Obama Tells Liberals Public Option Doesn’t Have Votes

[kpete]

Source: The Plum Line

The Plum LineGreg Sargent's blog
Posted at 03/04/2010, 05:37 PM EST
Obama Tells Liberals Public Option Doesn’t Have Votes

* 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.



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

[bluestateguy]

1. This story is not reliable

Sounds a little too kiss and tell to be taken seriously.

[librechik]

2. I find the plumline to be quite authentic

and Sargent is a careful journalist. Of course I want confirmation, but I would bet this is accurate to the event.

[Sub Atomic]

11. 'Liberal' this and 'liberal' that. Sounds biased to me.

:twocents:

[sandnsea]

4. He met with them

It sounds like what he would tell them, because it's true. The votes in the senate aren't there.

[Vincardog]

3. Let me be very Clear. Bull$hit. I demand The passage of MEdicare part E for EVERYONE NOW.

I do not give a fuck who believes it can or can not pas. I demand an up or down vote. Lets' find out who is on our side and who is not.

[PDJane]

5. If it doesn't have the votes,

Why doesn't it, since the people definitely want the public option?

In fact, why not just bite the bullet and go with single payer?

[RC]

13. Absolutely, Single Payer, Universal Health Care.

I understand some countries may already have it.

http://www.timws.com/canada/canadahealthcare.html
http://www.timws.com/canada/feedback_form.html

[Jackpine Radical]

30. "I understand some countries may already have it."

I heard that rumor somewhere too. Can't be true, though.

[RedCloud]

6. So which tool of the health industry is now campaigning against Public option?

[Jackpine Radical]

32. Which tool? About half of the Democratic Party.

The bought half.

[salguine]

7. Neither will Obama in 2012.

[d_b]

10. ^^

[MissDeeds]

21. Just what I was thinking n/t

[swilton]

24. ++100

[t0dd]

29. yep.. +1

[emilyg]

44. +1

[golddigger]

47. +14, the number of my family members!

[sendero]

48. No credibility, no votes..

.. Obama must really think we are all stupid.

It didn't have the votes because you made sure it didn't, sir.

Please, only the folks not paying attention haven't seen through your inspiring speeches to the complete and utter lack of action behind them.

The bankster bailout were enough to make you a one-termer, you'd think that since you're already dead in the water you'd try to accomplish SOMETHING in your term.

[zenj8]

8. It has the American people's vote

but I guess the America where Representatives and Senators actually represent the people instead of corporations is a thing of the past. Sigh.

[roguevalley]

43. Obama has the bully pulpit and a way with words that no one else has

he could pass anything he truly wants but he doesn't want this and fuck us all. 2012, may it either end in apocalypse or in the election of someone with a pair. this guy? Not so much.

[mucifer]

9. Huffington Post article gave a different take on this:

Of those, only Kucinich voted no, but Christensen and Bordallo don't have a vote on the House floor. None of the members, including Kucinich, indicated that they would vote any differently this time around. "I think left the meeting leaving the impression with the president that he's a no-go," said Schakowsky.

But, said one attendee, Obama pointed Kucinich toward single-payer language that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was able to get into the bill. Kucinich fought for an amendment that would allow states to adopt single-payer systems without getting sued by insurance companies. Obama told Kucinich that Sanders's measure was similar but doesn't kick in for several years. "He definitely wrote it down," said one member of Kucinich, suggesting that he'd look into it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/04/obama-to-progressives-thi_n_486426.html

[Jefferson23]

14. Very interesting, thanks for the information. n/t

[No Elephants]

12. The very least America deserves is transparency, seeing who votes for and against a public option.

[harun]

53. Abso-frikkin-lutely. Obama and Reid got to stop protecting those who are

not in support of the PO and give out their names.

You notice once http://whipcongress.com/ started to show all those in support, the bulls eyes started to shine brighter on exactly who didn't support it. This made them VERY VERY nervous (them being Reid and the WH), they started taking action right away so people wouldn't get the list of names not supporting it. They need to show those not in support of it because Dem's need to know this. It is the least they can do if they are going to screw us over with the Senate bill.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RogueBandit]

16. There can be more than one vote!

What's wrong with making the vote on public option? If it doesn't' pass then make the next vote.

I think there's something wrong with the reporting.

[PSPS]

17. "thanked (them) for their ongoing insistence"

First, this isn't LBN and will be alerted.

Nevertheless, this made me laugh:

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.”

I wonder if "the assembled, mostly liberals" thanked Obama for his lack of support.

[Nite Owl]

18. It doesn't have the votes

but just how much arm twisting has he done to get these votes? He sure caved on mandates pretty quickly and wouldn't even allow the vote on drug reimportation until he twisted enough arms to make it fail. Once again progressives have to be the ones to give in or it will fail, it never reads the other way.

[Crowman1979]

19. Public Option doesn't have votes = Obama can forget about votes in 2012

Milk that single term for all it's worth, because you can in the words of the Sopranos FUHGHETABOUTIT!

[bkozumplik]

22. oh I think he knows he's done (nt)

[2Design]

20. if it doesn't kill the bill and go with single payer medicare or what congress has or say goodbye to

all your jobs

[Lifelong Protester]

23. Can we just quit 'saying' it doesn't have the votes and VOTE?

I want it voted on (as I guess many here do) and I THEN want to find out who would not vote for it. I am sick of this 'forgone conclusion' thinking.

