Harkin Hangs Tough: We Still Can Get 60 Votes For A Public Option

One of the most prominent champions of a public option for health insurance coverage insisted on Wednesday that he still has the 60 votes needed to get it through the Senate -- despite the finance committee's rejection of the provision yesterday.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told the Huffington Post that he is confident that Democrats can break a Republican filibuster against a public option proposal provided it is the right version. He noted that the proposal put forth by Senator Chuck Schumer in an amendment to the finance committee's legislation "only lost by three votes."

"That's pretty darn good," said Harkin. "But it wasn't ours. It wasn't the HELP Committee's. Our public option was adopted by the Blue Dogs in the House as a bridge. So yes, I think ours is the way to go and I think we can get to 60 votes for the public option. I really do."

The chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Harkin helped author one of the four pieces of health care legislation that contained a public plan (the other three are House bills). The proposal hit a major roadblock on Tuesday after the Senate Finance Committee twice shot down amendments that would have added a version of the government-run plan to its health care legislation.

But Harkin insisted that the impasse is not permanent. The Iowa Democrat said his Democratic colleagues should "absolutely" commit to "voting for cloture" even if they oppose the bill. If the full caucus makes such a commitment, it would ensure that the reform legislation receives an up-or-down vote.

Harkin also stressed that conservative Democrats skeptical of the public plan are out of touch with the sentiments of the rest of the country and predicted that the party's popularity rankings would skyrocket once reform with a public option is passed into law.

"This is not some throwaway," he told the Huffington Post. "This is not some, well maybe this or maybe that. The vast majority of the American people, over 60 percent of the American people say we have to have a public option. This isn't even a close question."

Comments

[Urban Girl]

I am sooooo proud to be from Iowa having a Senator like Tom Harkin. He holds a steak fry each September in Iowa and always hosts great guests. This year Senator Al Franken was his special guest. It was a fabulous event! Both senators spoke eloquently about the need for the public option. And that they will keep working until the bill passes with it. Can you say integrity?

[mcantwell]

What exactly does Harkin mean by, "The right kind of Public Option." One with a Trigger?

[Patrician]

Senator Harkin is a real American. He wants to help the people. What I wonder is how he could have been in Washington all the time he has and still be connected to helping people. Proud of him, even though I am not from Iowa. We are both Americans.

[debi1208]

I don't know about anyone else, but I need a public option. I am a 58yr old that lost her job in 2006 due to the economy, I have maxed out my unemployment & find that at my age finding a job is nearly impossible. I was a construction bookkeeper. I have been without insurance now for 3yrs...no blood test, no exams. To early for retirement. What is a person to do????

[rizvisa1]

Embarrass and shame your senator and house representative. I will admit that to embarrass these guys is very unlikely. Hopefully one one them can hook you up with a job. Good luck.

[Mike169]

I'm in the same boat but my Senators and Rep are for the public option or the extention of of Medicare. I have to wait on the bums who oppose this to finally realize that people not only want this -THEY NEED IT!

[lthuedk 1]

http://www.light-to-dark.com/Let_Cigna_Decide.html

Remove the threat of the middle man.

[Bpeirce]

It has to be a Solid Public Option....If this does'nt happen Tom. You and the Democrats are done. Winning at all Costs ...Thats what the Democrats have to be thinking. The people elected Obama for a reason. GET IT RIGHT AND GET IT DONE.

[rizvisa1]

Be just grateful if there is even some thing called public option. We have been sold downstream, and only thing left is actual shipment. Tom is either fooling himself or just want to keep a false hope alive. There is no public option. The key senators have taken too much money from industry to do any thing close to real reform. What we will get is duct tape reform

[NANANACHMAN]

Table the Health Care bill for a Final Vote with the Public Option included sometime in January 2010 and 60 Votes in the Senate is assured !

[Harpseal60]

Hey Harken, lets stop talking about it and just get it done!

[bigsioux]

The kind of public option you can get 60 votes for won't amount to much, if anything.

[Guitar63]

We can still hope. AND we can still raise our voices! Take an active stance! Talk to people about healthcare! Only through an overwhelming support base can congress be ressured into this!

[ClareP]

He didn't say it would pass with 60 votes. He said it would get into the final bill, and they would pressure all 60 dems to vote for cloture. At that point it only needs 50- then Biden could put it over.

[Schoolgirl666]

Senator Baucus will have to consult with Uncle Aetna, Uncle Cross, and Uncle Shield before he makes his/their decision.

