It’s hard to believe the Democratic leadership is as dumb as they appear. From yesterday:
In her weekly news conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed confidence that health-care reform would pass. But she also rang a death-knell for the persistent hopes of progressive Democrats that a public option could make an appearance in the final bill, despite months of evidence to the contrary.
…Pelosi said there would be no public option in the legislation. “We had it; we wanted it,” she told reporters. “It’s not in reconciliation … We’re talking about something that’s not going to be part of the legislation.”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said that senators would whip aggressively for a public option — but only if it was included in the bill sent over by the House.
David Swanson on FDL sums up:
Let me get this straight. The Senate will pass a public option if the House will. And the House will, because it already did. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t allow it.
Of course, Senator Durbin knows that Senate Dems are afraid to hold an up or down vote on the public option. A “no” vote would anger constituents. A “yes” vote would make the health insurance lobbyists unhappy. Why not call Durbin’s bluff?
Democratic Party leaders are battling one another over who will get the blame for killing the public option. Instead, why not share the credit for doing the right thing? They have to know the for-profit health insurance industry isn’t sustainable. Fewer and fewer Americans can get coverage, as costs skyrocket uncontrollably. Eventually, single-payer or Medicare buy-in will have to happen.
Sixty members of Congress have pledged to vote against any health care bill that doesn’t have a public option. It is now up to them to prevent a breakdown of representative democracy.
UPDATE: On FDL, Scarecrow speculates:
The current plan is for the House to take a dive. They’re expected to vote for an unpopular Senate bill at the risk of their careers. In exchange, they get to vote on a reconciliation fix they fear will not be sufficient to save them, while leaving out key elements they know they’ll need to sell the plan.
I would tell House progressives: Don’t vote for this, they are unfairly setting you up to take the fall for not passing the public option!
UPDATE: Jane Hamsher on HuffPo:
The White House is telling people that if they don’t pass this bill, it will be a disaster for Democrats in the fall. That’s abject nonsense — their “fallback plan” for health care doesn’t have the toxic mandate that makes the IRS the collection agency for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, or any of the abortion issues that inflame both pro- and anti-choice groups. It is quite frankly a better plan, but most of the country wouldn’t know the difference over a bill that doesn’t kick in until 2014 anyway.
More info:
Tell Progressives to Honor Their Pledge: Insist on a Public Option (FDL)
The Democrats’ scam becomes more transparent (Glenn Greenwald)
Previous One Utah posts:
New Health Care Bill = Corporate Serfdom (February 22, 2010)
Can the Public Option Survive? (July 20, 2009)
#1 by jacksmith on March 13, 2010 - 11:18 am
ATTENTION!! – THEY NOW! HAVE 51 VOTES FOR A PUBLIC OPTION. DEMAND PASSAGE OF YOUR! PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! IN BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
From: jacksmith – WorkingClass
Dennis Kucinich http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfuFVm6QdPU
Rep. Alan Grayson: HR4789 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy2Y5Uevisk
WE THE PEOPLE OF The UNITED STATES – DEMAND!! an up or down vote on a Strong “GOVERNMENT-run” Public Option CHOICE!
Every member of Congress that fails to openly declare a YES vote for a Strong “GOVERNMENT-run” Public Option CHOICE! before reconciliation or any other healthcare vote, will be branded a NO vote against the Public Option. And a NO! vote against the American People and the World.
KNOW THIS!! We will RIP you from Office with such political ANGER! and BRUTALITY! that they will hear the Echoes of your parting screams for a 100 YEARS! You have a CHOICE! and AND SO DO WE. The PUBLIC OPTION!!
The Public Option http://tinyurl.com/yfftf76 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj54bU0YYnk
IGNORE THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AT YOUR PERIL!!
TAKE THE VOTE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eob4GJSDKY
A LINE IN THE SAND -
Call your representatives and demand an answer. Do you or don’t you support a public option. Do you or don’t support democratic MAJORITY RULE! We DEMAND! to know.
YOU! are dying and suffering needlessly every day http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/27055
Why we need Government-run universal healthcare ASSURANCE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jng4TnKqy6A
My Fellow Americans and People Of The World
A strong Government-run MEDICARE like Public Option is STILL! CRITICAL!
We have had a long hard struggle to find out what would be the BEST! that this congress and the Whitehouse could do to fix our highly dangerous, poor quality, most costly, and MOST! disgraceful healthcare delivery system in the world. It is clear that congress can do much more for the American people than what is proposed so far.
It is clear that congress can pass a strong GOVERNMENT-run public option CHOICE. Available to everyone on day one. Expand Medicare and not levy any new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. LET THIS BE YOUR LINE IN THE SAND!
