Reid says health care bill to have public option
One of the few times the red banner headlines are apropos.
“WASHINGTON – Majority Leader Harry Reid says health care legislation headed to the Senate floor will include an option for government-run insurance. Reid says states will have the prerogative of opting out of the program if they choose.
Reid noted that polls show widespread public support for giving the government a role in the overhauled health care system envisioned by President Barack Obama and his allies in Congress.”
After watching the progress of the healthcare bill for months, this is really the best version of the public option that can come out of the Senate. The “opt out” compromise is really the only compromise that will work because it really puts pressure on the GOP to respond to their constituents in so called “red states”. Since all states will start with a public option it should become very difficult politically to take a lower cost benefit away. Just like with Social Security and Medicare once people have a government program they rarely want to give it up for ideological reasons. From a practical standpoint a half dozen or less states are estimated to opt out of the public option. The fact is this would give many so called “blue states” a competitive advantage that they have been lacking for years with “red states” with attracting business, especially small businesses. It will also be a unique poli-sci experiment.
Of course there is always a downside to any compromise that cannot be understated. Millions of Americans, many of whom need low cost healthcare the most, in the states that “opt out” will suffer with higher healthcare costs if they keep on voting for the GOP. We will literally end up with the “two Americas” John Edwards talked about so much in his presidential campaign.
Weighing all the factors the “opt out” compromise is really the only acceptable compromise because it will give the vast majority of Americans the lower costs healthcare insurance they need. I live in GA, a “red state” and I would gladly leave the state but I have a feeling I will not have to once people even in GA realize what we are losing without government run healthcare insurance.
Just for a laugh, a conservative response to Harry Reid’s decision, sent this morning by a friend in CT.
Dear Fellow Conservative,
The American people are outraged with the Democrat’s government take over of health care and the public option. Now there is news that Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid is again ignoring our voices and is pushing a public option health care bill through the Senate.
Media reports say that Reid is discarding any attempts at working with Republicans and instead is pushing through a “top priority of his party’s liberal base.”
I’m running for the U.S. Senate in Nevada to kick Harry Reid out of office once and for all.
Will you support bringing his runaway liberalism to a screeching halt?
Please follow this link today and make a generous contribution of $50, $100, $250 or more to my campaign.
Harry Reid supports big government and all that comes with it — tax hikes, wasteful spending and government takeovers. I don’t want our children or our grandchildren paying for Harry Reid’s spending spree, and I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s time to stop Harry Reid and his liberal allies, but I must have your support.
When news got out that I was entering the race, the respected non- partisan political analyst Charlie Cook moved this race from “Likely Democratic” and declared it a “Toss Up.” But while I’m already ahead in the polls by up to 10%, Harry Reid is still ahead of me in two ways.
For starters, I do not have your support — yet. And second, Harry Reid has stuffed $8.7 million into his campaign war chest and he’s twisting arms for more cash every day.
In the past Harry Reid has won by intimidating people, so this campaign will be an ugly fight. In fact, more than 383 days before the election, Harry Reid launched his television campaign, because he has the money, and he knows Nevadans know he is out of touch.
But I’m ready for this fight. I’m a strong conservative, successful business woman, a former state Senator who defeated the sitting state Senate Majority Leader, so I’ve been in all kinds of tough battles. But I do need your support.
That’s why I hope you’ll immediately make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more to help me defeat Harry Reid!
Harry Reid has been in politics for more than 4 decades, and he is completely out of touch with Americans. In fact, he thinks that Washington houses all the intelligence, but we know that isn’t true!
Early polls show me ahead of Harry Reid, and I’m confident we can defeat him and send him into retirement. But I need you on my team from the beginning. Will you follow this link and make a generous contribution today?
Thank you in advance for you support. I know that together we can put Harry Reid into retirement.
Sincerely,
Sue Lowden
P.S. It’s time to retire Harry Reid’s liberal agenda and his love of spending taxpayers’ money. I’m ready to bring a conservative voice to the U.S. Senate, but first I need your support. Will you follow this link and make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more to my campaign today?