UP OR DOWN, VOTE!

[stranger81]

25. It doesn't have the votes b/c Obama won't expend the political capital to support it.

This is just more of the same directed at progressives -- STFU & get in line.

[JoeyT]

26. Military spending, more spying on Americans, and more money for criminals

didn't have the votes either, but he was sure as shit willing to send out the attack dogs to make the liberals get in line.
It's all about priorities. If he isn't fighting for a better bill it's because he doesn't want one.

[Vidar]

27. Obama doing what he does best: surrendering.

[Stumbler]

28. From this "liberal" to Obama:

I wanted Medicare for all. You said 'no.'
I wanted at least a public option. You still said 'no.'
I wanted advocates of both to have at least a seat at the table. You said 'no.'
I wanted us to strong-arm our way through Republican opposition. You said 'no.'
I want(ed) you to end your call for "bipartisanship." You said (& still say) 'no.'

After 8 years of an administration who routinely told me 'no,' I "hoped" you'd be different. After spending hours campaigning for you, and waiting in line for over an hour, I "hoped" you'd be different.

But your endless calls for "bipartisanship" while sacrificing your base has yielded you what, exactly? I'll tell you one thing you've reaped: When you ask for my vote come 2012, guess what I'll be saying.... (Hint: Starts w/ 'N' and ends w/ 'O')

[unkachuck]

31. we were....

....a few votes short of 60....now we're a few votes short of 50....except for war and corporate bailouts, we always seem to be a few votes short....it must be new math....

[SlingBlade]

33. More BullShit from the BullShit King !

Don't ask but TELL them and Tell them we will hold them accountable.

Call, Write, Fax and E-mail OUR Representatives
Now, Today and tomorrow and everyday that remains
Tell them that we demand Single Payer NOW, Not ten years from now.

Contact the White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Call the White House
[phone]

Call, Write, Fax and E-mail your Representatives, House and Senate
http://www.contactingthecongress.org /

There my very well never be another chance. Do it before they pull the trigger.
Do it for your children and your loved ones, Just do it.

K & R
This one joins its neighbors at ...
The Democratic Party Suicide Prevention Thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7764365

[sabrina 1]

34. Obama doesn't want the public option, he never did.

Remember, he is the one who said early on in these 'negotiations' that it was 'not that important'.

It is now up to Congress. The votes will be there if the people let Congress know that they will pay a price if they do not start working for the people who elected them.

Forget the WH, they are working for the Insurance Industry. I know, so is Congress, but elections are coming up in the Fall, and they are far more in danger of losing their jobs than the president at this point.

I am so disgusted with this administration at this point. If we had a president who wanted Single Payer and who refused to have secret meetings with private insurance lobbyists, we would have have it. There will never again be a more perfect situation to get it than there was in January of 2009. We lost the opportunity because the party we supported didn't want what we wanted. It really is that simple.

I do NOT buy the 'no votes' excuse and never will. Leadership is what we don't have, NOT votes. Good leaders get votes. Obama already said, he got 95% of what he wanted in the Senate Bill. Had he wanted a PO, we'd have it.

Why is anyone paying any attention to what he says anymore? Pressure Congress, forget the WH. They already forgot who elected them.

[scentopine]

35. they've been grooming us for failure since day one - I call Bullshit

Obama cut deals with the money bags and that's why single payer is dead.

[Canuckistanian]

36. Oh? And how do votes get made?

That's the REAL question.

[IndianaGreen]

37. Snake oil salesman, that's what Obama has turned out to be!

We voted for transformational change, and we ended up with another corrupt Chicago politician.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Nikki Stone1]

39. It didn't have the President. Agreement was made in advance with insurers and big Pharma

Matt Taibbi warned us early on that the fix was in.

[droidamus2]

40. How about this

Since Obama is pushing for an up or down vote on 'his bill' I think the liberal/progressive caucus should insist on an up or down vote on the strong public option. Even if it has to be done as a separate bill. Make all those Democrats and obviously all the Republicans stand up and say no to the public option. If they think the public is so against it they should have no problem making their stance known.

[Octafish]

41. Well, GET THE VOTES. It's called LEADERSHIP. (nt)

[Javaman]

42. Meh. more kabuki theater. nt

[ima_sinnic]

45. No We Can't get the change We The People voted for,

because We The People aren't important enough, not like those who can pay the payola.

[Abq_Sarah]

46. So, it's business as usual

Except now we're mandated to purchase a product from a private company.

Gee, can I get that same deal for my business? It would certainly help me employ more people.

[Roland99]

49. Well, when he threw Single Payer under the bus last year, it didn't help.

[ShortnFiery]

50. Gee President Obama, IF you would of had the courage to place "Single Payer" on the

negotiation table from the START, we might have been able to get a "Robust Public Option" in play by now.

I'm NOT buying this charade. :thumbsdown:

[NoodleyAppendage]

51. Enjoy your ONE TERM Mr. Coward. Thank Rahm for your downfall.

Though, I ultimately hold you responsible for your own failure. After all, you are the one who decided to abandon your campaign message for that of your twisted DLC whore, Rahm. You are the one who frittered away the health care debate by positioning yourself such that a public option was never really viable and only used to placate the grassroots.

F' You, Mr. President.

J

[harun]

52. NAME THE DEMS WHO WON'T SUPPORT IT !!!!!

Because we don't support them.