Obama says public option won't be passed in reconciliation bill! That should pretty much kill it.

[Better Believe It]

The Plum LineGreg
Sargent's blog
Obama Tells Liberals Public Option Doesn’t Have Votes
March 5, 2010


In a private meeting at the White House this afternoon, Obama told a roomful of House Dems he doesn’t think the votes are there to pass the public option, and urged them to take the long view and to support the Senate bill as merely the beginning of reform, Dem Rep Lynn Woolsey tells me.

Also: Obama thanked the assembled, mostly liberals, for their ongoing insistence from the left over the months that the bill be improved, Woolsey says. “He thanked us,” she recalled. “He said the bill wouldn’t have been nearly as good as it is if we hadn’t advocated.”

Woolsey, the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who was present with around seven or eight other liberals, says Obama compared the health reform fight to the passage of Social Security and Medicare.

“He was very clear: He thought this was as good as it’s going to get,” Woolsey said, referring to the plan to pass the Senate bill and fix it via reconciliation.

“He doesn’t believe the Senate has 51 votes for the public option,” Woolsey said, characterizing Obama’s remarks to the assembled.

But Woolsey says she’s now a definite Yes on the Senate bill, provided the reconciliation fix is adequate, even if it lacks a public option.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/obama-tells-liberals-public-option-doesnt-have-votes/

******************************

So Representative Lynn Woolsey flipped on the public option. She singing a different tune now! And it sure didn't take much for President Obama to accomplish that. Just a visit to the Oval office was enough. But, I have to wonder if Rahm "sharp elbows" Emanuel had a private discussion with her before she was marched off to the Oval office?

Does anyone care to guess what "reform fixes" will be left in a Senate reconciliation bill that can get 51 votes? I think I know the answer to that. The four Republican proposals to "fix" it that are supported by President Obama including so-called "tort reform". If anything, a "fixed" bill will be even worse than the original Senate bill!

-----------------------------------------------

Lynn Woolsey Should Resign as Head of the Progressive Caucus
By: Jane Hamsher Friday
March 5, 2010

Woolsey:

“Oh I will vote against anything that does not include … and it’s got to be real. I mean, you can call it anything you want … I believe there are enough of us, among the 120 in the tri-caucus and the progressive caucus, that can stop any votes…. Any health care reform that does not include a strong, robust public option for all Americans will not be health care reform.”

Woolsey then commenced a petty battle for control of the progressive caucus (and the public option campaign). She held a press conference on June 24, claiming to represent 120 members of the quad caucus who would vote against any bill that did not have a public option:

Rep. Lynn Woolsey of California, co-chairwoman of the Progressive Caucus, said the groups’ statement was unusual. Typically, leaders of the caucuses do not publicly challenge their party leadership, preferring to work behind the scenes to win concessions in legislation, she said.

“What we’re telling you this time: it’s different,” she said. “Not that we’re going to vote with Republicans. But if reform legislation comes to the floor and doesn’t include a real and robust public option, we will fight it with everything we have.”

Her statements today reflect absolutely no consciousness that she ever said anything like this, or was in any way in a leadership position on the issue. But that has been the way Woolsey has operated throughout the health care campaign.





Lynn Woolsey on Youtube: Will Not Vote for Health Care Without a Strong Public Option

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiyO9VBGhHA&feature=player_embedded

[Cetacea]

1. RIP, Public Option

[Windy]

7. The votes arent there... he is right! Blame the Senate!

My god....

[Better Believe It]

16. That's really surprising considering how hard he and Rahm Emanuel have been pushing the Senate.

Just a little sarcasm.

[yurbud]

37. which votes? and which senators? they should be forced to vote on its inclusion or exclusion

so we know who needs a primary opponent and whose primary opponents to donate to.

[bluethruandthru]

69. That's right...

I want to tell each one of them to give up their "government sponsored health care" until it's available to everyone!

[Nite Owl]

40. And he worked real hard

to get it in the bill now didn't he?

[asdjrocky]

56. As long as we blame anyone but Obama, right?

[gleaner]

92. No...

The blame starts with Obama. He was determined to kill any meaningful public option from the beginning and he has succeeded. How does he know the votes aren't there? He hasn't put it to a vote. He hasn't allowed the Democrats to put it to a vote.

