"Weiner, a fan" (of the mysterious Senate Gang of 10 agreement.)

[Clio the Leo]

Weiner, a fan
One of the squeakiest wheels on the public option is pleased.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), who has spent the last few months blasting Senate Democrats for edging away from the public option, released a statement endorsing the Medicare buy-in.

He called it "the expansion of the smart single-payer health care plan that serves over 43 million Americans — Medicare."

"Extending this successful program to those between 55 and 64, a plan I proposed in July, would be the largest expansion of Medicare in 44 years and would perhaps get us on the path to a single payer model," Weiner said. "Medicare provides health care to all Americans over 65 and has an overhead of barely 1 percent. In a debate that hasn’t focused enough on how to genuinely contain costs and deliver affordable health care, this is one idea I like a lot."

Weiner's supportive statement will be welcomed in the Senate leadership, which now faces the daunting task of convincing the base that they didn't give up on their cherished goal of a public option.

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/1209/Weiner_a_fan.html?showall

[Beetwasher]

1. Interesting, Dean, Wiener Seem To Be Supportive

:shrug:

[hlthe2b]

3. Maybe they think they can change the part about no subsidies?

[Beetwasher]

5. As Of Now, There ARE Subsidies, But They Don't Kick In For A Few Years

Seems like something easily fixed.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Sure, and there's a cross-section of Middle Class America ... why don't you add Krugman too?

:crazy:

[Beetwasher]

7. Yes, Krugman Too

Man, do they suck or what? What a bunch of coroporate stooges. :eyes:

[Clio the Leo]

2. Lieberman, "encouraged by the progress"

LIEBERMAN STATEMENT ON HEALTH CARE NEGOTIATIONS




WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) issued the following statement regarding the latest in Senate health care reform negotiations:

“I am encouraged by the progress toward a consensus on proposals to send to the Congressional Budget Office to review. I believe that it is important to pass legislation that expands access to the millions who do not have coverage, improves quality and lowers costs while not impeding our economic recovery or increasing the debt.

“My opposition to a government-run insurance option, including any option with a trigger, has been clear for months and remains my position today.

“Regarding the ‘Medicare buy-in’ proposal that is being discussed, we must remain vigilant about protecting and extending the solvency of the program, which is now in a perilous financial condition.

“It is my understanding that at this point there is no legislative language so I look forward to analyzing the details of the plan and reviewing analysis from the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of the Actuary in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.”

http://lieberman.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=320551

(Regardless of what we think of Lieberman, we need his vote .... or Snowe's.)

[Thickasabrick]

4. Well then, I for one will wait and see. If he likes it, it must be good. nt.

[OneGrassRoot]

8. kick. n/t