The Public Option Lives On-Robert Reich "Vote For It Or Be Forced To Pay A Price"

[kpete]

The Public Option Lives On
Robert Reich

...........................

Big Pharma and big insurance hate the public insurance option even more than they hate big Medicare discounts. And although the President has sounded as if he would welcome it, political operatives in the White House have quietly reassured the industries that it won't be included in the final bill. At most, the bill would allow the formation of non-profit "cooperatives" that wouldn't have the scale or authority to squeeze the profits of private industry, or a "trigger" that would allow states to form public insurance options eventually if certain goals for cost savings and coverage weren't met.

But the public option lives on, nonetheless. It's still in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension bill. It still headlines the House bills, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she's still committed to it. The latest Times/CBS poll shows 65 percent of the public in favor of it.

Now, Schumer and Rockefeller are introducing a public option amendment in the Senate Finance Committee. Carper, Menendez, Baucus, and other Dems on the Committee should vote for it, or be forced to pay a price if they don't.

more:
http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2009/09/public-option-lives-on.html

[Inuca]

1. AFAIK Menendez has said that he is for the PO n/t

[Vincardog]

2. Obama has no more right to make these deals than w did

[KoKo]

3. K&R

[FreedomFlower]

4. Thugs

It's scary that big pharma can basically blackmail the president. Accept our deal or we'll make sure you fail.

[MisterP]

5. paying prices? holding Congress accountable? unthinkable!

not only would that prevent us from the 80-seat majority that we now need to get anything done, it would be entirely the fault of you vile peasants for not supporting the people who just spat in your face

remember, you're supposed to give your votes without question or hesitation. Your vote does not belong to you: you owe it to the party, which keeps the Earth revolving on its axis.

:sarcasm: