Comments on: Wyden Is Causing Trouble Again (For Reid)

By: torridjoe

torridjoe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:41:24 +0000

A PO significanly increases coverage and is easily the best way to control costs, but what I said is that Wyden stresses choice over universality, not that the current PO plans cover everyone. My point is that Wyden is making sure we buy mayo at the store, but appears wholly unconcerned whether bread gets purchased as well. And I’d damn well rather sit at my house with just bread, rather than a jar of mayo. The PO is our daily bread.

By: bmull

bmull — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:24:46 +0000

Wyden is just a useful foil to make the White House plan sound moderate. It is not a progressive plan because it leaves consumers unprotected on the front line to bear the brunt of spiraling health costs. That said, Obamacare is even worse, because it is like a long drawn-out torture.

By: selise

selise — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:56:50 +0000

no good po on the table (let alone in any of the bills now being considered). see my comment above.

By: readerOfTeaLeaves

readerOfTeaLeaves — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:48:07 +0000

Huh?
Wyden has expressed concern publicly about how limited his ‘exchange’ plan is at present, as well as the fact that he wants it widely expanded.

IMHO, the momentum for a genuine public option is building.
Just yesterday, two people I know mentioned (with disgust) that it was news to them the healthCos are ‘monopolies’; we all agreed that this was recent news to all of us and important in shaping our views of the roots of the health care mess, and what needs to be done about it.

All of us have been (and are) in ‘the private sector’, and have to deal with competition. I doubt we’re the only ones who feel a lot of resentment about this situation.

Wyden needs more time to communicate, but people are catching on by the week.

By: oldtree

oldtree — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:42:51 +0000

Wyden’s “free choice” isn’t anything. It is another insurance give away. You don’t get it Senator, the people of Oregon do, and you have to go. Resign because you are an embarrassment. You make statements about something that is an insurance company give away so you can get your insurance company give away in place of it? Does that get you a nice bonus from the insurers? It sure seems like it because you can’t understand the simplest phrase we know of, “The Public Option”. We don’t want to pay for health care any longer. But you simply are too busy taking their money to even listen to the people of Oregon.
This is sickening. Please, resign. You don’t represent me at all now. You are my enemy because you are trying to kill me. Do you understand?

By: jrubin1

jrubin1 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:31:51 +0000

Somehow I never could understand the Majority Leaders job on the progressive side. Senator Reid has always seemed like a wimp and backs down to Mitch anytime he is confronted.

Before him was Senator Daschle who was so soft spoken I did not know if he didn’t want to wake all those who might be asleep which was the whole GOP & most of the progressives.

By: marcopolo

marcopolo — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:03:02 +0000

Nothing to prevent you from calling Senators from other States. They might not pay as much attention to what you say, but you’re still keeping call volume on a specific issue up there, keeping it on their radar.

Here’s an interesting option that, along with Wyden’s amendment, is worthy of consideration. Someone posted this link on TPM

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0795/is_n2_v16/ai_16863015/

“The govt negotiates prices for all private and public insurance, thereby lowering adminsitrative costs and creating an equal playing field. It’s a single payer system, but a different name, and allowing for more private ownership”

Intriguing. Can’t see how it wouldn’t help with costs.

By: auntialias

auntialias — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:53:30 +0000

When I called all 3 of my reps today, I made sure to mention to both Sen Boxer’s voicemail and Sen Feinstein’s staffer that not only do I support health care reform in the form of the public option, but I also am supportive of Sen Wyden’s Free Choice option that’s not in the Senate bill, but OUGHT to be.

(for a moment, now) I wish I lived in Nevada, so I could do the same thing for Sen Reid.

By: Jon Walker

Jon Walker — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:29:42 +0000

Problem has been off and on for a few days so hopefully it is “fixed” now

By: DWBartoo

DWBartoo — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:25:49 +0000

Jon;

It would seem that there is some improvement, in the last 15 minutes or so.

Much appreciation for what all of you do behind the scenes.