BREAKING: Obama will support the public option if Reid will

[kpete]

BREAKING: Obama will support the public option if Reid will
by: AdamGreen
Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 22:22

From Rachel Maddow's interview tonight with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:

Maddow: "The private insurance company writ large hasn't done a great job. That's why we want a public option to compete with them. These 18 Democratic senators want to bring that back into the fold. If that happened, would the administration fight for it?"

Sebelius: "Well, I think if it's...Certainly. If it's part of the decision of the Senate leadership to move forward, absolutely."

Wow. That's news.

http://www.openleft.com/diary/17464/breaking-obama-will-support-the-public-option-if-reid-will

[TCJ70]

1. Well then there goes any hope of a public option!

Joking...I hope...

[thotzRthingz]

48. Well I can understand the cynicism, but as I've said to others (online & offline)...

Obama's job is to SIGN (or VETO) any bill sent to his desk. It's true that he could have been more VOCAL all along, but he does not WRITE the legislation (he left that job behind, when he left the U.S. Senate). But keep in mind OBAMA has other things to do... mostly cleaning up the mess (domestic & international) which WAR CRIMINAL BUSH left for his successor... such things as: the economy, environment, energy, two quagmired wars (three if one considers terrorism-at-large), a nearly broken armed forces, an upside-down tax structure, etc., etc., etc. In short, and in reality: an AMERICA which was on the brink of tumbling into a very dark and deep abyss!

Frankly, I am surprised that OBAMA wanted that job (the republiCONs certainly didn't, that's why they ran two losers... McLUZR and PALIN)!

OTOH: it is the JOB of CONGRESS to draft legislation which will benefit ALL AMERICANS (not just to SHILL for their corporate sponsors). The HOUSE did their job (mostly) and passed a PUBLIC OPTION. The Senate seems to have pretty much SOLD OUT to corporate America -- but that could change.

Another problem is, politicians who are more concerned about being re-elected than they are about doing their REAL job (as described above). I think they got the WRONG MESSAGE from the MA Senate results. They don't seem to be paying attention to what the VAST MAJORITY of AMERICANS WANT (as is stated quite concisely, in the letter currently being circulated in the Senate, calling for a PUBLIC OPTION via reconciliation). For example:

18 February 2010
Nevadans overwhelmingly against previous health care reform package, but support reconciliation, public option

Those are the results of a poll conducted for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which has been pushing for a public option and its pollster, Research 2000, previously has done work in Nevada to pressure Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Research 2000 also polls in the state for the Reno Gazette-Journal. The poll: IOW: for the most part, *we the people* lost interest and withdrew support once both SINGLE-PAYER and an alternative PUBLIC OPTION were dropped from consideration within any of Senate's versions of HCR.

- source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralstons-flash/2010/feb/18/nevadans-overwhelmingly-against-previous-health-ca

IOW: REID's constituents are saying just that... and I think that to be true across the nation (especially among DEMs and INDs ... not so much among CONs, who don't want any real reform, they just want more PROFITS... people's health and lives be DAMNED)!

The real problem, IMO:

People are NOT making their voices heard. True, this petition or that letter may get 10s or even 100s of 1000s to SIGN-ON ... but far too many remain apathetically (?) silent. We can NOT afford to allow the "status quo" to remain.

CALL and EMAIL ... Harry Reid and both of your Senators as well...

see: http://act.credoaction.com/call/oneoffs/index_21.html?cp_id=21
also see: http://whipcongress.com/

...tell them to get off their asses and pass HCR with a PUBLIC OPTION!

MAKE THOSE CALLS -- WRITE THOSE EMAILS -- GET MAD -- GET VOCAL -- REMAIN ENRAGED & ENGAGED -- GET AS MANY OTHERS TO DO SO AS YOU CAN! It's the only way members of CONGRESS will hear us... above the almost deafening sound of CORPORATE $$$$$ cha-ching-in' in their coffers!

...just my 2cents

[VMI Dem]

2. Jesus, what a wimp.

[Captain Hilts]

17. It's just stunning, isn't it?

[KittyWampus]

33. it's sounds more like a schoolyard and 12 year old boys- "I will if you will".

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. So if we "double dog dare" him, he'll do it for sure!!!

[Suji to Seoul]

21. Democrat and wimp are synonoms. It's like they are both afraid and ashamed to lead.

[Incitatus]

53. Yeah, way to LEAD.

[cherokeeprogressive]

61. Okay, let's BOTH do it on three!

One.... Two.... WAIT A MINUTE I'M NOT READY!

Okay Okay. Now. One.... Two.... WAIT A MINUTE I hear someone calling!

Okay Okay. Now. One...

