SoonerBlue

 

A lot of lefties are hollerin' that the healthcare bill just passed in the House is too weakened down on the public option.

I say, cool it guys...no matter how weak it is, it's a foot in the door. So far, it's the closest we've been to getting government involved in Medicare-like healthcare for the working class poor. It can always be tinkered with and expanded later.

That's why righties are doing everything they can to block it, because it opens the door to single payer. On Thom Hartman's radio show they were talking about if the bill goes down in flames in the Senate, then they have something called a reconciliation process, which is used only for budgetary programs. The HC bill is a budgetary program...so Senate Democrats can introduce Medicare for all through this process. It could be passed with a 51 vote majority...or at the very least be used as a bargaining tool.

Here's what I'm talking about:

From the Hill: "The Senate could still use budget rules to pass healthcare without 60 votes, the White House indicated Monday.

President Barack Obama is hopeful that the Senate will pass a healthcare bill with 60 votes, but White House press secretary Robert Gibbs held out the possibility that budget reconciliation rules could still be used. [..]"

Another thing lefties are unhappy about - especially women - is the Blue Dog Stupak abortion amendment, which tramples on women's rights.

I am so tired of arguing about abortion. Why do old Baptist white guys like Stupak have to make rules about sexual organs they don’t have?

So women can't buy abortion insurance with their own money if they're on a government subsidized health plan...but just about all mens' insurance covers Viagra boner-pills?

But without the Stupak amendment, or something like it, the bill wouldn’t have passed. Maybe moderate Democrats just thought the worst of Stupak would be stripped out in conference.

AND, all is not lost...this little GOP tidbit might surprise you:

From politico.com: "Senate Republicans seem initially cool to Rep. Bart Stupak’s (D-Mich.) amendment in House health-care overhaul legislation, which essentially blocks the federal funding of abortions.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the third-ranking Republican in the body, said abortion is an important issue but "the issues that are going to dominate the health care debate are whether we’re reducing costs or whether we’re increasing the costs for most Americans."

 

If Lieberman and the Republicans do filibuster, I hope the media covers it big time. Showing them giving endless speeches or reading from War and Peace...while 40 million Americans wait for health insurance. That would be a sight to behold...not even Fox News could ignore it.

 

Can you say "retribution" Joe? I hope Obama now realizes the mistake he made allowing you to caucus with the Democrats and keep your Homeland Security Committee chairmanship. I'd snatch away your gavel so fast it'd make your traitorous head spin.

 

 

 

 

The Congressional Budget Office has released a report saying that a Public Option would come under budget and reduce the deficit over the next 10 years.

There are five bills being negotiated. They say the House bill has the best Public Option. Other versions have a national plan, negotiated rates, opt-out allowed. It can demonstrate its effects compared to states without it.

Hey, that opt-out thang ought to make Republicans happy -- it's a move by the Feds that actually INCREASES states rights for once.

~~New CBO numbers make public option a virtual certainty~~

From examiner.com: "The CBO has dealt a death blow to opponents of a public option by giving an estimate of a House bill which contains what's been called "a robust" public option that budgets out to $871 billion over ten years and reduces the deficit.

["Blue Dogs"] ...were holding out for a government run insurance option that would allow for rates to be negotiated directly with doctors and hospitals. But the CBO estimated that version wouldn't save as much money as the one in the current House bill.

[S]ome senate aides estimated that a senate bill with a public option already had 52-54 votes, more than the 51 needed. The number 60 has been bandied about ....but that number is only needed to break a Republican filibuster.

[T]he Republican argument against a public option, that it would put insurance companies out of business has always fallen on deaf ears among Democrats and has no traction in the country where there is no sympathy for insurance companies."[..]~~~

Here's where you can keep track of where Congress stands on the Public Option.

I think it needs 218 votes to pass in the House.

Here's hoping the House bill will prevail!

