in the back, until 2009 to shape up and start delivering better care and reining in their greed. No, no, no, and no. That WAS their trigger period -the last chance they get- and they blew it.

NO MORE OF THAT SHIT. NO MORE.

If they survive to suck the blood of a single American for just another year they should consider themselves damn lucky.

[Thrill]

18. "I don't think that a public national plan needs to be constructed that goes head to head"

Why the hell not?

[kenny blankenship]

20. Because then it might work

and besides, the proper role of government is to hold you down while giant business concerns have their way with your money and your body.

[MasonJar]

21. How big of her!