Reconciliation May Force A Public Option Too Liberal For Some Dems

Talking Points Memo:

As Senate leaders begin work on a Democrat-only health care bill, they're finding themselves confronted with an unexpected irony: Though the caucus has reached an uneasy consensus around a public option that's modeled in many ways after a private insurer, it may be necessary to make the public option more liberal, and thus, more politically radioactive, if it's to overcome a number of unique procedural hurdles.

Read the whole story: Talking Points Memo

Comments

[oberon123]

09:30 PM on 09/01/2009

Why do Democrats keep talking about using reconciliation? They have 60 democrats. That is enough to block a filibuster. The democratic senators who want to vote against health care can do so, all they have to do is not join the Republicans in a filibuster. Dont vote for the bill. Just allow it to come to the floor. Once it does, vote whatever way you want. If you arent even going to allow that to happen, you have no business being a Democrat and enjoying the benefits of being a part of the ruling party. Leave and go be a Republican, because you are of no use to the public anyway.

[tiredlady]

09:01 PM on 09/01/2009

When all the rhetoric is removed, Over 70% of citizens support the single-payer idea. Why can't these candy-asses in Congress figure out that we will SUPPORT them if they do the right thing, no matter how scary it is. Time to put on your grown-up undies and EARN your re-election, you sissies.

[Golden Ticket]

09:19 PM on 09/01/2009

70% supported that 4 months ago, when your cherry picked poll was taken. Now 53% are opposed to the proposed reform and public option.

[tiredlady]

09:54 PM on 09/01/2009

We're not talking HR3200, we're talking Single-payer.

[ncmom54]

12:26 AM on 09/02/2009

And some of that 70% are Republicans

excerpted from: http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/august/former_jasper_county.php

Former Jasper County Republican Chairman on Single Payer

"I am a Republican, former chairman of the Republican Party in Jasper County, Ga., and chair of that county commission. Under our two-party system, it is easy to see why we Republicans oppose Democratic Party reform proposals. We are the opposition party and do not want them to get the political credit for solving a nasty problem.

Universal Medicare will both control costs and achieve universal access to high quality care. Congressmen would get the same insurance as you and I. You better believe your coverage would be just as good as or better than what you are getting now. The problem is not technical; it is political.
It is high time we put the country ahead of ourselves and establish a single-payer system."

http://www.pnhp.org

[DestinationsUnknown]

08:54 PM on 09/01/2009

We should be revolting with that Bush Tax Cut you- GOP- passed with RECONCILIATION -

You think we all have the MURDCOH Mentality?

John McCain and his Economic advisor- Phil Graham- said it was all in our head?

Remember the DENIAL of the DO nothings? That was the GOP CONGRESS!

THE DO NOTHINGS!

8+ years of a 'C' mentality and what did we get? We were attacked with your party’s mentality!

FREEDOM?

FREEDOM FRIES!!!!

Attacked on September 11, 2001- the worst ever in our history!

The WORLD warned us not to invade Iraq- What did we do?

We renamed French Fries and INVADED Iraq.

The USA does not even rank within the top 25 countries in the world for education!

We were warned:

Australians warned us not to allow Rupert Murdoch to infiltrate our free press standards

England warned us not to allow Rupert Murdoch to infiltrate our free press standards

Sir Richard Branson said something like "if we let him, Murdock will destroy democracy".

We ignored Australia and England- look at the dumb down we got!

WSJ- Dumb it Down President!

Wall Street Journal- Once the most trustworthy news in the WORLD

Pitiful and shameful!

WSJ: Dumb it Down Mr. President!

[DestinationsUnknown]

08:53 PM on 09/01/2009

GOP- supported the man with FIVE- YES FIVE- DEFERMENTS for our National Security!

We were attacked with this man’s NATIONAL Security Expertise Senator!

How DARE you! This is your JUDGEMENT!

HCA- NASHVILLE TENNESSEE!

2003-WWW.USDOJ.GOV - HCA INVESTIGATION - LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE IN U.S. HISTORY SETTLED

R-TN Lamar Alexander stated his solution on PBS- that we should expand hospitals to solve our healthcare crisis.

Expand HCA Senator?

Tennessee needs to pay attention to HCA- LARGEST HEALTHCARE FRAUD in HISTORY-

R-TN Rep Blackburn, a BIRTHER, should try to listen and learn how to improve her failure as a State Legislature before she assumes she know best for the Country.

HCA- LARGEST FRAUD in United States History, Corporate Headquarters in Nashville Tennessee and you allowed this. This FRAUD occurred under both of your watch.

Ms. Blackburn and Senator Alexander- Under your watch-.

Your egregious behavior allowed this fraud to spiral through our entire economic system.

HCA not only robbed the country’s Medicare/Medicaid system, but the entire Healthcare system and its tentacles.

[DestinationsUnknown]

08:53 PM on 09/01/2009

Now- CEO Rick Scott- now Rick is concerned about Patient’s Rights!

The MASSIVE FRAUD ending December 2008- One month before GW Bush left office!
In October 2008- Leo Wise, now at the OCE ---stated "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a case of staggering fraud," 'It is one of the largest frauds the FBI has ever investigated.

In 2002 FBI raided the offices of National Century Financial Enterprises in Dublin, Ohio

“This case is one of the largest corporate fraud investigations involving a privately held company headquartered in small town America,” said Assistant Director Kenneth W. Kaiser of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division.

Guess where ALL of Richard Scott's & Richard Rainwater’s Columbia/ HCA and HealthSouth subsidiaries and joint ventures were?

National Century Financial Enterprises, Inc.! (NCFE).

