Source: Key Senate Democrat dumps public option from health-care reform bill

[Seen the light]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A proposed health-care bill sent by the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee to key Senate negotiators Saturday night does not include a government-run insurance plan, a source close to the discussions told CNN Monday.

While the proposal excludes a so-called “public option,” it would allow for the creation of non-profit health care cooperatives — an idea which some moderate Democrats and Republicans have expressed possible interest in supporting.

The bill would cost less than $900 billion over ten years, according to the source.

It would be paid for, in part, by a new tax on health insurance companies that provide high-end “Cadillac” insurance plans, the source added.

Read more: http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/07/source-key-senate-committee-plan-dumps-public-option/

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The chairman is Max Baucus.

[NoodleyAppendage]

1. Max Baucus former CEO of a health insurance company. WHORE DEM who needs to be tarred & feathered.

This is such bullsh*t.

I will NOT VOTE for Dems in the mid-terms or in 2012 if they cave on a public option (which was a compromise already from single-payor).

[maglatinavi]

4. bullshit!

He was???? How in the hell was he named chair of the health committee... he should, indeed the tared and feathered. I think I will just not vote again. We have been deceived by Obama and others... It is an insult and treason to Teddy Kennedy.

[NoodleyAppendage]

14. Sorry. I was thinking about the other DEM WHORE Ben Nelson.

Baucus is a Dem Whore...just not a former health insurance Dem CEO. That Whore is Ben Nelson...also involved in making sure that nothing works for the people, only corporations.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/eades/2009/07/profiles-in-cowardice-senator.php

J

[ProSense]

2. Leave it to CNN to go with a BS headline

Baucus Unveils Health Care Plan With No Co-ops or Public Option

Baucus wimped out after months of stalling. He probably couldn't get the votes to pass it with co-ops or a trigger, and the deadline was fast approaching.

Once the bill passes out of his committee, the process is out of his hands.

[mcollier]

3. He will be retiring in 2010 anyway...

And in may not be voluntary!

[Hawkeye-X]

5. Then this bill is DOA by the time it enters the Senate.

No question about it. It won't pass.

Baucus is a fucking idiot.

[veritasvg]

8. It's Dead Anyhow...

It's been dead for months.

We're not gonna have a bill. Nothing's gonna happen...I'm telling ya.

[asjr]

6. I am for putting a Wanted poster with his

picture on it in the Post Offices around the country.

[Metta]

7. Inestimably bad karma for those who sacrifice the greater good for the profits of a few.

... inheriting untold suffering. Enjoy.

[wisteria]

9. The press is playing games. I would ignore anything the press and pundits have to say.

The only important voice is that of our President.

[pattmarty]

15. AND????????????????????????? The crickets are talking to me...............

...........and telling ME that there will be NO public option. Fucking crickets!

[IndianaGreen]

17. How about the list of health industry lobbyists released by White House?

http://www.citizensforethics.org/files/20090904%20-%20Summary%20of%20Health%20Care%20Visits.pdf

[RantinRavin]

29. Until the President starts writing legislation

right now the only important voice is that of the Congress.

[IndianaGreen]

10. Why the free market can't cure health care

Why the free market can't cure health care

We need a guaranteed right to health care--and while we're at it, the right to nutritious food and to have a decent place to sleep at night.

September 3, 2009

THAT THE free market is the surest guarantor of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is an article of faith among today's assault-rifle-toting, town-hall-disrupting brownshirts--and, to be sure, among their allies in America's corporate boardrooms.

Unfortunately, it is also an article of faith among the leading lights of the "party of the people"--the Democrats.

The right can howl all they want that Obama is a socialist. In truth, he is supporting a health care plan that will be a huge bonanza for private insurance companies. First, we are all about to be mandated to purchase their product. And second, the government is going to subsidize that purchase for unknown numbers of people. Can you say "ka-ching"?

Meanwhile, the "public option" (itself a far cry from socialized medicine) is fading fast. "Choice and competition" are Obama's new buzzwords for health care reform. That's politician-speak for free-market magic.

http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/03/market-cant-cure-health-care

[bamacrat]

11. Hmm 900 billion, isnt that about 400 billion less than Bush gave out in tax cuts for the rich?

People may not like the blame game but if anyone can do it its the Obama administration. Bushes policies will force Obama to do some unpopular things to fix this ailing country.

