Jon, I’d like to thank you for your commendable reporting here lately. You have certainly kept us up-to-date on a very fluid situation. Thank you!

you are very welcomed

Same here Jon…..Full praise indeed. And same to Jane for giving you the platform.

I do owe Jane a big thanks for allowing me to expand my reach for my much smaller blog.

If the chamber of commerce is attacking it, must be something good about it.

The thing I find so completely incomprehensible is that, ultimately, business should be supporting a plan for reform that, whether surreptitiously or blatantly in the open, heads the country toward decoupling medical insurance from employment. It might be considered too radical for the little-used minds of Americans to comprehend transitioning in one step, but at least get reform going in the general direction.

The tiny functional area in their brains has apparently become obscured by their partisan stupidity. Or perhaps it is yet another indication of managements ineptitude and the usual consequence for the company.

Good Evening Jon and Siloheads,

I took encouragement just from the headline – and yes the weaker of the two Schumer amendments is supposed to have an outside chance, allowing some to say they voted for it but then vote against the final bill. still a little disconcerting that we are counting on Rockefeller and Schumer. a good lesson in watching what they do and not counting on what they say

and oh yes thanks Jon, your posts have been most helpful in keeping up.

The letter indicates that the Chamber must believe that Rockefeller’s robust public option is already DOA.

I see this differently.

It’s just as likely to be a distractor away from Rockefeller, which they don’t want people to focus on.
They’ll claim they think it’s dead b/c they’re good at bluffing.

Good rule of thumb.

The C of C is also a chamber of horrors. They are like Dick Cheney with a checkbook and no ability to see past tomorrow morning.

And can we PLEASE stop using the word “robust”? Please,please find a dictionary. “Options” can have many attributes (or shortcomings) but “robustness” is not one of them. Save the flowery language for your girlfriend.

Save the flowery language for our girlfriends?

Can you suggest a flowery sentence with the word “robust” in it that I can use with my girlfriend?

Weren’t the Rockefeller and Schumer amendments supposed to be voted on in committee yesterday? That’s what I had heard, and so I was surprised when there was no reporting on it yesterday.

The insurance, drug, and medical industries and their lobbyists like C of C look to have adopted a fight everything approach. So even though Schumer’s two PO schemes are not that strong, the lobbyists will go after them anyway, because they know they can without penalty from the White House, or really the Congress.

It shows too the difference between right and left. Liberals compromise on their compromises. Conservatives compromise on nothing.

From the paragraph of the Chamber Of Commerce letter pertaining to “Schumer C1/C2 – Public Option Amendments.”

Under a public plan arrangement, the government is likely to become the biggest payer for health services, as is the case with Medicare. Eventually, the “public option” becomes the only option.

Whoa Nelly! Wouldn’t THAT be tragic?

Eventually, the “public option” becomes the only option.

Who wrote this? Cantor? It’s like it was written by Republicans, for Republicans, to be nonsense that Republicans can use to frighten their followers.

Can you suggest a flowery sentence with the word “robust” in it that I can use with my girlfriend?

Perhaps you could suggest trying out one of the robust pubic options so much in the news?

Vote was delayed until Tuesday

you hit the nail on the head Obama better wake up or pack his bags in 2012 along with all those DINO’S in 2010

The following is from the Wikipedia entry for the United States Chamber Of Commerce. Pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the group…

The Chamber is staffed with policy specialists, lobbyists and lawyers. It is known for spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.

In the 2008 Election cycle, aggressive ads paid for by the USCC attacked a number of Democratic Congressional candidates (such as Minnesota’s DFL Senate candidate Al Franken) and supported a number of Republican candidates including John Sununu, Gordon Smith, Roger Wicker, Saxby Chambliss and Elizabeth Dole.

And the following is their (ahem) “mission statement.”

“”To advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility.”

I think Obama is banking on the idea that in 2012 the GOP will nominate a candidate so offensive to sentient beings everywhere that progressives will feel they have no choice but to support him… In other words, it will be pretty much like every election.

My feelings exactly.

Postponed until Tuesday.

Presumably after many health care-related fetes, galas, fundraisers and masqued balls this weekend.

Teddy Partridge is upstairs!
Mrs Feinstein Regrets

Small businesses should request an immediate refund of their local Chamber membership dues. The Chamber is doing them a terrible disservice by attacking heath care reform and especially the public option. The Public option would be a boon to small and large businesses.

Recall a few months ago how “legacy costs” (health insurance premiums) were the reason why the American Auto industry was uncompetitive.

I did not vote for Obama in the last election. I will not vote for him in the next election.

Well I’m certain the UAW insists on those high-end health insurance packages, you know, the ones certain Dems want to tax. Serve ‘em right if the automakers fail. In America employees are a disposable resource, keeping them healthy is just money down the drain…

I’ve been doing it for 30 years but voting for lesser of evils candidates has worn thin. Unless he really surprises me in the next three years by actually advocating for the common good, I suspect I will sit the next one out.

The CoC is a microcosm of the Republican Party. Their reasons for opposing reform don’t make sense, but it is clear they now want to keep the status quo at all costs. Reformers should ignore them.

Just to clarify, are you saying that you voted for McCain or that you have no use for either of the two parties?

These guys don’t even represent most businesses in the US. Don’t confuse them with your local chambers, which really are businesses (and mostly small ones at that).

From its headquarters near the White House, the Chamber maintains a professional staff of hundreds of the nation’s top policy experts, lobbyists, lawyers, and communicators. Special initiatives covering energy, infrastructure, education and training, and workforce rules help drive the pro-business agenda.

The Chamber is also active in shaping legal policy through its in-house law firm, the National Chamber Litigation Center (NCLC), and through the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR).

The Chamber’s International Division works in collaboration with 112 American Chambers of Commerce operating in 99 countries to expand global engagement. The Chamber also runs the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), a program of the National Endowment for Democracy.

I bet they like offshoring production, too.

Rather than sit it out, why not vote for a third party candidate, e.g. the Green Party’s candidate? or even Ralph Nader? THe Democratic Party has become so corrupted we need a strong third party alternative.

Bob in AZ

Or the Chambered Commerce people want to turn people’s attention away from the Rockefeller amendment. [I realize this blog has entered the EPU.]

It does seem strange that business fights single payer or a public plan when it would be to their benefit.

I don’t think business is afraid of a public health system per se.

I think they’re terrified of how truly successful and popular a public health system will be — thus putting to death forever the lie that government is evil like the fruits of the devil.

As long as the people fear and loathe their government, these characters can go on bleeding the country dry.

capitalism a love affair

congress is in bed with corp america and guess who they are screwing.

the swamp must be drained like jefferson advised.

no the couch is too comfortable besides the liberals elected a saviour. obama. no need to get up off that couch, ie too busy

or working two or three jobs so to make capitalism work for the few. the one per centers

while I protested the iraq war on campus not one college student joined in. not one. ie no draft.

we have met the enemy and it is us.

naw easier to blame the politicans and the repubs.

not the system.