Public Option Picks Up 35th Supporter

Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) became the 35th senator to commit to voting for a public health insurance option if it comes to a vote on the floor under the rules of reconciliation. That leaves advocates of the option 15 votes short with no official whip action from either the White House or Senate leadership.

Senate leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) have expressed support for the movement, but the White House has concluded, according to press secretary Robert Gibbs, that the public option doesn't have "political support."

The steady climb in named supporters undermines the White House's conclusion.

While it refuses to push for the public option, the White House is attempting to muscle through several measures that have almost no political support within the Democratic caucus and, in fact, are vociferously opposed.

The excise tax on benefits, which hits unions hard, has extremely little support yet the White House has managed to include it. The administration is now pushing to include health savings accounts, a GOP priority that amounts to the creation of significant tax shelters for the wealthy. Democrats have fought hard in the past to oppose them and weaken them but the White House now intends to give them to the GOP in exchange for nothing.

"I find that ironic -- something that we had fought to keep out, and indeed were successful, gets back in as part of reconciliation. And a public option that enjoys great support in the House and up to 30 senators gets left out. That's something I just don't understand," Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) the co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told Salon Wednesday.

Obama's campaign arm, meanwhile, is arguing that "at this point, the public option is detrimental to our efforts," according to Chris Bowers.

The administration's efforts notwithstanding, Cantwell said that if the parliamentarian determines that the public option can be voted on under the rules of reconciliation, which require only 50 votes, she's on board.

"If the parliamentarian says you can and it can all work, yes," she told HuffPost when asked if she'd vote for it. "If it works, fine."

Progressive groups pushing for the public option are keeping a running tally here.

"This is great news," said Adam Green, a lead organizer with Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which has been pressuring senators to commit. "I think a lot of Americans are wondering: Why are senators like Ted Kaufman and Maria Cantwell showing more leadership and being more in touch with where the American people are than the White House? As Anthony Weiner asked yesterday, 'What votes did President Obama win by retreating on the public option?'"

Comments

[panamajohnny]

01:41 AM on 03/09/2010

Either Obama is in the lobby pockets or Emmanuel is giving bad advice.
The "public option" (a government insurance) is just what the people want, so we have to get our senators to spank Obama and get him around to the public demand. Otherwise his party deserves to lose all its seats in November.

[Auduboner]

12:11 AM on 03/06/2010

In light of this, and in light of Goldman Sachs bragging that there is no competition in the health insurance market... WHY do Obama/Gibbs/Emanuel continue to insist the P.O. is dead?? WHO are they working for, besides themselves?

[BillForObama]

05:41 AM on 03/06/2010

Public Option through Reconciliation!!!

[Auduboner]

01:19 PM on 03/06/2010

Exactly. There are a lot of cockroach-like Sens. just hiding in the dark, and unwilling to be put on the spot. But put it to a vote, shine a light on them, and see if they seek protection in the company of the 35 who are onboard, or with the right-wingers like Nelson and Blanche. My guess is, it's getting pretty lonely out there on the anti-public-option limb. And politicians are nothing if not sheep! I HATE this stuff about "we won't put it to a vote unless we are sure we have the numbers" - because some of them are SO spineless they will never commit until they have to!

[milesz]

09:06 AM on 03/05/2010

Here is why we need the PUBLIC OPTION:

California: insurers to raise rates by 39%
Illinois (Chicago Tribune, 3-4-10): rates in Illinois to rise 605 and more.
Michigan, Maine, and elsewhere: double-digit increases

And all of this is just THIS YEAR!

A public option is the simplest and cleanest way to get effective competition to get these rates down to where every single American can afford them.

Oh, before I forget, who pays for all these new reforms, like the pre-existing condition stuff. Or, who puts an effective check on premium increases until these exchanges come about in 4 more years?

What we have are spineless wonders in DC and yet these are the same ones who believe the public does not know what they can't understand.

Anyone leaving for another country yet?

[scipio2009]

09:05 AM on 03/05/2010

35 votes is still a long way from the votes needed, and like I've been saying for a while, I don't see where the votes would come from to pass a public option on the Senate floor, let alone get 40 votes for it. Oh well.

The excise tax, which is the crux of the cost containment measure in the Senate bill, as has been evidenced by all 3 government actuaries, was deemed to be better policy, when it came purely to containing costs over the short term and long-term, than anything that passed the House. Regardless of how the special interests feel about it, the President of the United States through his weight behind the measure that every agency told him would have the greatest effect over the near and long term. The union can go suck a lemon.

[Auduboner]

12:12 AM on 03/06/2010

Through? or Threw? Typical ReDumbican... Or do you work for Rahmie-Boy?

[scipio2009]

02:50 PM on 03/06/2010

Wow, I made one mistake in word usage and you were able to find it! Bravo! Now that you've taken out the time to acknowledge that yes, I did indeed use 'through' when I should've used "threw", does your life feel more fulfilled?

If point out one word blunders makes you feel better for yourself and your sad excuse of an existence, I'm glad I could help.

[BillForObama]

05:43 AM on 03/06/2010

Pass the Senate Bill and Public Option through Reconciliation. What is so difficult to understand about that?

[scipio2009]

02:47 PM on 03/06/2010

The "public option", flat out, doesn't have the support in the Senate to get through even reconciliation. That should've been beyond clear to everyone from the start, so I don't get why people still won't accept that fact.

