Anthony Weiner: Let's put the public option to a vote

[cal04]

The elephant in the room during the president’s recent health care summit turned into the elephant that never got into the room. Despite a daylong back and forth about competition, costs and choices, the public option was hardly mentioned.

Perhaps the biggest mystery in Washington right now is exactly what happened to the public option in the health care debate.

Maybe when President Barack Obama left the public option out of his final package, he signaled the end of this popular idea that he had repeatedly said he supported. But his press secretary said the reason the president excluded it was that he thought the Senate couldn’t find 51 votes.

So does that mean the Senate killed the public option?

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said the public option had 55 votes in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) himself said he supports the public option. And a letter insisting the public option be included in the Senate bill has gained more senators’ signatures every week.

Let’s not forget that the public option has already passed the House, as part of our health care bill last November.



http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33937.html#ixzz0hL3DfnY0

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. O is a lying sack of crap --

when he says we don't have the votes. That much is clear. And every time he continutes to push that lie he insults my intelligence.

[gateley]

4. DELETE -- I posted something that was WRONG. Imagine that. :-) nt

[democrat_patriot]

7. Not enough votes normally. Under reconcilliation

we should have them....

You have 60 senators that will vote for the Public option?

[bvar22]

12. That IS a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Keep saying it to avoid forcing a vote, and you won't have the votes.

On the other hand, when Obama didn't "have the votes" to pass his Supplemental WAR Funding,
he went out and GOT the Votes....Chicago Style.
He sent the Winged Monkeys after Progressive Congressmen who had balked at voting for more money for WAR.

[gateley]

2. I just called his office and e-mailed him asking what we could do -- or help him

do -- to achieve this.

Of course, I didn't talk to him :), but hopefully the message will be forwarded that he is speaking for the people and we're willing to do what it takes.

[Cetacea]

3. Did Harkin say that recently?

[yurbud]

5. that would be encouraging!

[gkhouston]

6. He said it in December of 2009. So, was Harkin lying? Were the people who

told him "yes" lying? Are the people who insist we don't have the votes lying? Or perhaps we'll never truly know how many votes they are until we actually vote?

on edit: Let's put it up for a vote. Stress the polls that show the country wants it. Stress that people hate the Senate bill with the mandate but are more favorably disposed toward that bill once a public option is included. Stress that it helps us money-wise. Stress that the insurance companies don't want it. Make anyone who votes against it look like they're in the pocket of the insurance companies.

[cascadiance]

8. +9999.......!!! We need this for a "Primary Voter's Guide"!!!

[gkhouston]

11. Do you think it's by accident that this vote will be coming up *after* the primaries? I don't. n/t

[yodermon]

9. QUESTION: If the PO already passed the House, and it gets re-inserted into the Senate Bill

for Reconciliation, Does the House have to re-vote on it?

[laughingliberal]

10. I think what happened to the PO happened on day 1

It was a promise the hospital and insurance companies by the President that there would not be one.