[Amonester]

67. Okay! Ready! Set! Go!

Not now, though.

Only in 2013.

Gotta let our sponsor$ rip off (39%/yr., soon /month) a little longer.

[Cal33]

62. He didn't sound like a wimp during his speech in Colorado

this morning. For his first year in office, he is the president who has done the most
for the average American in the past 50 years. So, he has a quirk about bi-partisanship!
Too much of an idealist? He seems to be learning even here. The Neocons aren't exactly
making things easy for him. Give him some time.

[bertman]

68. A "quirk" about biparisanship? How about a DELUSIONAL COMPULSION for bipartisanship?

[Toucano]

3. Sounds like leadership to me.

Not.

[izquierdista]

4. Wet paper bag + warm jello = ???

[Lilith Velkor]

5. So much for that, then. n/t

[WillyT]

6. Well... Reid Had Better, kpete... Check This Out !!!

Link: http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralstons-flash/2010/feb/18/nevadans-overwhelmingly-against-previous-health-ca/

:wow:

:banghead:

:crazy:

:woohoo:

:kick:

:hi:

[laughingliberal]

52. Reid has been in favor of the public option all along

I have no doubt he will attempt this if the votes are there. The distressing predicament for the Senate Leader is he is responsible for counting the votes and, to some extent, persuading the other Senators. Often, his own wishes are precluded by this. I think if the President's support for this is serious we will get it. I think the lack of fighting for it on the part of the President this past summer and fall made it easy for certain asshat Senators to oppose it with impunity.

[depakid]

70. Also look at the current poll results on the issue

Highlights from the Nevada poll (commissioned by PCCC/DFA/Credo):

34% support for current Senate bill (32% of Independents)

58% support for public option (61% of Independents)

55% support "reconciliation" on health care (64% of Independents)

[DaveinJapan]

7. The President should try reverse psychology.

If he comes out vehemently against it, there's 42 more votes right there!

[upi402]

8. Well... if the guy who will be dragged into it, gets dragged into it

Then I guess we could get dragged into it too, maybe.
Inspiring leadership in a time of crisis.

MLK would absolutely call this a civil rights mandate of the highest order!

[Fleshdancer]

9. I can hear that conversation now: "I double blue dog dare you!"

:eyes:

[indy legend]

10. I'd give you a big LOL if that weren't so sadly true.

[Captain Hilts]

12. Neither has the nerve to jump straight to the triple dog dare. Sad. nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. GMTA.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Obama to Reid: "You first." Reid to Obama: "No, YOU first." O: "No, you." R: "No, YOU." nt

[Skip Intro]

20. It's embarrassing. And sad. And tragic. Hell, if we're not gonna use our majority, wtf good is it?

[Tim01]

24. WHAT? We have a majority? No way! nt

[ctaylors6]

82. I wouldn't be surprised if that's an exact transcript

[mucifer]

13. I'm bothered by the fact that Durbin isn't backing public option.

[WillyT]

14. Just For You...

<snip>

UPDATE: Thursday, 5:26 PM -- Joe Shoemaker, a spokesman for Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said that the Majority Whip has a policy of not signing on to letters sent to leadership since, after all, he's a member of leadership. "That would be like sending a letter to himself," said Shoemaker, adding, "Durbin has a pretty clear record on his support for a public option."

He said that Durbin has yet to take a public position on whether the bill should be moved through reconciliation and wasn't immediately available. He has been traveling in Sudan and elsewhere in Africa for the last several days.

<snip>

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/17/dianne-feinstein-signs-on_n_466435.html

:hi:

[Pirate Smile]

15. Reid would vote for it too if there were 49 other votes. They aren't the problem.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

16. Sen Reid has to

[frylock]

18. we're fucked if he's relying upon reid's leadership

[harun]

30. Much worse off than I thought.....

[laughingliberal]

54. I'm not sure why anyone would think that

Reid put a public option in the blended bill he wrote and, when that was failing, tried a last ditch effort putting the Medicare expansion in the bill. I will not go into who I think was behind killing both of those but I will say I know Harry Reid has been in favor of a public option all along.

[anonymous171]

19. Fucking wimp. nt

[Tim01]

22. Is this a true story? He's refusing to stand up for himself? nt

[kenny blankenship]

23. Political weasels have a million ways to pretend they support something

without actually supporting it at all. (it also works in reverse, to make a pretense of opposing something while not opposing it at all.) This way is one of those million sleights of hand they practice. The utility of such maneuvers is to convince people you have no intention of aiding that you're really on their side.

If this is news to anyone, all I can say is I'm sorry.

[WVRICK13]

25. Good Luck With That

Reid is spineless so Obama has just made sure he doesn't have to support public option.