Even at the height of the process, the "public option" never had more than 53 possible supporters. And this was even before the whole 'death panels" nonsense that began the turn against the bill. Lincoln(D-AR), Landrieu(D-LA), Lieberman(D-CT), and Nelson(D-NE) were all out front staunchly against it. Conrad(D-ND) and Bauchus(D-MT) had come out as immediate no votes if any "public option" had its' rates pegged to Medicare, because of how the low Medicare rates were already affecting their state's hospitals, and a coalition of about another 8-12 Senators were withholding their support until the "pegging rates to Medicare" question was resolved, with most of that group ready to vote against if the peg to Medicare was, in fact, put in place.

I just don't understand how people keep ignoring that simple fact. It was beyond clear for many months, yet folks on the blogs refused to acknowledging the fact, and are still fighting this clown idea. Mark my count now, but this "public option" petition isn't going to get 40 votes in the Senate.

[Australian2]

02:17 AM on 03/05/2010

You don't understand, Mr. Grim.

The Obama Administration wants real reform to fail. Therefore, even if - by some miracle - all 100 Senators stood up and said "We want it!", all Gibbs would do is parrot the "There's not enough political support" line.

It's a handy excuse, after all - but you note how quickly it's discarded when it comes to creating tax shelters for the kleptocrats at the top.

[Auduboner]

12:13 AM on 03/06/2010

You got that right! Anything but Real Reform...

[MSaxe]

01:25 AM on 03/05/2010

They need to get it to 51 in writing before a vote.

[BillForObama]

06:40 PM on 03/06/2010

Only 50 votes, Vice-President Biden will break the tie just as Cheney did for the Rethugs!!!

[taxi648]

01:12 AM on 03/05/2010

Everyone needs to check what their COBRA payments would be in case they find themselves without a job. If you insure a family the cost is pohibitive as it is the cost times the number of people that you insure. Two years ago when my son was in college he became ineligible for my insurance because of age. To carry him on my insurance would have cost $667 a month. I was able to find a policy that was affordable, $87 a month with a $2500 deductable, but would not cover his pre existing condition of asthma for one year. I paid for every doctor visit and all medication out of pocket. He graduated, got a job and now has his own health care, but had he not had that bridge insurance he would have had to wait another year for his group insurance to cover his asthma. We need a public option.
Check you COBRA!

[BillForObama]

05:44 AM on 03/06/2010

The 'R' in COBRA stands for Reconciliation.

[seattledemocrat]

01:05 AM on 03/05/2010

What took ya so long?

[Subtle]

12:08 AM on 03/05/2010

I've always been proud to have Maria Cantwell as my Senator.

[markproulx]

01:01 AM on 03/05/2010

I'm only disappointed that it has taken her this long to come around. Her reluctance to get on board with this has diverted progressive energies from tougher targets.

[Cunningham]

12:08 AM on 03/05/2010

"That leaves advocates of the option 15 votes short with no official whip action from either the White House or Senate leadership."

"F'k you, progressives and liberals, but keep voting for us".

[Australian2]

02:18 AM on 03/05/2010

The sum of Harry Reid's views. And Barack f**king Obama's, too.

[Emucrat]

11:57 PM on 03/04/2010

Loot at Howard Dean's list of Seantors who would vote for a public option. He has 38 on his list.

http://standwithdrdean.com/where_congress_stands?chamber=Senate&party=D&state=&hc_status=1&commit=Filter

This petition must have more than 38 signatures in order to have political support. Everything below that just are the people who would favor a public option in general.

[MSaxe]

01:26 AM on 03/05/2010

38 isn't 51. If it was 51, they could go for it. Otherwise, let's just get the bill done and go on.

[BillForObama]

06:41 PM on 03/06/2010

38 just has to be 50. Vice-President Biden will break the tie!!!

[RichardU]

11:51 PM on 03/04/2010

When I see one of these Senators sign onto the concept, I'll start to believe there is a chance of a public option: Baucus, Landrieu, Lieberman, Lincoln, Ben Nelson, Bayh, Carper, Conrad, Rockefellar, Warner, Webb (that's 11 opponents, and you can only have 9)

The senators on that list have all suggested they're against a public option using reconciliation. And even if you somehow get enough of them converted and hold every other Democratic vote, you still need to work through the ridiculous hurdles people like McCaskill and Bill Nelson would require before agreeing to a public option. I can guarantee those negotiations won't be quick either.

Good luck, but I just don't see this as a political possibility.

[GunneraGirl]

12:20 AM on 03/05/2010

warner and webb might very well do it.

[BillForObama]

05:46 AM on 03/06/2010

Let's hope so. They are my Senators.

[BillForObama]

05:47 AM on 03/06/2010

I thought Bayh was in favor of Reconciliation.

[jody44]

11:09 PM on 03/04/2010

Maria Cantwell has more integrity than Obama will ever have!

[Larry Stevens]

10:57 PM on 03/04/2010

The magic number actually now is 11 since the leadership all support the Public Option but won't sign a letter to themselves .

[TUNEZ]

10:31 PM on 03/04/2010

206 (SEATTLE) IN THE HOUSE!
WAY TO STAND UP CANTWELL YOU HAVE MY VOTE NOW!

[suzukimom]

01:04 AM on 03/05/2010

Why don't you ask her to actually go to bat for the public option before you give her your support? It is easy to say you are for something that the President opposes if you don't have to actually put anything on the line. I called Boxer and Feinstein for months, day after day, begging them to please come out in support of a strong public option. I got disrespect from their staffers, (especially Feinstein's who sometimes couldn't conceal the real contempt that she and they feel towards the voters), and I got non-committal meaningless responses from them and their people. Now when there supposedly are not enough votes they sign a letter that says they support it? I don't trust them. I want to see them fight for the public option, make some real noise, put some pressure on the white house to include it if they want their support. Otherwise, it is just posturing to mollify the people while they stick it to them with mandates and taxes that chiefly benefit health "care" corporations that will let all of us die for dollars in their pockets.