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Key Senators, Rahm, To Hold Inaugural Meeting On Senate Health Care Bill
Brian Beutler | October 14, 2009, 10:13AM
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Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
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At 2:30 this afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will host Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in the first of several meetings presaging the merger of two major health care bills. The foursome is expected to discuss key issues at the heart of the reform process--affordability, Medicare, the public option, revenues--but no decisions are expected today.
The meeting kicks off a process that may be the most important of the entire health care debate. Reid, in consultation with Senate health care leaders and White House officials will crib from the Senate HELP Committee's health care bill, and the more conservative Senate Finance Committee health care bill, which was voted favorably out of committee after multiple delays yesterday.
Reid and the White House will be the focus of a great deal of attention in the coming days from the liberal base, which is adamant that health care reform include a public option, and that party leaders prevent rank and file senators from joining Republicans in a filibuster of the final bill. If Reid decides that the legislation he brings to the floor will include a public option it would be a game changer--and public option supporters within his own party aren't being shy about their preference.
Additional reporting by Christina Bellantoni
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Indie Pro
October 14, 2009 10:23 AM
Let's see what the Whitehouse and Reid deliver. Where do they stand.
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shooter242
October 14, 2009 10:27 AM
I've got popcorn and a ringside seat. This is going to be entertaining.
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FreeRider
October 14, 2009 11:51 AM in reply to shooter242
That's all you've got since the Republicans overplayed their "just say no" hand and are relegated to the sidelines.
Stupid.
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mans_best_friend
October 14, 2009 10:53 AM
mmmmm...I smell sausage.
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Ann H
October 14, 2009 10:59 AM
This is where we really, really miss Ted Kennedy.
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rbe1
October 14, 2009 12:46 PM in reply to Ann H
Boy, have you ever got that right. Without Ted, Reid has no conscience and no courage.
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Darrius
October 14, 2009 11:29 AM
Why are all the Senators "Key" Senators? There is never any news about "ordinary" Senators; nobody ever meets with "plain" Senators or just "Senators". Its always "Key" Senators.
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tmccarthy0
October 14, 2009 11:34 AM
I do not trust Mr. Emanuel.
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KeithL
October 14, 2009 11:47 AM in reply to tmccarthy0
Join a very large club! I do like the picture TPM always uses. It conveys a certain, entirely appropriate, element of deviousness.
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converse
October 14, 2009 12:34 PM in reply to KeithL
Right, let's all hate the devious Jew who, by the way, gets a hell of a lot done.
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rbe1
October 14, 2009 12:47 PM in reply to converse
Name some of it.
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converse
October 14, 2009 12:57 PM in reply to rbe1
Guess you missed the point that, for the first time in the history of this country, significant health insurance reform has already passed five committees and is clearly on its way to final passage in Congress. But I'm sure you could have done that with one hand tied behind your back.
Sorry if I woke you.
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KeithL
October 14, 2009 2:17 PM in reply to converse
Hey Casper!
I don't give a rat's ass about his religion. In my book, they're all equally valid. But I certainly will NOT give Rahmbo credit for the accomplishments of LOTS of hard working, progressive conrgessional staffers and members. Especially not when almost ALL of his public statements have been counterproductive toward a true public option.
Why don't you tell us all how wonderfully he's been working to muzzle HIS blue curs and "manipulating" the Republicans to earn your admiration. He is the ORIGINAL flea-bitten blue dog, or did that point escape you?.
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converse
October 14, 2009 3:05 PM in reply to KeithL
Oh yeah, that's why all those "hard working progressive congressional staffers and members" did such a great job passing health care reform bills before Obama was elected and got Emanuel to whip them into shape. Dream on, foo.
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Riggsveda
October 14, 2009 11:44 AM
Not good news. Emanuel is on record as opposing a public option, and I don't trust him not to derail any such plan coming out of the Senate, no matter how pitifully weak it may be. But then, I'd rather see nothing pass at all than be stuck with a mandate to buy useless, expensive, non-competitive private insurance.
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rbe1
October 14, 2009 12:48 PM in reply to Riggsveda
No public option, and it will be the reform bill from hell.
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willia451
October 14, 2009 11:57 AM
Whatever they come up with in the Senate will be weak, watered down garbage. That seems definitive at this point.
Our only hope for something that can be called reform at least on the margins is in the House. Then putting most of what comes out of the House into the Senate version in conference. And then demanding Senate Democrats at least vote for cloture on what comes out of conference. And if they don't, ram it through using reconciliation.
Which won't happen. Because it also seems clear that Obama and the White House have aligned themselves with Senate Conserva- Dems and President Snowe.
We'll see what they do this week and next in these "big ass" whoop de do Senate talks. But I'm not holding my breath for a miracle.
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xargaw
October 14, 2009 12:20 PM
Obama is going to own whatever comes out of the Senate. Any attempt to spin something lousy now saying it can be improved later will be seen as failure. 3/4 of the country want a PO. If there is no PO, it will be a failure. These people are so unbelievably out of the touch with the country, it can only be DELIBERATE ignorance or a payoff. But, it doesn't matter, the outcome for failure will be big losses in 2010 and perhaps beyond and deservedly so. Healthcare is the ONE issue that touches everyone on a recurring basis, whether it is using the system, writing the monthly check or dealing with insurers. You are either getting sqeezed paying for it, have already been priced out of the market, or are experiencing the frustration from the delivery system. You can't spin bad reform, no matter how elequent our Preisdent might be.
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converse
October 14, 2009 12:32 PM
What's with the Emanuel pic?
Is he supposed to look like a devious Jew, or something?
Give it a rest.
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rbe1
October 14, 2009 12:44 PM
I do not trust Rahm.
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VivaAmerica!
October 14, 2009 1:02 PM
Enough with the fucking Rahm bashing. He speaks for the President. To think that he is going to do what he wants is as ridiculous as those who thought Hillary Clinton was going to start a shadow government as Secretary of State and go overseas and do whatever she wants.
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converse
October 14, 2009 1:10 PM in reply to VivaAmerica!
You're certainly right about Rahm, but I'm not so sure about the Hillary stuff. (joke, okay? seriously, joke)
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FreeRider
October 14, 2009 1:39 PM in reply to VivaAmerica!
I agree! This Rahm-bashing is ridiculous. It's also an insult to the president that he would choose a chief of staff he didn't trust and/or be too stupid or weak to run his own presidency.
Rahm may have his own views but he is 100% loyal to Obama and will do what Obama wants done.
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kash79
October 14, 2009 1:05 PM
It is just me or is it so very obvious, we will not achieve a PO.
I know the President had briskly suggested- on rare occasions- the commonsense of PO, but all along it seems White House has been careful not to root for the PO.
I think Rahm is unnecessarily vilified. I don't think White House or the President have ever been too keen to push for it, the Senate democrats at least 20-30 are not keen on it at all.
I was hoping an "opt-out" PO will come of the finance committee, but forget Snowe with Conrad and Nelson that was never going to happen.
There is no math for a strong and robust PO.
The entire episode will demonstrate how deeply many democrats are in the pockets of the insurance and private HC industry.
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dannyluv
October 14, 2009 3:20 PM
If they want my vote and my family's vote, THERE HAD BETTER BE A PUBLIC OPTION
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dannyluv
October 14, 2009 3:21 PM
If they want my vote and my family's vote, THERE HAD BETTER BE A PUBLIC OPTION
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