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Harry Reid has been trying to shake off personal responsibility for the inclusion of a public option in the Senate bill for a while.
He tried to lay off responsibility on the White House, as if the Senate wasn’t an independent and coequal branch of government. Then he tried the old “we don’t have 60 votes” song, as if he hadn’t been telling us for years that all we need are 60 votes in the caucus and we’re home free.
Reid’s excuses are running out of gas, and Nevada has noticed. There’s a good piece in the Las Vegas Sun by Lisa Mascaro in the Sunday paper:
The ball’s in Reid’s court: Passing the public option
A majority of Americans support the public option, including a slim majority of Nevadans, according to polls.
As the Senate begins the health care debate in earnest this week, these divisions will test core Democratic beliefs and Reid’s ability to devise a compromise that can keep his 60-member caucus operating as one.
“Make no mistake, Sen. Reid, and Sen. Reid alone, controls the fate of the public option and whether or not millions of Americans get coverage without the stranglehold of big insurance corporations,” Jane Hamsher, president of the progressive Firedoglake blog, wrote in a statement. The blog’s political arm is urging Reid, if necessary, to use a procedure known as reconciliation, which would require 51 votes, rather than 60, to ensure the public option stays in the bill.
Harry Reid has tremendous procedural powers as the Senate Majority leader. He’s probably the second most powerful man in the country, and he can make anyone’s life miserable — even Joe Lieberman’s — if he wants to.
There is nothing that Lieberman, Landrieu, Nelson and Lincoln fear more than reconciliation right now, because it takes away all their power. Yes, I know, reconciliation won’t be easy, but if the Democrats would rather do this “fast” than “right” they will probably get what they deserve in 2010 (though the rest of us will be the big losers).
Will Harry Reid have the guts to stand up to Lieberman and protect people like this, and this, and this?
If he doesn’t, all the list building he’s been doing, taking out ads and asking people what they have done today for the public option, has been nothing more than a cynical ploy to stoke his reelection campaign with potential donors. A “big show” so that Harry can shake his head and say “gosh darn it, we tried our best, what can you say” as Wellpoint’s stock skyrockets.
Been there, done that. Remember the cots in the Senate for that all-night filibuster to end the war? Because I sure do.
Not kicking that football ever again.
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We’ll see who’s got game, for sure. I remember the cots episode as one of the few times I thought Reid had “game.”
Right on cue, here’s Al Hunt giving the Villager’s take on what Reid’s end game should be:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/us/30iht-letter.html
It’s going to be ugly.
haven’t trusted Harry Reid since the huffing and puffing on Rule 21 a few years back – grrrr
good to see him get some local heat.
And Jane is mentioned pushing pushing. Keep coaching us Jane we so appreciate it. Sure you know Howard Dean called “Traitor Joe” out
” Former DNC Chair Howard Dean called on Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn) to resign as chair of Senate Homeland Security Committee if he can’t bring himself to oppose a Republican filibuster of health care reform legislation.
Appearing on “The Joe Scarborough Show” on WABC, Dean stressed that he had no problem with Lieberman opposing the bill on its philosophical merits, or lack thereof. But he insisted that it was irresponsible and unprincipled to not allow the legislation to come to an up-or-down vote.
“I think that is a very complicated guy,” said Dean. “He does because he says he’s a principled guy but there’s nothing principled about holding up a bill… If he was a principled guy he’d resign his chairmanship.”
“If you are with a caucus you don’t owe the leader any vote on any substance,” Dean added. “I have no problem with him voting against the public option… You owe it to Harry Reid to allow him to run the Senate. And if you’re not willing to do that the proper thing to do is to step aside.
Yes, use reconciliation, because we’re all dying to have the government force us (after a lovely band-aid period) to buy junk insurance in 2013!
Or just sell out the public option, and push a bunch of very good people over to the “kill the bill” side of the line. Please do!
Oh oh oh but Hawwwy can’t use wreckconcilashun as it makes the Baby Lieberman cwy!
Nope!
And that’s the Problem
yes, we will see just what reid is made of; but like lincoln and others, his political career is also on the line. then too, it will depend on where rahm comes down on all this as well and what backroom negotiations he tries to manipulate.
The Senate is not an independent coequal branch of government. It represents the undemocratic half of the legislative branch.
The bicameral nature of our legisative branch is one of the stumbling blocks for achieving sweeping progressive change in our country.
We’ve joked here in the past about sending things to these guys. Coat hangers….etc.
Should we think about sending Joe a box of tissues? ‘Cause that’s all the folks without insurance are gonna have when they get sick.
Media Matters has a good page that debunks myths pushed by the Cons and their allies on the PO:
Part of the problem with Short Ride Joe is of course his wife’s employment in the medical-industrial complex.
They’ve got it dicked seven ways to Sunday.
2010 can definatley be a turning point in the house and senate. Although I’m not too happy a camper on how this is all going, I’m still a “Yellowdog Democrat”. I would vote for a yellow dog before I would vote for ANY republican. I will vote in every election as everyone should. We cannot let the republicans back into power.
Short Ride, a frequent guest on faux news, refuses to do Rachel Maddow. Has stopped the dem desired removal of FEMA from Homeland Security, making it a cabinet level standalone agency; conducts committee inquirys into excessive use of czars; opposes Obamas Israel policy, and etc and the reason he caucuses with the Democrats is ………….
