He Said Public Option!

[laughingliberal]

I heard it, he said it. Maybe he will get behind it and fight for it?

[tridim]

1. You'll probably get unrec'ed and flamed for posting that fact at the new DU.

[laughingliberal]

4. Perhaps, but I have been quite skeptical he would support it

This represents some hope on my part that the man I truly believed in will stand up against his CoC and support the people

[Raven]

2. No he didn't...it was an Obama impersonator up there...Obama

couldn't have said that because folks here and the talking heads said he wouldn't support the PO and we know they're always right, right?

[Junkdrawer]

3. Be still my heart...

The people who brought us the “public option” began their campaign promising one thing but now promote something entirely different. To make matters worse, they have not told the public they have backpedalled. The campaign for the “public option” resembles the classic bait-and-switch scam: tell your customers you’ve got one thing for sale when in fact you’re selling something very different.

When the “public option” campaign began, its leaders promoted a huge “Medicare-like” program that would enroll about 130 million people. Such a program would dwarf even Medicare, which, with its 45 million enrollees, is the nation’s largest health insurer, public or private. But today “public option” advocates sing the praises of tiny “public options” contained in congressional legislation sponsored by leading Democrats that bear no resemblance to the original model.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the “public options” described in the Democrats’ legislation might enroll 10 million people and will have virtually no effect on health care costs, which means the “public options” cannot, by themselves, have any effect on the number of uninsured. But the leaders of the “public option” movement haven’t told the public they have abandoned their original vision. It’s high time they did.

...

http://pnhp.org/blog/2009/07/20/bait-and-switch-how-the-%E2%80%9Cpublic-option%E2%80%9D-was-sold

[laughingliberal]

6. I am well aware of those reports by CBO

I do believe it has been watered down somewhat but if there were no teeth to it or no chance it will be revised to have teeth the industry would not be fighting it so vehemently. I am also becoming quite skeptical of CBO after reading a report they issued on tort reform saying it slowed the growth of malpractice insurance premiums in states that enacted it. This could be true but goes against all other research I have seen on the topic. Nothing I can put my finger on as yet but I am doubtful about the phrase, 'Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.'

[Junkdrawer]

8. Why are they fighting so hard? Distraction....

We've been conned into fighting for a meaningless "Public Option" while the real action is in the individual mandates:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6485037&mesg_id=6485037

There will be a short burst of joy followed be a long and growing sense of betrayal when the fines for the individual mandates start.

[laughingliberal]

13. I disagree. They don't have to fight for the mandates

They've won that issue. Every bill voted out of committee has them. The only element not present in every bill is the public option. Max Baucus doesn't have a bill out of committee but his is unlikely to contain one. They continue to fight to see his bill become the one that the final legislation is based on.

[lamp_shade]

5. Shhhhhhhhh

[Deja Q]

7. NEW SMILIE APPRECIATION REPLY!!!!!!!!!

[lamp_shade]

18. ... or ...

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Did he say Medicare-for-all-who-want-it or describe something like that, because

that's my second choice straight up after Medicare-for-all. :)

[laughingliberal]

No and I don't expect we'll see that but

I did just look at a site posted on another thread that has something proposed by Senate Finance of which I have not heard before-a temporary buy in for Medicare for pre-medicare population. As part of the pre-medicare population I can tell you we are a challenge as employers incur higher costs for having too many of us and buying privately is an impossibility for most of us.

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm

[orleans]

10. yes he did -- glad i heard that too. gives me some hope as well. n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

11. he did say it, but backed off from his earlier statement that any plan he signs

Must include a public option.


I liked hearing it but not as much I would have liked a line drawn.

[laughingliberal]

16. He did not go into details and said he didn't want to give away Wednesday's speech

I have no idea how forcefully he will come out for it at this point but mentioning it in a speech that was not focused on health care reform was a good sign to me. He could have just left it at the 'broad principles' of security and safety in the reform effort. I am encouraged that he gave it a shout out at all.

[BlooInBloo]

12. I know that's a lie because DUers continually whine about how Obama has betrayed...

everything that is right and holy in the world - nay - the very universe and FABRIC OF EXISTENCE ITSELF!

So I know the OP cannot possibly be true. Because DUers would never lie.

[Motown_Johnny]

15. if DUers would never lie then how can the OP not be true?

[BlooInBloo]

17. Error.

[Cleita]

14. It sounds hopeful, but I'm not breaking out the champagne until he

speaks on Wednesday where he is supposed to be specific as to the details.

[jeffbr]

19. In a business negotiation "I continue to believe" means "I don't really care that much"

"I continue to believe" is not a strong statement.

"I continue to believe that a public option within the basket of insurance choices would help improve quality and bring down costs."

Believe -> Continue to Believe = Hope -> Keep Hoping

[laughingliberal]

20. Perhaps but I still think his mentioning it means

the reports that he is dumping the public option are premature. He just needs to stick a sock in Rahm's mouth and stand up for it.

[Skittles]

21. you're paying attention, jeffbr

not many people do these days