Pelosi To White House: We're Standing Firm Behind Public Option

The Plum Line:

Nancy Pelosi just blasted out this statement signaling that House Dems are standing firm behind the public option, despite the White House's apparent softening of support for it over the weekend:

"As the President stated in March, 'The thinking on the public option has been that it gives consumers more choices and it helps keep the private sector honest, because there's some competition out there.' ...

Read the whole story: The Plum Line

Comments

[John Mainstream]

03:36 PM on 08/21/2009

Pelosi has become an embarrassment. She is incompetent, and is a political liability. Pelosi needs to announce her retirement.

[bereasonable0]

06:20 PM on 08/21/2009

I would agree with your assessment of the speaker but on this one, she is correct. The president wants to sign a bill with a public option. It's time for congress to deliver.

[marchforhealthcare]

08:53 PM on 08/18/2009

We can make the public option happen.
Will you be there for the national day of protest for healthcare on September 13th across the nation
Signup at www.facebook.com/marchforhealthcare

[hexham]

11:40 AM on 08/19/2009

okay! and the twitter hashtag is #optionmarch913 .. spread the word!

[FarOutFish]

12:53 PM on 08/18/2009

The President's biggest problem is not Republicans or conservative talkers, it's his own party. As Will Rodgers once quipped, "I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat."

[SpecOpsGuy1963]

01:00 PM on 08/18/2009

Well said. Succinct,, on point, potent. You Sir (or ma'am), are a great American!

When they stop the blame game, real reform will happen. The GOP has nothing to do with this. And I, an independent who voted Obama but regret it as I see he's partisan X 6. Never again!

[Macdaddy10]

01:28 PM on 08/18/2009

Amen, Obama has let the people down again! Good job there Obama.

[xcrunner77]

12:43 PM on 08/18/2009

Pelosi standing firm? Right.

[Macdaddy10]

01:27 PM on 08/18/2009

Right after she quits selling out to the highest bidder. Go Pelosi, take some money, good job girl!

[SpecOpsGuy1963]

12:22 PM on 08/18/2009

Lose a limb? Sure, happens to most people I guess. Oh, the emergency care is great. Helicopter service from exotic places, severak operations to save the limb, all the pain killers you want, emergency care, counseling. Wow, great Government work. Fast forward. File a claim with Govt Healthcare after you're out and about, and you get a form letter saying we've received your claim. We have a backlog, so don't call, but if you do, here's the number, but we won't have any information. Claims average 8 months now. Even then, some panel decides if my injury is related to my government work (after all, maybe I was in Afghanistan on vacation) and if so, what is the best course of treatment given things like budget, my age, my condition, and if I'll still serve the government. And this from hearing about a Congress and President who want to help and protect and ensure best care for all. Sorry, I'm not buying it...from experience. Thank God for private insurance. You can at least pick and pay for more, and there's no beaurecrat panel making the call. I've been through it. Kill the government option. Let the government regulate, but not control this. They really stink at it.

[SpecOpsGuy1963]

12:10 PM on 08/18/2009

So...17% of our economy is health care. Oddly enough...ALL of that...even the VA and military and government folks, deal with insurance companies. So....are you folks actually saying this is a corrupt industry? I don't know about you, but my insurance company charges some hefty premiums, but they are ALWAYS less than the price fo what they provide. And I also pay, in addition to my benfits provided by the government for 23 years of service, about $800 more per month. So sorry, while I appreciate all this VA stuff, I'm not stupid...they are NOT going to CARRY ME nor do I expect them to. I'd rather have Govt regulation for insurance companies and let me earn and pay a premium that is fair, vice waiting 8 months for Govt appointment. Oh, claims not that bad? Folks, you get into a primary care person FAST...oh no, we wont' delay your care. It's the specialist...the MRI, the orho surgeon, and operation, that is months and years...or never...down the road. Were it not for my private insurance and me covering some things on my own, I'd be hosed. You will be too.

[bereasonable0]

07:19 PM on 08/21/2009

You are moving the argument SpecOps. Most Progressives want single payer. Delivery is still private, and in fact there is still a market for supplemental insurance. The public option is less than that. It simply starts selling medicare and as I have posted several time, if done at the right price could actually generate revenue for medicare. Not sure why that is not being considered. It would drive down rates through competition. Of course if there is not enough profit we would still end up with single payer. Availability of services is a supply and demand issue, not and insurance issue. The Govt can encourage supply with targeted educational assistance and incentives to manufacture diagnostic equipment which folks argue are in short supply which is why an MRI costs so much. Drug prices and fee for service can be managed through collective bargaining which is just one benefit of the exchanges. The other being more choices for consumers. How many votes do you think will line up for regulation ? Do you really think the country wants Nazis and Communists telling corporations how to run their business ? You do have to be careful because I have heard the Nazis and Commies are everywhere that the GOP is not.

[SpecOpsGuy1963]

11:58 AM on 08/18/2009

Wow, what audacity, I have to commend this lady. Pelosi has lower numbers nationwide than even Carter and W, and sees national polls by Gallup, Rasmussen, Zogby, USA Today, NYT, etc, that says Americans don't like this option she has out there, and the Speaker of the House sticks by those in her own district and "rules" the country by that. Now, don't get me wrong, I love San Fran and I love sitting and chatting and making love to liberals, whom are complex people by the way. But I can't believe this lady is that arrogant, that out of touch, that she thinks she can actually "rule" over people because she thinks she knows better than they do. Wow, what an assault on our republic her mindset it. Behind all her plastic features, I can't believe she doesn't see it.

