Bayh: ‘I’m Agnostic’ About Having A Public Plan As Part Of Health Care Reform

[jefferson_dem]

Bayh: ‘I’m Agnostic’ About Having A Public Plan As Part Of Health Care Reform

On Fox News Sunday this morning, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) trashed the idea of including a new public health insurance plan as part of health care reform, saying “that is exactly the opposite way” to improve health care in America. “We don’t need more money,” said Coburn. “What we need is true markets that will allocate this resource and create a way for everyone to have access.”

Host Chris Wallace then asked Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) about “private sector” concerns that a public option would mean “that everybody will end up in the government program.” Bayh replied that he was “agnostic” about including a public plan in reform:

WALLACE: But the one big concern a lot of the private sector has is the president, in his program, has as a — supposedly as a provider of last resort a government program, and the concern is they’ll be able to do it so much more cheaply, or at least in terms of the cost, that everybody will end up in the government program.

BAYH: Well, it’s a debate we need to have, Chris. And I’m agnostic on that as we sit here this morning.

Watch it: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/12/bayh-agnostic-health/

[saltpoint]

1. Evan, Evan, Evan. You silly little weasel.

[Moochy]

2. Who likes that guy again?

Oh that's right republicans who voted (D).

[genna]

22. I guess Bayh is catnip for the right just like McCain was catnip for the media.

[Egnever]

31. People wanted him as VP

I was horrified at the time when he was floated.

[annabanana]

3. SURE he's "agnostic".. unless by "agnostic" he means

antagonistic.. then yeah, he is.

[Hieronymus]

4. It's sad that creeps like Bayh are tolerated in the Democratic Party.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. Your problem is with the Democratic voters of Indiana, not the Democratic Party

The keep nominating him, over and over again.

[Jokerman]

34. The reason Evan Bayh gets nominated and elected every six years...

is that he can raise a ton of cash and is very popular with republicans.

Even if someone came along with enough money to mount a serious primary challenge and take the nomination, there's a good chance Bayh's conservative base would vote republican and we would loose the seat all together.

I don't like Bayh either but as long as money is the key to politics, I'm afraid that we are stuck.

[camera obscura]

5. I'm "agnostic" about whether Bayh should be re-elected.

[PFunk]

8. I think that's why he's 'agnostic'.

I think he's really starting to feel the heat and wants to keep his seat.

[ClassWarrior]

10. Three words...

PROGRESSIVE PRIMARY CHALLENGE.

NGU.

[acmavm]

13. I'm a true believer. I truly believe this guy belongs behind a counter

asking 'can I take your order please'. That would be perfect karmic justice for a self-serving opportunistic punk like this guy.

[Honeycombe8]

6. Sounds like we need to send some senators for a refresher course in the English language. nt

[Dr.Phool]

7. Bayh: "I'm an asshole".

"Kick me".

[Supersedeas]

12. as slimy as they come

[Soylent Brice]

14. you made me smile this morning.

[bunkerbuster1]

32. With pleasure!

[Hieronymus]

9. Bayh has come close to VP a couple of times ... he's done.

[Vinca]

11. Didn't Chris Wallace make the case for single payer?

"and the concern is they’ll be able to do it so much more cheaply, or at least in terms of the cost," That's right, Chris. You take away the billionaire CEOs and bada bing, bada boom you've got affordable healthcare.

[Delphinus]

24. Bet he didn't do that on purpose! n/t

[Jennicut]

15. Once again, thankfully this man did not become VP.

[harun]

17. Damn straight!

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

16. Did he come up with a name for his little clique of wanna-be Republicans? nt.

[Overseas]

18. If our pay to play for-profit healthcare system is so good, why be afraid of a public option?

We've heard so much smearing of "socialized healthcare" from our politicians. They've defended our privatized system over the years. If it is that grand that they've championed it for so many years, why should they fear a public option? Surely the wonderful system they've defended for so long can survive "free market" competition.

Legislators have told us how great our privatized healthcare system is and it was so great that even handicapping U.S. based businesses to shell out for it while their industrial competitors had their governments picking up the tab was worth it to them. Watching companies move overseas where they didn't have to pay workers' health insurance and could pay lower wages for the same work was okay by them. It still didn't move them to push our government to match our competitors and provide national health insurance, so that for-profit system must be truly marvelous.

So if it is that splendid, no one will want the public option anyway, so they should have no fear about including it in our plans. Only the foolish folks who still believe in good government will choose it.

The class of society that can afford the "Preferred Provider Option" or have a high enough status in their organizations to get that as a perk can continue to enjoy that top tier option.

[area51]

25. Great post.

Wish I could nominate it for the "greatest page". I'd also like to add, if our broken healthcare delivery system is so wonderful, why is no other country trying to switch to it? You don't hear a groundswell of citizens from first-world countries demanding to switch to a for-profit healthcare system.

Despite republican lip-service, the last thing they want is competition.

[Overseas]

28. Thank you. //nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

27. AMEN!

You captured my feelings exactly.

[Overseas]

29. Thank you. //nt

[Captain Hilts]

19. Then HE should give up HIS govt.-financed healthcare. nt

[Puzzler]

21. How come it's always people with good health care...

... that end up deciding whether other less fortunate people should have any?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

26. Doesn't seem quite fair, does it?

What I would like to know is why Bayh and other public officials whom believe so strongly in the private health care/insurance system are willing to continue receiving federal health insurance coverage? Seems to me that if they believe that private health care/insurance is good enough for the rest of us, then they should be eschewing their federal coverage in favor of private coverage. Maybe we can use the money we save from that to cover the cost of "socialized medicine" for the rest of us whom want it. I wonder how "agnostic" he might be about THAT idea? :shrug:

[asdjrocky]

23. So who's the biggest Dem turd?

Bayh or Lieberman?

[Sebastian Doyle]

30. I'm completely "atheistic" about the Blue Balls and the DLC

I don't believe such people exist. But I'm willing to accept the idea that some Republicans might be pretending to be "democrats".

[prolesunited]

33. Wellpoint (WLP) one of the nation's biggest providers

is based in Indianapolis. Perhaps that is clouding his judgment.