Why is the public option going down?

[baldguy]

Dick Durbin (Senate Majority Whip) - A No On The Public Option
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/17/183628/293

Mary Landrieu Opposed To Public Health Care Option
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/09/mary-landrieu-opposed-to_n_213211.html

Max Baucus (Chairman, Senate Finance Committee) Backs Off Claim He's "Fighting Tooth And Nail" For Public Health Care Option
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/02/max-baucus-backs-off-clai_n_210430.html

Kent Conrad (Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on Health Care) Against Public Option, Pushes Co-Ops
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/11/741441/-Conrad-Against-Public-Option,-Pushes-Co-Ops

Tom Carper (Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on Health Care) doesn't see (public) option as immediately necessary
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090608/NEWS02/906080318

Blanche Lincoln (Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on Health Care) prefers co-op to government-run public option in health care
http://arkansasnews.com/2009/06/18/lincoln-prefers-co-op-to-government-run-public-option-in-health-care/

Chuck Schumer (Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on Health Care) "Public Option" Compromise designed to weaken a strong, robust Medicare-like public option in favor of private insurance companies.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/8/739946/-I-Dont-Support-Schumers-Public-Option-Compromise

Maria Cantwell (Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on Health Care) is cool to a centralized public-option health care plan
http://www.wslc.org/reports/2009/June/17.htm

[Kalyke]

1. Now... post their phone numbers and electronic contact info

so we can organize a "corporate whore" blast and let them know we're not pleased.

[iconocrastic]

32. Public option to keep industry "honest"

As if the government is honest? hahahahahahahaha

[incapsulated]

I'm calling Schumer and telling his office I'm voting for anyone else

But his sorry ass next election.

[karynnj]

11. Ask his office his opinion first

Dean is the most prominent person leading that fight and his organiation lists him as a yes.
http://standwithdrdean.com/where_congress_stands?chamber=Senate&party=&state=&hc_status=1&commit=Filter

[madfloridian]

2. They see the left split on single payer and public option

Many single payer advocates are furious with Dean because he chose to speak for the public option plan

The Senate Dems are salivating because we are not united. Many SP advocates simply refuse to sign a petition or call on behalf of the public option.

They see the split, they are happy, they move on.

I would have been for either, but I think it is too late now. Even at DU the advocates for SP are saying the public option is a cop out.

As usual the left divides and many oppose what we could have had.

:shrug:

[PassingFair]

8. Single Payer/Public Option split is FAKE.

The real problem is the "New Dems" are
in CAHOOTS with the "BlueDogs" to tank
Public Option and retain their insurance
company donations.

They are happy to let the blue dogs take
the heat.

Make no mistake, the single payer people
are as powerful as the GREEN PARTY.

This "split" is being ginned up to
paint us as fractured.


Mad: Don't be fooled by all of the
low-count posters on this board that
are howling for "single-payer or nothing
at all". They don't exist in real life.

[madfloridian]

9. That PNHP group exists in real life. They are against public option

That's a crying shame.

It is angering me to see Dean out there pushing so hard for the most likely option, and he is being denigrated by single payer groups to the point of protesting his appearances.

We can not work together for anything.

[slipslidingaway]

14. Many in that PNHP group are practicing doctors and are

fighting for what they believe is the best system to cover everyone at the lowest cost.

They believe health care is a right.


You may not see this as I believe you put me on ignore when you could not back up your claim in this thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=321786&mesg_id=322278


http://www.pnhp.org/about/about_pnhp.php

Physicians for a National Health Program is a single issue organization advocating a universal, comprehensive single-payer national health program. PNHP has more than 16,000 members and chapters across the United States.

Since 1987, we've advocated for reform in the U.S. health care system. We educate physicians and other health professionals about the benefits of a single-payer system--including fewer administrative costs and affording health insurance for the 46 million Americans who have none.

Our members and physician activists work toward a single-payer national health program in their communities. PNHP performs ground breaking research on the health crisis and the need for fundamental reform, coordinates speakers and forums, participates in town hall meetings and debates, contributes scholarly articles to peer-reviewed medical journals, and appears regularly on national television and news programs advocating for a single-payer system.

PNHP is the only national physician organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to implementing a single-payer national health program.


http://www.pnhp.org/about/pnhp_mission_statement.php


PNHP Mission Statement


"Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) believes that access to high-quality health care is a right of all people and should be provided equitably as a public service rather than bought and sold as a commodity.

The mission of PNHP is therefore to educate physicians, other health workers, and the general public on the need for a comprehensive, high-quality, publicly-funded health care program, equitably-accessible to all residents of the United States.

Equitable accessibility requires, in the view of PNHP, removal of the barriers to adequate health care currently faced by the uninsured, the poor, minority populations and immigrants, both documented and undocumented.

PNHP views this campaign as part of the campaign for social justice in the United States. PNHP opposes for-profit control, and especially corporate control, of the health system and favors democratic control, public administration, and single-payer financing.

PNHP believes this program should be financed by truly progressive taxation. PNHP actively opposes current changes in the health care system that are designed to maximize the profits of investors and the incomes of high-level executives rather than to serve patients.

PNHP's goal is the restoration of what it views as the primary mission of physicians, acting as professional advocates for our patients.

