Blanche Lincoln hints at support for public option

[babylonsister]

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/07/08/lincoln-hints-at-support-for-public-option/


Lincoln hints at support for public option
@ 4:26 pm by Eric Zimmermann

Greg Sargent flags an interesting op-ed that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) wrote in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Lincoln, who has previously expressed doubts about a public option (opponents call it government-run healthcare) as part of healthcare reform, seems very open to the idea now:

Health care reform must build upon what works and improve inefficiencies. Individuals should be able to choose from a range of quality health insurance plans. Options should include private plans as well as a quality, affordable public plan or non-profit plan that can accomplish the same goals as those of a public plan. {emphasis added}

Of course, she hedges a bit by suggesting a non-profit, private sector plan could accomplish the same thing as a public plan. But either way, this seems to be good news for public plan proponents.

Liberal groups, by the way, have targeted Lincoln with ads attacking her reluctance to support a public option.

[KharmaTrain]

1. Keep Pounding...

The pressure worked on Kay Hagen and hopefully Mrs. Lincoln, whose up for re-election next year will see the light.

The game here is to get in her face as well as any other Democrat who is against or is wobbly on a public option. Get 'em away from the insurance company money and flex some peoplepower muscle.

:hi:

[kjackson227]

12. ITA! Our voices are being heard!

[KharmaTrain]

14. A Lot More Work To Do...Gotta Fight For What You Want

Many here were all ready to write off any serious reform...and President Obama expecting things would cruise through and things would go from right to left overnight. Not gonna happen. We have a sympathetic ear in the White House but unless the people (especially Democrats) don't speak up and do the grassroots work, the bastards will win. Right now they want to fight harder than many of us do and why their voices are being heard. It's time for the netroots to show its real power...people power.

The saying is that food tastes better when you have to fight for it. We're starting to see those on the fence come on over...now's the time to speak louder and not stop until a package with a public option is passed and signed into law.

Cheers...

[county worker]

2. Here's the problem with a non profit plan.

There will be subsidies paid by the government either state or federal. That along with the income from clients becomes the operating budget amount. The plan will spend every cent of the operating budget for fear of getting less money the following year.

If the subsidy is from a state government it will have to be paid out of current revenue since state governments cannot have budget deficits like the federal government. That will cut into other services unless taxes are raised to cover it.

There is no incentive to reduce costs and a large part of the costs are the indirect costs and administrator's salary which is always off limits for cuts somehow.

[bobbolink]

16. Please see my response in #13. I'd like to know more about this.

Is Tom Russell of Health Care For All Colorado wrong, or are they talking about something different?

TIA for any light you can shed on this.

[Me.]

3. She Must Be Looking At Her Poll Numbers

Not very good for an incumbent so her switch is probably more self serving than anything else

[babylonsister]

4. No doubt, but whatever it takes. She's getting a lot of negative

press and pressure, too.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Well-deserved negative press.

[Me.]

10. I Agree

Sinking poll numbers seem to be a curative to arrogant politicians. Now Baccus, who was slapped all around his state, needs to wake up.

[burning rain]

5. It's the right thing to do, & I think it will fly in Arkansas.

That state has its backlash conservative issues, but class-based bread-and-butter economic liberalism should play well there.

[izquierdista]

23. Arkansas? what's that?

I thought she was D-WalMart. And as long as they think the public option will save them even more than they already soak out of the public trough, they, and she, will be for it.

[burning rain]

24. Got one word for those vile filthhounds at Wal-Mart....

EFCA.

[spanone]

6. democrats 'hint' at doing what they were elected to do.

ain't that some shit

[babylonsister]

8. She's a DINO and proves it every day. nt

[elleng]

9. Any hope she'd bring landrieu with her?

.

[babylonsister]

18. I don't know, but I understand Landrieu is getting pressured also.

I guess we'll see if it works.

[elleng]

22. Sure hope so.

Not happy at all about those 2.

[KamaAina]

11. A "nonprofit, private sector" plan already exists in many states.

It's called Kaiser. And I doubt anyone here would seriously suggest we should hold it up as a model for reform!

[bobbolink]

13. I was surprised recently to hear this proposed by a single-payer organization.

I did a lot of volunteer work for Health Care For All Colorado, and they are an arm of PNHP and adamantly singlepayer. I hear their current VP propose this. I can't remember where I came across it, and can't get this video to open right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKDaFE5flb4

I have a lot of respect for their thoughts, and would like to know how they envision this. If you are able to see the video,, and it explains it,, maybe you could share that.

Mahalo.

[KamaAina]

17. I think he was explaining the various options rather than proposing the public option

but do note that, even in that indie video, he was not identified as VP of health Care For All Colorado but only as a professor at DU's law school. (You've gotta love a school that calls itself 'DU', 'specially since one of my dearest friends is a grad...)

[bobbolink]

20. No, hcfac isn't supporting the "public option" --they are strictly single-payer

But I DID hear him talk about that single-payer being a non-profit, rather than the gov.

I wish I could remember where I heard that. Maybe on Ed Schultz? That may have been it.

This organization has worked hard for a single-payer program for Colorado. The original bill was written by Dr. Rocky White, of Alamosa.

Being a native, DU was University of Denver for me a l-o-n-g time before it was democraticunderground! :)

[WI_DEM]

15. If we can get her that would be a big one since she is one of the senators from Walmart.

[babylonsister]

19. Did you see this from about a week ago? I have been away from

the internet and MJ has swallowed all the air out there, so don't know if this has changed...

Wal-Mart Backs Employer Health Insurance Mandate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8503517

[Kingofalldems]

21. Great news!

The taunter will not be amused by this.

[HOLOS]

25. good