"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

[poppahymen]

How can they be against what over 70 percent of the country is for? Who do they work for?

Oh I forgot, they work for that damn duck!!!

AFLAC!!!!

It is a shame that we have a President who is willing to tackle "real" issues only to be undermind by his own party.

I guess it really is a good ol boys club.

Can we take away Congress's public health plan that they are entitled to? I find it interesting that the people who are against it are the one's currentlt benefiting from it.

Why do politicians not like America?

[MyNameIsJames]

It has to be the Obama administration and the Dem House of Representatives vs. Senate Dems.

Senate Dems need to be intimidated, vilified, and bullied into passing the public option legislation. That little cowardly PR*CK Harry Reid - needs to be called out by President Obama.

[rabiddog6708]

The drug and insurance companies own both the Repubs and the Dems, and they are paying big bucks to make sure that there will be no single payer public plan.

[sean6886]

Sad but true.

[littlepeople]

Dems better do the right thing or they can be assured they will be looking for their own health care coverage when they are out of a job in 2010.

[ptarantino]

Ed Schultz is the best political radio guy on the isssue of health-care.

[roger37]

Get rid of Harry Reid!

[poppahymen]

Agreed

[mydogmoll]

Are the new Dems becoming the party of "NO" maybe so.One thing for sure Dems and Repubs don't have to worry about their healthcare ,meanwhile back at the shack,the poor folks will have to settle for a "quack"

[mesmorize3]

Its time the dems put up or shut up........­....

[periscope]

I've been a Democrat all my life. I admired FDR and Truman and voted for JFK. Today's Democratic Party is not my father's Democratic Party. The Republicans are reprehensible and only care about the rich and the rich corporations. But some Democrats aren't much better. These are usually the "Blue Dog Democrats.­" They are conservative on social issues and resist progressive legislation in other areas.
The American people want a public healthcare insurance option. Any Democrat who doesn't vote for this should be voted out of office come the next election, even if it means voting for an Independent candidate instead.

[Chapmanp2]

Ed Schultz is putting his money where his mouth is on this issue.
SINGLE PAYER NOW!!!

[AdV2k1]

I want the names of the Democrat Senators who are in the way. I want phone numbers. I want to nag and scream at them . I don't have a job, I have time to call the offices and write letters.

[AlanBJ]

These are the problem Senators that may put their own greed and interest before the millions left without healthcare:

Begich
Byrd
Cantwell (who just came out in favor of the co-op)
Dorgan
Tester
Wyden
Hagan
Nelson, Bill
Lieberman
Udall, Mark
Feinstein
Carper
Bennett

[Solsister]

Two of these Senators are mine - Udall and Bennett from Colorado. Both of them are new this term. I must say that Colorado has a history of DINO Senators, one of whom, Ken Salazar, was tapped by Obama to be our new Sec. of the Interior.

Time to let these guys know that we want a public option!! (Preferably single-payer).

[sean6886]

Cantwell is mine. She's gonna get an earfull tomorrow. I'm surprised by Wyden. He's usually one of the guys who fights for the working folks. He's not my Senator, but I'm still gonna call his office tomorrow. After all, I may live in Washington State, but I work in Oregon and pay their state taxes.

[AlaninElkGrove]

I had been a Feinstein supporter since she was a San Francisco County Supervisor (1970s). I'm at the end of my rope with her...

[bungle]

plzz call...

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

put in your zip on the left and call your REP'S all 4 of them..
if we dont call it will not happen..

[roger37]

Don't forget Mary Landrieu from The Banana Republic (Louisiana). She's for health care, but not for a public option. She gets lots of bucks from banking and oil industries. Call her and tell her this is more important than her own, personal career. And she's not up for reelection until 2012.

[Pigeon2]

And you have no job because...­...

[Beachchick]

What is the problem? Nonprofit public insurance that people pay into instead of private insurance.

[FGDinVA]

Precisely.

[ripcord65]

I am a hard-core progressive Democrat. I want nothing other than good things for the Democractic party and electing Democratic candidates. Ed Schultz is NOT something that is good for the Democratic party. Ed Schultz is nothing but a self-promoting blowhard. He is, unfortunately, the left's substantial equivalent to Bill O'Reilly.

