"Ed Show" Panel Discusses How Democrats Are Blocking Democrats On Health Care Reform (VIDEO)

Ryan Lizza of the New Yorker, A.B. Stoddard of The Hill, and Christina Ballantani of The Washington Times, appeared as panelists on MSNBC's "The Ed Show" tonight. One of the issues they addressed was the difficulty in passing health care reform, particularly one that includes a public option.

While Republicans are pretty much uniformly against a public option, despite a recent poll showing that a solid majority of Americans favor some kind of government-run plan, the panel honed in on two key problems for proponents of a public option.

The first is that the uninsured, who would benefit the most from a government-run plan, are not a very powerful and vocal constituency, and despite a majority of Americans favoring a public plan, they are also afraid of losing their coverage.

The second, and more important, problem is that the Democrats themselves are divided on the issue. If, Ballantani notes, they decided to really play hardball (and could keep all their members in line), they have the votes to do what the Republicans did during the Bush administration and push a plan through Congress without Republican support.

Watch the panel debate on health care reform below.

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Comments

[retiree]

Of course, the "money" people are concerned about an option. My niece (from Australia) was appalled when she came here and at a job was given info on the available insurance. Couldn't believe the monthly payments + deductible + % of fees. She explained that there is a private option in Oz, but many are satisfied with the public option and opt back after trying the private.

[flapjack]

Everybody wants a freebie

[zlohcuc]

YOU want a freebie. You can't wrap your head around the fact that you are already paying for millions without care unless of course you are a government employee then...never mind...

[Easyrollins]

If you are to really going to show these clown that he American people mean what they say they you are going to have to show real muscle. A national strike, bring the nation to a stand still, Show them one day of a walk out of the American workers and then you will have there attention.

[bigben1986]

If we can send $10 billion dollars a month to Iraq, and they're worried about expensive healthcare reform? Folks time to pressure our democrats in congress. Even though I have medical coverage now I still want reform. I am paying too much every year just to cover myself. I want public option or universal coverage. I don't mind paying a little tax as long as I am guaranteed that I will have coverage when I lost my job.

[joecoolconservative]

Thank God we have some level headed dems in charge. According to a recent ABC News/USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 89 percent of Americans are satisfied with their health care. That could mean up to 250 million people are happy. So why is it that we need Obama’s big-bang health-care overhaul in the first place? We need to slow down, take a deep breathe and evaluate our current system - then improve it. We do NOT need to destroy it with a pie in the sky idea of socialized healthcare.

[uglygnome]

Since you insist on posting the same nonsense on multiple pages, I'll respond in kind.

Regardless of how many are "happy" - 72% would like a CHOICE - meaning the choice of a public option. In addition, though these people may be "happy" now, they also fear what will happen if they lose their job and their coverage. In addition to the "happy" there are the 50 million decidedly "unhappy" who have no health care. There are the "unhappy poor" who cannot afford health care. Despite this overwhelming "happiness" our country ranks 17th in quality of care. 17th! The poll does not ask them if they are "happy" paying out the nose. Our health care system is a train wreck. The cost to taxpayers AND the government of the current system is far greater than what it would cost to move to single payer AND healthcare would improve. You cannot cherry pick statistics and, if you are going to quote them, look at the narrowness of the question asked.

[Samalabear]

Actually we rank 37 in the world.

[Highwind]

It's a insurance industry poll. I like how you kind of glossed over the fact that 72-75% percent of Americans want the public option. Just because they are happy with it, doesn't mean they want to pay a ridiculous amount of money for it.

[flapjack]

Americans believe a public option will be "free". When they see how much it will cost, they will be against it.

Also, when polled Americans will answer a question in such a way as to make themselves look good.

[JoeSchmuk]

The Kaiser Family Foundation (Kaiser Permanente)!!!!
http://monthlyreview.org/mrzine/andrews050907.html)

Surely you jest. You are going to rely on a report from one of the biggest insurance companies in the US to tell you how to think about health care????? I believe there's a bridge out there somewhere that you may be interested in purchasing. Failing that, send me an undisclosed but obscenely huge amount of cash in an unmarked brown manila envelope, and i'll get back to you with some really nifty magic beans.

[civilbehavior]

FAVED!!!!

