Leading Democrat signals willingness to forgo public option

[derby378]

Source: Miami Herald

The House of Representatives' No. 2 Democrat said Tuesday that he could back a health care overhaul that didn't include a government-run health care plan, or "public option" in the parlance of Capitol Hill.

"If the public option weren't in there, I still could support a bill, because there's a lot in there that's good," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., speaking at a news conference that kicked off Congress' return to work after a monthlong summer recess.

Hoyer said he had spoken to Democratic members of Congress in recent weeks and they had a similar message: People want changes in health care policy, but many members are wary of a government-run insurance plan that would compete with the private sector.

Hoyer's views appear different from those of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.: "Any real change requires the inclusion of a strong public option to promote competition and bring down costs," she said in a statement Thursday. "If a vigorous public option is not included, it would be a major victory for the health insurance industry."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1223192.html

[Eric J in MN]

1. Steny Hoyer, corporate pawn. (NT)

NT

[joeycola]

2. Top House Progressive (Grijalva): Backing Public Option “Trigger” Would Be “Surrender”

Forum Name General Discussion: Presidential
Topic subject Top House Progressive (Grijalva): Backing Public Option “Trigger” Would Be “Surrender”
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8635290#8635290
8635290, Top House Progressive (Grijalva): Backing Public Option “Trigger” Would Be “Surrender”
Posted by jefferson_dem on Tue Sep-08-09 04:58 PM

Top House Progressive: Backing Public Option “Trigger” Would Be “Surrender”

Dem Rep. Raul Grijalva, the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is issuing a strong rebuke to fellow liberals who may be inclined to accept a compromise involving a public option “trigger,” saying it would amount to waving a “white flag” and “a surrender.”

Grijalva made the claim after I checked in with his office for a comment on today’s Roll Call story reporting that some “key” House progressives are open to such a compromise. In a statement emailed to me, Grijalva said that most House progressives would in fact stand firm and still vote against a bill with a trigger:

“The vast majority of CPC is not prepared to wave a white flag on public option. A trigger would be a surrender.”

If the “vast majority” of the five dozen or so House progressives did vote against the bill, as Grijalva vows they would, it wouldn’t pass.

Also noteworthy: Grijalva’s description of a trigger as “surrender” leaves liberals no wiggle room to support it. When it comes to the trigger, House progressive leaders are refusing to budge.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/top-house-progressive-backing-public-option-trigger-would-be-surrender/

[derby378]

4. Let's face it...

We could whittle the health insurance plan down to the point where every America was given two Excedrin tablets, a toothbrush, and insurance against cradle cap and aphids, and the Republicans would still vote to scrap the bill.

Grijalva is spot-on. A trigger would mean compromise and capitulation.

[joeycola]

8. I am starting to wonder if the Progressive C. will stand together??

[pattmarty]

11. Hoyer isn't part of the "progressive" caucus. But, you have a point...........

...........I was wondering the same myself. I believe they need something like 40 members to vote no on the final vote along with all/most of the Republicans to vote it down. "No public option, no bill". The "next" time they talk about "reform", it's spelled "Medicare for all".

[joeycola]

32. next time will be another 16 years I fear.

[pattmarty]

44. If it is, it is. The US first tried this in 1948 or 50 and tried through.............

..............the years until now. When we finally do it, we better do it right. I don't believe we will get another chance if we fuck it up now. Better to get a "good" bill in the future than to get shit now that may end up being worse than what we started with.

[Bette Noir]

27. (chuckle) Well said!

[laughingliberal]

3. Isn't this just a week or 2 after he came out in favor of it?

I remember him wavering a couple of months ago then about a week or 2 ago he came out supporting PO. WTF?

[daa]

5. I hope he is planning on becoming MINORITY leader nt

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Big fat FTS on that. . .

FTS = Fuck That Shit

:evilfrown:

[mth44sc]

7. gonna have to rename that damn fool

yo-yo

[elocs]

24. YOYO is my term for Republicans: You're On Your Own. Their moto, hence they're YOYOs. n/t

[Honeycombe8]

9. Obama is meeting w/Pelosi and Reid today. The P.O. is not looking good.

Sigh.

But it ain't over 'til it's over.

[liberal N proud]

10. Must have received a big FAT CHECK

from the insurance lobby.

[OnyxCollie]

18. He can add that to the big FAT CHECK

he got from the telecoms.

[HereSince1628]

12. Forget the woodshed, give him a cigarette, a last statement and walk him to

the other side of the chamber.

Release him into the nattering naybobs of negativism, without protective clothing.

[Joanne98]

13. Shut up Steny!

[damntexdem]

14. Yes, the House COULD pass a bill without a public option.

But then, House members could all commit suicide, too -- that doesn't at all mean that they should.

And in fact, if House Dems want to commit political suicide, they will pass a bill without a public option.

[NOW tense]

15. The fix is in... n/t

[Zorra]

16. Any reform that does not contain an effective public option is a boondoggle that

will damage the healthcare system even further while increasing insurance company profits at taxpayer expense.

Furthermore, it will lead to a republican majority in the House and Senate, as well as limiting Barack Obama to a one term presidency.

The DLC and the Bu*h Dogs are corporatists whose ultimate goal is to destroy the Democratic Party by making making it ineffective as an opposition party to the republicans, which will ultimately result in the disillusionment of the Democratic Party base, causing the formation of a third party, leading to a total permanent collapse of the Democratic party.
This is their plan, this is what the DLC/Bu*h Dog corporatists want. This is why they work so diligently to defeat effective progressive legislation.

