So the public option is the sticking point for the Independent in the Senate

[bigtree]

No, not just Lieberman. Bernie Sanders is considering hinging his vote on the Senate health bill on the inclusion of a public option, telling Rachael Maddow today that it's the only effective way he knows to provide the competition to insurance companies to keep prices down.


Monday, November 9, 2009

Bernie Sanders Pledges to Hang Tough for Strong Public-Option

At a time when most attention is being paid to the Senate's other, more well-known Independent, Connecticut's Joe Lieberman, it is Sanders who could end up playing spoiler for Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). As Reid struggles to find 60 votes that will unite on procedural votes, his party's centrists are pulling the healthcare bill politically rightward while Sanders is staking out a far-left position.

Asked if he will support Democrats on procedural votes once the healthcare bill hits the Senate floor, Sanders was repeatedly noncommital, twice telling The Hill that he intends to push for a bill that includes a government-run, public-option insurance component and refusing to guarantee his support on cloture votes.

"All I'll say for now is that I want the strongest public option possible in the bill," Sanders said. "Beyond that, we're going to have to look at what develops."

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/09-3


___Vermont's independent Sen. Bernie Sanders said Monday he strongly disagrees with Lieberman's position. Sanders would not comment on whether it will halt the Senate's progress, however.

"We'll leave that to (Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid). That's what he's paid the big bucks for," Sanders said in a telephone interview. "Politics is politics and people say things."

Sanders, a member of the Senate Health and Education Committee, said he supported that committee's version of health reform. He would not have supported the Senate Finance Committee's version, however, because it does not include a public option. Reid and other Senate leaders are now working to reconcile the differing bills for a full Senate vote.

Sanders said he will not comment on how he plans to vote until a bill is put forth by leaders. "We really at this point don't know what's in the Senate bill," he said.

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_13750737

[ProSense]

1. Senator Sanders was great. Made a lot of sense. n/t

[bigtree]

3. that's funny

You've been railing here against anyone threatening to withhold support for bill. He's got the same list of expectations that Kucinich and Massa have, only his vote would be critical, unlike the inconsequential votes Massa and Kucinich cast against the House bill. What a show you're making.

[ProSense]

6. You must not have seen Rachel Maddow's show. n/t

[bigtree]

8. what a performance by you here. so adolescent

He's not saying whether he'll support the bill until he sees what Reid has to offer. He certainly made a strong case for the public option on the show, saying that it was the ONLY way he knew to effectively control costs. He's going to look at the overall bill which emerges, but he's not committing to it. What a hypocritical sham your tirades against Kucinich here have been.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. It's the sticking point for both Indies.

Of course one Indy is good and the other Indy is Joe Lieberman.

[bigtree]

4. different agendas

polar differences

[SemiCharmedQuark]

5. Their agendas couldn't be further apart.

My only point was that for both Independents, their support hangs on the Public Option. One is pushing for the PO on behalf of his constituents. The other doesn't give a shit about his constituents and is pushing against it.

[OutNow]

7. And he IS a socialist

I've supported Bernie since he was mayor of Burlington. He was right then and he's right now. And, to top it off, he's now Senator Bernie, one of just 100 members.

It made me chuckle when the right wing wackos were calling every Democrat a socialist. Hey, they should take to Bernie, he IS a socialist.

[still_one]

9. Hopefully, there is some republican Senator whose loved one has lost their insurance