Priceless how clueless these trolls are.
Aryanna and her cronies just took credit for the great chicken and dumplings my wife made for dinner because she thought about making chicken and rice soup instead.
“Sue Lowden for U.S. Senate” indeed, she has about as much chance as I would.
Oh Lord! The Queen in on Olbermann, even as we speak. Touting that Stein/Green crappy article on her site as the catalyst that made the White House commit to a public option. What a bloated ego!
Sorry–meant to say the Queen “is” on O’s show. Not “in.”
Riiiiiight it wasn’t his campaign, or the dozens and dozens of times where he pushed a public option. No it was all Aryanna. Can her head get any bigger?
Actually it was me who convinced the president to forget about the trigger and Snowe because I contacted the white house this weekend to tell hem to support the opt out plan.
Good job, Quark! Now we know who really gets things done in DC.
Hell I’m as responsible for getting it as the blog queen the way I see it.
Makes me feel like singing that old song, “If I ruled the World” can’t get it out of my head now, damn it!
Here goes but it’s not that old.
Thanks, the one I was thinking of was by Tony Bennett I think and I’m sure that she sings it to her refection in the mirror every day.
Then again, maybe she asks, “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?”
Strike “fairest” add “dishonest hypocrite.”
If you wish HERE is a petition you can sign to thank Senator Reid for supporting the public option.
Thanks for the link, KQuark. I signed it and hope others will, too. I have to say that my confidence in Reid faltered there, for a while, but–as Schumer is saying right now on K. Olbermann’s show–“Don’t count out Harry Reid. He’s the best vote counter around.” He seems to be getting the job done.
This is very good news indeed!
I actually think the Opt-Out aspect is less problematic for people in Red States than any other conditional plan.
As you say, when local politicians have to face their constituency, instead of how they can ignore them when they’re in DC, they may change their tune as quickly.
Remember how Jindal and other Repubs attacked the stimulus and claimed they wouldn’t accept the money? Then, when it came, they stage big press events to show off giving promotional size checks out.
I think it will be the same way with Opt Out. Once that health care is on its way to people, they will step out of the way and take credit for it.
Exactly how many GOP congresspeople have we seen recently at groundbreaking ceremonies hold up big checks from the stimulus money? National and state politics are completely different.
That’s why I think the Opt Out is great because I don’t know that it will be practical politically for most GOP politicians to make it happen.
What’s too bad is that innocent, public plan supporting people in all those southern states, such as yourself, could be harmed by the opt out if a state does choose it.
Though, with how that will harm those states and make them less financially competitive, it would be satisfying on some level to see them reversing themselves and opting back in.
Bottom line, if that’s what passes, I hope the citizens of all states stand tall and turn it into a national plan that includes all 50 states.
Great article KQuark. Finally Reid shows some stones. Sorry about you living In Georgia. I hope Broun is not your rep.
Thanks but it worse because I’m in Gingrey’s district. But I still bug him all the time to pass healthcare with a public option.
Ugh, I was going to bring him up too, but I was not sure how to spell his name. Another ass hat. He was against Rish before he was for him.
The guy is a total asshole. I can’t believe when we first came to the Atlanta area my wife had an appointment with him searching for a doctor. How gross, huh?
The poor woman! What did she say about him?
She thought he was a jerk and picked another doctor. She said he was always on his cell phone and didn’t care about his patients.
Good article, KQuark, and good points. I am a little leery of the opt-out compromise, but I certainly like it better than nothing.
I do believe that it is possible that Obama will get a final bill on his desk, send it back to go for a robust public option or single payer, and have it wind up in reconciliation where it can be added.
At least I think it could work that way. 🙂
Thanks, like I said any compromise is going to have disadvantages. Hell I would love to have single payer instead of a public option. In this case I just think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, unlike compromises like the trigger or co-ops though I hear states that do opt out can do co-ops if they want which is fine with me.
Before I was literally looking to move outside the country for healthcare so moving to a different state if I have to a relatively minor inconvenience.