Public Option

Is Anybody Still Surprised by Joe Lieberman?

Lincoln Mitchell | Posted 10.28.2009 | Politics


Lincoln Mitchell

Lieberman's announcement that he will vote against cloture for a health care bill that includes the public option should surprise nobody. His ideological home is no longer in the Democratic Party.

AMA Faces Revolt After Humiliating Senate Defeat

AP | JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS | Posted 10.28.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — Does the AMA matter in the health care debate? Congress is beginning to have its doubts, despite the medical association's deep poc...

Lieberman Twists the Knife

Robert Scheer | Posted 10.28.2009 | Politics


Robert Scheer

Is there a more hypocritical figure in American politics than Joe Lieberman? His threat to thwart a vote on health care legislation should be the last straw that ends his Democratic caucus connection.

Ryan Grim

CBO Analysis: Both House Plans Would Cover At Least 35 Million Uninsured

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Two competing House health care reform proposals would extend coverage to at least 35 million Americans within ten years, according to a Congressional...

Chamber Of Commerce To Begin Ads Against Health Care Reform

AP | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — Looking to build pressure on moderate Democrats, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says it will begin airing new TV ads in seven states ...

Say It Ain't So Joe: A Playlist for Senator Joseph Lieberman

David Wild | Posted 10.27.2009 | Entertainment


David Wild

Here are some tunes meant to encourage the Senator from the fine state of Aetna to change his mind about a public option and actually act independently of his insurance donors.

Opt Out Public Option: A Red State Reaction

Marlene H. Phillips | Posted 10.28.2009 | Politics


Marlene H. Phillips

If any state is likely to exercise an opt out clause it could very well be the Grand Canyon state. Arizona often displays an independent streak when it comes to adopting federal proposals.

Healthcare Reform: Walgreens Worried Over Possibility Of New Laws

footnoted.org | Michelle Leder | Posted 10.27.2009 | Business


With the news yesterday that some form of the public option for healthcare appears to be moving forward, we can probably expect more companies to star...

Robust Public Option Lacks Votes To Pass The House: The Plum Line

The Plum Line | Greg Sargent | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


The House Dem leadership has conducted its preliminary whip count and has tallied up less than 200 likely Yes votes in support of a health care reform...

Health Care: I Hate Everyone, Part 2 in a Series, Democrats

Nato Green | Posted 10.27.2009 | Comedy


Nato Green

We may still get health care reform that's bad policy and bad politics. The Democratic Party gave me Stockholm Syndrome, which my insurance doesn't cover.

Obama Strikes Back -- First Year Agenda, Phase III

Michael B. Laskoff | Posted 10.30.2009 | Politics


Michael B. Laskoff

Phase III: Obama Strikes Back. The Republicans are still leaderless and teabaggers have hung up their Lipton for the winter. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Americans still want health care reform.

Jason Linkins

Senators Who Could And/Or Will Screw Up Health Care Reform

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Harry Reid boldly announced the bill would contain something public option-esque. But will a reform bill that contains as limited a measure as the opt-out plan survive the Senate?

How Lieberman Stole Reid's Candy and Drank Snowe's Milkshake

M.S. Bellows, Jr. | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


M.S. Bellows, Jr.

Forty-eight hours ago, Snowe could have extracted almost anything from the Democratic leadership. Then 24 hours ago, Snowe became irrelevant -- and two hours ago, Lieberman seized his opportunity.

Health Care Poll: Support For A Public Option At An All Time High

MSNBC | Mark Murray | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid moves forward crafting a Senate health-care bill that contains a public option -- with a state "opt out" -- the l...

Media's Credibility (Not Public Option) Is What Is Dead

Chris Weigant | Posted 10.28.2009 | Media


Chris Weigant

The media has been pushing the "public option is dead" theme for so long, it's no wonder they're so astonished by yesterday's news that a public option will be included in the Senate bill.

Why Growing Income Inequality Is Bad for America

Robert Creamer | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Robert Creamer

The CEO of the average company in the S&P Index makes $10.5 million. That means that on the first workday of the year, he (sometimes she) has made more than the minimum wage workers in his company will make all year.

Don't Bother Waiting for Bloggers to Get Credit for the Public Option

Peter Daou | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Peter Daou

The credit will go to liberal-leaning legislators and will reference "public support," neglecting the fact that it took bloggers to draw attention to the polling that showed a majority favored the public option.

Meet the New Health Care Reform, Same as the Old Health Care Reform

Aaron E. Carroll | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Aaron E. Carroll

We will get the incremental health care reforms we were promised. Things will likely get better in the short term. Then, since we didn't contain costs, we'll need to enact real reform. Or, things will go right back to the status quo.

AFL-CIO's Trumka Reminds Dems: No "Reform for Reform's Sake" on Health Care

Art Levine | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Art Levine

On November 5, the AFL-CIO will promote a labor-wide "Day of Action," to lobby Congress through organizing and leafleting in the workplace.

Arianna Weighs In On The Senate Health Care Bill And The Challenges Ahead

Huff TV | Posted 10.27.2009 | Media


Huff TV

Arianna appeared on MSNBC's Countdown With Keith Olbermann on Monday to discuss news that the Senate's health care bill would include an opt-out publi...

Please Mr. President, Stick To Your Guns and Don't Pull the Trigger on Public Option

Vivien Lesnik Weisman | Posted 10.26.2009 | Politics


Vivien Lesnik Weisman

Obama should be worrying less about Reid's arithmetic and more about losing some progressive senators who may not pass a plan that includes the trigger provision.

Echoes of a Distant Crash

Robert S. McElvaine | Posted 10.26.2009 | Politics


Robert S. McElvaine

Eighty years ago this week, an enormous sound emanated from lower Manhattan and began to spread in waves across the nation and, eventually, the world.

Public Option: This Is How It's Supposed to Work

Bill Scher | Posted 10.27.2009 | Politics


Bill Scher

We have pushed the limits of Establishment health care debate, buried the right-wing lies and gave people a stronger voice in their democracy. That's how it's supposed to work.

Game On

Mike Lux | Posted 10.26.2009 | Politics


Mike Lux

In the coming weeks we will have an all-hands-on-deck, all-out public war with the insurance industry over whether we finally pass comprehensive health care reform or once again fall short.

Ryan Grim

Durbin: Progressives Forced Our Hand On Public Option

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 10.26.2009 | Politics


Democratic leaders were forced to include a national public health insurance option as part of health care reform by progressive Democratic senators w...