House Progressives: We Can Not Tolerate Further Weakening Of The Public Option
As if there weren't already too many factions of the Democratic party working at cross-purposes on health care, eight members of the House progressives are now saying, on behalf of the entire Congressional Progressive Caucus, that they won't tolerate any more weakening of the public option.
"We cannot tolerate further weakening of the public option," the letter reads.
We are also concerned about the latest discussion regarding the Independent Medicare Advisory Commission. We understand that no final decision has been made. However if discussions move forward to make IMAC a reality, we ask that you include us in discussion.
You can read the entire letter here. Some of the signatories are on record saying they won't vote for a bill unless it creates a public option--but now they're saying they won't vote for it if the one on the books right now is weakened any further.
About as soon as the letter was released, though, the status of the House health care bill became all-but unknowable, and it's not really clear how germane these concerns will be once the smoke has cleared. Still, it's a rare show of muscle from a group whose vote is often taken for granted, and that's sure to lift the spirits of beleaguered reformers after a hectic and disappointing week.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Great! It's about time we got some push back from the left. No bill is better than Blue Cross Blue Dog bill.
July 24, 2009 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely!
No bill is a helluva lot better than another shitty Democratic capitulation bill that doesn't achieve it's stated aims but passes so they can claim they did "something". The public option as it is will only harm the chances of implementing a single payer system which will have to come to pass if we ever hope to get out of the "crisis" created by having a for profit health care system in the first place.
July 26, 2009 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree.
And I've noticed the number of attacks against Progressives has been picking up on "Liberal" threads.
IMO, there's been a concerted effort to accuse Progressives of trying to kill a reform bill.
Of course, if it wasn't for Progressives, there would be no attempt at reform in the first place - so who exactly are the folks telling Democrats to shut down Progressives?
Who would benefit the most from neutralizing the very people who have been most instrumental bringing the fight to the Private Insurance Robber Barons?
July 26, 2009 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
not so sure how great this is.
how has the public option been weakened so far?
July 24, 2009 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who will rid us of this troublesome Senate majority leader???....
July 24, 2009 9:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
The really sad thing is that most here seem to believe that the democrat party represents the best interests of the majority of the American people. Only until the majority of the country wakes up and discards the dominant parties for 'real change' not change you imagine, will actual meaningful change occur. I have to admit I'm not very optimistic.
There will be no meaningful change with either the dumbocrats or the rethuglicans. Both are owned by the same people and both work primarily for the interests of the uber wealthy.
The charade, the fiction, whatever you want to call it has to end.
July 25, 2009 9:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure that the majority of Americans agree with you. The problem is that there are about 300 million different views on what should be done.
While we are waiting for the population to wake up and see things your way we have to muddle through.
July 26, 2009 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two polling analyses of interest
1. The Support for the Public Option is Settled
Mark Mellman http://thehill.com/mark-mellman/voters-settle-on-a-public-plan-2009-07-21.html
2. Obama's Arguments are working - caveat - the public wants to get it right - RNC
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/24/internal-rnc-poll-urged-r_n_244507.html
Delays in the Senate, dustups in the House only reinforce the apparent public view that this is too complex a matter to "rush" which of course undercuts the broad public support for just the sort of plan the Democrats have been trying to put together
It's Come to Jesus time for the Democrats on both sides of the Capitol
July 25, 2009 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
The progressive have to let the WH know - threaten - that they will NOT vote for a HC bill w/o a public option. It's really that simple. Everyone knows single payer is really the answer but for a lot of reasons/obstacles it won't happen. So we say "OK" option 2 - pulic option. To capitulate to a weakened pulic option (triggers, phase-in over 5 yrs, over site committee, etc. is a fool's answer. Children can even see where this would wind up.
July 26, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
They've already done that -- some of them, anyway.
July 26, 2009 8:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's essential that it be a "good" bill. By that, I mean we don't deny people coverage due to pre-existing condition or lack of affordability. And we don't bankrupt the taxpayer. And we save money for Joe Consumer and Corporate America alike.
The only way we get there is with a strong public option, as the Commonwealth Fund's various studies on the issue prove. That's the only way you save consumers, businesses and state and local governments money while not bankrupting the federal treasury. It would be at best the height of embarrassment for the center-left and at worst a political millstone if the reform were to fail miserably in a few years because it was done with an inadequate public option and therefore done wrong.
The cynical side of me says the smarter Blue Dogs know this full well and want to discredit progressives more than they want to discredit Republicans. The dumber ones, of course, are simply suckered in by Beltway conventional wisdom.
July 26, 2009 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink