Obama and the public option
Why congressional Democrats don't think the president likes their version of health insurance reform
Barack Obama and Harry Reid, right, may be at odds over health-care's public option.
(Reuters/Corbis/Jason Reed)
Senate leaders are hammering out a health reform bill that would include a public health insurance option that would include a provision allowing states to opt out. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid backed the proposal last week. The White House said a rumor that President Obama doesn't like the idea is false. Are congressional Democrats and Obama at odds over health reform?
Democrats sure think Obama isn't helping enough: Senate Democrats finally "think they are close to getting the votes they need in order to pass an 'opt-out' version of the public option," said Jonathan Cohn in The New Republic, but they don't think Obama is doing enough to help. The White House says Obama will support whatever senators deliver -- but it's no secret he wants to keep moderate Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe on board, and she wants a trigger to set up public insurance only if private insurers fail to offer affordable coverage.
"Senate Dems to Obama: Um, a little help here?"
Obama is pushing against the public option: To keep Olympia Snowe happy, says David Corn in Politics Daily, "the White House--which technically supports the public option--is not pushing" the public option at all. Democrats really want it, but President Obama really wants Snow on board to provide a measure of "Republican cred attached to the final bill."
"Does Obama like Olympia Snowe a little too much?"
Democrats are at odds, and haggling behind closed doors: The troubling thing isn't that congressional Democrats and Obama aren't on the same page, said Jennifer Haberkorn in The Washington Times. It's that a handful of senators and White House officials are hammering out the details in a private room, with Republicans locked out. That's "not exactly the level of transparency that President Obama promised during the campaign, when he said health care talks would be aired live on C-SPAN."
"Health reform written behind closed doors"
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7 Comments
Posted by Cammie, Monday, October 26, 2009, 2:57 pm Think BO wants to put his stamp on anything THIS controversial? Not a chance. He wants Congress to 'channel' what he might be thinking. He won't lift a finger because it would take some of his positive spin TV time. Who said that he thinks he is starring on a Reality TV Show? Funny, but true. His 'transparency' stuff is just that, stuff. Window dressing. Doesn't mean a thing, as usual. What does he really do all day long? Fly around? Prez, America is for ALL of us, not just the unions or dems. ALL of us. Try hearing from ALL of us.
Posted by SNOWinformer, Monday, October 26, 2009, 7:30 pm good god who taught you people to write with that ever annoying holier than thou attitude? it is like there is one person writing every comment on every page, in the same style, about the same thing. regardless of the topic at hand. am i being left out of some grand joke?
Posted by Andre Berry, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 1:55 am I don't like the fact that we as a people can't see first hand what is going on with this Health Care Bill. I believe we have the right to know ever detail that is going on. There could be somethings that both Parties aren't willing to talk about....Like who's gonna get paid for this somehow....We all know the anyone who is in politics is getting paid off from someone.....So who is paying off the Republicans and the Democrats...And I thought that NO business can be the main conglomerate.....Seems that Money is the root of EVIL!!!!
Posted by ShoeMart, Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 1:10 am Yes. Snowe voting for this bill will give it Republican credibility.Arlen Specter and Chuck Hagel, too.
Posted by Brett, Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 2:35 pm Republicans are not nor have they ever been 'locked out' of the health care debate or how the legislation is being crafted. They are locking themselves out. Obama is trying very hard to bring the republicans into the process, even though they have no credibility with anyone but their base. And, yes, Obama would want his stamp on anything this 'controversial'. People have been talking about health care reform for a long time and it is only Obama's political courage that has gotten the whole thing this far along.
Posted by Teaching us fools, Thursday, October 29, 2009, 4:24 pm Thank you SNOWinformer for providing us your post as an excellent example of 'holier than thou attitude' writing.
Posted by Believe because I say so!, Thursday, October 29, 2009, 4:41 pm Brett, please provide the source where you were informed 'Republicans are not nor have they ever been 'locked out' of the health care debate or how the legislation is being crafted.' Hopefully it isn't the democratunderground, moveon.org, ACORN, etc. Maybe nancy, harry, charlie, barney, alan, chris and other reputable dims whispered in your ear... aka talkingpoints... thanks for the belly laugh when I read your reference to bo's political courage. At what? Campaigning that goes on and on? Keep chugging that koolaid! Psss, want to buy a bridge?
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