Comments on: It Sounds Like Reid Is Planning To Sell Out The Public Option http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/ Politics for liberal newsgeeks Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:33:20 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: seabos84 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62983 seabos84 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:58:34 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62983 yup - how about blaming the politically pathetic spineless sacks of shit who will fucking whine and snivel and cower and pout and sniff BUT who will stay in charge of losing, and who will stay in the front of the trough, instead of resigning from the reality that they're political pathetic sacks of shit. rmm yup – how about blaming the politically pathetic spineless sacks of shit who will fucking whine and snivel and cower and pout and sniff

BUT

who will stay in charge of losing, and who will stay in the front of the trough, instead of resigning from the reality that they’re political pathetic sacks of shit.

rmm

]]> By: arnk http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62977 arnk Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:13:10 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62977 Bye Bye public option. Harry tried but some members up for reelection in 2010 didn't want to walk the plank, including himself. Be happy he got it this far. These hacks can read the polls. Bye Bye public option. Harry tried but some members up for reelection in 2010 didn’t want to walk the plank, including himself. Be happy he got it this far. These hacks can read the polls.

]]> By: OccasionalObserver http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62971 OccasionalObserver Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:53:16 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62971 I see a lot to Jon's hunch. Here's why. A major difference between the Senate and House bills is that the Senate bill will lead more employers to dump their workers (it'll just cost them $750 a year to do so, far more than the House bill would). That will make the exchange available to the workers, and once you get access to the exchange, you can exercise the public option. So the Senate bill poses a serious threat to private interests, far more than the one in than in the House (I've noted this previously and won't discuss it here). In fact if the Senate bill became law, the option could approximate the stalking horse for single payer that insurance companies fear (though keep in mind they'll have four years to take it back and stand to grow powerful in the interim). It will have, for one thing, a larger constituency. Lieberman and other opponents will therefore get a lot of industry dollars for refusing to vote for a Senate bill with an option, however weak. The White House and the Democrats know this and are into the same calculus. If they tried to seel the "compromise," it would be par for the course, as no one here needs to have explained. So don't be surprised if Reid caves with heavenly choirs singing loudly in the background in an attempt to drown out the ching-a-ching of cash registers. I see a lot to Jon’s hunch. Here’s why.

A major difference between the Senate and House bills is that the Senate bill will lead more employers to dump their workers (it’ll just cost them $750 a year to do so, far more than the House bill would).

That will make the exchange available to the workers, and once you get access to the exchange, you can exercise the public option. So the Senate bill poses a serious threat to private interests, far more than the one in than in the House (I’ve noted this previously and won’t discuss it here). In fact if the Senate bill became law, the option could approximate the stalking horse for single payer that insurance companies fear (though keep in mind they’ll have four years to take it back and stand to grow powerful in the interim). It will have, for one thing, a larger constituency.

Lieberman and other opponents will therefore get a lot of industry dollars for refusing to vote for a Senate bill with an option, however weak. The White House and the Democrats know this and are into the same calculus. If they tried to seel the “compromise,” it would be par for the course, as no one here needs to have explained.

So don’t be surprised if Reid caves with heavenly choirs singing loudly in the background in an attempt to drown out the ching-a-ching of cash registers.

]]> By: masanf http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62968 masanf Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:45:15 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62968 It is completely amazing that this and other left wing sites continue to bring up public option polls and then completely ignore the fact that EVERY SINGLE POLL shows that Americans don't want this bill. If polls are so damn important, then you would be urging a vote against this bill. But, as usual, you ignore all the polls that are incovenient. It is completely amazing that this and other left wing sites continue to bring up public option polls and then completely ignore the fact that EVERY SINGLE POLL shows that Americans don’t want this bill. If polls are so damn important, then you would be urging a vote against this bill. But, as usual, you ignore all the polls that are incovenient.

]]> By: PJEvans http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62933 PJEvans Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:31:45 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62933 How's WeeBalrog? How’s WeeBalrog?

]]> By: PJEvans http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62932 PJEvans Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:31:06 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62932 We may be better than the GOoPers, but our congresscritters and most of the official spokespersons aren't selling this stuff at all well. (I think they'd have a hard time selling air conditioners in Arizona.) We need people who can do PR as well as the GOoPers do it, and we need leaders in Congress who can herd their caucuses as well as the GOoPers do it. So far, we don't have many who can do that, and they get stomped on when they speak up, because they're not sufficiently polite and servile when they talk to the media. F*ck that. I want leaders with guts and hearts, as well as brains. We may be better than the GOoPers, but our congresscritters and most of the official spokespersons aren’t selling this stuff at all well. (I think they’d have a hard time selling air conditioners in Arizona.)

We need people who can do PR as well as the GOoPers do it, and we need leaders in Congress who can herd their caucuses as well as the GOoPers do it. So far, we don’t have many who can do that, and they get stomped on when they speak up, because they’re not sufficiently polite and servile when they talk to the media.

F*ck that. I want leaders with guts and hearts, as well as brains.

]]> By: PJEvans http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62923 PJEvans Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:24:23 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62923 Put barricades in front of their gates, the kind that are steel posts set deep in the ground, so they can't drive through, but only walk or bike. (They have riffraff living in those gated-and-guarded too, but they're <em>well-off</em> riffraff, and thus socially-acceptable.) Put barricades in front of their gates, the kind that are steel posts set deep in the ground, so they can’t drive through, but only walk or bike. (They have riffraff living in those gated-and-guarded too, but they’re well-off riffraff, and thus socially-acceptable.)

]]> By: pluege http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62910 pluege Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:11:58 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62910 for progressives the challenge is as great as its been for the past 9 years: reid, obama, and pelosi must be replaced as soon as possible. Not a one of them is either capable or desirous of a progressive nation. Instead they are blockers of a progressive agenda, they are beholden to the corporate interests through and through. for progressives the challenge is as great as its been for the past 9 years: reid, obama, and pelosi must be replaced as soon as possible. Not a one of them is either capable or desirous of a progressive nation. Instead they are blockers of a progressive agenda, they are beholden to the corporate interests through and through.

]]> By: Larue http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62908 Larue Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:09:13 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62908 "The margin by which the Democratic Party constitutes the lesser of evils is shrinking every day." I can't understand it anymore. I don't get it. Your comment is all I get, and it's stone fucking cold. Thanks, hoss. “The margin by which the Democratic Party constitutes the lesser of evils is shrinking every day.”

I can’t understand it anymore.

I don’t get it.

Your comment is all I get, and it’s stone fucking cold.

Thanks, hoss.

]]> By: Balrog http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/21/it-sounds-like-reid-is-going-to-sell-out-the-public-option/#comment-62903 Balrog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:38:45 +0000 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/?p=5866#comment-62903 Beware of fear-mongering. Sadly I find this all to often here. Beware of fear-mongering. Sadly I find this all to often here.

]]>