Harry Reid’s public option gamble
Why is the Senate majority leader staking his career on a polarizing “opt-out” health care public option?
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(EPA/Corbis/Michael Reynolds)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid threw his weight behind the beleaguered “public option,” announcing that the final Senate health-care reform bill will include a government-run insurance plan that lets states opt out. Alienated moderates and incensed Republicans doubt Reid has the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster. So why is the Nevada Democrat, who’s facing an uphill battle for reelection in 2010, taking the risk? (Watch Sen. Harry Reid's public option announcement)
Reid’s betting this will get conservative Democrats in line: With this move, says Marc Ambinder in The Atlantic, Reid squanders the support of Sen. Olympia Snowe, the one Republican willing to vote for health-care reform. The “onus” now shifts to non-liberal Democrats: Reid is daring them to join Republicans in “openly filibustering health reform” and he’s wagering that public support and pressure will keep them from defecting.
“Reid’s Roll of the Dice”
He’s trying to save his job: Reid doesn’t have the 60 votes, but that’s not the point, says Dana Milbank in The Washington Post. This has “less to do with health-care policy than with Nevada politics”—specifically Reid’s troubled re-election bid next year. He can’t win without big liberal turnout. If this passes, he “keeps his hero status”; if not, he still gets credit for trying.
“Harry Reid, shopping for reelection insurance”
Reid’s gambit is a “negotiating strategy”: If he can’t get the votes to push the opt-out option through, says Katie Connolly in Newsweek, he can swap it out for the “trigger model” favored by Snowe—which is a “more palatable shift for liberals than starting from a trigger and moving to no public option at all.”
“Reid’s Public Option: Not Exactly A Shoo-in”
Reid has just lost in 2010: If he tries to “ram this bill through the Senate,” it will only solidify his position as “one of the most endangered incumbents,” says National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Brian Walsh, as quoted in The Hill. Reid’s behind-closed-doors decision to give in to “the far left” on the public option is just one more sign that he’s an extremist.
“NRSC: Reid is a ‘partisan bully’”
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100 Comments
Posted by Edwardo, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 12:40 pm You must remember it's not what is good for the people/country but what is necessary to get reelected!
Posted by Glen, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 12:50 pm It is amazing that our Congress will ignore the major cost issue: Tort Reform, while pushing their minor adjustment, free coverage for a few percent of Americans who either didn't want, or couldn't afford health insurance, while leaving about 1020 million STILL uninsured. As usual our Congress is putting a bandaid on a severed limb and wondering what that tiger is doing standing next to them...MORONS! or actually selfserving, egocentric, powerhungry narcissists... who only want to keep their constituancy trial lawyers, unions, happy.
Posted by Lady in LA, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 12:55 pm 75 of Americans now want a public option to be part of health care reform. Why still so much fear in Congress to get this done? Good for the people is good for reelection. Must make them nervous to see so much health insurance lobbyist money in jeopardy. No matter! Chins up, Congress! Do what's right and The People will back you all the way!
Posted by Teddy, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 1:17 pm You made the RIGHT DECISION for the AMERICAN PEOPLE SenatorReid. This decision demonstrates to the WORLD and to the CITIZENS ofthis great Land that the DEMOCRATIC Party CARES about theWell Being of ALL AMERICANS and will not be bullied by the Specialinterests!!!! Great Job!......Let's get Everybody else on board this historic legislation.YES WE CAN !!!.........
Posted by Steve, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 1:26 pm Lady in LA, 75 of the Barrio yes, 75 of Americans? You must be joking.
Posted by dj spellchecka, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 1:27 pm nrsc head walsh must have missed the polls that show a solid majority want to see a public option in the bill.....'far left?'....sounds centrist to me...he's so far to the right he can't even see the center...reduced to bluster and name calling
Posted by John F., Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 1:27 pm Seems to me that this is a winwin and forces opponents of a public option to stand up and be counted. Those favoring states rights and a free choice for consumers can't say that the feds are shoving a public option down their throats. The option is just that. There's no mandate, simply an opt out by those states who represent people who don't want it. That's democracy. How can anyone be against that?
Posted by Will Wallace, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 1:40 pm The polls lie! The majority of the people don't want any part of this socialist health plan. It will be too expensive and a bureaucratic nightmare. Harry Reid does'nt have much of a political career to stake on anything. I'm hoping the good people of Nevada will not inflict him on the congress ever again. Heck, even Nancy Pelosi thinks he's icky and has an aversion to him touching her and exchanging cooties. What a bunch of buffoons.
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