Senate Dems Look To Obama To Move Health Care Votes

washingtonpost.com:

For many months, advocates of health care reform have implored President Obama to outline in greater detail the provisions he's prepared to push and defend. So far he has largely resisted, offering broad principles but still leaving the details to Congress. But the time of hanging back is quickly coming to an end if he hopes to find the 60 votes needed to pass a bill in the Senate.

Read the whole story: washingtonpost.com

Comments

[cycle3man]

hELP MY BEHIND. hE MUST BEAT UP ON THOSE bA$$$TURDS !!

[RadCenter]

Time to send Rahm in for the kill.

[morefromLA]

The problem there is Rahm wants to kill the public option.

[LynnW49]

morefromLA is right.
Rahm Emmanuel is the last person we want involved. In fact, I wish he would have temporary amnesia and have to spend about 100 forgetful days in bed to get better.

[vesaversa1]

I agree it's time for president Obama to insists on a strong public option .Obama yellow streak in taking charge of this issue have gotten ridiculous .

[morefromLA]

I went back and looked at some of your comments. I like your perspective and your spirit. But I have to disagree with you on Obama being yellow. You don't get to be POTUS (especially if you're biracial) if you don't know how and aren't willing to fight. His game is poker. He's not a high roller like McCain.. He reads his cards, tries to read yours and makes his move when he thinks the time is right. He took on the Strongest Democratic duo and triumphed in the primary. A yellow man doesn't take his biggest primary opponent into the most glamorous position in his administration if he is not confident. He is a politician. He doesn't walk on water, he walks on votes. Behind that smile is a cold blooded man when he has to be but he's not a bring-it-on fraud like our last President. Healthcare is swinging his way. He will get what he can and we will all be better for it. He's not going to crash and burn five times like McCain.

[Bloggerrogr]

disagree. At least as far as Obama as a poker player. He threw away his best card (single payer) at the outset. His strongest hand was single payer. By taking it off the table, his 'hand' was already considerably weakened. Failure to lead a recalcitrant Democratic majority in Congress hampered him further. Don't get me wrong, I admire the President for his civility and attempt to bring bipartisanship to the legislative process. Unfortunately, his learning curve was way slow in realizing that the Repugs had no interest in bipartisanship, instead wanted to crash his administration.
If I played poker with the Pres, I would beat him like a cheap mule.

FWIW

[JayeSF]

Problem is....in this instance, the M.O. you just described is being interpreted by Americans and by repooblicans as weakness.

There's a time to hold your cards silently close to your chest, and a time to use your bully pulpit. When it comes to healthcare reform....­President Obama did the former in July-Augus­t....

...and look where it got him. He got whup-#assed.

When he got the guts to use the bully pulpit...w­hat happened then ?

....that speech to Congress may have saved his very Presidency. it turned the tide.

Why ? Because Americans as a whole aren't a very sophisticated bunch (see 200-2008). They wanna see their Prez be passionate about something. They want the Prez to tell them the right thing to do. A methodical technocrat does not calm the nerves of the electorate.

A leader who is passionate and makes people believe in him.....do­es.

Time to step it up. As a senator, the President supposedly had good relations and friendships across the aisle. He's gotta use those tools now. Dems have backpedaled enough...n­ow is the time to follow through with his arguments and come up with something seriously transformative.

Anything less, and, nope....ev­en if he begs his base to stay with him...he will have 1) alienated too many progressiv­es...and 2) emboldened too many right-wingers.

(God forbid, he better step up, because if negotiations are left in the hands of Reid...we are all in a hella lotta trouble...­.)

[xlntcat]

I disagree. If Obama tries to ramrod the Senate now he will not get the 60 votes needed to stop the Filabuster. The time for the White House to step in is after the Senate produces a bill and meets with the house to reconcile the house and senate bills. Then they will only need 50 votes in the Senate to pass the reconciled bill through. Baucus tried to tell everyone that yesterday. He will vote for the public option after the final bill is on the floor because they can then get a majority. They have 60 Dem senators. They do not have 60 that will vote for the public option. If you never get the bill out of committee and block a filabuster, the GOP will succeed at killing healthcare reform.

[JayeSF]

It's an interesting theory....­I think 1) you give way too much credit to baucus, the guy is an insurance lapdog. And b) keep in mind that once a Public Option is EXCISED from a Senate bill, getting it put back in would be far, far, far more difficult than if it is in there, in some form, to begin with.