[rockinroll]

I agree that Baucus is in the tank for he Insurance Industry. Why did this happen?
Anyone??

[NANANACHMAN]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and KKKKKKKKKK­KKKKKKstre­et

[kamknauss]

I agree with Stephen Colbert.....mail your health care bills to Baucus!

222 North 32nd Street, Suite 100
Billings, Montana 59101

[ClareP]

Simply because Baucus chairs the finance committee, thus holds a position of disproportionate power, and played this one to dominate media attention. Once it's out of committee, it's a whole different ballgame. He's just one vote. And he won't dare vote against cloture.

[hollybork]

He has been in the tank for them for years. The real issue is how did the transition committee of the Obama Presidency miss this fact as they were planning for their legislative initiative in December. Apparently they held no meetings with the heads of the most powerful committees to see who would support a public option healthcare bill. Hence, Baucus with his seniority was elected to head the powerful Finance Committee and that was the swan song for healthcare reform in 2009. Big big mistake. Rockefeller or Schumer could have been put in as head of that committee, but were not. Unbelievable mistake by White House legislative office and the majority leader in the Senate.

[Patriotallday]

Demos in Washington know the public option is dead on arrival. The majority of Americans have spoken loudly and do not want any more government intrusion into our personal lives. The Demos pandering to the cameras acting indignant about the defeat of the public option, are simply posturing for the 2010 elections.

[emlr]

I'm sorry, what is there about 65% approval for a public plan don't you understand?
That is a MAJORITY FOR a public option.

[Grunty1]

Too bad for you that the American people were talking about the infinite wiretaps of Dubya.

[rizvisa1]

Well you are partly right, Public option is dead and people have spoke loudly, Only part I disagree is "majority" part. There was a loud noise from a minority. If govt intrusion is bad now, why it was ok after kartrina govt gave retroeffect flood coverage and tax payer foot the bill.

[EndTheEcho]

Really, that isn't what I am hearing on health care. I, and my employer would welcome a public OPTION that we could enroll in to contain the health care costs that we are both facing. I would also like the public option so that we could have more Americans who could more safely be entrepreneurs without worrying about getting eaten alive by the individual health care market.

Can you point me to a plan, an actual Republican plan? Or is their only plan to act like a 2 year old and say NO.

Now I am sure you and I can agree that we don't want the government violating our 4th amendment rights with warrantless wiretrapping. So we can join forces in preventing that intrusion by the government in to our lives.

[ginamarie101]

Well, Senator Harkin, for God’s sake, grow a set of balls and do whatever it takes to get it fkng done already. I’m sick and tired of this song and dance. Tell those clowns in the senate that if they want to make playmates with the republican senators then they need to just change their political party and do us all a favor. We don’t need slackers, we need leaders. Their days are numbered otherwise if they fail to get this done. Get it done and sit back and watch the American people cheer in jubilant patriotic praise and know that you have given this country its salvation.

[Dark Sphere]

Add in coverage for il.le.gals while you are at it. It's going to happen and the dems are all for it, just more pan.dering for the his.pan.ic vote. They now are not requiring id's for im.migr.ants when signing up for federal healthcare...more of the same...I guess Jo.e Wil.son was right after all...

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/60939-senators-turn-back-id-requirement-for-immigrant-healthcare#

[Trophoto]

I have been wondering where the good Senator Harkin has been in this debate especially when is colleague from Iowa was blathering the death panel nonsense. You give me hope Senator. Take the fight right to them Senator. Now that McConnel says the rebublicants wont vote for any bill then lets get the bill progressives want on the floor and to the President.

[justobserve]

Why does the Free Choice Proposal of Wyden and Bennett were not mentioned?

"Senator Wyden: Take Bob Bennett of Utah, a lead Republican sponsor, a conservative Republican in the reddest state in the United States who has a primary [opponent] from the right, running primarily on his involvement with me in a piece of legislation with provisions that Democrats have dreamed about for 70 years, he said he is not backing off from his support.

Quite the contrary, he is basically telling the President that he is going to put his career on the line, fighting for something we believe brings people together. It melds together Democratic principles that we fought 70 years for - covering everybody [with] universal coverage, generous subsidies. Principles Democrats have fought [to get] for years. Senator Bennett says what he has to have are the choices and competition in the real world for the private sector.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-wells/senator-ron-wyden-the-pub_b_293189.html