Greg Sargent's Plumline: Bernie Sanders Prepared to Introduce Public Option Amendment

[flpoljunkie]

The public option just might get its straight up-or-down vote after all.

Senator Bernie Sanders, in a brief interview in the Capitol just now, confirmed to me that he’s willing to commit to introducing an amendment that would add the public option to the Senate bill’s reconciliation fix.

This is important, because as far fetched as this seems, if this amendment is introduced, a vote on it would be very hard for the Senate Dem leadership to block. The only thing that could stop it from happening, according to Senate expert Robert Dove, is for the parliamentarian to rule that it’s not germane to the Senate bill somehow — something that seems unlikely.

“I think somebody should do that, and I’d certainly be prepared to do that,” Sanders told me when I asked him if he’d be willing to commit to introducing a public option amendment. This is, in effect, a commitment to introduce the amendment if no one else does.

more...

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/bernie-sanders-im-prepared-to-introduce-public-option-amendment/

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. God bless Bernie...

But he will be fighting an uphill battle:


Source: The Hill

Senate Liberals Dissed on Health Bill
March 11, 2010
By Emily Pierce and David M. Drucker
Roll Call Staff

Senate Democratic leaders are concerned about the amount of mischief their own Members could create if or when a health care reconciliation bill comes up for debate. And sources said some supporters of creating a public insurance option are privately worried that they will be asked to vote against the idea during debate on the bill, which could occur before March 26.

Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) acknowledged Wednesday that liberals may be asked to oppose any amendment, including one creating a public option, to ensure a smooth ride for the bill. “We have to tell people, ‘You just have to swallow hard’ and say that putting an amendment on this is either going to stop it or slow it down, and we just can’t let it happen,” Durbin, who supports a public option, told reporters. “We have to move this forward. We know the Republicans are likely to offer a lot of amendments, and some of them may be appealing to Democrats, but we have to urge them to stick with the bill.”

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), a leading centrist, suggested Democrats should be able to avoid blowing up a reconciliation package if there is ample negotiation on it before it hits the floor. But Carper appeared to warn his Democratic colleagues that any move to amend the reconciliation bill, however noble the policy aims, would only lead to chaos.

“If we have an agreement with the administration and the leadership of Senate Democrats and House Democrats on what should be in the reconciliation package, I’m sure I could think of plenty of ways to change it, and I’m sure every one of my colleagues could as well,” Carper said. “But that’s a slippery slope I don’t think we want to get on.”

Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_102/news/44084-1.html...

[polichick]

10. Yep - Bernie/progressives vs Durbin/WH?

[dflprincess]

2. And what happens if it doesn't pass?

We're stuck with mandates and no public option to "keep them honest".

If the Democrats in the Senate are so willing to do this, why is Sanders being lined up to introduce the amendment in case "no one else does"?

I think we're about to be had (again) and the House members need to think long and hard about this before they trust the Senate to follow through.

[w4rma]

3. And we know who voted and how they voted. They'll pay dearly. (nt)

[dflprincess]

7. We can try to make them pay

but the large "contributions" they will get from happy health insurance companies will make it very difficult to defeat them.

[HughMoran]

4. K & effing R!!!

C'mon Senate, don't let us down again. Don't introduce this unless it's going to pass!

[glinda]

5. I want to marry Bernie.

[Jennicut]

6. LOL.

He is a good man.

[glinda]

8. I often email him with praise and shower him with adoration.

[HughMoran]

9. kick

[Festivito]

11. If it goes down. I WANT NAMES.

Yeah, a health care amendment would not be germane to a health care bill. hey hey hey