White House Denies Report That It Wants To Weaken Public Plan

[bluestateguy]

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/10/white_house_denies_report_that_it_wants_to_weaken_public_plan.php#

The White House is denying reports that officials are pressuring Sen. Harry Reid to scale back the scope of the "public option" that'll be attached to the Senate health insurance bill. Talking Points Memo reported, based on unnamed sources close to the negotiations, that the White House is "skeptical" of a public option that includes a state opt-out choice, preferring -- and advocating for -- a public option that would kick in only if the private exchange failed to lower costs.

"The report is false. The White House continues to work with the Senate on the merging of the two bills," said Dan Pfeiffer, a top White House aide whose portfolio includes health care. "We are making good progress toward enacting comprehensive health reform."

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[AllentownJake]

1. The great communications machine continues

:rofl:

[FrenchieCat]

3. It called countering Media Propaganda,

and those who fall for it!

Politico speaks, and DUers react!



Seems almost too easy!

[AllentownJake]

4. I was mocking the White House

There is some doubt on what the President actually supports and their communications office has left that doubt in place. Whenever there is doubt people fill in the lines

[FrenchieCat]

5. Instead of filling the lines, we should continue to push for what we want.....

cause I believe that is what the White House would prefer to see.
If we all thought the Public Option was going to pass in the next bill,
our asses would be laying around not doing shit but speculating of how
great that is.

The Health Care Reform battle has not yet been won....
and The White House knows that.....
and hope that folks out there making noise also realize it....
And keep the noise up.

That's how we get things done;
we don't wait for one person to bless it;
we continue to work to make it happen.

So keep up the noise, the debate, etc....
as that is the way to go,
and that is exactly what the WH wants.

[AllentownJake]

6. The White House wanted this bill passed in August

Herding the cats in congress is a little tougher.

I'm on the sidelines on this. Both my Senators support reform and my congressman is a republican that will never vote for it.

In reality, with every issue till 2010, that is where I'm at. Both my Senators will support the bill my congressman will vote against it.

[saracat]

2. Doesn't matter. OPT OUT or TRIGGER both plans suck and are not real healthcare reform.

Both are catering to the protect the moderate seats of the Democratic Majority by selling out the people. A Public Option, that doesn't cover ALL the citizens, when combined with a mandate is next to worthless. Neither is degined to really benefit the people. Funny how the GOP got whatever they wanted passed without bending over assbackwards , and we can't seem to get a decent health care bill without "compromise".

[ProSense]

7. Opt out is brilliant!

This afternoon, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)--a very visible public option advocate--said he could back an opt-out clause. "I would accept and would be open to the idea, after the program's up and running a couple years, if a state wants to opt out, if they want to leave 25, 30, 50 thousand of their citizens without that choice," Weiner said. "I dont believe it's gonna happen. So i would accept that kind of an opt-out thing." Rockefeller likewise believes that, once consumers purchase in to the public option, they'll raise hell if their state governments try to take it away from them.

link

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

Medicaid also allows states to opt out.

[SPedigrees]

8. There are some dumb governors but none dumb enough to opt out

of a public option, any more than they opted out of stimulous money.