Valerie Jarrett on a public option, her actual point and reality

[ProSense]

GREGORY: Will he push for a public option before he signs any kind of reform?

MS. JARRETT: The president has made it clear throughout the process, he said it in his speech before Congress that he thinks that the public option is the right solution. He thinks it will enhance competition and he thinks it'll reduce costs and it'll give people choices. And he said that throughout the process.

GREGORY: But...

MS. JARRETT: So he's a big believer in the public plan.

GREGORY: But the question I'm asking is will he push for it and demand it here is the--in the final version of reform?

MS. JARRETT: He's pushed for it, certainly, but he's realistic to say we've got to look at all options. He has said very clearly he thinks it's the best option, and we'll see what happens.

GREGORY: So he's not demanding that it's in there.

MS. JARRETT: He's not demanding that it's in there. He thinks it's the best possible choice. But I think, David, let's not underestimate how much progress we've made. The fact that there's agreement on so much means that we are right on the brink of delivering for the American people, and that's a positive sign for our country.

GREGORY: But, you know, there's a lot of stalwart supporters of this president who look at healthcare reform in the context of other things that he promised in the campaign, and what do we see? A promise for universal health care; well, you've got 17 million people who wouldn't be insured under this plan. A promise for a public option; now you're saying he doesn't demand it. You know, the mantra of the campaign was "Yes, we can." Has that become maybe?

MS. JARRETT: No, it has not. It has definitely become yes, we can. If you look at the five bills that have been passed, they provide more, more reassurance to the American people that they're going to have the kind of affordable health care, that they're going to reduce their costs, that they're not going to have to choose between paying their rent and paying for their health care, that they--if they have a pre-existing condition they're going to be covered, if they want to go in and have all kinds of exams that will prevent illnesses that they're going to be covered by that. There's so much in these bills that is going to benefit the American people. The--we've come so far, and we can't lose sight of that. Are we there yet? Have we crossed the finish line? No. But under President Obama, we're absolutely committed to delivering on behalf of the American people.

<...>

GREGORY: You are involved in these negotiations to figure out the final form of healthcare legislation. And you're hearing from Valerie Jarrett this morning, a senior adviser to the president, he will not demand a public option as most of his supporters want. Will it be in there? Should it be in there?

SEN. DODD: Well, it should be in there, and--because for a number of reasons. Not just for the politics of it; but if you're trying to increase competition, drive down costs, reduce the impact on the federal budget, these are all reasons why a public option is necessary if you're truly trying to get your arms around this. And what we've drafted here in, in these bills, I think, gives us that opportunity and that chance. In the absence of that, the alternate is to, of course, to make this more affordable by driving up subsidies, which increase the cost of the bill. So we have some tough choices to make. But I think the public option makes the most sense...

<...>

SEN. DODD: Well, the president's deeply involved, and you heard the statements from Valerie that he's very much for it, said so again the other day. And my hope is that when we bring these two bills together over the next number of days that we'll present to the Senate an option that includes that strong public option. Then the Senate will obviously, the full Senate, as Jon knows, will have an opportunity to vote it, to take it out of the bill, to modify it in some way. But my strong belief is we ought to include that as we move forward in the Senate.

link

(emphasis added)

Reality:

Four out of five, a public option is still alive

There is no credible alternative.

[high density]

1. Axlerod said the same thing on This Week

DUers evidently love getting taken for a ride by delirious AP reports.

[saracat]

2. It is very clear that Obama is willing to negotiate this. He isn't demanding anything.

Why does he start from a weakened position? If the PO is the ONLY way to go, not just the "best choice", why doesn't he say so? This is crap. Sorry but it is. I certainly hope the Senate support is firmer than the President's. :grr: This is nothing more than parsed double talk.

[ProSense]

5. I can see that your perception of reality is sparking outrage.

:rofl:

[saracat]

9. Your perception of reality and that of those similar who cannot either listen or read to

comprehend is what sparks the outrage. But I guess this is why the Prez appointed a Sec. of Education who doesn't support the Public School system. If everyone is ignorant, everyone will buy the double talk. I have to wonder if you even "read" this OP before you posted it.:eyes:

[ProSense]

15. Denial is a

terrible thing.

[saracat]

31. Speaks the Queen of Denial. Did you even read this interview?

but of course negotions are necessary(not) . Blah , Blah. I hope I am wrong but this was just double talk.