[Witchitalineman]

I like the "Ed Show". Of course he and I think a lot alike on the issues so that might contribute to it but he seems like a genuinely nice and bright guy.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

American democracy is becoming increasing less democratic, the House needs to be cleaned. Why the crazy right wing is destroying it's self by running fruit cakes in primaries, we need to take out entrench fools in primaries. PA needs to take out Specter, he's a phony opportunist, who needs to retire, he's been a Senator far to long and has lost touch in Washington.

[westreal]

It's time to start putting our foot up these ConservaDems arses.

[IssuesInFocus]

Find them, target them, then vote them out of office. Where is the third party formation...out there?

[flapjack]

Yes, please start a 3rd party of Libs. I'd love to see it actually.

[grace14]

This is not about how we going to pay for it period...add a Sales Tax to everything we purchase like Canada ---Full Health Care for all....free now...all fully covered done.........this is about Insurance C?, wealthy big business companies, all is lust, lust lust of greed greed greed--- trillions and for the people, they line their pockets the Senate?
...Do they not.control our Government? Which in truth works for the wealthy period? I ask are they not stealing? From all of us. I ask are they not liars?
call this what it is///

generations ago if any took bribe money from someone to change laws or what ever, what would it be called? Let alone if it was found out? Now they do it in the open and call it right and good?.. In the end were told e**l will be called good and good will be called e*&l...How true and here now, no shame nor common sense any more.....

[flapjack]

Funny, you say to pay for it to add a sales tax. Then you go on to say it will be free. Your idea of free is very interesting.

[BBC9nch]

This is a real scandal that our representatives in the congress and senate are really being controlled by corporate interests through their donations and lobbying efforts. As much as the media loves a good scandal I've asked myself "why wouldn't they be all over this story"? The answer is simple, the media is controlled by the same corporations that spend billions of dollars in advertising on their networks. There are really only a few things that separate big business from the mafia if you think about it. For one thing big business has maximum control over our government.

[quidam56]

As a former health care giver, I am shocked to see what health care has become. Profit Care is more important than Patient Care in America. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 How many more are going to die thanks to the status quo ?

[bikerdude]

Single payer, universal coverage is the answer.
We must get congress in line with the wishes of the voters and the POTUS.
Reid? Pelosi? Emanuel? What's going on here?

[IssuesInFocus]

Have you learned anything from the 'green revolution ' in Iran? Time for voters to take to the streets. We unlike the Theocracy in Iran is a democracy... but it would seem with a very small 'd'.

[grace14]

All Americans should stand up to Senate period. enough..Pres Obama is doing is part and fighting for all of us. When is America going to start doing their jobs, standing up for themselves and their families, and our Pres (one man) fighting for Health Care Reform.....look at Iran a few e**l men control millions....Senate who are they worshiping money as their god?

[jane gutowski]

If you believe the government worships money why would you want the government controlling your healthcare? I want them to have as little control over us as possible as they are truly incompetent spendthrifts and want us to live under a totally different health plan than they have because even they know they are incompetent spendthrifts.

[Decipherer]

So, you'd rather have those incredibly greedy, fat-cat insurance companies make decisions about what they will or will not cover based upon the profit potential of the eventual care you receive after having paid exhorbitant premiums, IF you can even get insurance?

Is that what you'd prefer? Sorry, join the 20% of voters who always seem to vote against their own self-interest.

You and your ilk lost the November, 2008 election. Deal with it.

[Sassie]

I would rather have the government control our healthcare then the insurance companies control our government!

[grace14]

Pres Obama is not a failure congress is the biggest failure and now all know who lines their pockets and pay and control our government behind closed doors...all is greed greed to me....not about all human beings and they talk about Iran..no please..worship of wealth

[grace14]

Insurance? paying big bonuses to who? Bribes?

[Slagfish]

Democrats have long argued that in order to reform health care they would have to have a majority in both houses and the presidency. Well, now they have the whole enchilada and it's beginning to look as if they may not get it done. It's may be that they want the issue more than the reality, kinda like the repubs and abortion. The dems truly are pathetic but they are the only chance we have to get any kind of meaningful health care reform. Lets hold their feet to the fire.

[Samalabear]

My thoughts exactly. The Democrats used health care reform the same way Republicans used abortion for years.

[flapjack]

You've elected cowards. They have to ability to shove this through if they wanted. But, they also know it will be a disaster, so they want to convince republicans to go along with it, so they can spread the blame.