I never listen to The Ed Schultz Show anymore (on Air America Radio), and my one viewing of The Ed Show on MSNBC confirmed that the TV show is just more of the same hot air.

I repeat ... I am a hard-core, left wing Democrat. Ed Schultz is just out for himself.

[roger37]

Usually, on the "progressive" blogs you are expected to provide some support for your accusations. So, how exactly do you know that Ed Schultz is "out for himself?"

Or are you just a Fox in sheep's clothing?

[moko2008]

Ok Mr. or Ms. "hard-core progressive Democrat", I'm really not sure that I get the point of your post. You don't like Ed Schultz, so what?

Even assuming that Ed Schultz is, as you allege, a "self-promoting blowhard", at least HE is contributing something to the debate on health care reform as compared to your post which -- sadly, contributes nothing at all to the debate at hand. You state emphatically that Ed Schultz "is NOT something that is good for the Democratic party", but you give no explanation or justification for your strong opinion. When Republicans do that, they are usually referred to as "blowhards", no? Unless you are prepared to back up your opinion with at least one fact or argument, why even bother?

If you really are the hard-core progressive Democrat that you claim to be, then I would suggest that you redirect your vitriol and energy towards those individuals who are presently on a concerted mission to sabotage the progressive Democrats (hint, Ed Schultz is not one of them).

[kylie]

I have been listening to Mr. Schultz for a couple of years, and he has been a strong supporter of the President, consistant and honestly vocal when and where he should be.
Maybe "Ripcord" is Roger Republican, in disguise.
Or was a hardcore Hillary supporter--there is no credibility.
Ed has been a positive voice for most of us!

[MyNameIsJames]

NEWSFLASH a lot of progressives are NOT sold out to the Democratic Party!

[Icantbelieveher]

I'm pretty sure that Ed has health insurance. Granted he pays high premiums, but he has no problem paying them!

I'm also a hardcore democrat, and I agree with so much of what he says! What is wrong with questioning these people?

We all worked hard to get them elected, and I'm sick and tired of the status quo! If we wanted to suffer, we would have left the republicans in charge! Instead, we have bought-off democrats who have blocked a cap on interest rates, blocked cramdown, and are in the way of a public option that 3/4 of the people want!

I thank God for Ed -- he's in the public eye and he's saying what these people need to hear!

[PoohBear]

One thing we can do is organize a mass boycott of health insurance. We are ones who keep funding these criminals. Time to cut them loose. There a plenty of free clinics out there that we can use instead.

[Peabodies]

Oh yeah,"free clinics", where, poohbear?

[roger37]

Brilliant. That should be effective for about 3 hours, until the clinics fill up. Duh.

[Pigeon2]

Free clinics? Who do you think is paying for the "free clinics?"

[LemonMeringue]

If there were plenty of free clinics then we would not have this problem at all. Insurance would be optional instead of absolutely necessary for a quality life.

[lj9283]

Could you provide a list of those "Free Clinics", because here in my city there is only a single free clinic, and that is only open on Saturday from 9am until noon. The rest of the time you better have insurance or a credit card.

[Crissy Patters]

Clinton administration wasn't a failure because of health care, it was because of his shannigans while in office.
Will someone explain to my Obamas entire tenure is based on the success of health care when not one president before him has reformed the health care system? Chris Mathews used the exact same wording as Ed S. were they given the same script with the hope if they repeat it enough people may buy into it?

[Peabodies]

Crissy -- "when not one president before him has reformed the health care system?". Some of us, Crissy, are old enough to remember President Lyndon Baines Johnson reforming health care to give us Medicare; and before him,President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1935, reforming health care by giving us Social Security and assorted health benefits.

This is 2009, and President Obama will deliver on Medicare for All/Single Payer.

[kylie]

Chris and Ed are on different sides.
Chris allows too many Republican politicians to have a long center stage to attack the health care public option plan.
He gives a bland "defense" of a health care public option plan and the opposition party has lots and lots of time to try "the Republican Scare Spiel" of the Day.
Ed comes at you with passion, resolve, and a real reflection of what the people are asking for and need.