[deacon]

26. I see it as it's always been about Reid. This could have been a done deal a long time ago. n/t

[Bluebear]

27. 'I will if you will. No, I will if you will. I said it first. No I said it first.' Embarrassing.

[Bluebear]

28. I know you are, but what am I? No, YOU are. No, YOU are. No tags back.

[harun]

29. What courage

:sarcasm:

[deacon]

31. He doesn't write the bill. Reid is the problem, Obama would sign for a public option in a second. n/

[stillwaiting]

32. They are both the problem and have both been a problem over the past year.

They are the leaders. And they both have refused to lead in a direction that they supposedly represent.

[Captain Hilts]

39. White Houses DO write bills and have senators introduce them. Sen. Robert Wagner did for FDR. nt

[laughingliberal]

55. Reid put 2 different public options in the bill that, eventually, passed

with no public option. Remind me whose CofS showed up at Reid's office on a Sunday night and ordered him to give Lieberman what he wanted. If there was any desire from that quarter for Reid to try to get a public option by reconciliation, it was a damned well kept secret. There were a lot of characters involved in killing the public option but Harry Reid was not one of them.

[laughingliberal]

60. Reid wrote a public option into the Senate bill 2 different times

Remind me when we heard the president stand up and ask the Senate to pass that. What I remember is Reid's last attempt to get some sliver in which was the Medicare expansion Obama's CofS showed up at Reid's office on a Sunday night and, essentially, ordered Reid to give Lieberman whatever he wanted.

[sendero]

36. Who is working for who here..

.. the president works for the senate leader? I don't fucking think so.

What a sham situation. Does Obama believe we are that damned stupid?

[Shining Jack]

49. I do fucking think so. n/t

[Bluebear]

37. No, YOU'RE ugly. No YOU'RE ugly. I said it first. Did not. Did too.

[Jamastiene]

38. I see a few have some courage.

To bad the leadership won't stand the fuck up and help the ones who have the guts to do it.

[sendero]

40. This is just more of the..

.. whipsaw bullshit that has characterized this entire effort. It's on, it's off, Medicare for 55 and up is on, no it's off.

If they pass a bill with the PO I will rejoice and praise. Until then I'm not buying a bit of it.

[Bluebear]

41. I saw it first. Did not. Did too. Did not. Did too. You first. No you first.

[Mari333]

42. LOL you are cracking me up

[Bluebear]

43. :)

I'm here all week

[Individualist]

44. Another dog and pony show.

[eShirl]

45. And I suppose if Reid were to jump off a bridge... n/t

[ThomWV]

46. Grasping at straws - when Obama says he will support it then you can believe it

[Uncle Joe]

47. Open Medicare for all of the American People and be done with it.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[bobbolink]

50. "Change you can believe it"

:puke:

[Brickbat]

51. How 'bout he shows some leadership himself and LEADS and gets people to follow him?

You know, like he did during the campaign? I know, I know -- it would take some, uh, leadership. From the leader. Hm.

[laughingliberal]

57. Or, how about including a PO in the bill he is proposing and plans to post online?

That would be a show of support I would buy. That said, I don't expect to see him oppose it if Reid believes he has the votes and will get it to the floor. I think the President may have awaken to the fact that killing the public option killed HCR.

[n2doc]

56. He still thinks like a junior Senator and not like the President n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

58. Well..maybe..if Uncle Harry says it's OK..and the conditions are right. Such leadership!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

59. Great. Call me when you PASS the fucking thing.

Sure, support it now, after you've lost your supermajority. Pfffffffffft.

[yurbud]

63. that about sums it up.

[Cetacea]

64. Kicking

[deaniac21]

65. Breaking......It's dead.

[donheld]

66. It lives again!

[depakid]

69. Schrödinger's cat -it's both alive and dead!

[Bluebear]

71. After you. No, after YOU! No, I insist. You first. YOU first. I called. Did not. Did too.

[Bluebear]

72. LOL

[upi402]

73. wait

There's our Health Care Reform. Wait, until we're dead.

[Name removed]

74. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AlinPA]

75. Harry Reid has no backbone. How in the hell did the Democrats elect him to that position? nt

[defendandprotect]

76. Come on Obama, stand for something -- MEDICARE FOR ALL ...

[fascisthunter]

77. yes, throw the responsibility onto one other person

I'm sorry but this just reads badly for Obama.

[piratefish08]

78. shouldn't it be "Reid will support the public option if Obama will"

I mean, WTF??!!?

LEAD already!

[Jim__]

79. What a leader!!!

I'll do whatever he does. BFD.

[invictus]

80. If Reid opposes the public option, he should be replaced.

[TheWatcher]

81. What Leadership.

:eyes: