Attention All Liberals And Progressives: Listen To Karen Tumulty!!!

I said from the beginning that the opt out provision for the public option was a policy and political winner. Now at least one major mainstream media journalist whom herself had big time reservations about whether we would even have a public option in the final bill, has noticed what having the provision in the Senate bill actually means.

Check out Karen Tumulty of Time's post from yesterday

I've always had trouble understanding the opt-out version of the public option. Or more specifically, I've had trouble understanding why any state would actually opt out of something that some might find ideologically objectionable, but that doesn't actually cost them anything, gives their citizens a choice, and might actually bring in some government money down the line.

In that sense, the opt-out reminds me of all those Governors who made a lot of noise about rejecting the stimulus money, but then took it. As Doug Holtz-Eakin, a Republican and a former director of the Congressional Budget Office who is now a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, puts it: "If the default is, you're in, the legislative momentum has to be found to get you out. ... You have to make the case that eliminating a choice is a good thing."

That's why I'm a little puzzled at this passage in CBO's preliminary analysis of the health bill that will go to the Senate floor in the next few days:

CBO's analysis took into account the probability that some states would opt not to allow the public plan to be offered to their residents. Rather than trying to judge which states might opt out, CBO applied a probability recognizing that public opinion is divided regarding the desirability of a public plan and that some states might have difficulty enacting legislation to opt out. Overall, CBO's assessment was that about two-thirds of the population would be expected to have a public plan available in their state.

Translation (I think): We're plugging in a random number here, but we have no clue why anyone would opt out either.

KT's analogy is the same one I made the day the idea was floated. Seriously folks how about taking yes for an answer for once. The truth is this version of the public option doesn't cover as many people as any of us would like and the premiums would be higher than desired, but you can say the same for the supposedly more robust House version. This is a way to get the bill passed and get at least the foundation for a really effective public option in the future.

Its time to get behind this move and move on to fighting other battles like the one over the Stupak amendment. Seriously.

Reactionary Rejectionists On Opt Outs PLEASE STFU!

It is frustrating as hell to see some progressives and liberals reject the opt out proposal on the public option in health care reform without even having seen a draft of it. It seems they are so wedded to their own utopian view of a public option that they would kill a viable alternative that could pass both houses of Congress AND put tremendous political pressure on the GOP simply because its not THEIR proposal. Well hey I have a novel idea, how about you shut the fuck up and wait till the actual draft is out before you start calling other liberals and progressives sell outs for supporting at least the concept of opt outs.

It is times like these when some of these folks become the parody that the wingnuts make them out to be. Seriously.

What a Liberal/Progressive Smackdown Looks Like

After Mike Murphy got his ass kicked (David Brooks was smart enough to STFU once they got rolling) by Rachel Maddow and E.J. Dionne this morning and Meet The Press, I will bet you David Gregory doesn't get many more "conservatives" to show up if they have to be on with those two.

*Video fixt



If only we could have them on every Sunday....

Fired Up, Ready To Go!

The DNC is coming out with an ad meant to fire up the base of the Democratic Party (see liberals and progressives). Seeing as how it doesn't touch on the public option at all I am a little skeptical, but I do like that chant.

Fired up!

Ready to go!

Change The Conversation

For any liberals or progressives who have the honor of being on TV whether as a member of Congress or a Democratic strategist or a DFH blogger, there is one way to help change the conversation that I think isn't being utilized. Right now the Villager media conversation centers on whether the left in Congress will cave on a public option. First of all it should be noted that the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress, not just the progressive caucus, endorses the idea of a public option and one has been included not just in the 3 House bills but also in one of the two Senate bills. So what we should be striving to do is change the conversation to put the pressure where it really belongs, on the ConservaDems in the Senate. A few points.

1. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has already said a health care reform bill will not pass the House if it doesn't include a public option.

2. The Blue Dogs in the House have already negotiated on a public option and have not blocked any bill from coming out of committee which includes one.

3. So far there have not been ten Democrats in the Senate who have come out and said they would vote against a bill which includes a public option so any speculation that it wouldn't pass in the Senate is just that, speculation.

4. Ted Kennedy's committee passed a bill out of committee in the Senate with a robust public option.

5. The question really should be would ten or so Democrats would really be willing to vote against a bill with a public option that the overwhelming majority of people in America support and the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress and the President support?

6. Majority rules in this country as Judd Gregg reminded us a few years back when he was fighitng for reconciliation, so what is wrong with Democrats using it?

7. If over 200 Democrats in the House and over 50 Democrats in the Senate are willing to vote for a health care reform bill with a public option in it, then wouldn't a bill without a public option actually be the fringe ideal?

8. Ask the question of any one interviewing, name ten Democrats in the Senate who have committed to vote against a health care reform bill that includes a public option. Make them name names or admit they don't know of ten Democrats who have committed to do such a thing.

I really believe that if we get this message out and change the conversation ahead of President Obama's speech we can help effect public opinion and push the momentum towards keeping a public option.