Breaking: Reid Signals Support For Reconciliation Vote On Public Option
In another surprising step forward for the public option, Senator Harry Reid’s office says that if a final decision is made to pass health reform via reconciliation, the Majority Leader would support holding a reconciliation vote on the public option.
With more and more Senators signing on to the letter urging Reid to hold an up or down vote on the public option under reconciliation rules, Reid spokesman Rodell Mollineau sends over a statement signaling Reid’s qualified support for the move:
Senator Reid has always and continues to support the public option as a way to drive down costs and create competition. That is why he included the measure in his original health care proposal.
If a decision is made to use reconciliation to advance health care, Senator Reid will work with the White House, the House, and members of his caucus in an effort to craft a public option that can overcome procedural obstacles and secure enough votes.
That’s a fairly big step forward: Up until now, Reid, while supporting the public option throughout the process, had been silent on whether he’d support a reconciliation vote on it.
To be sure, public option supporters still face a steep climb. It’s far from decided whether reconciliation will ultimately be used to pass reform. What’s more, senior Senate aides still think there’s a procedural obstacle in their path: They insist that in order for them to pass a fix to their bill via reconciliation, the House must pass it first — something House leaders oppose.
In addition, Senate leadership aides say they’re uncertain whether the Senate parliamentarian will sign off on the possibility of passing the public option via reconciliation in the first place. And finally, aides want assurances from the White House that it will use its clout to help round up Senate support for the public option, should it come to a vote.
But still, for the first time, the Majority Leader’s office has now said that a reconciliation vote on the public option is a real possibilty.
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I love these ‘Senate aides.’ I would truly like to see them cram their pissing match with the Senate into a very dark place, sideways.
BG, I don’t know about Pelosi but Grijalva, Grayson and Weiner have been whipping the House with the help of FDL and HCAN for a reconciliation bill with a PO. This is what I was referring to earlier re FDL. Other progressive groups have been pushing the Senate, PACC, Credo etc.
I don’t know if any of this is really going to happen but I think we’ll have a better idea Monday when everyone gets back in town. Chris Bowers has been keeping track of the numbers and they’ve hit a road block re so many are out of town. He said this morning that Monday will be very active.
We can get a strong public option on of reconciliation. I realize that rural senators (Klobuchar, Conrad, probably Baucus and Tester) are concerned about the Medicare payout rates, fine, thats easy to fix- in the same bill that establishes a strong PO, equalize Medicare payouts. No-brainer, and it would probably pick up a few strong PO fence-sitters.
Ethan, my guess is that CPAC is too liberal for McDonnell.
For one thing, they let women in.
Okay I meant ‘with the House.’
With huge cost hikes announced by big health insurers, the public option will be even more popular. Some version of it must and will pass Congress. It is an absolutely necessary step toward creating jobs in a big way. American families need relief from soaring health care costs. Scott Brown’s election will not stop it. The know-nothing, naysaying party of no are the ultimate overgrown spoiled brats masquerading as responsible adults, much less leaders. They will be given their chance to say “homina homina” but have done quite enough, or should I say too much on health care already? They will not get their way forever. Conservative idealogue teapartier partisans are delusional to think that the Democrats will not pass health reform after all the knocks they have taken from them on the issue already. Their pouting and gnashing of teeth will be sorry sights and sounds from supposed grown-ups, but the majority of America that is progressive will have smiles on our faces. It’s a shame the Republicans couldn’t man and woman up and patriotically support their country, but I guess it is beyond their strength. Let the crybabies whine, but the nation’s house must be put in order, and the only effective way to do it is with real health care reform. The Repubs are making themselves look terrible in the eyes of the country in the not-so-long run. I’ll bet these conservatives crying so loudly now are already dreaming of what they’ll spend their health insurance premium savings on, don’t you?.
Hahaha, BG, perfect.
Here’s Chris Bower’s take on next week:
“The push for a reconciliation “fix” will likely come to a head next week. Here is how:
The White House will likely post their draft compromise bill on Monday.
When Congress is back in session, on either Tuesday or Wednesday we will be able to get statements from enough Senators on using reconciliation to prove that health reform can be finished that way.
On Wednesday and Thursday, progressive advocacy groups will unleash a lot of activism on behalf of passing health care.
On Thursday, The bi-partisan summit will take place, putting health care at the top of the news cycle, and likely making Republicans look bad.
Combined, all of this can, and needs to, bring health reform negotiations to a head. If the legislative wheels don’t start moving again after a push of this size, it seems very unlikely to me that any health reform legislation will pass in 2010. This is likely the last, big push.
