House liberals insist on public health plan option, threaten to vote against alternate plans

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/house-liberals-insist-on-public-health-plan-option-2009-04-02.html

House liberals insist on public health plan option
By Mike Soraghan
Posted: 04/02/09 02:12 PM


House liberals are threatening to vote against any health plan that doesn't include a "public plan option."

The Congressional Progressive Caucus made its point today in a publicly released letter to Democratic leaders in the House and Senate.

The caucus is seeking to leverage its 77 votes, which is enough to block legislation on the House floor if Republicans are united against it. But for liberals to do so, they would have to vote against a Democratic president's top priority in his first year in office.

"We have polled CPC members very carefully in recent weeks and a strong majority will only support comprehensive healthcare reform legislation that includes a public plan option on a level playing field with private health insurance plans," wrote CPC co-chairmen Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.).

The letter says that most members of the caucus prefer a "single-payer" healthcare program, which has largely been taken off the table by Democratic leaders. They say the public plan should be included "at minimum."

Though legislation is months away, the proposal by President Obama to create a new federally run health benefits program is already perhaps the foremost sticking point in his budget request. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said House Democrats are committed to including such a plan.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has also indicated support for creating a public plan, Hoyer said, but Baucus is trying to strike a deal on a bipartisan healthcare bill with committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who has rejected the idea.

[Mojambo]

1. Good for them! n/t

[ulysses]

2. good. n/t

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Crossing fingers...

[Zodiak]

4. Excellent

Enough of legislation always being driven to the right at the insistence of conservadems.

I would hate for Obama to suffer a legislative defeat, though...but if bipartisan compromise means that the insurance companies can continue to run the show, then it is time for some push-back. Such a measure (one that keeps insurance companies at the helm) would not work and end up damaging the party for screwing up things worse than they are now.

I am glad to see the liberals in the party finally throwing their weight around.

[msongs]

5. wow real democrats instead of "new corporate democrats". nice nt

[MadHound]

6. Nice to see that there are some real Democrats left

And that not all of them have sold out to Corporate America.

[cascadiance]

10. We need to have a separate campaign fund for that caucus...

where we can donate money to for them every time they do the PEOPLE's work like they're supposed to to reward them for jobs well done!

[liskddksil]

22. The new Progressive Campaign Change Committee

is seeking to provide funding for progressive Democrats in open-seats to help them win in primaries and the general.

[mike_c]

7. good on them....

I hope they torpedo any mandatory profit insurance plans.

[eridani]

8. If you want to wind up with a public option that isn't watered down--

--we must INSIST on single payer. If $3000 is absolutely the lowest acceptable offer for your used car, you have to ask for at least $5000.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[scarletwoman]

12. Exactly! We HAVE to hang tough on this.

It's not our job or our legislators' job to make Obama look good by giving him a pass on this so he can accomplish his agenda. It's their job as Public Servants to put OUR needs first.

I'd rather see health care legislation held up altogether than let them foist something on us that only makes the insurance companies happy.

sw

[patrice]

17. You are so right! We MUST hang tough! Take a stand for ourselves! Don't wait for

someone else to say it's okay!!

[redqueen]

11. Oh happy day!

I hope they stick to their guns!

[New Dawn]

13. K&R - universal health care is the only solution.

[patrice]

14. If they take a STRONG stand on this I will help the CPC however I can.

I'm not as rich as Santa Clause, but I will be making a list and checking it twice.

[DonCoquixote]

15. If these people led congress

Instead of Pelosi, Bayh, and Reid we would have "Change you can believe in."

[and-justice-for-all]

16. They better damn it! there is NO alternative...Ignore the stupid across the isle!

[bvar22]

18. Standing with the Progressive Democrats.

If there is no public non-profit option, there is NO Health Care Reform.

Mandatory Private Insurance is a Republican SCAM to enrich the Health Insurance Industry.


I will explode if the Obama plan does NOT include a viable, well financed public option.

Governemnt guaranteed Public HealthCare is NOT too hard for America.
Every other industrialized nation in the WORLD has managed to do it.
America does NOT have to settle for LESS.

After funneling $Trillions to Wall Street, and expanding the WARS, I had better NOT hear "We can't afford HealthCare for Americans".

[chill_wind]

20. Amen, Amen.

:dem:

[Quantess]

19. k&r

[liskddksil]

21. Now this is what I call change I can believe in!!!

[Vincardog]

23. Error: You've already recommended that thread. About Damn time

[FLAprogressive]

24. This might be the thing that finally puts the CPC on the level of the Blue Shits...err..Dogs

[librechik]

25. Agree--and we'll back you up!

Please let it happen--we made such a bad mistake not getting it earlier--Baucus has to compromise--his plan is getting all the moderates, and it's not good enough!

[annabanana]

26. This is where the rubber meets the road, kids...

If there's a good public option, where the administrators are allowed to bargain with suppliers & drug companies for good prices.. we will have won. The public plan will become the first choice for new grads in entry level jobs, for the newly divorced & widowed, for people fired from their companies..the list goes on.

If people are expected to buy their insurance from existing insurance companies (even for a subsidized rate) we will NEVER get healthcare costs under control.

[Cleita]

27. Why are our leadership always trying to strike bi-partisan deals with

the Republicans? They have no interest in bi-partisanship. Screw them and lets do the right thing for a change for the American people.

[TheBigotBasher]

28. It is good to see that the DLC

and Republican Supporting Senators will not always get their way in the House. I just wish true Democratic Senators will now join them and stop Reid pandering to the defeated hard right of politics.