[SandWalker1984]

12. $801 Billion a year for wars, -0- for health care reform

The military budget for 2009 (not including Iraq and Afghanistan) is $651 BILLION, up 11% from 2008.

We are spending (on the books, God knows how much "Black Budget") $150 BILLION a year for 2 wars where they don't want us to be.

That's $801 BILLION a year.

Military manufacturing is now 123% higher than in 2000.

Tell us Mr. Baccus, why we can't afford health care reform.

Never mind, we already know.

[zenj8]

16. So true, SandWalker...

Not to mention the billions spent on the financial sector bailout.

[PSPS]

18. Hardly!

So far, the taxpayer is on the hook to the tune of $13 trillion for the banksters and wall street crooks.

[bemildred]

13. This seems to be nebulous drool. A trial balloon perhaps? nt

[Grinchie]

26. Nebulous Drool, or Well Placed Opinion Shaping piece.

Nothing goes out into media without it being monitored and collated for response and reaction.

Rememember, every transaction, post, financial transcation, it intercepted and filed away into computers, thanks to the NSA, Raptor, TOPSAIL, and any of a hundred other analytical databases put in place by the PATRIOT act, and the Bush Administration.

Even if the Government isn't actually performing analysis on the data, this can be done very easily at the local ISP level for the benefit of Mass Media. Collect all the Mass Media venues together into one colluding unit, and you get a pretty good picture of where American's heads are at.

Unfortunately, it appears that they don't like where our "Heads are At", so this information is used to counter current thinking and move it to their position.

They are in survival mode now, and they are hoping that they can obfuscate the issue to the point where people just give up.

[harmonicon]

19. Baucus can burn in hell - way to waste everyone's time, dickhead.

What a stupid, self-important, hate filled bastard.

[Joe Bacon]

20. The only thing missing from Max's BILLSHIT is the Vaseline!

I bet Bill McGuire and RIck Scott are slapping each other on the ass over this. Putting $4 million into Mad Max's pocket is the best investment these racketeers ever made!

[Patchuli]

21. Fire Baucus!!!! nt

[SandWalker1984]

22. $801 Billion Illegal War Budget

We're spending, as a country, $801 billion a year on the Republican president Eisenhower warned Corporate Industrial Military Complex. For what?

1) Is that to defend our national health care. NO!
We don't have national health care for all American citizens. We're told we can't afford it.

2) It that to defend free college education? NO!
We don't have free college education for all American citizens that want it.

3) Is that to defend our retirement from the Wall Street looters? NO!
The fall stock market crash of 2008 and the Wall Street bailout that followed (without strings) showed what they think of OUR retirement security.

4) Is that to protect our borders in conjunction with the war on terror? NO!
Our borders to the south and the north are practically wide open.

5) Is that to protect our rights to freedom of speech? NO!
Obama just thru Van Jones under the Glenn Beck bus instead of defending his rights to freedom of speech.


Obama needs to understand that you don't start negotiations with the predatory corporate right from your knees. Apparently he still thinks he is in the Senate, answering to Baccus that's on his corporate knees.

It's time for real change, including REAL health care reform.

[BR_Parkway]

23. Blue Cross/Blue Shield is a non profit healthcare system that has

already proven to be unable to hold down healthcare costs.

Screw you Senator and the money you sucked down to sell us out.

[Barbara2423]

24. Let's not get upset over speculation. Wait for the President

The media including MSNBC have been speculating and tossing out statements as though they have facts just to upset us and turn against our President. We on DU are smarter than that we know how to separate fact from fiction.

[Justitia]

25. No surprise there. Baucus Caucus "product" is DOA. "Co-ops" are a sham crock of shit

& everyone knows it.

So long Max, thanks for making yourself completely irrelevant to the discussion.

[cadmium]

27. I hope they just put out this plan, vote it out of committee then

Baucus becomes just an ordinary one of a hundred senators again -- then they can work on a real plan and stop agonizing over him.

[dixiegrrrrl]

28. Notice the article did not mention Bachus' name.

Can you imagine? A news article talking about a key Senator and no mention of the name.