Does the public option have a chance? The White House has indicated it is open to including a public option if the Senate puts one in the bill. However, other reports indicate that the White House is not thrilled with the public option revival.”
Teabaggers teabaggers teabaggers crybabies lol i’m so smart
Stan, right on.
And lms, thanks for that. It’s a likely scenario. I’d still like to hear a count if there is one, but it’s early. These kinds of things can move — or crash — fast.
All hands on deck.
Greg, any word from Durbin?
Everyone see this?
‘Family Guy’ actress defends portrayal that irked Palin
Insta-Classic.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/19/‘family-guy’-actress-defends-portrayal-that-irked-palin/
But CNN left off the best part:
“In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.”
SCHWWWWWING!!!
“On Wednesday and Thursday, progressive advocacy groups will unleash a lot of activism on behalf of passing health care.”
Kewl! Thanks, lmsinca.
Anything passed by reconciliation can be repealed by reconciliation, if the democrats lose the majority.
That looks more and more likely every day, but to remove all doubt,
please go for it.
Ethan = Whoa! Hahahahahahahahahah – a loaf of French bread – looking for sympathy and votes – that’s priceless. I’m so glad someone finally frakking said it!!!!!!!!
ROFLMAO – I really really want to see the Repugs take benefits away from voters.
Please do = then watch what happens.
BG, they have a lot of info here and a petition (I know the eleventy hundreth we’ve all signed) here. Big push next week from all progressive sites to call congress on Wed.
http://boldprogressives.org/home.html
Now that Issa is signing on to Ryan’s call to get rid of Social Security and Medicare, perhaps this will signal a move by the GOP to counter the Dems work on HCR.
And so there you would have it: GOP to privatize all these services, taking us back to the 1920s, or the Dems, who are trying to create a system that looks at least something like the dozen or more countries who lead the US in quality of life studies.
Oh, and education? They’ll cut that too.
Shouldn’t be long before the GOP releases all of this pent-up, free market energy that we will be the United States of Bolivia!
Funny how last year they were courting the Medicare crowd and working them into a frenzy. Sort of like touting stimulus jobs while they other personality was saying it didn’t create any private sector jobs. Oh wait, “net” jobs.
they other personality=their………..
There is still hope. I just hope they don’t let us down. Once this is completed and people see the benefits I think it will become as popular as medicare. They had a lot of trouble getting that thru too and Republicans are still fighting it when they are in power.
“And so there you would have it: GOP to privatize all these services, taking us back to the 1920s, or the Dems, who are trying to create a system that looks at least something like the dozen or more countries who lead the US in quality of life studies.”
It’s unAmerican to not have 95% of our seniors living below the poverty level, as was the case before Social Security. Them damn furriners can keep their quality of life. We likes it hard – You can tell that because we Americans are so fit from our tough lives.
Yea – put this nation of fatties on their own – they’ll be dead inside of 20 years.
OT, Bob Barr didn’t get that warm of a reception at CPAC today. If I remember, Bilgey voted for Barr, LOL.
“One-time Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr riled the conservative CPAC crowd on Friday, when he declared that civilian courts were appropriate for handling terrorists and insisted that — if a trial was what they wanted — those who used waterboarding should be brought before a judge.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/19/bob-barr-at-cpac-how-woul_n_469549.html
You know, all those 20-somethings who resent paying Social Security ought to realize that there is going to come a time when their parents are going to retire and without Social Security, they’re going to have to live with their kids or join suicide clubs.
In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life.
I doubt they meant making fun of others.
Stay classy, left-wing kooks.
“If a decision is made …” Now that is a ringing endorsement coming from the Majority Leader. Tell me, when does this suicide pact have sufficient support to be ratified? When will this decision be made, and who will make it?
“I doubt they meant making fun of others.”
Ain’t making fun if it’s true and that happens to be true.
“I doubt they meant making fun of others.”
You’ve never made fun of someone? How righteous of you.
“Ain’t making fun if it’s true and that happens to be true.”
I already knew you were a sick person. Like I said, stay classy.
Hugo, QB, and any other right winger….are you hoping the democrats manage to get the public option into the bill? You seem to think it would be the kiss of death and that the upcoming republican majority will repeal it. Am I understanding correctly?
Just want everyone to put their money where their mouth is. I’ll go on record as saying they’re better off passing it than if they don’t.
Arlen Specter just signed, lucky 19.