December- 2008- One ACQUITTAL- TWELVE GUILTY!

12 Executives/co-Founders already found guilty- in the largest private financial fraud case in US history- National Century Financial Enterprises, Inc- and no one has ever heard of!

December 18, 2008, almost one month before GW Bush leaves office- the last person to stand trial, the ONE and ONLY acquittal- James K Happ!

Jurors stated 'PROSECUTOR DID NOT DO HIS JOB'-

The one ACQUITTAL; the ex-CFO of HCA’s FRAUDULENT companies!

[condor101]

07:30 PM on 09/01/2009

SINGLE PAYER NOW. All People should watch the interview below of Wendell Potter, former CIGNA executive. Please Re-Post this entire comment on every related health care story on HuffPost. We need to inform people. Thanks. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html He speaks the truth. We need congress to vote for a SINGLE PAYER PLAN. Right now, the insurance companies are salivating at the prospect of having the 50 million un-insured to be mandated to buy health insurance. Wake Up People! Do Something! Please watch this video interview of Wendell Potter and then contact your congressman/senator , urging them to support a Single Payer Plan. Also, feel free to copy and re-post the video link below and/or my message and place on all comment boards on HuffPost. We need to get more and more people to watch this interview and effect change. Currently, the Corporate Beaurocrats and their Lobby are taking over town hall meetings and influencing the general public to be scared of a SINGLE PAYER PLAN. We need to take control of this debate and show the Real Truth. If you haven't seen Bill Moyers' interview with Wendell Potter, former PR executive for CIGNA, I strongly recommend it: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

[anothervoice2]

05:32 PM on 09/01/2009

A more progressive bill? - that may actually drive up Obama's poll numbers.

[sarabono]

11:14 PM on 09/01/2009

Layoff that strong weed, you starting to get all wee-weed up and it messed up your thinking.

[bluesmann]

05:19 PM on 09/01/2009

Gotta go folks... Tues is $2 Tecate beer and Tequila day at my fave bar...

[christopherflynn]

05:34 PM on 09/01/2009

and maybe you can meet some folk and convince them that without a public option, healthcare will be in the same dire straights that it's been in for years. Put a lime in that Tecate...

[biglith]

06:05 PM on 09/01/2009

Have you read his previous posts?

[jsgaetano]

05:44 PM on 09/01/2009

With how manically you've been posting, I assumed you were getting a refill on your medication.

[Endersdragon]

05:06 PM on 09/01/2009

I noticed it on another post but can ask why competition is bad in the education field but great in the healthcare field. If health care in America was set up the way education is set up, everyone would be forced to go to the closest doctor, even if it was the totally wrong type of doctor (as long as it was the right age level). So I say competition for both or neither. Sound fair to you guys?

[bluesmann]

05:12 PM on 09/01/2009

Or you would be put on a bus and sent to a doc you didn't need or want..

[Endersdragon]

05:14 PM on 09/01/2009

Pretty much. Being a twice exceptional autistic who was bullied relentlessly by my classmates and teachers (who tended to be liberals...) I can safely say that the educational system in America is messed up.

[Kassandra]

05:46 PM on 09/01/2009

Hey, don't ask ME. I'm just a taxpaying citizen...who cares about what I think?

[Endersdragon]

05:50 PM on 09/01/2009

Objection: relevance?

[bluesmann]

05:03 PM on 09/01/2009

Does Single Payer mean only single folks get it??

[VPN]

05:12 PM on 09/01/2009

Ignoramus much?

[biglith]

05:45 PM on 09/01/2009

You've got a lot of nerve to use Muddy Waters as your avatar. Any connection between the blues and a right winger is only coincidental.

[TheIndependenceParty]

07:50 PM on 09/01/2009

I can always tell that by watching their feet, ... they just lie their on the floor like they are made of mud, ... As for the blues, ... that was the saddest part when I was conservative as a young man. And that was the part I loved the best when I wised up!

Even in the midst of politics, I sometimes feel pity for my old conservative friends.

[bluesmann]

05:01 PM on 09/01/2009

Saw Kerry with a cane the other day...botch=ed hip surgery in Canada..

[bluesmann]

05:00 PM on 09/01/2009

Is "Public Option" like a "Public Toilet?"...a place you don't want to go?

[anothervoice2]

05:18 PM on 09/01/2009

Are you referring to a type of "public toilet", where devout Rethugs go to get some action?!

[bluesmann]

05:21 PM on 09/01/2009

Something like that...yea..

[bluesmann]

04:57 PM on 09/01/2009

I think with 435 Dims in the House and 100 in the Senate, they may can get something done...but Obama would veto it, and the Dems wouldn't override....Ha..

[TheIndependenceParty]

07:53 PM on 09/01/2009

You must be paid piecework, man. I haven't seen this kind of drivel in a post since they served refried-refried beans in the cafeteria.

[PaxEterna]

04:55 PM on 09/01/2009

The bills are bogus. Even with a "Public Option" there will not be enough reform in it to call it liberal, let alone progressive, which is what this nation really needs.

[bluesmann]

04:58 PM on 09/01/2009

Yep..just what we need ..more Libs...like I need more back hair...

[VPN]

05:06 PM on 09/01/2009

Its already been proved that republicer-ism/conservative-ism is extremely hazardous to your health, so yes we do need more liberal-ism

[bluesmann]

04:54 PM on 09/01/2009

Dems....."Readyyy...Aaaimm.....Fireeee!! Yikes...that was my foot.!!"

[ezthere]

04:50 PM on 09/01/2009

nice Picture there of Harry Reid,,, haven't seen the article here on how he said that Teddy dying will help the Dems