Conrad: Public Plan Doesn't Have The Votes In Senate

The Washington Post:

Earlier today, Sen. Kent Conrad, the North Dakota Democrat who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, introduced a "potential compromise" on the public plan: A system of federally-chartered co-ops that could offer a non-profit alternative to the for-profit insurance industry. In this telling, the co-ops preserve the central feature of the public plan -- they're a competitor to the traditional insurance industry -- but are free from the baggage of government control.

I spoke to the Senator this evening about the co-op model, and he said a few things that surprised me. First, his search for an alternative was on behalf of the G-11 -- the key Senate powerbrokers on health care. Second, it proceeded from the premise that the public plan doesn't have the votes. All Republicans are opposed and, according to Conrad, "at least three Democrats." And third, he thinks reconciliation is basically out as a viable option for comprehensive health reform.

Read the whole story: The Washington Post

Comments

[edva]

Basic health care, like air and water, should not be allowed to be a for-profit business. It is a NECESSITY.
Let the insurance CEO's find other, honest, work, or just retire and live off their stealings, er, earnings.
STOP MAKING US PAY FOR WHAT YOU GIVE YOURSELVES!!!!

[Deruist]

Thank you! That sums it up perfectly!

[expired]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/opinion/12krugman.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[DelawareVol]

Excellent!!! Best news all day on this Friday!!!

[fourex]

Conrad is deliberately misleading. If he's saying that health care reform takes 60 votes to pass, he has in fact changed our Constitution. He, Harry Reid and others may agree to a super majority government, but our founding fathers and the people certainly have not. The public health care option needs to be voted on straight up, and pass or fail by majority vote. We need to know the Senators who select public health care for themselves and deny it to others.

[DelawareVol]

It's not denied to anyone.... Ever hear of the Emergency Room??? Works just fine for illegal aliens... Fear tactics at it's best!!!

[NCYvonne]

Sorry, dude. They don't do chemo or dialysis in the ER.

[flyribbon]

Isn't the Emergency Room for, well, emergencies? You know, like the victims of a shooting or someone having a heart attack.

Surely you're not suggesting that it should be used for routine non-emergency care. Or are you? Please be very specific.

[bygollymissmolly]

Right. Wait until your health is severely compromised and then go to the emergency room.

I had to visit an emergency room on Christmas day to get a prescription. I was in with the doctor for no more than 5 minutes. I was charged $350 for that 5 minutes by the hospital and $285 by the doctor. My health insurance paid $100 of the emergency room and all of the doctor (go figure). I was on the hook for $250 for a 5 minute visit to the emergency room. I called the hospital and complained. I was told that they have to charge those kind of rates to make up for all the uninsured they are required to see.

[sloreader]

All in favor say aye!

[Periwinkle]

Okay, folks. It's time to ask the price. How much money do citizens have to pony up to get senators to vote in favor of the public option? These people are obviously for sale to the highest bidder and big insurance/big pharma are winning.

[Chernynkaya]

In our "democratic" system, individuals (voters) are limited in their campaign contributions- I think the max is $2500.

But businesses and their lobbiests can contribute unlimited amounts. Who do you think "your" representatives will answer to? Sure, we can vote them out of office, but when they have big business money behind them, they can spend on campaign advertisements and will probably win elections.

[ncmom54]

we can demand a national referendum (wasn't there one for prohibition?)

If Congress doesn't have the fortitude to do what's right for the American Citizens,
then they should get out of the way and let the voters decide.
Single Payer would win by a landslide.

[RKay Butler]

The longer I live the more I hate Republicans. And spineless Dems who think we can work with pure evil.

[DelawareVol]

Wow, hateful!!! It'll eat 'ya up....

[bigDinNY]

Wtih that much hate hopefully you won't live much longer. Can't we all just get along. Love is the answer.

[bygollymissmolly]

I have never in my life come close to hating anyone until recently. I'm pretty close to hating all Republics. They don't care about our country, they only care about their own power and greed.

[just saying]

Wow! Overgeneralizing much? I have met good and bad people from all political parties and wait until I know them before judging. Maybe if you wouldn't hang out on only leftie sites you'd talk to others who aren't skewing your view your way...and don't even try to tell me that only right sites do this...ple­azzz. And don't hate anymore, it makes you no better than those you hate.

[phoenixtoo]

What utter MANURE! There is nothing in this that is not manure. First the disingenuous notion that it must be bipartisan to continue to exist after it is passed. Just try to destroy any government plan once it is passed even if it doesn't work. That sort of thing has never happened, won't happen and they know it. They don't need 60 votes only 51 and he knows it. They don't want to upset their employers (not us, the ones they "serve" , but the ones who pay for their campaigns). If the money that got him elected/ will get him re-elected were scrutinized I am sure that it would explain his statements.

[rockyb26]

One more time:

Don't just leave comments here. Contact Sen Conrad.

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Online: http://conrad.senate.gov/contact
E-mail: https://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm

[BronxBorn]

Done. Politely.
It was a stretch.

[rockyb26]

ditto

[Chernynkaya]

And not just Conrad- how about those mysterious other Dems not on board for public option.

Please go to http://www.senate.gov/ and write other senators! The only catch is you need to have the zip code to write a senator not from your state. Google zip codes to email them. Or call toll free.

[sloreader]

done. next.

[bygollymissmolly]

You will have to make up an address and put in a city and zip for ND, otherwise you won't get through to him. Use Fargo 58102.

It really irks me that Senators with the power to affect the entire country are allowed to filter out communication from the people whose lives they are affecting.

Nancy Pelosi has a Speaker of the House website where anyone can send her an e-mail. Harry Reid, on the other hand, does not have a Senate Majority Leader website. The only way we can communicate with him is to manipulate his contact page by pretending to be a citizen of Nevada. I'm thinking he does this because he doesn't want to hear from the rest of us because he's about the biggest wuss in our country.

[Chernynkaya]

Good work, bygolly. I spent two whole days looking up zip codes and area codes for 50 states. I made up street addresses, but used my own email address for replies. I know it's not kosher, but then, neither is Congress. Once I got all that info, I emailed them again. And again.

[ncmom54]

done... that felt good!

[k6007]

What a li@r.

[LiberalDemIda]

Public Option doesn't have the votes in the Senate, but Big Pharma and Big HMOs never have that problem. Who is the Senate serving again, Conrad, and why do the American people need a Senate anymore?

[NCYvonne]

Those 3 Democrats can oppose a public option but they'd better vote for clocture!!!

[Coinyer101]

see? all of you centrists and moderates, settling for a public option , instead of demanding single-payer, will wind up getting neither.

[rockyb26]

would single payer include getting rid of the private insurance companies?

[Coinyer101]

for basic care? yes. they can steal their money from other places.

[steamboat]

A question for everybody: .....Would­n't it be appropriate or at least not show any obvious hypocrisy if Dodd's wife quit those healthcare companies she's on the board of?

[steamboat]

why no replies?

[Bernique]

Who are the "three democrats" in opposition?

[jonbw]

call and demand that Conrad names names.

[lornejl]

It doesn't matter, we don't need them, it's blame shifting and a cop out.

[ProgressiveAndProud1]

I am guessing Lincoln, Pryor and Nelson

[truegreen]

Co-op? Is Con-man serious? Get that joker out of here.

[lornejl]

He mentioned Land O Lakes is a co op. I shook my head in disbelief.­W TF ?