“Provisions of a health-care plan Frumin may remove, lawmakers say, include a proposal barring insurers from denying coverage, the creation of a government-run insurance program and efforts to encourage preventive medicine.”
Government-run insurance is the PO, I’d imagine that it would be the first to go. Dems can try to spin it as budgetary, but that is all it is… spin.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a5R5Kp1llkYk
“You’ve never made fun of someone? How righteous of you.”
And how terribly unfunny.
The Right totally lost its sense of humor. They used to accuse the feminists of having no sense of humor and to some degree that was right – it’s what bugged me the most about the Feminist Movement.
These days, the Right is too busy throwing hissy fits all over the place to even consider laughing at something funny. They like being in High Dudgeon all the time these days.
All, happy hour roundup posted:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/happy-hour-roundup-166/
@QB: “I doubt they meant making fun of others.”
Did anyone actually watch the episode in question? I did, and I’m a fan of the show, but the joke literally made no sense. It was completely illogical and sort of detracted from the message – which was that people with Down’s syndrome can be jerks, too (as we’ve seen proven today).
These days, the Right is too busy throwing hissy fits all over the place to even consider laughing at something funny. They like being in High Dudgeon all the time these days
This blog is one big, perpetual left-wing hissy fit.
And you are the Queen of High Dudgeon . . . and cussing.
SD Jeff,
I have been too busy the past several days to follow the hour by hour contortions of the HCR news, but I am a firm believer that not too many things in politics are close to inevitable.
I think the Dems will be doing themselves a lot of political damage by ramming Obamacare through, particularly since it will look like a huge contradiction of the premise his dog and pony show summit.
But people are fickle, and he was able to swindle the country into electing him. Your party could survive this suicide attempt, and the worm could turn. I doubt it, but possible.
“Any other right winger….are you hoping the Democrats manage to get the public option into the bill?”
No.
“You seem to think it would be the kiss of death”
At this point it wouldn’t really matter much one way or the other.
“The upcoming republican majority will repeal it.”
I’m not inclined to think that the GOP will get a majority in either house. Even though the dems are tanking, the GOP isn’t really offering much.
“Am I understanding correctly?”
No
“Just want everyone to put their money where their mouth is.”
Are we betting? I’m betting that a PO does not make it into a bill.
“I’ll go on record as saying they’re better off passing it than if they don’t.”
There will be no way to determine the truth of this belief.
The most frustrating part with all of this is that the President has remained silent. On Monday he’s supposed to be releasing his plan to move HCR forward. Given his indifference to the PO over the past few months, there’s no reason to expect that the President will present a serious path forward for a real public option. I’d love to be proven wrong…
““Just want everyone to put their money where their mouth is.”
Are we betting? I’m betting that a PO does not make it into a bill.
“I’ll go on record as saying they’re better off passing it than if they don’t.”
There will be no way to determine the truth of this belief.”
Not betting, just bragging rights, I guess. I don’t think it will get in either, as I’ve said before, senate democrats are spineless, pretty much by definition. And you’re right, there’s no way to prove my statement about them being better off. I’m just going by the fact that HCR always polls better when the public option is included.
Thanks for answering me. I always love when we can be civil. Let’s see how long that lasts
quarterback,
You do realize that Ethan’s quote, to which you seem to take exception, was written by the very same actress that uttered the lines which seemed to have gotten the right’s collective knickers in a twist. That actress, Andrea Friedman, HAS Down Syndrome.
You opine:
“I doubt they meant making fun of others.”
You think you are in a position to lecture an adult with Down Syndrome about what it’s like to be made fun of?
Then you add this gem:
”Stay classy, left-wing kooks.”
And YOU “stay classy” by degrading someone with Down Syndrome? You might want to dismount your high horse on this one.
Harry Reid, Pelosi, and Obama remind me of Cleavon Little in “Blazing Saddles” when he held a gun to his head and took himself hostage.
Unfortunately for Reid, Pelosi, and Obama, the GOP won’t be as stupid as the townies in the movie: they’ll just say “Go ahead and shoot.”
Lefties, keep whistling past the graveyard, because if this abortion of a “health care bill” is actually rammed through over the objections of 2/3 of the electorate, you’d better get used to not only a GOP House and Senate, but also Armageddon this fall for Donks at the state and local levels as well.
