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Is Chuck Schumer Taking Temperature On Carper's Public Option Compromise?
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
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I'd missed this before, but check out what Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) told reporters last night about conservative Democrats' push for something like a public option trigger mechanism.
"Senator Carper has been trying to help forge a compromise and I'm very proud of his efforts, and he's still at work, I understand, on that, so is Senator Schumer. They've been trying to negotiate this compromise among the various factions for a while and I think actually we're getting closer. We're not there yet. But we're a lot closer than we were two months ago, where it was just a logjam."
Schumer's name, in this context, is interesting. It's possible that she simply means Schumer is talking to all parties, trying to get everybody on the same public option page as he has been for months. But it certainly sounds like she's saying he's taking the caucus' temperature on this Carper compromise, which I outlined here.
Today, Landrieu told reporters today that she and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) are "workingn together on trigger mechanisms and other things," and Snowe told me yesterday that she and Carper have been in similar discussions.
I have a call out to Schumer's office to see what, exactly, his involvement is, and I'll let you know if and when I get a response.
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JadeZ
November 20, 2009 6:14 PM
I no longer care .
Anyone not convinced by now that it makes no difference who is in congress is fooling themselves.
I hoped for the best from obama and expected much more from the dems.
They are totally corrupt and unless people recognize what that really means nothing will change.
They must all be thrown out and no incumbent should receive support from progressive independent voters.
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JC Aevaliotis
November 20, 2009 6:34 PM in reply to JadeZ
Who would benefit from ousting all incumbents? I share your frustration, absolutely, but it seems like progressives would be cutting off their noses to spite their faces by turning on the Democratic party now. Perhaps I'm missing something, but it seems like Republicans/Tea-Baggers would be the biggest beneficiaries of a progressive walk-out or stay-home on election day 2010.
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Darrius
November 20, 2009 7:49 PM in reply to JadeZ
The Senate may be corrupt but don't you think for a minute that it does not matter who controls congress. If the Republican's controlled just one house of congress, then health care would not even be up for discussion, let alone up for a vote.
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bluebell
November 20, 2009 6:58 PM
I'm never quite sure whether I have more contempt for Republicrats like Nelson or whether the more serious problem are the Faux Progressives like Schumer. The Faux Progressives always seem to be there in the end enabling the Republicrats. They hide behind the Republicrats and blame the Republicrats. The Republicrats like that because it gives them street cred with their more conservative constituents. Meanwhile, the Faux Progressives dupe their progressive constitutents into believing they'd have voted for real progressive change, if (big sigh) they didn't need the votes of the Republicrats.
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Tanjaoui
November 20, 2009 7:44 PM in reply to bluebell
I hear you. Progressives are very good at playing the role of spoiler. As goofy (or someone here, I think...or was it FDL?...anyway) pointed out, the person who care's less about the outcome of legislation (who isn't invested in real change) is always at an advantageous bargaining position. We often have the biggest effect when we just stay at home. Big effect...leading, inevitably, to awful governance. That's not defeatist thinking, just analysis. I believe in grassroots organizing and the power of leading by example. If one political unit can prove the efficiency and justice of progressive policy in a local setting, it can catch on. So...as for HCR, I'm hoping a state can find a way to finance single payer. Apparently states can use the subsidies for individuals who can't afford insurance to help pay for state public options or even state single payer insurance. I wonder if states could finance single payer using bonds, as the US did during WWII, or states currently do to finance public infrastructure projects. This is out of my depth.
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Tanjaoui
November 20, 2009 7:45 PM in reply to Tanjaoui
sorry: "who cares less"...it's late here...
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
November 20, 2009 7:07 PM
OMFG! The public option is dooooooomed! We're being sold out!!!!
Wolf! Wolf! Wolf! No, really. This time, there's really a wolf! Honest! Mary Landrieu says so and she's, well, okay, a complete blithering idiot, but still, she confirms that I was right all along so just this once I'll believe the pefidious fool.
Please.
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JohnW1141
November 21, 2009 9:41 AM
We have two problems;
1- leadership, the Democratic Party is being led by Republican lites.
2- The Democratic party is being controlled by the business/Wall Street friendly branch of the party.
What we have is two parties, Republicans and Republican lite.
We somehow need to increase the number of liberals in both Houses.
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realist
November 21, 2009 9:47 AM
If he is taking anyone's temp, you know the best place to get the most accurate reading.
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Stephanie Hunter
November 21, 2009 12:31 PM
Great catch! I'm interested to see what you find. I really think the public option has to be a part of this bill. It is essential and already proven to work! http://cli.gs/23yYaM/
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