If the public option is left out, do you trust Obama & Congress to add it ''later''?

[yurbud]

I read something on Obama's meeting with progressives when he repeated that he didn't have the votes in the Senate for the public option, and since the bill is going to be done through reconciliation, that means he doesn't have the DEMOCRATIC votes to pass a public option. I don't get the impression he did a hell of a lot of twisting of the arms of corrupt DLCers and Blue Dogs to get them to support it though. He said he was supportive of an effort by Lynn Woolsey to do a stand alone public option bill, but lets face it, without pressure from the party leadership and the president, the corrupt moral filth of the corporate wing of the party is not going to grow a conscience and vote for anything of the sort.

Sadly, I got an email from Al Franken saying they would try to add a public option on this later.

Why not build on a program that already works and is popular with the public as even the GOP indirectly conceded, Medicare?

If they don't do it right now, it won't be fixed until we clean out the corporatists, which could take a decade or even several decades.

Do you believe they will pass a public option later if they pass a bill without it now?

[Juche]

1. God no

The only way the dems could get health reform was to avoid pissing off private insurance companies and the hospital industry. Because a public option pays lower reimbursement rates and because it competes with private insurance, neither group wanted it.

There is no way the dems will pass a public option. All that stuff about collecting senators signatures (something like 35) to get one is a show. They will magically fall short of 50 signers.

Basically the question you are asking is will a reform that angers wealthy powerful interests who intimidate the democratic party be passed by the democratic party. The answer is no.

Me so cynical

[gateley]

2. You need a "not sure" -- because I'm not sure. I THINK I trust them to do it,

but I've (we've all) had our hopes dashed so many times during this process. :shrug:

And did Franken say they would "try" to add it later on?

I'm not sure I agree that if they don't do it now it won't be fixed until we clean out the corporatists -- I think the public pressure, meaning votes, would carry some weight.

[yurbud]

3. our pressure hasn't carried much weight yet.

[gateley]

6. I think it has - - a LITTLE bit, anyway. The letter to Reid, for example. I don't

think that would have ever have happened had we not been haranguing our representatives. And... hate to drag up this example again, but the MA election of Brown sure gave them pause for thought, too.

And our support of the more progressive congresspeople (e.g. the wad that Lincoln's challenger has raised, and Grayson receiving more contributions last month than ANYBODY) gets noticed, too.

I don't understand why, since it's a given now that we're not getting any Rep votes, we can't just put it back in NOW -- do you?

And did Franken use that word "try"? (I'm hoping that was an inaccurate paraphrase. :))

[yurbud]

12. they can't back it now because of corporate owned Democrats

[salguine]

4. What could you do to fix it after passing it that you couldn't do to it before passing it?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

5. Riiight...

[d_b]

7. lol

[RedCappedBandit]

32. yep

[ChicagoSuz219]

8. The minute it gets 50 votes... he'll include it...

...whether it's before, during or after.

Keep the faith!

[yurbud]

17. I hope you are right!

[yurbud]

18. maybe right wing Dems like Blanche Lincoln need to be told we are financing her primary opponent

until she votes for the public option.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

24. Tom Harkin say there are 55 votes.

Right now.

[ChicagoSuz219]

33. That would be awesome! I like him... :-) n/t

[ChicagoSuz219]

9. The minute it gets 50 votes... he'll include it...

...whether it's before, during or after.

Keep the faith!

[gleaner]

10. I chose no ...

The sad part is I don't know whom I distrust more. Obama or Congress. Lovely mess to find yourself in, especially if you really need health care and don't have millions of dollars socked away.

[HopeHoops]

11. You needed a "maybe" option.

They can always try to attach it to a Republican "must have" bill.

[anonymous171]

13. Remember NAFTA. nt

[yurbud]

16. nuff said!

[reflection]

14. I don't trust them to add it now, later, or ever try.

Lip service, nothing more. Hope I'm wrong.

[Individualist]

15. Where is the "Hell, no!" option?

[AlinPA]

19. Yes, but it will be very hard , probably impossible for a long time since congress will move to more

republican starting in November.

[invictus]

20. No

[hayu_lol]

22. NO! ...

Examples:

Joe Biden's sorry excuse for a Bankruptcy Bill

Republics forced Medicare, Part D

No one has revisited either badly flawed bill.

[CreekDog]

21. No, but I'd still pass the bills under consideration in the meantime

the public option is not in opposition to the rest of the bill.

the rest of the bill is not in opposition to the public option.

therefore you can pass one, the other or both, but you shouldn't say pass both or pass nothing --that's stupid.

[Better Believe It]

23. With many more Republicans in Congress next year they'll pass a public option.

Of course.

Anyone want to buy the Brooklyn Bridge?

[Orsino]

25. Trust? You've got to be kidding.

I think that whatever passes will be a palliative, and used by Congresscritters to excuse themselves from anything resembling further work.

But I hope. And I guess I'll keep pushing.

[Edweird]

26. No. The deal was 'I will not sign a bill..." You know the rest.

[Toasterlad]

27. Of Course Not.

Anyone who beleives, after the impotence the Democrats displayed before the insurance companies, the minority party in Congress, and the American people, that they are capable of doing ANYTHING to "fix" healthcare in the future, when, do to their incompetence, they will have definitely lost their congressional majority, and almost certainly the presidency, is a stark raving moron.

[bluethruandthru]

28. They need to pass a Medicare Buy In for everyone.

They need to QUIT calling it a public option. Just let anyone buy into medicare. Why is this so difficult?

[begin_within]

35. Thank you.

That would be the sensible thing to do now. Nobody could claim there would be "death panels" and all that. It would just be Medicare, which most people know about anyway. It would be a simple change and I believe it would make Medicare stronger and more solvent.

[laughingliberal]

29. No. Do I really look that gullible? nt

[CrownPrinceBandar]

30. Its not that I don't trust that he and they will want to do it later...........

its that our Congessional makeup after Nov. may not be what it is now. We may not have the option to add it later if the balace of power in Congress changes dramatically. The window of time to do this may be closing.

How about striking when the iron is the hottest?

[PufPuf23]

31. The Mandates are an incremental step to phasing

out Medicare according to Zeke Emanuel (Obama health care advisor and bro of Rahm); so NO.

[Radical Activist]

34. Dumb question.

You never trust leaders to do things. What I expect is for people who support the public option to target Democrats and Republicans who oppose it for defeat in the next two elections. Get out there and make it a top issue. Make sure Blanche Lincoln loses her primary to send a message.

Do I trust that people who think activism is complaining about Obama's compromises will do the work it takes to get the public option? I'm really worried about that.