Reid: We can pass a bill with a public option

[HopeOverFear]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/10/public-option-its-back.html#

ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports:

The public option. The idea was believed to be dead. Liberals wanted it, but Senate vote counters insisted it simply could not pass the Senate. The dynamic, however, has changed. The public option may be back from dead.

I am told that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is leaning toward including the creation of a new government-run insurance program – the so-called public option – in the health care reform bill he will bring to the full Senate in the coming weeks.

Democratic sources tell me that Reid – after a series of meetings with Democratic moderates – has concluded he can pass a bill with a public option.

This is not because there has been a new groundswell of support for the idea. In fact, there are still a handful of Democrats who -- along with Olympia Snowe and every other Republican – oppose the idea. As recently as this morning, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), for one, dismissed recent polls that show public support for the idea, telling NPR, "I think if you asked, do you want a public option but it would force the government to go bankrupt, people would say no.”

That would appear to be a problem because Reid needs 60 votes to pass a health care bill and there are simply not 60 Senators who support a public option. But Reid is now convinced that Democratic critics of the public option will support him when it counts – on the procedural motion, which requires 60 votes, to defeat a certain GOP-led filibuster of the bill. Once the filibuster is beaten, it only takes 51 votes to pass the bill.

And Democratic critics of the public option would get a chance to go on-the-record with their opposition by voting for an amendment to strip it from the health care bill. Under Senate rules, such an amendment would need 60 votes to pass. And while there may not be 60 votes in favor of a public option, there are also not 60 votes against it. So, it would remain in the bill.

[saracat]

1. But "what kind" ? With an OPT out? If so, that doesn't count.

[depakid]

3. Opt out more than counts- provided that it gets a ROBUST public option through

Better that than some weak, doomed to fail proposal that sets single payer back another decade.

[saracat]

8. Sorry,I will campaign against Opt Out and Reid if he proposes it.

My state will definately opt out.My Democratic legislators assure me of this fact.My husband and I are both unemployed and most of our money goes to the insurance companies.We can't move as there aren't sufficient funds to do so. Many in my stae are in similar situations but the teabaggers dominate. And the Democratic Party raised enough money to donate to blue states and didn't spend money on their own races.A "real public option" that includes everyone is just as likely to pass as one that punishes everyone that lives in an opt out state.

[depakid]

12. The chances are pretty slim that any state will opt out- as the stimulus showed us

Lots of banter- but when it came down to it- they took the money.

The bottom line though is that you and your husband (and everyone else) will be much worse off with a crappy, truncated "option" or some state or regional exchange.

[rvablue]

5. My prediction is that any Governor that opts out will

eventually be voted out.

There is a lot fear, ignorance and paranoia right now being fomented by RW gasbags. If this thing passes, even with an opt out clause, people -- including teabaggters -- will quickly realize the huge mistake they have made and will demand the decision be reversed.

[saracat]

9. That is idiotic. My governor WILL be voted out but the OPT out will still apply and many

folks don't have the time to wait for the change. "Eventually" doesn't apply to many of this. Nor does "trusting" the government to eventually "do the right thing".

[sandnsea]

13. So the entire country should suffer

Because of dumbass red states? I don't think so. Maybe they'll finally understand they're being fucked and fight in their own backyards where it counts. Lord knows it's not okay if anybody else points out how backwards their state govts are.

[saracat]

15. So it is okay that my state party sent money out to the Blue states

because we were one of the wealthiest state parties in the nation and spent its local resources on federal races, we should be "punished" ? Just so the Democrats can say they passed "something", even though they have enough votes tom pass a good bill? They HAVE the votes. They are just kissing GOP ass for the general election.

[ProSense]

14. You don't know what you're talking about.

The plan, as introduced earlier, gives states a choice to opt out after an initial period, which could be one to three years.

If any governor is dumb enough to try to yank health care from people, they better explore other job opportunities.

[saracat]

16. I guess we will see.

[annabanana]

2. This isn't a national plan... How would this drive down prices?

"I think at the end of the day there will be a national plan probably put together not by the federal government but by a non-profit board with some seed money from the federal government that states would initially participate in because of lack of affordability. The question is should there be an opportunity for states to opt out later on and if so, within a year, within two years, within three years?" - Harry Reid

How does THIS sound like a "robust" plan?

[rudy23]

4. The Dems did a great job of lowering the bar on this one, by declaring the PO "dead"

Now they've got people thrilled with an opt-out plan that will be too small to succeed and cause many of us to uproot and leave our families/jobs/friends/etc to get what SHOULD be a basic human right.

YIPEEE!!!

[ProSense]

7. Dems didn't declare the public option dead, the doubters, MSM and anti-reformers did.

Yeah, people, like Congressman Weiner, are thrilled that it's stronger than the doom and gloomers predicted, no Baucus bill and no Snowe trigger.

[saracat]

11. But perhaps and OPT OUT Why should I be grateful for that?

My state will opt out and I will get nothing. Sorry to be less than thrilled both when both of us are unemployed and giving most of our money to the insurance companies, and having no money to move, it is really tough to be jubilant about an option that won't include yourself. It is hard to be considered collateral damage by a party you have dedicated all your political life to.

[Cha]

20. Dems Never "declared it DEAD"..

NEVER.

Except maybe Dennis Kucinich.

[Kermitt Gribble]

6. Yeah, Harry will get us a public option -

worth pretty much nothing.

[saracat]

10. That is my fear.

And for many states, including mine, the OPT OUT is NOTHING.

[Clio the Leo]

17. "Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated"

.... said Bill.



Dead? When did anyone ever think it was dead?

[quantass]

18. God i loved Schoolhouse Rocks when growing up...

thank goodness for Youtube.

[Clio the Leo]

21. Have you seen that lately?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

They need to update it .... "and then if you can get enough votes for cloture, you can do reconciliation .... but that only works for a bill related to the budget .... and then it's OFF to a swing state with a lot of electoral votes like Pennsylvania or Ohio where the President will sign you! lol, that tickles!"

But you notice how they make the President seem like a meany in the original? I think Ford was in office at the time.

And you can clearly spot Sen Byrd at the 1:15 mark .... wonder if the guy he is talking to was someone?

[Cha]

19. Really. lol..

I'd drive myself crazy if I believed every word the media wrote to get a hook.