[ProSense]

36. "I hope I am wrong..." What are the chances that you are already? n/t

[saracat]

46. if I am wrong then so are many informed folks in DC. And they have much more info than I do.

I am just hoping that we don't get something crappy, like the state by state opt out using the fallacious argument ."It was the best we could do", or a phony HCR without a PO. Nothing would be better than those options.

[Clio the Leo]

50. I have seen a lot of good alternatives to what the WH seems to be backing...

..... none of which would ever make it to the President's desk.

[joeycola]

59. yes, Arne Duncan is another corportist who is working behind

the scenes--or at least is mostly out of view as the msm focuses on health care. Damage is being done with him and his push for charter schools.

[Aramchek]

61. she didn't vote for Obama. end of story.

[GCP]

8. I agree with you entirely. saracat

Jarret is an expert at double-speak, and I hate her more every time she shows her smug face on TV.

[ellie]

54. Smug face?

WTH?

[geek tragedy]

28. Of course he's in the wrong.

He committed the crime of winning the Democratic primary against your wishes, Lillimuffins.

[Cha]

55. Yeah, and ain't it

grand..DU gets the neverending bile.

But, our country gets the best President who is awesomely Courageous.

[Clio the Leo]

38. I can certainly understand why someone might be upset with the President seeming failure....

...... to shout demands for a PO from the rooftops of DC.

What I CANNOT understand is the logic one uses to be upset with the President when the very men and women who are pushing hardest for a PO aren't upset with him, or demanding he be more publicly vocal.

That's something I cant wrap my little pea sized brain around.

[Baltoman991]

39. Very clear

to whom? Not me, not many on this board.

What's clear to me is that you and your ilk are here daily trying to tell us Obama never wanted the PO and that his words were just bullshit. The reality of it is he's wanted the PO from day one and has stated ANY BILL that crosses his desk to sign MUST CONTAIN the PO.

I know that for you haters that's not good enough as it's much easier to slam him daily instead of going after those who are responsible for the dragging of the feet on this one.

Blame Obama, blame Rahm, blame Jarrett but give Reid and the rest of those spineless fucks in Congress a free ride.

Sorry, that doesn't work for me. This is not one mans battle, this should be the battle of every American living today but no, some would rather sit and piss and moan about Obama throwing us all under the bus. Pathetic.

[joeycola]

58. This is bad for the Progressives who are working hard for the public option--knowing

that Obama is NOT pushing hard for it.

[depakid]

3. "He's not demanding that it's in there. "

CASE CLOSED.

Rationalizations notwithstanding.

[saracat]

4. No kidding.

[ProSense]

7. "CASE CLOSED"?

Four out of five, a public option is still alive


No case isn't closed. Congress sends the bill to Obama, not the other way around. Until Obama says he will not sign a bill with a public option, the outrage that a public option is in trouble based on statements parsed to support that notion is really pointless, bordering on silly.

[GCP]

12. Until Obama says he won't sign a bill without a public option

I'll find my doubts growing about him daily.

[JTFrog]

23. He did say that.

But then everyone got their panties in a wad because he didn't use the word strong.

Now apparently we've accepted that he's not demanding it at all.

I find my doubts growing about where to find that goal post daily.

[vaberella]

56. He said it already in the past. n/t

[depakid]

13. Case closed. The administration's own spokespeople back off the PO every couple of weeks!

It's gotten to the point where it's predictable if not LAUGHABLE.

One day come on with a full court press- next day back off and sound wishy washy. How many times have we seen this now?

If they're going to send these folks on the Sunday shows, then it behooves them to stay on message. If they have any message other than we'll take whatever Congress "gives us."

[ProSense]

20. Yet it's alive

It's alive.

Upsets you, doesn't it?

[depakid]

21. It's Schrödinger's cat!

Best comment I've heard about this sorry process yet.

[ProSense]

24. Here's a pretty good argument.

bHarkin Says Congress Will Pass Health Bill by Christmas — With a ‘Public Option’

[HopeOverFear]

6. Pro, you're the only reply (next to mine) I see here. The rest are "ignored"s LOL

[ProSense]

10. Only a few more weeks and the point will be moot. n/t

[HopeOverFear]

11. Ugh, I can't wait.

[GCP]

14. Yeah, keep on hoping and ignoring

It really works :sarcasm:

[depakid]

16. Not exactly the way to boost one's crediblity, is it?

Kinda looks like this:

[ProSense]

18. Oooh, an image from someone who though a couple or RW idiots were making a "decent" argument n/t

[depakid]

22. It was an interesting argument

Those of us with legal backgrounds appreciate such things. Good fodder for discussion (as in- would the argument apply to Henry Kisssenger's award). Maybe, maybe not.