[thefixisin]

11:58 AM on 08/18/2009

Thank GOD for Nancy Pelosi!!

[wbwbruce]

11:36 AM on 08/18/2009

America's currently insured middle class will be increasingly desperate if health reform fails. Millions more such families will see their take-home pay shrink. Millions will lose their employment-based insurance, especially in medium and small-sized firms. And millions will find themselves inexorably priced out of health care as we know it.


Lear the truth about the public option.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/18/nr.cohen.public.cnn

[SpecOpsGuy1963]

12:02 PM on 08/18/2009

Why?
How can you say others should pay for your insurance? Why can't you pay your own? Presxisting conditions? Obamacare will insure you but deny you care. Take control of your life. Be the ball.

[robbep]

12:17 PM on 08/18/2009

I agree with you and the first thing we shld do is stop exempting from taxes your employer based hlth care. Our country is losing 250 billion a year subsidizing the health insurance for people like you. So instead of the taxpayers supporting your employer based hlth care we shld let you and your employer pay the full cost of it without the tax benefits. After all like you said be the ball.

[robbep]

12:34 PM on 08/18/2009

I watched the video and I am wondering where you got your facts from? They certainly didnt come from the video you sent us to. I know this may surprise you but if your company didnt have to pay for your hlth insurance your pay wld prbly go up not down. Your compensation package includes the cost your company pays for your hlthcare and if they didnt have that cost there wld be more funds available to you. Also, if your company competes on the international stage they wld be on a more level playing field with all the other companies whose countries take care of this cost, so it wld hlp your employer too. Your statement about millions being priced out hlthcare as we know it is true bcz hlthcare as we know it wldnt exist but they wldnt be priced out of hlthcare. In fact there are 50 million that are priced out of hlthcare now.A public system allows MORE people access to healthcare not less. And finally if the government didnt subsidize your private hlth insurance you wld pay a lot more than you are now. By allowing your company to exempt the costs of your hlthcare frm taxes the government keeps you frm paying the full price for it. Since you guys hate government interference and love your private plans so much I suggest you guys lobby congress to stop exempting your plans from taxes so you can pay its full cost.

[munki]

11:35 AM on 08/18/2009

WE NEED TO PRESS PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES to change its attitude and policy!!!!

[sueinmn]

11:36 AM on 08/18/2009

good luck as greed drives them.

[laminators]

10:53 AM on 08/18/2009

Good morning.
Want to see the true Obama nightmare for healthcare??? Video: http://www.governmentalityblog.com/my_weblog/2009/08/the-obama-healthcare-nightmare.html

President Obama can't afford to have Democrats as frienemies.... come on now!

[sc300nc]

10:18 AM on 08/18/2009

Government can't even run a simple cash for clunkers program, cannot manage their own e-mail lists, and admit that they run Medicare and the Post Office inefficiently. Why would we even consider having a government option?

[hahaney]

11:05 AM on 08/18/2009

Even if what you say is true (which it isn't) it would still be preferable to being screwed by insurance companies.

[sueinmn]

11:40 AM on 08/18/2009

Medicare worked well until GWB dipped his hands into the trust funds! SS also! Why pay 30% profit if you can pay 3%? Isnt that what business is about? Saving costs?

[mikerobjohn]

10:13 AM on 08/18/2009

I currently pay $350 a month for health Insurance for me and my family. I work for the federal govt who pays the rest of my premiums. My insurance company is Kaiser. I would rather pay my premiums to the govt option instead of to Kaiser. Kaiser charges more for CEO pay, advertising, etc....

With a govt insurance option, I will still be able to see a PRIVATE Doctor and go to a PRIVATE Hospital!!!

Who would you rather pay your premiums too. Remember PRIVATE insurance companies DO NOT EMPLOY YOUR DOCTOR!!!

We need medicare for all not just for people who are 65 and older. That's age discrimination!

[sueinmn]

11:43 AM on 08/18/2009

I pay $5.50 per hour towards mine and have never collected a dime from it! They force my husbands to cover first! What a rip off! Now Im laid off and (construction) and when I go back, I wont be covered again until I have so much piad into it again! Its BS!

[RandyJones]

09:57 AM on 08/18/2009

It's over NP.

Go back to CA and stay there.

[doomsday]

09:56 AM on 08/18/2009

I still think that this is a slick plan to call dems to action. Howard Dean was on tv last night calling for a ground swell. This, in my opinion is the only way the bill will get passed. The conservatives have stolen the spot light on the issue. The only way that we can get the bill passed is if people who worked so hard to get Obama elected realize that it was just the beginning, and not the end.

Why has the movement become so complacent? We are better organized, we outnumber the opposition, and the youth stands to gain the most for their futures if this bill is passed.

[sueinmn]

11:45 AM on 08/18/2009

Historically Democrats are lazy voters (mid terms dont show) and we are complacent. Yes we need to hit the streets with all we have!