And Hoyer is right up there leading them.

The Democratic Party base is at the end of their rope with these DINOrats. We elected Democrats to not only undo the destruction of the Bu*h era, we actually expected them to make a sincere effort at passing progressive social legislation. And health care is the big one. There will be no passes for the corporatists from the Democratic base this time. We are as firmly resolute at getting rid of the corporatist DINOrats as we were in removing republicans from office in 2008. We just put up with 8 years of an unelected idiotic republican administration that all but destroyed our country, and now we have to put up with this mealy mouthed BULLSHIT from so called Democrats?

NO. FUCKING. WAY.

We're gonna take names and kick ass on all these corporatist weasels and they are going to find themselves working on K Street as republican lobbyists or talking heads on Fox News after they lose their next primary election to a real Democrat.

[unkachuck]

41. exactly!!

"We're gonna take names and kick ass..."....and so we shall....corporatists and their corporate sponsors are evil, they must be punished....

....isn't it amazing, every other sector of our economy must change and adapt with the times....but not the healthcare industry; they're always free to kill Americans, feast on unlimited dollars and remain the independent social pigs that they are....

[Altoid_Cyclist]

17. I keep hoping that this is all a part of some master plan to get universal care.

The hope is starting to fade at this point. Can we ask the House to replace Hoyer with Kucinich or someone else that is a true progressive?

[babyblonde]

19. pass it on

During Obama's speech tomorrow...he should say,
" I want everyone in this room who has the Government Healthcare plan to stand up."
" I want you to sit down if you do not like your healthcare plan."

B I N G O!:spank: :spank:

[DJ13]

20. .........

[endarkenment]

21. Headline should read "Steny Hoyer acts like an asshat again".

[defendandprotect]

22. Hoyer is a snake . . . a DLC snake . . . and I think this signals where Obama may be going????

[QC]

23. They are now setting up the great betrayal.

Or the most recent betrayal, anyway.

[TheWatcher]

25. AGAIN.....

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
-The Declaration Of Independence

If the cannot serve The Interests of We The People, if they cannot honor their Oath to the constitution, then they should not be allowed to stay in positions of Power.

NONE OF THEM.

[Bette Noir]

26. Steny Hoyer can go suck a lemon.

If there's no robust public option, all the reform in the world will be window dressing. I read the "Health Care Bill of Rights" online-- there's nothing in there that controls costs. So what, if an insurer can't cancel you for any other reason than non-payment of premiums? If the premiums are $20,000/month, you're not going to be able to pay them.

[Bluenorthwest]

28. Steny Hoyer is a bit of shit

and a right wing tool. Fuck him.

[daa]

45. He loves warranties wiretaps nt

[depakid]

29. Long past time for Hoyer to be ousted

Quite aside from being corrupt, this guy's been behind some of the biggest policy failures in American history, going all the way back to his strong support for legislation that caused the Savings & Loan debacle.

[texastoast]

30. Wimpass, spineless Democrat n/t

[Midniteagle]

33. I hope they have .....

all thought long and hard about the repercussions of the final bill, and their voting status. I know of very few friends of mine that will accept no public option, or ever vote for any of them again that do not support a public option for gov't. run health care !!! I just can't understand the problem of making Medicare available to all the general public at all ages. The system is already in place and could easily be adjusted to serve everyone's health insurance needs at affordable prices.

[texastoast]

38. Indeed - it would save the nation a lot of money

The system is already in place. All we need to do is get a good spreadsheet going to add a few names and voila!--the taxpayer money is spent wisely in single-payer instead of forking over exorbitant premiums to insurers who won't let a less expensive, better doctor into their preferred provider stable.

So. We pay $400 a month for premiums for shitty healthcare, or $250 a month for the kind of healthcare all the "socialist" countries rave about. And the question is . . .?


Welcome to DU!



:hi:

[bemildred]

31. Maybe he is willing for forgo his job too ... nt

[vademocrat]

34. I've decided that I will work to defeat any bill without a public option -

I don't want an insurance industry bailout and I don't want to be told a couple years down the road that "we've already done health care".

My line in the sand is the public option -

[OwnedByFerrets]

35. Every person that dies because you fuckers didnt institute a PUBLIC OPTION

have blood on your god damned hands.:mad:

[LatteLibertine]

36. Bet it

won't be missing the part that mandates people buy health insurance. That was likely the most important "reform" goal all along.

Wonder if the public option was all an act from the beginning. These people are given a lot of money by both the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

[pmorlan1]

37. Anyone here surprised about Hoyer?

Steny Hoyer has been a corporate shill for a long time. I'm not a bit surprised that he said this.

[ladygrantwriter]

39. Anyone here surprised about Hoyer?

I always forget if he is a Dem or a Repub. Fortunately News on
Pelosi and Reid is sounding good after their meeting with
POTUS.

[Canuckistanian]

40. I thought Steny was already taken to the woodshed

Obviously, he didn't get the message.

[Owl]

42. He ain't a 'leading' democrat, he's a POS democrat.

[Vidar]

43. Hoyer is just another DLC, corporate ass licker.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

46. Future headline: Lowly voters decide to forgo Democratic party

If they mess this up (and they certainly includes the President), they will certainly lose many in their base in 2010 and 2012.

Just when the Republicans are in a death spiral, leave it to the Dems to empower them and breath life into them and their childish, selfish ideals.