SCHUMER has SIGNED the PO RECONCILIATION LETTER!!!!

[Clio the Leo]

:bounce: VERY VERY good news!!!! :bounce:

Chuck Schumer Joins Push For Vote On Public Option

This is key: Senator Chuck Schumer has just signed the letter calling on Harry Reid to hold a reconciliation vote on the public option.

Schumer just fired off an email to supporters in which he announced his intention to sign the letter, which was initially spearheaded by Senator Michael Bennet and three other Senators. He wrote:

I just added my name to their effort to pass a public option through the reconciliation process, and I wanted you to be the first to know.

This is far from a done deal, but it’s an opportunity to break through the obstructionism Republicans have pushed for the past year.

That brings the total number of Senators calling for this vote to 17. But Schumer’s signature is arguably far more important than many of the others.

That’s because Schumer has now become the first member of the Dem Senate leadership to join this effort. As the former head of the DSCC he played a major role in engineering the Dem takeover of the Senate.

Schumer’s voice is highly respected inside the Dem caucus on policy matters. He played a major role in driving support for the public option throughout this process. And, crucially, Dems have trust in his political instincts. So his support implicitly suggests he thinks a reconciliation vote on the public option could also represent good politics.

Indeed, Schumer’s support could give other Senate Dems who might be reluctant to back this effort for political reasons the cover they need to get on board. As unlikely as it is that this vote will happen in the end, it perhaps just got a tad less unlikely. This is a very interesting development indeed.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/chuck-schumer-to-join-push-for-vote-on-public-option/

While I'd feel MUCH better if Durbin signed on as well (since he's never too far away politically from the President) I think Schumer's phrase "it’s an opportunity to break through the obstructionism Republicans have pushed for the past year." is key. That is EXACTLY the meme the WH has been pushing for weeks.

[Jennicut]

1. This is really big. I was hoping he or Durbin would.

Now, I think it will get a lot more votes.

[tabbycat31]

2. great I will use this as ammo for Menendez

thanks

[jenmito]

3. That's my senator! K&R!

[quiet.american]

5. Mine, too! Excellent! nt

[rockymountaindem]

4. We're on a roll. But we've been let down so many times I'm really hesitant to abandon my cynicism

I think we'll still end up with zilch in terms of the public option at the end. Although maybe, just maybe, the Democrats in the Senate have realized it's time to latch on to something popular with the public since they're facing a rout this election.

[CTyankee]

21. Might as well go with it, despite what may be the consequences.

At least, we're putting up a fight! Better than not putting up one.

[Eric J in MN]

6. If you have a Democratic Senator who hasn't signed yet...

...then please phone or email the Senator's office to request that he or she sign.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/schumer-signs-public-option-via-reconciliation-letter.php

"The signatories so far: Sens. Bernie Sanders (VT), Al Franken (MN), Patrick Leahy (VT), John Kerry (MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Michael Bennet (CO), Sherrod Brown (OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Jeff Merkley (OR), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Roland Burris (IL), Barbara Boxer (CA), Jack Reed (RI), Tom Udall (NM), Barbara Mikulski (MD) and Frank Lautenberg (NJ)."

[freddie mertz]

7. When will the president endorse this effort?

Or is he still barking up the broken, branchless bipartisanship tree?

[Peacetrain]

8. Dang Clio..when you bring good news, you do not fool around!

Loving this

[Jersey Devil]

9. It's easy to sign until you get to 49

Pardon me for being such so negative, but I think this is all being done purely for political cover with progressive voters. It's safe to declare yourself for a progressive cause when you probably will never have to actually vote for it because there never will be 50 votes for it.

I know, I shouldn't be so pessimistic but looking at the track record of "our side", why wouldn't I?

[Jennicut]

11. The people who probably won't vote for it are the moderate and conservative Dems.

I think we all know that anyway. I am not getting mad at Kerry, Sanders, etc because they signed a letter that may not pass.

