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Nelson: No Serious Objections To Public Option Package Sent To CBO
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE).
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As readers are well aware, the line of the day is that the emerging public option compromise in the Senate can't and won't be finalized until the Congressional Budget Office weighs in on the cost.
That raises the question of whether the negotiators thought the ideas sent to CBO--Medicare buy-in etc.--were worthy on the merits. I asked Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), whose objections to the public option helped lead to the new plan being discussed, whether he would have a problem with any of the options even if the CBO give them a passing grade.
"I'm not aware of anything that was raising serious objections about it, I think it was about, 'Well, that sounds okay, let's see how it scores,'" Nelson said.
That's likely to quiet some heartburn among leading Democrats, who really need this new initiative to succeed, so they can get 60 votes to pass the bill. Now let's wait for CBO.
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Indie Pro
December 9, 2009 5:30 PM
MoveOn.org., the liberal group, which issued a statement saying Democrats had "bargained away the heart of health care reform allowing conservative senators like Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson to hold the process hostage and protect Big Insurance."
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Cool Blue Reason
December 9, 2009 5:43 PM in reply to Indie Pro
If the anemic remnant of a public option that has been on the table in the Senate really was "the heart of health care reform," I'd say it was due for a transplant.
Overall, the "deal" they are talking about sounds better to me than where we started from -- particularly if it can pass in this Senate. I'd rather be left with slightly more than righteous indignation when this process concludes.
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wbgonne
December 9, 2009 5:47 PM in reply to Cool Blue Reason
It's a neat trick: Hack at the public option until it is a deformed mess, then abandon it because it's ugly.
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Indie Pro
December 9, 2009 6:04 PM in reply to wbgonne
these are the same people arguing to jettison the PO not too long ago.
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Indie Pro
December 9, 2009 6:17 PM in reply to wbgonne
markos and FDL disturbed by Obama trying to raise money off of industry friendly bill:
from Markos:
...We are about to get a turd of a “reform” package, potentially worse than the status quo. We have the insurance industry declaring victory, Republicans cackling with glee, and the administration is using that piece of shit to raise money?
Obama spent all year enabling Max Baucus and Olympia Snowe, and he thinks we’re supposed to get excited about whatever end result we’re about to get, so much so that we’re going to fork over money? Well, it might work with some of you guys, but I’m certainly not biting. In fact, this is insulting, betraying a lack of understanding of just how pissed the base is at this so-called reform. The administration may be happy to declare victory with a mandate that enriches insurance companies, yet creates little incentive to control costs or change the very business practices that have screwed so many people. But I’ll pass
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/12/09/obama-claims-victory-over-this/
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
December 10, 2009 9:15 AM in reply to Indie Pro
That's probably a defining difference between us. What Kos thinks is of interest to me, though I don't view him as infallible, particularly when the issue is more policy than politics. But I ceased giving a rat's ass what anyone who blogs at FDL thinks about anything a long time ago.
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de TOQUEville
December 10, 2009 10:52 AM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
That Lieberman black-face thing did it for me. Smooth move, Hamsher.
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Jaycal
December 9, 2009 5:40 PM
He can't really object on the merits, but just in case the CBO gives it a passing grade, he'll need a few more days to come up with a good excuse for voting against the bill.
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masanf
December 9, 2009 6:17 PM in reply to Jaycal
He already has his reason, abortion.
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ilovebacon
December 9, 2009 5:49 PM
I'm actually feeling pretty good about the way the bill is shaping up.
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Ethan
December 9, 2009 7:57 PM in reply to ilovebacon
Care to share those good feelings? Howard Dean likes it too, but I'm still uncertain and kinda anxious.
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ilovebacon
December 9, 2009 8:10 PM in reply to Ethan
Bernie Sanders' and Howard Dean's support definitely has something to do with it. But buying into an pre-existent, successful, program makes more sense than creating an entirely new program. People like Medicare. The GOP has been pretending to like Medicare (let them try to squirm out of this one, as they will).
Bottom line: the infrastructure is there. Implementation could come a lot sooner than 2013 or 2014. This is good for everybody. Now, if only they would lower eligibility to age 1. Perhaps some day.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
December 10, 2009 7:48 AM in reply to ilovebacon
Guys? Hate to be a meta-nazi, I think using the same metaphor ("heartburn") in successive posts is discouraged by the stylebook.
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ttmiskovsky
December 9, 2009 11:39 PM
Brian, you should remember that Sen. Baucus promised all those on Finance, Snowe, Lincoln, Carper, and Conrad, CBO numbers before a final vote. They have to do this.
You think the motion to commit are bad? In committee the Gee Oh Pee wanted to lock in a new CBO score every time an amendment was accepted on the floor.
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