[ProSense]

17. Ignoring what: That five of the four bills includes a public option? That Pelosi

is considering an even stronger public option than is currently in the House bill?

Sarcasm isn't a substitute for being informed.

[HopeOverFear]

27. Hoping does work actually.

Just because you're hopeless and miserable doesn't mean I have to be.

PS: Welcome to my ignore list.

[GCP]

30. Ooooh

:applause:

[HopeOverFear]

34. LOL I love how you tell someone you're on their ignore list

and they reply to you anyway :rofl:

[Clio the Leo]

35. Waves at Hope...

... and trust me, you're not missing a thing.

[HopeOverFear]

44. I see ya! :)

[paulk]

47. which means what?

that you're someone who can't tolerate (or argue) opinions that don't agree with your own?

[donco6]

51. There are a lot of good points there.

It's unfortunate you're not willing to read them. Oh well.

[Laelth]

19. "The fact that there's agreement on so much ..."

... means the American people are getting the shaft. I don't want a plan with which the health insurance industry agrees. The fact that they, the AMA, and big pharma are on board gives me good reason to believe that this is a losing proposition for the American people.

Without a robust public option, the current plan(s) are worse than doing nothing. I need Obama to insist on a robust public option--one that's projected to cover 50+ million Americans within 5 years. Absent that, I hope Obama will veto any plan that resembles the five that have come out of committee.

:dem:

-Laelth


Edit:Laelth--grammar.

[saracat]

29. Be response! Rec +! ( wish it could be rec'ed! )

[rug]

25. I will push for Obama's reelection but I won't demand it.

[ProSense]

26. Isn't that the way it works?

:rofl:

[GCP]

32. Nicely done!

:applause:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

33. DUzy worthy, but probably not DUzy eligible

[Clio the Leo]

37. And he wont demand your vote....

..... which may sound like I'm bashing you, but I'm definately not.

Being smart men, you realize, like the President does, that demanding doesn't get you much in life.


Presenting the best argument to those who's vote you're trying to get usually does though.

[ProSense]

42. Some people don't seem to get the concept of failed analogy. n/t

[polichick]

43. Maybe it could be just a "sliver" of the plan. nt

[donco6]

52. LOL!

And I think a lot of people will be there as well.

[CakeGrrl]

40. Thanks (again) for the levelheadedness. I knew from all the "Obama has failed us"

Threads that someone must have been talking about the Public Option on the Sunday shows again - and in a way that could be interpreted as the WH backing away from/abandoning/being ambivalent about it so the bashing could begin yet again. Never fails.

:eyes:

[JNelson6563]

41. They should liken it to the post office.

A public option of sorts and yet there are local couriers inc cities across the country and large companies like UPS and FedEx. Those who compete with the USPS have no choice but to be competitive. Imagine what their prices would be if the USPS (public option) didn't exist.

Julie

[freddie mertz]

45. What you read as strong, I read as weak at best...

It really is up to the House now.

Not much chance of a PO in the Senate bill.

Our only hope is if the House holds strong.

Even then what we will get is likely to be very much watered down, at best.

[saracat]

48. That is what worries me. I am fearful we will get crap and it will be hailed as

"victory". Something isn't better than nothing in every case.

[ProSense]

49. "Not much chance of a PO in the Senate bill."

There is statement with a full grasp on reality.

[freddie mertz]

53. Unlike some, I don't predict outcomes.

I just look at what is out there and extrapolate possible scenarios.

[vaberella]

57. That's why I just focus on the words of the President.

His Cabinet is all over the place and I never where they stand. I think he sends them out to mess with me. So I've come to just pay attention to him. He wants the PO, advocates for the PO, and said he won't sign a bill that doesn't have the PO in it---although he is looking at all other alternatives. Not to mention, a perfect example of everything all over the place Dodd says "PO has to be" in the mix. They don't know what they want. I just hear what the President says.

[joeycola]

60. He wants the PO is NOT the same as working hard FOR IT!!