(BTW - There are five bills that have to be negotiated and merged into the final bill that must be passed by both houses. I apologize if I get what's in which bill mixed up. I do try to do my research...but after a while it just makes my head hurt.)

Polling shows Americans support a Public Option. The CBO has shown that it will SAVE us money and drive down the cost of health care.

Democrats are on the side of the people, Republicans are on the side of the insurance companies. It's really as simple as that.

 

 

A spirited defense of the public option from Fox News.

Gosh, I wish CNN could get with Fox and swap Lou Dobbs for Shep Smith.

With all the griping I do about Fox News, I keep forgetting about Shep, who sometimes breaks talking point ranks with his employer. Like the time he railed against the Bush White House for what was happening in New Orleans before his very eyes, even shouted at Hannity. He also denounced torture, and complained about the over-the-top vitriol of some Fox viewers. He even made fun of Glenn Beck's crying.

So I'm glad I didn't miss this recent exchange on healthcare reform between Shep and far-rightie Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo). It was one for the books...because the Senator probably expected friendly treatment on the Republican News Network. Well, boy was he surprised.

Seems that Shep is a fierce advocate of the public option, and he didn't let the Senator get away with answering questions about it with tired Republican talking points.

Shep starts out asking what's wrong with a public option. Barrasso called it a "government takeover of health care" and said "Washington is incapable" of running health care.

Shep said: "It's not a government take over Senator! That's not fair and we both know it. It's not a government takeover because what it would be is a government option, if you have insurance now and you like it you can keep it, if you want the government option, a government run, paid for by those who buy it, government run option to try to keep costs down.

[..] "I want to be clear, this wouldn’t be Washington running the system, Senator. It would be a government run plan paid for by the people who sign up for the plan."

Barrasso tried to change the subject to Medicare, but Shep kept the discussion focused.

Shep said: "Over the last 10 years health care costs in America have skyrocketed. Regular folks cannot afford it, so they tax the system by not getting preventive medicine, and we all end up paying for it. As the costs have gone up, the insurance industry's profits, on average, have gone up 350 percent. And it's the insurance companies ...which have contributed to Senators and Congressmen on both sides of the aisle to the point where now we can't get what ...more than 60 percent of Americans say they support -- a public option. This has been an enormous win for the health care industry. That is an unquestioned fact.

[..] "What happens to the American people when we come out with legislation now which requires everyone to have health care insurance -- or many more people -- but does not give a public option, therefore millions more people will have to buy insurance from the very corporations that are over charging us and whose profits have gone up 350 percent in the last ten years. It seems like we, the people, are the ones getting the shaft here.

[..]"Every vote against the public option is a vote for the insurance companies, sir. It is. How can you disagree with that?"

Watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT61GNLBclk

The Republicans were put in their place -- well done Shep. Democrats should take some hints from Shep and use the same counter debates when discussing the public option.

Hey, I'll bet Shep Smith watches Rachel Maddow.

 

 

Last night on MSNBC, I loved the way Keith Olbermann called the Republicans out on how they oppose public option health insurance for people, but they love socialized property insurance. Like they support mandatory property flood insurance...which is subsidized by the government, because the 'market' decided it couldn't make oodles of money from it.

Yep, the ones who holler loudest about a public option for people, calling it socialized insurance, are gung-ho for socialized insurance for property.

Earlier this week the "Gang of 6" -- Baucus, Bingaman, Conrad, Grassley, Enzi and Snowe -- all voted against a public health insurance option...but voted for a home insurance public option. A government-run insurance for property -- National Flood Insurance.

You know those million dollar plus waterfront estates that are in flood areas? They're covered. They can even sign up during storm warnings.

So, again we have socialism for the rich guys...capitalism for the working class.

Folks, the health and lives of our loved ones should be more precious than any property we hold.

Damned insurance companies! It's despicable to sell people a policy then fudge when asked to pay out...and then go whining to the government if they actually had to pay out on it.

Either sell flood insurance or don't, but don't pretend you do while the government is actually paying out.