Lastly, there can be NO! INDIVIDUAL MANDATES without a strong Government-run MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. Or the American people WILL! and SHOULD! revolt with an all out CIVIL WAR against congress and this Government.
House and Senate progressives and the tri-caucuses should aggressively push for the inclusion of a strong Public Option, Medicare expansion, and no new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. If the obstructionist kill meaningful healthcare reform, it’s failure will be on the obstructionist heads. And they will be punished and replaced.
WITHOUT A PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE, THIS BILL WILL KILL FAR MORE AMERICANS THAN IT WILL SAVE.
What is proposed in the Senate compromised bill is the worst case scenario for health-care reform. It would shift trillions of taxpayer, public and private dollars into the hands of the private insurance industry (The single most costly, deadly and dangerous product sold in America). And it would compel by law millions of Americans to financially support this oxymoronic criminal enterprise. You cant have a individual MANDATE WITHOUT A STRONG PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE!
You will have NO! realistic way of controlling cost and quality. Cost will continue soaring through the roof bleeding the American people dry, and KILLing our economy. And our quality of healthcare will continue to decline below our current ranking of “WORST! quality of healthcare delivery in the developed World”.
From the very start, the American people have been crystal clear about what they wanted. And the American people are CORRECT!! They wanted a humane single payer system like the rest of the developed world has (HR676). Or at least a humane strong GOVERNMENT-run public option CHOICE!! This is what the American people gave the democrats control of the house, control of the senate, and control of the Whitehouse to do. Including at one time a SUPER MAJORITY in the Senate.
Those of you that can, should prepare now to remove every member of congress that fails to support YOUR healthcare reform with a strong Public Option, Medicare expansion, and no new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. Run against them in teams if you have to. But take them out. And replace them with a strong single payer or PRO PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE candidate.
Now! is the time to bring maximum pressure on your members of congress. Contact your representatives and spread the word.
H1N1 IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION!
I have to tell you now that the H1N1 virus is a man-made WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION! and TERROR! It is a WEAPONIZED version of a flu virus. It has swept the planet infecting millions. And causing a global pandemic that has killed tens of thousands, and injured millions.
The H1N1 virus is the product of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! It was released in the U.S. in Texas in early January of last year, but not recognized until around April 2009 in California. The reason I know this is because when it came to America, it came to see me FIRST! How sweet…
This was around the time the MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! assaulted the Whitehouse with all their devils deals to cripple and weaken YOUR! healthcare reform. Especially your right to have a single payer system like HR676 (Medicare For All) which most of you wanted.
They don’t even want you to have your HUGE!!! compromise position of a strong government-run MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. To compete with their DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, MURDEROUS, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT PRODUCT (The single most costly, deadly and dangerous product sold in America).
They also wanted to take away your rights to have your government meet it’s responsibility to use it’s full power to regulate, negotiate, and control drug cost, healthcare cost and quality. Something every other civilized country in the developed World has done for it’s people. Their Greed! moral degeneracy and lack of patriotism knows no bounds.
Many of you will remember that before we knew about H1N1. I posted a open message to the President and Congress warning them to be vigilant about their health, and cautious about any medical advice they received. As I said then “they will not hesitate to try and hurt you”.
The U.S. and the World have been under a BIOLOGICAL TERROR ATTACK! for over a year now. It is CRITICAL that We The People Of The United States take away control of our healthcare system from the GREED DRIVEN MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
For our own National security, and the security of the world.
A Strong, government-run, MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. Available to everyone on day one, with the full unfettered power of the federal government to regulate, negotiate, and control cost and quality. Would be the most workable way to deal with this global crisis at this time. Including patent suspensions as needed for national security or the greater good.
As an American I invite the peoples of the World to help us fix our healthcare crisis. And bring pressure on our government to meet it’s responsibility to protect global security by controlling, and removing the corrupting influence of GREED and the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT motivations from healthcare in the U.S. and around the World.
I call on the governments of the World and the global intelligence community to track down these MASS MURDERERS, and bring them to justice. CONNECT THE DOTS! And be vigilant that they don’t slip in another viral strain on you under the cloak of H1N1 sequestration.
Further, the proposed patent protection on biologic’s must be stripped from the US bill. And greatly shorten/restricted, or abolished completely. This is a grave danger to humanity and global security.
We must be strong and insist that healthcare reform be done right for the American people. Or everyone loose’s.
This is all I can say in a message post. I’ll try to find a way to tell you more later.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings
jacksmith – Working Class
p.s. The so-called nominal H1N1 virus is designed in such a way as to make it more lethal to children and young adults. The medical community must be more vigilant of secondary bacterial infections in the young caused by H1N1. And remember, a viral infection is also a transfer of genetic code to you. Think about it, and be vigilant.