Just wait and see.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE SONG”BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?” WELL OBAMA NEVER EVER PLANED TO GO THRU WITH THIS TELIVIZED MEETING WITH THE REPUBS!IF HE DOES IT IS FOR PHOTO OPS, JUST LIKE HIS WIFE ADN THE CHILD OBESSITY, “WHITE CHILDREN ARE FAT TOO” MAYBE SHE SHOULD HAVE MADE HER PHOTO OP WITH MORE WHITE CHILDREN !THIS PRESIDENT IS A WIT! IF HE GOES THRU WITH THIS RECONCILIATION BY PUTTING IT WITH HIS BILL HE IS READY TO SIGN, THAT WILL BE AN ILEGAL MENUVOUR! I HOPE HARRY REID LIKED OBAMA IN HIS STATE CAMPAIGNING FOR HIM, SHOWS OUR “TAXES” ARE BEING SPENT, THE PRES DOES MORE CAMPAIGNING THEN HE DOES WORK!@!@!@!
“I doubt they meant making fun of others.
Stay classy left wing kooks.”
Did you mean that to be ironic?
Whoa. Teabagger drive-bye. I’d heard about those.
Anyone know why the Insurance Cartel still receives exemption from anti-trust laws? A lot of problems could be solved if we had some REAL competition.
Anyone not voting for a strong public option deserves to be defeated. American`s have seen more than enough greed from the GOP yelling “NO” and big insurance.
Where do these morons get the idea that public option would be more expensive? They are not tooo darn bright! Let us consider where we pay into insurance on health.
1) through taxes.. those who cannot afford health insurance have to go to the emergency room to get healthcare.
2)Workmens compensation (thisis a big one)
3)liability insurance for businesses (this is a big one)
4)Homeowners insurance
5)Auto insurance
6)Health insurance itsself
7)Copays for Prescriptions
8)Copays for doctors office visits
9)Copays for hospital visits
10)NO MORE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS that are not covered
a tax of 3% for both employee and employer will fund it.
This compared to a rising rate for both employers and employees.
When insurance companies desire to get rid of those with “pre-existing conditions”(that came to be while covered through an existing policy) they can raise the rates and force them to look elsewhere for coverage, thus making them, the conditions, uninsurable.
How many people know that there is essentially just one insurer in the United States? I have been led to understand that that insurer is named Well Point, and that Well Point owns or controlls over 90% of the insurers of health in the United States.
Check into it. See if I am wrong. Dont take my word for anything. Then AFTER you are truly informed and really believe that paying some CEO $750 Million dollars does not come at the cost of peoples very LIVES (do you understand … THEIR LIVES!!) continue to spout your retoric as ChrisA has done.
I only hope that should it fail that those like him should find themselves in need of the very thing they opposed.
That we are entering a new era of slavery should be quite obvious. We are now slaves to big business and especially to the health insurance giant.
They have proposed rate increases in Maine of over 20%, Oregon of over 20%, California of 39%.. the list goes on and on…. and that after a record year in profits. Profits up over 56% from the previous year. And they claim the faltering economy has been rough on their bottom line.
When are the people going to wake up and truly get mad.
WHEN is business going to get mad? They have the most to gain from this legislation… oh yes, forgot then people can ove from job to job without needing to worry about health insurance coverage (this locks many people into jobs that they would like to leave)…. slavery does not mean a plantation folks…. think on it… if the term offends youthen do something about it… think, ask yourself..”What is really going on here?”
I truly wish that all these so called RIGHTIES would come up with some FACTS .. but all they have or know from my view point is party line retoric. I am not sure they can think for themselves at all.
Do some thinking RIGHTIES…give me some facts and figures. Some cause and effect! At this time you look quite stupid since you have no argument other that what you are saying without any factual evidence to back it up… fools, for now they are all fools dancing to another persons tune. And that person is playing them for SUCKERS! so continue with your un-thought out diatribe. guess you like working just to give a huge portion to the health insurers so they can spend over $130 MILLION on trips to Hawaii .. (oh did you get an invitation?) suckers for another mans con game that puts you down and you dont even see it. blind as a bat.. get FACTS then reply.. show me FACTS!!!
any other reply just shows a true stupidity and a desire not to face the truth.
To: Mr. President,Speaker of the House of Representative and any New Media who care to know?
Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution
” But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.”
Your proposed Reconciliation or simple approval of some amendments or fixes to the Senate’s Heathcare Bill is a blantant and patent violation of the Constitution of these United States of America!
Reconcliation should not and does not apply until The House Of Representative formally votes on the Senate’s Healthcare Bill before attempting to amend or fix it!
Stop this nonsense, kill the bill and start over using constitutional procedure and law.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen, Father, Husband and Honorably Discharged Viet Nam Naval Veteran.
P.S. See You and Yours at the Polls in 2010 and 2012