Anonymous Senate Aides Suggest Reid May Nix Public Option From Senate Bill

[jefferson_dem]

Anonymous Senate Aides Suggest Reid May Nix Public Option From Senate Bill

Buried in this New York Times piece on Harry Reid’s role on health care is the news that according to anonymous Senate aides, Reid may have decided that the Senate bill will have no public option to appease Olympia Snowe and a few “centrist” Dem Senators.

The focus is now on Reid, because he’s overseeing the creation of a Senate bill by combining different Senate committee versions, one of which has a public option, the other of which doesn’t. Guess which approach is winning out:

To appeal to Ms. Snowe, as well as to centrist Democrats like Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, the combined bill would not include a proposal for a government-run insurance plan, or public option, despite the clamoring of liberals who support it, senior Democratic Senate aides said.

It’s true that these aides are anonymous, and that they’re not directly disclosing Reid’s thinking on the public option. But the context seems very clear. The article is all about Reid, about how he’s now become the “quarterback” on health care in the Senate, and it quotes at least one Reid aide on the record speaking more generally about the way forward.

Put it this way: Reid is now in charge. Anonymous senior aides say no public option in the combined Senate bill. No Reid aide is contradicting this on the record. So it’s hard not to see this as partly a reflection of Reid’s thinking.

Perhaps the idea is that some form of a public option will be inserted as an amendment, or during the conference process. But why drop the public option in advance, given the momentum that appears to be building behind it? Whatever the game plan, at the very least it seems worth getting clarification from Reid’s office on this. More later

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/anonymous-senate-aides-suggest-reid-may-nix-public-option-from-senate-bill/

[ShortnFiery]

1. Yes, Give em Hell Harry thinks that "Trigger" thingie is the way to go!

:(

[BzaDem]

2. This has been expected for weeks.

As Chuck Schumer says, it probably won't happen in committee (or I presume during the combination of the two committee bills), but there is a slight chance that it will be added as an amendment on the floor, and a greater chance that it will appear in the bill after conference.

[Triana]

3. Reid is a useless pantywaist ninny. Pfft. n/t

[Mass]

4. I've always liked the anonymous aides. This is how rumours are spread.

This said, I have no confidence in Reid either.

[CTyankee]

17. I'm ALWAYS suspicious of the "anonymous aide."

It was a deliberate "plant" to discourage liberals. A really stupid ploy, IMO.

[tularetom]

5. I've posted my opinion of Harry Reid here at least 100 times

I'm as sick of posting it as everyone else probably is of reading it.

So I'm not going to respond.

Nope. Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Robbins]

6. Reid

If he does this he Is a idiot.He Is In trouble for reelection In Nevada,and he wants to Ailenate the
Democratic Base making It worse for him?Not a smart one he Is.

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Reid is a weak, weak man

And a bigoted member of a religion that organizes against my family. A group that was openly racist until 1978. That is Harry. Who he is. A formerly open racist and current homophobic hater, in thrall to those who pull his weasel strings.

[Clio the Leo]

8. Another article kind of disputes this....

(well, it's one of those things where the above article is correct, but this one takes the question a step further...)

The more liberal health committee bill includes a proposal for a government-run health plan. Democratic aides said that while the combined legislation would not have the public option, they expected that liberals would push amendments to add it on the Senate floor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/health/policy/28health.html

[high density]

9. Why bother to do that for 1-2 votes that we don't need?

Screw that. It's like shooting ourselves in the foot.

[Trillo]

10. If mandatory coverage isn't also dropped,

then the bill becomes just another corporate punishment.

"Oh, you want health insurance reform? How do you like this one?" says the bill's authors.

[Phx_Dem]

11. Bullshit. They're just trying to keep the public riled in support of public option.

As soon as Dems think it could be lost, they rise up -- they're just trying to keep the momentum going.

I don't believe that crap for one second. It doesn't even make sense -- as soon as the public option gains support among some Blue Dogs, Reid decides to drop it? Yeah, right.

[tridim]

12. OMG DU is so freaking gullible!

First three words: "Anonymous Senate Aides", no need to read further.

[quiet.american]

14. Thumbs up! nt

[polichick]

13. That report has now been nixed. nt

[tridim]

16. The same thing happens every week

You'd think smart DU'ers would catch on after the 264th attempt.

The MSM is LYING TO US and will continue to do so until we stop buying their bullshit. Wake the hell up.

[ProSense]

15. So much for the

anonymous aides.

[Bobbie Jo]

18. I'm shocked...SHOCKED I tell you!

:eyes: