Twice today in the Senate Finance committee debate over public option amendments Max Baucus hid behind the threat of a filibuster in order to cast a nay vote. I could understand Jay Rockerfeller and Chuck Schumer being caught flat footed the first time he took that tact. But the second time when Max Baucus said words to the effect of "I can count and we don't have 60 votes with a public option in the bill", this simple reply would have turned the argument on it's head.
"Respectfully Mr Chairman, you don't have 60 votes without it"
Those 9 little words would have probably thrown t he proceedings into an uproar and the lead this evening would have been about how serious most Democrats are about having a robust public option. If Baucus wants to grand stand about filibusters then its time to remind him that there are Democrats who are unwilling to vote for cloture for a bill without a public option. The math is clear, if even one, yes one single solitary Democrat in the Senate says they will not for a bill that doesn't include a public option then the bill will never get an up and down vote and bigger than that, assholes like Baucus and Conrad will HAVE to start taking them seriously along with President Obama and the White House.
So the question remains, is there such a Democrat with enough courage to take a stand and say no public option no yea vote? That's what we need to find out!
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My concern with this health care reform, as an Independent, is that it’s all over the place, there are not enough specifics and it must be put into writing and as if “written in stone” so that not every illegal that comes to the US will get free healthcare and those that work hard all their citizen life in US pay for every “Tom, Dick and Harry”
ReplyDeleteIs that really your primary concern with this health care reform? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteIf it is then let me offer up a question and a statement.
My question to you is how do you imagine an "illegal" would be able to get health insurance? Its true that illegals come here for jobs but for whatever money they make, whomever hires them makes out like a bandit by paying them really low wages for really hard work. What else do "illegals" get while here? Do you see them getting life insurance policies or how about bank accounts? Do you realize how hard it is for illegals to be a part of society in this country? If it was so easy to get insurance from the government then why aren't "illegals" on MediCaid already?
As for the statement, what you may not understand is that you are already paying for every "Tom Dick and Harry" in unreimbursed health care that hospitals and doctors pass on to all of the rest of us in terms of higher fees and in increases in premium payments to health insurance companies. The law as it stands today says that emergency rooms have to treat "illegals" if they come in with a serious problem. And guess what, you are paying more now for that care than you will under the health care reforms.
Now if your problem is with immigration policy then I suggest you call your members of Congress and sign petitions and the whole nine to support tougher penalties for illegal immigrants. But that has absolutley NOTHING to do with health care reform. And if you think it does its because you have been duped by the people who don't want reform at all and are willing to say anything to sway public opinion.
It is what it is.