Progressives Warn Obama Against Dropping Public Health Care Option

[Hissyspit]

http://www.rollcall.com/news/36551-1.html

Progressives Warn Obama Against Dropping Public Health Care Option

By Jennifer Bendery
Roll Call Staff
July 7, 2009, 6:49 p.m.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman of the 77-member Congressional Progressive Caucus, fired off a letter to President Barack Obama warning him against dropping a public insurance option from health care reform plans.

Grijalva described the “alarm and dismay” he felt after reading a Wall Street Journal story that cites White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel offering support for a “trigger” mechanism, under which a public plan option is only part of health care if the marketplace fails to provide sufficient competition on its own.

“I want to be crystal clear that any such trigger for a strong public plan option is a non-starter with a majority of the Members of the Progressive Caucus,” Grijalva said. “Moreover, I consider it unacceptable for any of the cost savings that you are negotiating with hospitals and other sectors of the health care industry to be made contingent upon a robust public plan option not being included in the final legislation,” Grijalva continued.

Obama sought to ease liberals’ concerns by issuing a statement that reaffirms his support for a public option. But many House liberals remain concerned that Emanuel is still pushing a deal for hospitals.

MORE

[vaberella]

1. Good Lord. One person's interpretation of Rahm's words is now law.

Knee-jerk reactions are not limited to DU, but found frequently in Congress. I'm glad none of these people were President. I could see nukes flying all over the place because of this or that. I read the article and I can't find a single quote other than the writer's interpretation to suggest that Rahm did anything in the wrong. If he had said something, then I'd see the hoopla.

[sandnsea]

4. Joe Biden's comment too

He made the astute observation that Israel is a sovereign nation - which the media immediately turned into a "green light to bomb Iran".

:crazy:

[Lasher]

2. I felt the same way when I saw the WSJ article

Obama won't rule anything out except single payer. True to form, Emanuel is open to a gutted and meaningless public option. I'm afraid the administration is so intent on getting health care legislation passed that they will go for anything they can get, even if it does more harm than good.

[MrModerate]

3. I was at least encouraged by the fact that Reid told Baucus . . .

To stop chasing Republican votes. Who needs 'em? and if they insist on standing in the way of this historical change, then history's gonna hand them a big fuck you.

Moreso now than at any time in his short presidency, Obama needs to stand firm on this issue.