Even if the vote didn't pass it now, it would identify the Senators who voted against it. They have shown that they are vulnerable to publicity like most other politicians. If they were faced with public identification and the ensuing back pressure from the public things might change for the better. I would really, really appreciate it if everyone stopped making excuses for Obama. He got what he wanted and many the insurance companies will find a little more pin money for him. In the meantime the people with real need are totally screwed and the insurance companies have made out like bandits.

[leveymg]

14. RIP Democratic Majority

We now have a Republican Super-Majority that also controls the White House. GOP-Lite. Welcome to Friendlier Fascism. Wall*Mart Democracy.

The Progressive Base isn't going to work to reelect this bunch. No way.

[grahamhgreen]

71. The Senate crapsurance bill - RIP!

[NJmaverick]

2. Point of fact- President Obama has promised to pursue Public Option later

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/obama_promises_to_pursue_a_pub.html

[Donnachaidh]

6. yeah, like he promised it in his campaign speeches

Oh Lucy -- can you hold that football for me AGAIN? :sarcasm:

[laughingliberal]

53. Try to keep up. He never campaigned on the public option. nt

[Donnachaidh]

77. oh really -- uhh yeah, keep up

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/22/obama-repeatedly-touted-public/

– In the 2008 Obama-Biden health care plan on the campaign’s website, candidate Obama promised that “any American will have the opportunity to enroll in new public plan.” <2008>

– During a speech at the American Medical Association, President Obama told thousands of doctors that one of the plans included in the new health insurance exchanges “needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market.” <6/15/09>

– While speaking to the nation during his weekly address, the President said that “any plan” he signs “must include…a public option.” <7/17/09>

– During a conference call with progressive bloggers, the President said he continues “to believe that a robust public option would be the best way to go.” <7/20/09>

– Obama told NBC’s David Gregory that a public option “should be a part of this ,” while rebuking claims that the plan was “dead.” <9/20/09>

Read the article...

[readmoreoften]

88. Hmm. **cough, cough** bullshit **cough, cough**

[texanwitch]

9. Yeah sure.

Talk is cheap.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. Obama said he would not sign a bill --

that did not contain a robust public option, either.

So, which is it?

He's proven himself to be a liar. What says he isn't lying about fixing it later?

[saracat]

11. And of course we should trust him. I guess it has escaped you notice that it is likely

we won't be able to pass anything after November? We should trust this just like after taking up DADT< the WH has been requesting that the "moratorium" be continued but the issue not dealt with this year.

[Mojambo]

12. Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical about that promise. n/t

[laughingliberal]

32. Yeah, I'm way past skeptical

How dare he declare this when we still have an active campaign in the Senate gathering names to support this? I can only think it's his little part in making sure it's dead. Couldn't afford to upset Karen, could he?

[ipaint]

21. I thought we weren't suppose to believe political promises. Things change again?

Somebody need something?


Too fuckin' bad.

[laughingliberal]

54. Not sure I can take much more of this 'change' stuff. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

25. I will gladly pay you thursday for a hamburger today. nt

[Donnachaidh]

36. ....

:spray: :rofl:

[donco6]

26. He promised we'd have it now. n/t

[bluethruandthru]

68. That's a great comfort to those who have no way of getting

any health insurance RIGHT NOW who need it to live.

[Hissyspit]

83. Oh, come on...

[Echo In Light]

3. k/r

[ProSense]

4. "Lynn Woolsey Should Resign as Head of the Progressive Caucus"

:rofl:

[laughingliberal]

33. Oh look! Another substantive response! nt

[ProSense]

38. You expected me to take that silly comment seriously?

Really?

[saracat]

50. Actually you take it as seriously as the president takes the public's demand for a Public Option!

[ProSense]

58. Actually the President is delivering what the majority of Americans want

health care reform. Millions of Americans aren't willing to give up on reform because the bill doesn't include a public option.

As for the Woolsey comment:

:rofl:

[saracat]

62. Hey keep on believing but Tinkerbell still dies, and ya know what?

peter Pan has no memory of her ever having lived.

[eridani]

93. They don't want a bullshit substitute without a public option n/t

[ourbluenation]

5. With HCR insurance companies are going to walk away from consumers. Public will then DEMAND

public option.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/insurers-set-to-raise-pri_n_487684.html

[saracat]

17. The public are ALREADY demanding it.The pols refuse to give it to them

because the public aren't as important as the corporate citizenry that fund their campings. Sad but true for all of them. Obama, along with most of our Democrats, took a lot of money from Big Pharma and the insurance companies and will need a lot more now that they can choose our officials.

[laughingliberal]

34. +1000 nt

[Donnachaidh]

18. the public HAS been demanding the PO -- the WH has been IGNORING THAT FACT

But now we're supposed to believe a *promise* :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :puke:

[DefenseLawyer]

8. Some promises, like those to insurance executives, are worth keeping. n/t

[frazzled]

13. Worry about these guys instead

The Democratic House members who voted no to preventing health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, who voted against helping poorer and middle-class families get monetary subsidies to purchase health care, who voted against regulating insurance companies and making them spend most of their income on actual health care instead of profits. They may tank the whole thing again:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/08/us/politics/1108-health-care-vote.html

[Hell Hath No Fury]

27. The GOP is going to have a FIELD DAY with any one who vote yes --

Dems are going to take heat any which way they vote, but they are going to take more heat for mandating Americans purchase health insurance. The ads will talk about the governemtn taking money out of your pockets, they will call it a "tax", they will talk about how you face a governement FINE if you don't pay that tax.

It's gonma be butt-fucking ugly.

And the Dems could have avoided all this mess with three simple words:

"Medicare. For. All."

GOPers wouldn't have stood chance against that.

[Better Believe It]

29. And the Republicans will attack the health insurance excise tax.

That should be worth at least a few million votes from angry working class and middle class people who have decent health insurance.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

31. Yes, there's that too.

Under dunder-headed cave by Obama. Who the fuck was the brainiac who let that stand??

[frazzled]

75. I disagree

Medicare for all would have to be mandated, too. And it would be costly premiums for individuals. They'd be paying straight to the "devil" government, and the Republicans would exploit that more.

Sorry, but your Republicans would exploit anything.

[RaleighNCDUer]

96. However, those "costly premiums" will be a fraction of the cost

of insurance paid to health insurance companies today. If you are asked to pay $500 a month when you are currently paying $1000 a month, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you are $500 BETTER OFF.

I'd LOVE to see them try to spin that.

[leveymg]

87. You nailed it with one swing of the hammer.

The Senate Bill is a suicide pact for the Democratic Party. Nobody likes it. It doesn't provide good value for the American People, but it does give a nice reason for the insurance industry to cheer it's own public bail-out.

[eridani]

94. There ARE no goddam fucking subsidies to purchase health care!!

There are only payments to useless parasitic shitstains who are authorized to continue to deny claims whenever they feel like it.

[Better Believe It]

15. “He said the bill wouldn’t have been nearly as good as it is if we hadn’t advocated.”

Right. Just about everything significant advocated by House liberals has been watered down or taken out of the Senate bill!

[ramapo]

19. Pass it and be happy

I'll admit to being worn down by this whole process. I am not especially happy...more like fairly disgusted. However, something is better than nothing at least depending upon fixes are made. If the whole fetid mess goes down in flames then it will be time to go find a business in Canada to invest in.

[cascadiance]

20. Wee need a ROLL CALL VOTE to see which 10+ FAKE democrats we need to FIRE!

We need to have them be able to tell us how they REALLY stand with a vote!

We need to come out of 2010 with a RELIABLE 51 seat majority of these 59 senators, which obviously we don't have at this point.

[xultar]

22. "You can't get deader than dead." Greg Morris, Mission Impossible

[ramapo]

23. Pass it..be happy

I'll admit to being worn down by this whole process. I am not especially happy...more like fairly disgusted. However, something is better than nothing at least depending upon fixes are made. If the whole fetid mess goes down in flames then it will be time to go find a business in Canada to invest in.

