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Lincoln Still Opposes Public Option, But Won't Say How She'll Vote
Rachel Slajda | October 27, 2009, 1:51PM
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
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The Associated Press reports that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) spoke about the public option today, saying "We don't need to go there," but wouldn't say if she'd vote to block the health care reform bill from the Senate floor.
Although Lincoln has repeatedly voiced opposition to the public option, she hasn't committed to voting against cloture. The bill will likely need all 60 members of the Democratic caucus to break a Republican filibuster.
"A government-funded option is something that I think is not the way to go," she said today, speaking to members of the Arkansas Farm Bureau via videoconference. She added that she would, however, support an option run by a nonprofit company.
She also expressed trepidation over the opt-out public option in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's bill.
"If you have to opt in, then it takes a while to create that pool, that mass of people, so if states are opting in it takes a while for states to create that critical mass of people that brings down the cost," she said. "But opting out is a problem, too, because again you have to wait until legislatures meet and other things like that."
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PorkBelly
October 27, 2009 1:55 PM
Idiot
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Obama1st
October 27, 2009 2:01 PM
Sje is a giant idiot but I just heard on Ed Shultz that the biggest idiot LIEberman is voting w/ the RepuKes to block the Senate and he will vote for the filibuster!
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Obama1st
October 27, 2009 2:02 PM
Sje is a giant idiot but I just heard on Ed Shultz that the biggest idiot LIEberman is voting w/ the RepuKes to block the Senate and he will vote for the filibuster!
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tosh
October 27, 2009 2:02 PM
"If you have to opt in, then it takes a while to create that pool, that mass of people, so if states are opting in it takes a while for states to create that critical mass of people that brings down the cost," she said. "But opting out is a problem, too, because again you have to wait until legislatures meet and other things like that."
Blanche is just grasping at straws here. She's far better off just not saying anything publically and voting when it comes time.
John
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AnswerFrog
October 27, 2009 2:09 PM
The opt-out thing is genious in the sense it smokes otu the rats out of the hole. They have no excuse. They are revealed to just be sellout hacks who want to deny other states their will to have good health care for their citizens.
We need to keep a real good tally of the traitors who need to be primaried.
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Darrius
October 27, 2009 2:21 PM
Blanche is toast. I can practically see the butter and jam on her already.
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plynch22
October 27, 2009 2:28 PM
"A government-funded option is something that I think is not the way to go," she said today, speaking to members of the Arkansas Farm Bureau via videoconference.
Is it really possible she doesn't know how this works? It is funded by premiums, Blanche, not taxpayers. In fact, you could almost call the government here the "non-profit company" you're looking for.
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matyra
October 27, 2009 2:34 PM in reply to plynch22
Absolutely correct. It almost looks like to placate Lincoln, all Reid has to do is label the public entity correctly.
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LBJs Brain
October 27, 2009 2:39 PM
"legislatures have to meet..." yada, yada. What a lame excuse, but what can you expect? Jeebus.
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_jonny_5_
October 27, 2009 2:41 PM
I've said it a million times Blanche can't sell out the Base in exchange for tenuous support for conservatives in her state.
A vote against cloture kills her support amongst the base, and with it her chance at re-election.
This is posturing. She can't say she will vote for cloture because she will have to have a Backbone for the weeks until there is an actual vote. This is not something we can expact from Blanche.
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_jonny_5_
October 27, 2009 2:52 PM
I've said it a million times Blanche can't sell out the Base in exchange for tenuous support for conservatives in her state.
A vote against cloture kills her support amongst the base, and with it her chance at re-election.
This is posturing. She can't say she will vote for cloture because she will have to have a Backbone for the weeks until there is an actual vote. This is not something we can expact from Blanche.
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onecrappyusername
October 27, 2009 3:39 PM in reply to _jonny_5_
I agree with your sentiments but I think the fact of the matter is that there is no such thing as a democratic "base" in arkansas.
Not on the ground, where registered democrats are disorganized and demoralized.
Not in the state party leadership, which is packed with people who believe that winning elections is a matter of winning independents and so-called swing voters.
And not on lincoln's phone lines - for every democrat that calls in there's a church-load of republicans.
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_jonny_5_
October 27, 2009 3:56 PM in reply to onecrappyusername
I hear your point But you are a bit mistaken...
What I meant was the Idealogical Base evidenced by Obama receiving 38% of the vote in 2008. Despite no real campaigning there. This is the Base of her(and any Arkasas Dem's) support.
Yes, registered Dems are disorganized, demoralized etc... But they are Registered dems. Without whom Balache has little chance.
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Walter Mitty
October 27, 2009 3:39 PM
She votes with the Republicans for the filibuster, her political career is over. If she votes for cloture with the Dems there is a chance she could hold on to her seat in 2010.
I'm not worried about her vote really, I think she'll vote for cloture. It's Lieberman, Nelson and Landrieu that I most worry about.
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DA in LA
October 28, 2009 1:19 PM
She's going to get torn apart for her strong support of USDA’s crop reinsurance program. (Also known as government insurance)
http://bit.ly/21V3Cs
Government insurance for farmers: Good. For the poor: Bad.
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