Will Harry Reid have the guts? Uhmm…No. I’d be less surprised to see little green men emerge from flying saucers on main street than see Harry Reid do anything to strengthen the caucus for any vote of substance.
May he go the way of Daschle.
Morning Firepups…
I say we torch this Frankenstein monster and start from scratch. As for the “get it done quick” shit, well…”Do you want it right, or do you want it right now?” And Reid? Get on board, Harry, or get ready to clean out your office. Putz. (Wait, can a Mormon be a putz? We should ask Holy Joe. He’s an expert in that area…)
“Will Harry Reid have the guts?”
Harry Reid has the spine (and personality, for that matter) of tepid oatmeal.
I’ve got it!!!
Harry can borrow a page from Barack Obama’s very own “audacity of change” handbook.
Just as Obama is trying to “shame” the banks into doing the right thing on home foreclousures, Reid should “shame” those in the party unwilling to stand up to the insurance industry and fight instead for those who are bruised and battered by the revolving door folks who care only about sustaining insurance company profits.
Yes, yes Reid, Pelosi and their ilk are just as contaminated by crony capitalism. That’s true. But maybe they can shame themselves first…just enough to shame the others.
If Reid attempts to shame those in the party he will incur the wrath of Rahm.
That’s a post. You should put that up at the Seminal.
I have said this often, probably too often, but I think the emphasis on Obama, Reid, Pelosi, et al is to a degree misplaced.
The real problem is that our system, except in exceptional instances of massive majorities, does not allow for sweeping progressive change.
“But maybe they can shame themselves first…just enough to shame the others.”
Great idea, but I’m not so sure these people are capable of shame. How would Michael Corleone handle this? Probably the same way he handled Senator Pat Geary…
You insult tepid oatmeal.
please check out Section 1555 of the Senate Bill —
mandates for me and you, and even businesses… but not for insurance companies.
it is such an outrage.
SEC. 1555. FREEDOM NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS. No individual, company, business, nonprofit entity, or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall be required to participate in any Federal health insurance program created under this Act (or any amendments made by this Act), or in any Federal health insurance program expanded by this Act (or any such amendments), and there shall be no penalty or fine imposed upon any such issuer for choosing not to participate in such programs.”
dump this bill- it is not redeemable at this point.
it’s the economy, stupid
If Obama’s speech tomorrow comes down anywhere near the territory suggested by David Dayen in the previous post, the Democratic Congressional caucuses are going to have to move markedly leftward to have any chance of maintaining control of both houses in 2010. They’ll have to do this by pushing through meaningful health care financing reform, first and foremost with a robust public option, and also distance the caucuses from the Af-Pak and Iraq fiascos. They should do the latter by pushing forward a bill for upper bracket tax increases and by following the lead of the likes of Andrew Bacevich, who questions the current Middle East and South Asia policies on strategic grounds, instead of the ususal “peacenik” appeals that makes them to the standard Republican Weak on National Security and Unpatriotic frames.
Reid apparently was a boxer, don’t ya know?
AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
Thanx for the post, it looks like these corporate bastards and their shills in the Democratic Party leadership are tryin’ ta wear you out there Sister Jane? Do they really think that you will run out of energy or money …it would seem that they see the pressure you and others are puttin’ on their sorry asses as a game of chicken so are you strapped in behind the wheel? Rahm doesn’t believe that progressives will threaten to split the party over the war or the economy…he is runnin’ the same game the fascist bastards ran in 1968 and 1994 and he doesn’t think that we will fight down to the mat if it means puttin’ the lunatic Republicans back in power. Are you up for it Sister Jane, are you all in for us, cuz if you are this is one old sorry assed low quarter who will follow you down?
And speakin’ ofnot givin’ up, where are you at with takin’ down those high-classed hookers at NARAL and NOW? Time to make a real women’s movement outta that upper-middle class sorority.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, WE STILL HAVE WARS TO END!!!
RE: “The ball’s in Reid’s court”
That’s tragic- since he’s got no BALLS.
Jane
Great news that you and Firedoglake are featured in this article at the Las Vegas Sun! So long as Reid’s leadership falters, it will hopefully be the first reference of many in local Nevada media!
Norske @ 28
If the corporate bastards and their shills in the Democratic Party are hoping that Jane will run out of money or energy, their hopes are sure to be dashed!
demi and Phoenix Woman
Focus on Reid and let short ride stand alone.
Focus on Lincoln because she’s politically weak and inept and she’s up for reelection next year.
Just my opinion…
Pardon me, but I didn’t know Reid had ANY balls…in his court or otherwise.
This IS a news flash.
Have Dems put their brains on the shelf? Do they not get that this kind of crappy public option, no cost control and no manifest benefits in 2010 will spell their doom? Is Obama beholden to Rahm the total Corporate Tool? No other logic makes sense.
On Countdown, Sheldon Whitehouse’s announced his capitulation, from Robust Public Option to Trigger is shameful. As Nancy Pelosi said a Trigger is an excuse for doing nothing. Thus Whitehouse joins the ranks of do nothing Dems.