[laughingliberal]

46. Cue the music..."Don't worry. Be happy." nt

[county worker]

24. My take on this.

There is more cooperation from the insurance companies if there isn't a public option. Now everyone will buy insurance from the industry and the only choice you have is to go to another insurance company.

The public option is seen as the gateway to single payer. The public option would pay providers less than insurance companies would and it would set the floor just like Medicare does now. As more people join the option the less money will go to providers.

The more people join the public option the less there will be in the insurance pool. Insurance companies are going to charge more for older and sicker people. Those higher rates would send those people to the public option thus raising costs if reimbursement amounts are raised.

Basically the public option is good for the public but bad for insurance companies, tax payers and providers.


So we are to pass the Senate bill which is insurance reform and come back sometime in the future with the public option or single payer. Passing this bill now will shut up the right wing fringe since what they said will happen won't.

[RaleighNCDUer]

30. How can something be "good for the publics but bad for...tax payers"?

Tax payers ARE the public.

This 'reform' is not reform. It's at best a little tweaking around the edges. There is no cost containment, no guarantee of coverage, but there IS a mandate to pay in, regardless.

There is no foundation here upon which a future public option or single payer can be based. This KILLS reform for the next generation.

[county worker]

48. Obviously the public is the taxpayer.

Good for the public in that it gives them somewhere else to go but it will eventually raise taxes to pay for it. It most likely would be like medicare withholding is now. The more people join the public option the more money needs to be withheld. What people pay in premiums will not cover the cost of care and administration as the public option grows because more and more sick people will be in the public option.

[RaleighNCDUer]

65. Which is why we need single payer - NOW.

In case you hadn't noticed, we ARE paying, through the nose, for insurance that many of us can't afford to use because of high out-of-pocket, meaning we are just giving our money away. If we are already paying anyway, why not pay for a system with 3-5% overhead that will enable you to be treated, rather than an insurance company with 35% overhead that will deny treatment?

[Donnachaidh]

41. "and come back sometime in the future "

And monkeys will fly out of Mitch McConnell's ass the day they *come back sometime in the future*

What's the old expression -- "Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining"

[HughMoran]

63. Interesting

A bit of a simplification, but I see what you're saying. Either way, we're going to have to wait for a future bill for the PO, so there's little use in people whining about it now.

[county worker]

73. Just thought of something else. A public option will give the repubs

in win in that they say the bill is a government take over of health care.

[Donnachaidh]

78. ass stat.

yeah a take over like MEDICARE.

FAIL.

[HughMoran]

28. Nobody seriously thought it would be

It's going to be a separate (and popular according to many experts) addition to health reform in the future. I think they would include it if it would pass - sadly, that's not happening with the number of people bucking the large bill for one reason or another :mad: Perhaps a bill to do just the PO will have less problems with different factions of the Democratic Party.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

35. "Nobody seriously thought it would be."

Obama apparently thought so, many many documented times. :shrug: Are you calling him a liar? Are you calling him naive?

Ah yes, in the "future"....when we have even fewer Democrats in office because we lose seats in the midterm...

How's that NAFTA fix going?

[HughMoran]

42. Ummm, I was stating this from a pragmatic standpoint, not a historical one

Relax Hell.

[laughingliberal]

39. I am sure we will get the Public Option just as soon as they finish fixing NAFTA. nt

[laughingliberal]

43. posted wrong place

n/t

[Walk away]

49. What "future"? The one when the republicans take back the house....

and senate after America realizes that the Democratic party has failed miserably. When do you think they'll pass it? Before or after they take apart whatever good the reconciled reform does?

This is a bad sign.

[HughMoran]

64. lol

Love them thar doomsday scenarios. Been listening to too much propaganda if you ask me.

[Walk away]

74. I hope you're right.

I would love to be completely wrong.

[laughingliberal]

44. First we can't get 60, now we can't get 50???

Here's the translation of Obama's remark: I'm not going back on my promise to AHIP and I have a couple of good "Liebermans" lined up to make sure I won't have to.

Absolutely disgusting. Not quite as bad as Rahm calling the PO advocates "fucking retared" but, essentially the same message.

