I have now heard countless times that Democrats don't have enough votes for the public option. Twenty-four senators and 120 representatives have signed a letter supporting the public option. Apparently, that's still not enough. Serious people assure us that there just aren't the votes, even to pass it through reconciliation where you only need a simple majority. You know, there is one way to find out.
Take the damn vote.
That way we'll see if all the doomsayers were right or not. And more importantly, we'll see who is on which side when the votes actually get counted. And that's exactly what the problem is. The Democrats don't want to go on the record. They want to be able to kill the public option without admitting who it was that actually killed it.
It's amazing what happens sometimes when you actually take the vote. For example, on the jobs bill Scott Brown flipped over and unexpectedly voted with the Democrats. That led to four other Republicans supporting the bill because they thought it was going to pass anyway. And then a curious thing happened; a whole bunch of the people who voted to filibuster the bill turned around and voted in favor of it in the final vote. They theoretically felt so strong about the bill that they filibustered, but when forced to vote on the merits of the bill, they felt enough pressure from their constituents that they actually voted for it.
In the end, the jobs bill passed easily, 70-28. Why? Because these senators who voted in both directions didn't want to be on the record as opposing the bill. Amazing what taking a vote can get accomplished.
Howard Dean was on The Young Turks last night and he suggested that they could also take a vote on a Medicare buy-in as part of the health care bill. As he explained, that is another form of the public option. He pointed out that there appeared to be 59 Democratic senators on board for the Medicare buy-in compromise before Joe Lieberman (supposedly) single-handedly killed it. Why not try both? Try taking a vote on a robust public option and a Medicare buy-in and see which one people like better.
Here is what is inarguable from a policy perspective: there is no harm in trying. What's the worst that can happen -- we don't get either? Well, if we don't try we won't get either anyway. The only possible harm in taking the vote is finding out which Democrats sold out their voters for some campaign cash from health care companies. Now do you see why they're not planning a vote?
Well, that's exactly why we should put pressure on them to do the bare minimum -- take the vote. Send Harry Reid a message that all we want is a vote and that is the least he can do as Senate Majority Leader. We've all fought so hard and long for this and so many of these Democrats say they've been in favor of it for so long, so they have to at least give us this. Take the vote!
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republicans won't like them anymore??? They seem so cowardly. they have let the minority party set the agenda. We need more Dems like Howard Dean.. Please vote on the health care bill ASAP.
I think they are goaded by the fear they will be voted out (a self-fulfilling prophecy) if they try to shove a public option through, and are spinning out the dance trying to get the support they "need" to act. What to you looks like cynical other-blaming, looks to me like a more or less honest try to make a difference, hounded by the absolutely mistaken idea that compromise with Republicans is a real possibility.
Your interpretation paints them as basterds, while mine labels them simply as fools -- take your pick which is better.
But don't set them up for the wrong kind of reaction. Basterds get a much worse reception and response from Americans than do simple fools.
Do you really think a savvy politician like Obama does not see the numerous polls across the nation that indicate the public option is supported by a large majority of the public? Obama is not a fool! The corporate interests have gotten to him and he's simply keeping his end of the bargain. The main person at fault is Obama, because he has the political power to give this movement a lot more momentum than it already has.
Why save the metaphorical bridge if no one's ever going to cross it? The Republicans are happily enjoying their corporate money on the other side of the bridge, while some Democrats are on this side keep blaming the Republicans for not crossing the bridge and trying to hide the corporate money they've received. Then, they don't put up a decent fight and admit defeat.
The Dems aren't fools, but many of them are corrupt. They've set their priorities, and the American people are not at the top.
Of course, I have great appreciation for all the senators who have publicly shown their support for the public option! Let's see what Obama does as the public option continues to gain support.
Asked what her concerns were, she said: "I don't know. I'd have to think about it.""
Quoted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/02/ted-kaufman-public-option_n_483145.html
What do you really think her concerns are?
The death of bills or popular ideas by affixiation in the middle of the night has to be understood as unacceptable by all of us. We want a vote!!
The facts are on their side, but the Dems really need to learn how to frame the debate.
VOTE NOW!
I'm willing to bet we'd see a whole lot of those "too close to call squeakers" turn out with margins like that once they have to put their names on record publicly as being against a SUPERMAJORITY of their constituents.