MADAM SPEAKER, tells it like it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S15BQgELDAQ
We Want A Strong Government-Run Public Option NOW!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSdU4zKOgjs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-U6RV8oTMU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPIPxjLH0DQ
The Voice Of TRUTH! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIyUVltB0F4&feature=player_embedded
SHE’S BACK! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9-ktTz2Uw&feature=player_embedded
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/01/30/debbie-wasserman-schultz-senators-lied-about-supporting-public-option/
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/fixing-health-reform-through-the-reconciliation-sidecar-13-improvements-6-ways-to-save-money-4-important-benefits/
http://firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/ma-voters-seek-more-and-faster-change-economy-jobs-top-concern-taxing-health-insurance-very-unpopular-poll-says/
http://firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/ma-voters-seek-more-and-faster-change-economy-jobs-top-concern-taxing-health-insurance-very-unpopular-poll-says/
#2 by brewski on March 13, 2010 - 3:45 pm
I understand that Pelosi is dumb and evil. And I understand how people like her get elected is wacko districts like San Francisco. But what I have a hard time understanding is how does the whole Congressional Democratic Caucus pick her as being their leader? Is she the best they could do? Isn’t there anyone who isn’t so stupid and evil?
#3 by cav on March 13, 2010 - 3:58 pm
She’s being demonized dummy.
Give a moments thought to the Keven Garn situation. Standing ovation, but of course.
#4 by brewski on March 13, 2010 - 4:46 pm
I’m trying really hard to figure what Garn has to do with Pelosi.
#5 by Richard Warnick on March 13, 2010 - 4:50 pm
Just to clarify, I’m not trying to “demonize” Speaker Pelosi. I do wonder what has happened since last October. Now that the public option only needs 51 votes in the Senate, it’s more doable than ever before— and the Speaker of the House is threatening to kill it? That’s very strange.
#6 by brewski on March 13, 2010 - 5:04 pm
You wonder what has happened since October? Really? Are you kidding?
Since October public support for the current bills has free-fallen to 35% and Obama’s own popularity has fallen to below 50%. Meanwhile Congress’ own approval rating has fallen to levels close to that of Yugo-owner satisfaction.
Individual congressmen, fearing for their jobs, as they should be, are changing their votes. Pelosi is scrambling to do anything to save one or two votes here and there. The pro public option reps in the end will vote for any plan at all since they have nothing else to vote for. The anti public reps may not vote for a bill with the public option. So Pelosi is desperate to keep any votes at this stage. That is why she is more than willing to dump the public option just to get a vote or two.
She is trying to save the bill, any bill, no matter what kind of piece of shit it is just so she doesn’t have to suffer the humiliation of failing to pass a bill at all.
#7 by Richard Warnick on March 13, 2010 - 5:28 pm
brwski–
The reason a lot of people are dissatisfied with the Senate bill is because it has no public option. The House bill had only a watered-down public option that 3 percent of Americans might be able to participate in– but no, that was too scary for the insurance companies Senator Lieberman works for!
The last poll I know of that asked about the public option found 57 percent support. Another poll last August said 77 percent. I think this issue is hard to poll because there are too many different versions of a public option that have been discussed.
The public option has majority support in the polls and majority support in both Houses of Congress. The President keeps saying he’s in favor of it, but he left it out of his legislative proposal for reasons the White House can’t explain. Yet Speaker Pelosi is saying we can’t have it?
President Obama’s approval is just fine. He won the 2008 election with 53 percent of the vote, and now has 54 percent of the people behind him. And 49 percent like the way he’s handling health care.
Here are more results from the latest AP/Roper poll:
#8 by brewski on March 13, 2010 - 10:23 pm
Rasmussen:
#9 by cav on March 13, 2010 - 11:01 pm
Pelosi is dumb and evil, and from a wacky district mostly represented by that ever so wacky San Francisco. None of her credentials have any worth at all.
This is contrasted to (yet unwritten), the wonderfulness that is nominally, the republicans, who while every bit as evil / stupid / prone to graft and corruption, are none the less pillars in relation to the … well there are simply no words strong enough. I just chose Garn because he’s so hot right now – but there are altogether too many others from which to choose that would satisfy the notion.
You get the picture – Garn, while flawed, maybe even dastardly, is forgiven and used as mentor to other similarly afflicted individuals. Pelosi, while flawed has nothing at all to offer, in fact she’s so far down on any conceivable list of any known positive qualities, that it’s a wonder god even gives her breath.
I believe Glenn Beck may have had something to do with this meme, but he was not alone, by any means.
RE: The health care issue – I think Pelosi is loyally covering for her boss and his crafted- behind-closed-doors agreements with the insurance giants – that would be too embarrassing were they thrown back on the table.