I find it hard to believe there aren't 50 Democratic Senators who won't vote for a provision that 82% of the people of the country want.

[Better Believe It]

95. Better believe it!

[global1]

45. Is He Saying That If We Get 50 Votes He Will Instruct Biden Not To Break The Tie?.....nt

[laughingliberal]

47. I think he got Rockerfeller lined up to be the "Lieberman" for this round. nt

[Better Believe It]

52. He doesn't think it will get 50 votes. I'm not so sure it would get 40 votes.

I believe that only 24 Democratic Senators even bothered to sign a letter to Reid asking that the public option be put up for a vote during reconciliation.

Now the Republican proposal for so-called "tort reform" will certainly get well over 50 votes in reconciliation. It might even get a few Republican Senate votes!

Now that's a reform change that conservatives, "centrists" and the health care industry can believe in!

[laughingliberal]

57. There are now 35 who have signed the letter and several others who made statements supporting

it who did not sign due to the fact they were part of the leadership to whom the letter was addressed and said they would feel stupid signing a letter to themselves.

Those who were keeping up felt we reached 50 until Rockerfeller stunned everyone by saying he didn't think it would be right to do the PO under reconciliation.

[Better Believe It]

67. I haven't seen that. Please provide a link.

[Blue Owl]

51. Thank you, corporate overlords and bought-out politicians

Keep putting those profits first, fuckos.

[asdjrocky]

55. Makes it easy to decide if I'm voting or not in 2010.

Looks like Obama just decided for me.

[ieoeja]

61. Obama is not running. Maybe you should decide based on what the people running do? (nt)

[asdjrocky]

66. Who, my blue dog rep?

My ineffective Senator or my war mongering Senator? All of them are Dems.

The only voting I do from now on is local or with my feet.

[Occulus]

89. Your rep is Freddie Stubbs?

:hide:

[readmoreoften]

90. tee hee.

[Donnachaidh]

80. really? Uhh, others say different

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/breaking_obama_running_in_2012/

:eyes:

[and-justice-for-all]

59. What a let down to America...

No public option means no real reform.

[flamingdem]

60. INUNDATE ROCKEFELLER WITH CALLS !!!! NT

[Better Believe It]

70. Relax! President Obama is playing chess with the public option. He's throwing Republicans off!

It's a sucker punch. Just wait. You'll see!

[readmoreoften]

91. This is the most complicated game of chess since the big bang.

If his followers actually buy this shit, they're close to rivaling King Jong Il's followers for nuttiness. The man is a stuffed suit.

[grahamhgreen]

72. $375 per month for crappy healthcare from private con artists, minimum. nt

[amborin]

76. that's really telling progressives where to go; bait and switch, over and over, on almost every iss

[jonathon]

79. Bring this thing out back and shoot it. Then, start again with Single Payer.

This bill is a multi-billion dollar insurance company bailout bill. The insurance companies can't sustain.

I can't believe their are democrats who want the health insurance enslavement act to pass.

Unreal.

[Geek_Girl]

81. If the Cadillac tax is in it Obama and all the dems can kiss the presidency, senate and house goodby...

The unions will be pissed and all their members will be as well.

[Karmadillo]

82. Mission Accomplished!

nt

[Individualist]

84. Exactly!

The dog and pony show is coming to an end.

[Lord Helmet]

85. What he actually said is that he didn't think there were enough votes.

I get that extrapolation, hyperbole, and embellishment play well here at DU, but your title takes license with the piece and it's actual title.

[Better Believe It]

86. Nit picking. He said there aren't enough votes to pass a public option in a reconciliation bill.

“He doesn’t believe the Senate has 51 votes for the public option,”

So what do you think he "really" meant?

Is there some other Senate bill he might have been talking about other than a Senate reconciliation bill?

[spanone]

97. if they walk away empty handed, the democrats are fucked for years. they have to pass anything now

[Better Believe It]

98. If "anything" is passed we will be fucked for at least a generation.

We will be at the mercy of the insurance industry and big Pharma. It's the bill they wanted. A financial bonanza for corporate America.