So...I really DO hope that the thing plays out the way you are saying...b­ut...I think that the Senate Bill needs to have some form of fedrally-funded health insurance program in there...ca­ll it co-op, call it whatever..­.but SOMETHING publicly funded needs to be included in any Senate bill from this point on.

[am a dam]

Like Michael Moore said: Let the bastards try and filibuster, let them try and read phrome the phone book while they block what should be a right for all people. America will not stand for it. The streets will alight. They will be forced to bend to the power of the people.

[OgreDaddy]

Dag Nabbit, I'll say it again!

President Obama needs to offer this Congress

The Orange Jumpsuit Option.

Launch the most massive anti-corruption crack down in US. history.

[am a dam]

That is a great idea!

[ImissBush]

more fun gettin olympics

[textynn]

Come on President Obama. Republicans have proved that they simply don't care about Americans that are ill or can't command a big paycheck. We need health care for all. Single Payer will save this economy and everyone with a brain knows it. The Medical Insurance Industry has made billions, they don't need to be taken care of. Let them reinvent themselves like millions and millions of Americans are already doing. A reinvention process that will be exponentially easier with single payer. Save this country and assure your reelection next term. We want single payer. The belief that we would get this is why we elected you. Much love. We are behind you. Again, much love.

Co-signers anyone?

[Bloggerrogr]

I'm in!

FWIW

[huff-fan]

Make them listen. March and Vigil in Mpls. Call your representatives. Write letters.

[LynnW49]

And let a filibuster happen. I'd rather wait than have no real reform.

And if there were a filibuster attempt, Americans would finally catch fire and storm the gates.

[HillaryPres2012]

The President should be out there pushing health care and the public option, but he's too busy overseas trying to get Chicago the Olympics. Who cares about the Olympics..­. get us healthcare.

[vesaversa1]

Chicago is part of USA and the Olympics would bring millions of dollar and job to that part of the country .So it's a great thing the president is doing in trying to bring the Olympic back to this country .

[morefromLA]

Get us both. He can multitask.

[BlueVoterOnly]

LOL! Why h p did you remove my comment?!

[BlueVoterOnly]

Who can remove Baucus?

[LynnW49]

There are some of us, a growing number among Dems I talk to, who are not going to vote for him again.

[Tommi2]

We as taxpayers, are expected to pay for unnecessary wars, unnecessary defense spending, bailouts to banks who gambled and stole, etc, etc.
But when it comes to the struggling American citizen, elected politicians snub their nose at you. Insurance companies rejoice. American citizens have been essentially told to go pound sand.

[HillaryPres2012]

Agreed. Politicians are listening more to lobbyists that to the American public.

[mtracy9]

Most Democrats do support the public option. It is a few Blue Dog h!cks -- bought off by the insurance lobby -- who oppose it.

[LynnW49]

And that is where we need to apply the most pressure (in addition to Reid and Obama), on the Blue Dogs.

[admiralsonasongbird]

This is unimagiable. How can 88% of dems want the Public Option and their leaders dont want to support it? Dont vote for them including the president and dont send them money. You have the power dem voters and you are the employers.

[mtracy9]

Most Democrats do support the public option. It is a few Blue Dog h!cks -- bought off by the insurance lobby -- who oppose it.

[BlueVoterOnly]

Why are you here? Are you a Dem? NO! We could care less what you say.

Oh and dont forget to turn on Rush today.

[timmmahhhh]

I think Admiral is right - I don't know his politics but his statement is accurate. The Finance Committee Dems had TWO opportunities to chose public option amendments and not enough of them did. And mtracy9 is right as well about the blue dogs.

[AProudLiberalDem]

I agree, Admiral is right. As Democrats our leaders need to stand up for the Public Option. If they don't, we should vote them out and put in people who will!!

[CarmanK]

The President was out there convincing the public that insurance reform is necessary and that a public option is favorable now to 65% of the people. It is up to Congress to pass laws. The House has done its job with due diligence. Seantor Harkin says the Bill that goes to the President will have a public option and I want very much to believe him. Max Baucus needs to go as Chair of the Finance committee, in fact , several more of the dems have to be replaced on the committee. If they are the obstructionists, then they cannot have the power to do so much damage to the whole. Carper, Lincoln, Nelson, and Conrad should join Baucus in the "garbage heap". Their ideas on how to save the nation are regressive and disproved and thus garbage, not recyclable material.

[mtracy9]

A lot of Americans are clueless ... but they are wising up. They are beginning to realize that those opposing health care reform put insurance industry profits above everything else.