None of which makes McConnell’s or McCain’s stars shine any brighter.
#10 by Larry Bergan on March 13, 2010 - 11:39 pm
Can’t we just retrain people in the heath insurance industrial complex to give health CARE to people in this upside-down country of ours. Wouldn’t the health providers be happier dealing with people who want their help then with people who walk out of their offices in a stupor after realizing how much they owe.
Why must we be such a worldwide laughing stock all the time?
#11 by Larry Bergan on March 13, 2010 - 11:48 pm
Michael Moore knows the issue:
#12 by Larry Bergan on March 14, 2010 - 12:02 am
Some companies that are suspected of having “dead peasant” insurance policies, but which have not denied it. Walmart DID have such a policy.
AT &T
Diebold
Walmart
Walt Disney
Coca Cola – or – Coke
Eastman Kodak Company
Hershey Foods Corporation
There are many others who may have partook.
#13 by Uncle Rico on March 14, 2010 - 6:48 am
And yet, you have no absolutely difficulty whatsoever figuring what Patterson, Massa, Rangel, Jefferson, Spitzer all have to do with Garn. Or perhaps you just feel that you are exclusively entitled to point in another direction when one from your side of the aisle gets caught with their hand in the hot tub. I’m betting on the latter.
Let the argumentum ad hominem commence.
XOXOXOXO,
Dangerous and Scary
#14 by cav on March 14, 2010 - 9:28 am
Remember the intense discussion about how to fund the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars?
Yeah I don’t either.
Turns out, if you are about to funnel money to your Military Contractors then cost is not an object. Money to the Poors? We ain’t got it!
Which tells me – the HCR bill that passes will have big money for Medical Contractors (Individual Mandate augmented by the government). The ONLY thing that will pass is a bill that makes Medical Corporate CEOs tons of money.
It’s the ‘mercan way.
#15 by James Farmer on March 14, 2010 - 10:07 am
Can I be a Medical Corporate CEO, or that something you are born into, like Bush was born into the American presidency without having so much as a single intelligent thought of his own in his lifetime.
#16 by Richard Warnick on March 14, 2010 - 10:35 am
brewski–
First of all, Rasmussen polls are skewed to appeal to the Faux News crowd.
People are unhappy with Congress? I’m one of them. I am unhappy with Democrats in Congress because they have sacrificed key progressive policies on the altar of bipartisanship– without getting any Republican votes in exchange. I am unhappy with Republicans continuing to obstruct everything in the Senate.
President Obama has weathered incredibly scurrilous partisan attacks, resulting in a decline of support among Americans who didn’t vote for him in 2008. Yet the Obama voters are sticking with him.
cav–
We have a separation of powers, which means the President is not the “boss” of the Speaker of the House. Let’s hope Nancy Pelosi knows that.
You’re right about priorities. If al-Qaeda was crashing 120 fully-loaded Boeing 767s every year, killing 45,000 Americans, nobody would ask how much we can afford to spend to stop them. Meanwhile, lack of adequate health insurance is causing 45,000 premature deaths every year.
#17 by brewski on March 14, 2010 - 3:30 pm
Cav, if you are going to draw an analogy, then draw an analogy.
#18 by cav on March 15, 2010 - 6:27 am
Should I have said: She’s somehow invested in his success? Professional courtesy?
She as much as made that statement in her interview with Maddow, you know.
#19 by Richard Warnick on March 15, 2010 - 6:49 am
cav–
Under Pelosi’s leadership, the House of Representatives has loyally voted for President Obama’s policy agenda. The result? Almost 300 House-passed bills now stalled in the Senate.
Maybe it’s time for the Speaker to say enough is enough. She ought to call Senator Durbin’s bluff and send the public option to the Senate– for the second time.
#20 by cav on March 15, 2010 - 6:52 am
Karl Rove says that the republics will retake the House if the Dems pass the HCR bill.
I must admit, I’m befuddled – almost more than I’ve ever been befuddled before.
I think they almost want the masses to secede them all.
But like Nixon said in his farewell address, It’s only the beginning.
#21 by cav on March 15, 2010 - 6:55 am
Hell, let’s just have single payer, and be done with it. Karl can again have his pulpit.
#22 by Larry Bergan on March 15, 2010 - 10:23 am
Karl Rove is famous for bending reality and was saying he hoped Howard Dean would be running against Bush in 2004; it was a complete bluff and was very relieved that the “Dean Scream” media tactic to get rid of Howard was a success. I think the entire Republican senate wants this terrible bill to pass because it will drain more funds from the poor and funnel them to the health insurance industry.
Don’t donate to the DNC! Donate to DFA! The DNC doesn’t want to win. They were happy to be the good cop.