[Jersey Devil]

15. Well, my point was that no one is going to vote for it

A vote will never be called on the public option because they will never get 50 senators to do it. So those who sign this letter can proudly point out they would have voted for it if it ever came up for a vote, but shucks, it didn't.

How convenient. :sarcasm:

[CTyankee]

26. Better to go down swinging than be seen as weak and spineless.

Sorry it's not easy for you. But I know that I signed up for a fight, not a whimper. I've seen politics for a long time and it ain't easy. Anybody who thinks it is will be in for a rude shock.

[dmallind]

24. Like Gillibrand you mean? Who DU excoriated as unacceptably conservative?

Come to think of it Schumer has been painted as a corporatist shill a few times too.

[Arkana]

33. You would be hard pressed

to find a Senator that has not been called a "corporatist shill" on the Democratic side.

Even Bernie Sanders was lambasted for his support of the health care bill.

[dmallind]

36. Good point, Stupid and telling, but accurate. NT

[tishaLA]

13. I feel the same way. But I'll celebrate each of them until then

then, all bets are going to be off, and I'll suspect that DiFi did it for purely political reasons, etc.

[Jersey Devil]

17. Yeah, I hear you

I'd like to feel that way but I have completely lost faith in this group.

[Clio the Leo]

16. "the range of Sens now signing the letter goes well beyond those who are conventional liberals..."

From...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x187194

[CLANG]

10. So far 17 and counting!

Sen. Michael Bennet CO
Sen. Barbara Boxer CA
Sen. Sherrod Brown OH
Sen. Roland Burris IL
Sen. Dianne Feinstein CA
Sen. Al Franken MN
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand NY
Sen. John Kerry MA
Sen. Frank Lautenberg NJ
Sen. Patrick Leahy VT
Sen. Jeff Merkley OR
Sen. Barbara Mikulski MD
Sen. Jack Reed RI
Sen. Bernie Sanders VT
Sen. Charles Schumer NY
Sen. Tom Udall NM
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse RI

[Hawaii Hiker]

31. Wyden & Cantwell should be on board for this as well

HCR must go thru reconcilation if there is to be any hope of a decent bill passing, and not just a HRINO...(Health Reform in Name Only)..

[Zen Democrat]

12. Has Harkin signed? I know he for the PO. n/t

[Clio the Leo]

14. Yeah, Harkin signed on yesterday....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=186570

[wisteria]

18. I contacted both of my Democrat Senators yesterday about signing. n/t

[CTyankee]

19. Oh, joy! NOW SENATOR DODD WILL YOU PLEASE STEP UP?

Geez, what does it take for you to get your butt in gear...

[karynnj]

20. Per email, Laughtenberg is on board

[tabbycat31]

23. help me with Menendez

n/t

[karynnj]

25. I bet he is going to sign as well - he voted for it on the Finance Committee

but I will call.

[tabbycat31]

27. call his DC and Newark office

Last I heard he agrees but was reluctant based on his leadership role.

[karynnj]

29. I wonder if Schumer's signing will help with that

[vaberella]

34. Menendez is a dirty dealer a bit.

He was against the drug reimportation act when originally he was for. I'd still put some pressure.

[karynnj]

35. There were many like that and Rockefeller said it would kill the bill

[xynthee]

22. Wow! I called and emailed him yesterday, and today he did my bidding!!

I'm on such a power trip right now. Maybe I should ask him for my fuckin' pony now! :woohoo:

[quiet.american]

28. Kickety. nt

[coti]

30. Huge. Amazing. Great. nt

[vaberella]

32. Of course he would. Is there any doubt?! That's my Senator, Yo! We pick the best.

Governor wise, we were never good pickers.

[Cha]

37. Schumer is my Senator along with Kristen Gillibrand!

[Vinca]

38. I'm trying to be optimistic, but dangling the public option in front of our noses

time after time after time is getting to be like all your lottery numbers coming up but one. Time after time after time.

[old mark]

39. Rec. Good start - let's just pass the damn thing and fuck the GOP.

Imagine the whining!!!!:rofl:


mark