PNHP is an independent, non-partisan, voluntary organization. PNHP's work is supported by our members' dues and contributions, and by grants from progressive foundations; it accepts no funding from pharmaceutical companies or other for-profit entities. PNHP organizes physicians, medical students, other health workers, and the public in support of this program and promotes discussion of health policy in the U.S. through conferences, lectures, articles, and other methods."

[madfloridian]

17. I am not against what they stand for. I am against how they attack the public option.

I have made it clear I support both, but that I think the public option is the only feasible one with the insurance companies having bought off so many congressmen.

I resent your keeping on about that post. I was never proved wrong....they WERE protesting Dean in WA, making him climb over their bodies and insulting him as he was speaking....even as he included them in the conversation or tried to do so.

I could post several blogs with comments in which they DID accuse Dean and Blumenauer of trying to have them arrested. But what I would accomplish would give too much credence to those blogs and give them too much traffic.

So you have your fun and keep on blasting the one thing we might be able to get right now.

It is tiresome to see the split here. It is tiresome to be attacked for telling the truth.

So you do what you have to do. I think you probably know the people I refer to and the bloggers I refer to. Why give them traffic?

Yes, they did accuse Dean and Blumenauer of trying to have them arrested, when in fact they set out to get arrested on purpose at the town hall held by those two men and at the meeting before the town hall.

So fight for your way or the highway...and it will probably be the highway. We could work together...but no,that is not to be.

I am too angry to say more right now.

[slipslidingaway]

20. I just posted this to you in another thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5878900&mesg_id=5882589

Again I did not see anything on the blogs where they accused Dean of having them arrested, but you did change the title of the video to make that accusation, when I asked for proof you vanished.

You may not have liked their protests, but they felt that they were unfairly kept out the discussion, just as has been happening from the beginning.

If one set of people think the other group of people is compromising and we'll wind up with weak, costly legislation then they should be allowed to voice their opinion, regardless of who is speaking on the other side.

[madfloridian]

22. Oh, you have every right to say anything and stand for anything you want.

This is America, after all.

You also have every right to keep on accusing me if that makes you feel better.

That video plus the bloggers I am NOT going to give traffic to....tell a tale of people who are dead set on one way and will ridicule anyone else.

That is what is happening now. It sickens me.

Do what you want, say what you want, stand up for what you want.

This is America, after all. You even have a right to keep accusing others.

We are NOT going to get single payer, but the single payer folks who are attacking others like me, Dean, Blumenauer, et al....are going to make sure we do not get the public option either.

I don't mind protests, but they sure were not targeting the right people. One of the most outspoken advocates for change we have now is Dean...and they were ridiculing him.

I am angry.

[slipslidingaway]

23. I asked you a simple question, to prove your accusation...

especially when you changed the title of the video to accuse single-payers.

All you can say is that you will not link to the site... it was not in your video, nor was it in the link you posted with the video.

You cannot go around accusing others without providing proof that they said Dean had them arrested.

Forget about everything else that you have thrown in to try and confuse the issue, that was THE accusation.

I asked WHERE.

You read it somewhere???

I asked for proof, that was not provided.

And again they were protesting what they felt was their exclusion, not necessarily targeting anyone for their position, they wanted a seat at the discussion.

There is not much else to say, but if someone had accused Dean of something, you would certainly be asking for proof.

[madfloridian]

24. I seldom use the video title in my subject line.

You can choose to believe me or not.

You are choosing to make me the scapegoat while the groups for which you advocate do not welcome our point of view at all.

It is non-productive, and it is going to hurt us all.

I have advocated for both stances since the beginning, but I am seeing the handwriting on the wall.

The left can not get anything done for accusing each other.

Best of luck. I thought we could could communicate, but I do not have to see the attacks you are making...good by again.

[slipslidingaway]

33. Obviously I'll be more skeptical of your posts when you change

the title from...

"June 5, 2009 Oregon Single Payer Action"

to...

"Single payer groups accuse Dean of having them arrested in Portland"


without backing up your claim.


Yes that is non-productive and I can only believe it was done to have people look less favorably on single-payer and to rally behind Dr. Dean.

[madfloridian]

25. Dupe

[PassingFair]

15. Yes, but they are small in number....the "rift" is bogus.

Anyone who has seriously looked into
the Public Option plan knows that it
will be the only way we can ease into
National Health.

The "SinglePayer Only" peeps must know
that it is politically impossible to
overhaul the system when the insurance
companies wield so much power.

The bogus "rift" will somehow be used
to spin why we can't have any reform
at all.

Personally, I want a crack at the same
Medicare program that my Senator has.

So will everyone else.

[vaberella]

28. I'm surprised by this post. I believe you and many others were only Single Payer.

Then Dean came out in support of Obama's PO and now we have a few more PO supporters. From the get go if anyone who listened to Obama during the campaign they would know he was pushing PO because it was the most reasonable and likely and not many were on board. Many preferred HRC's plan. I saw way too many problems with HRC's plan so I was very supportive of the PO because I knew it would eventually lead to universal health care. HRC's plan didn't push that initiative and neither did McCain. I'm glad Dean is uber supportive of Obama's plan and I was hoping he'd actually be the one writing the legislation for a public option but at least I know he is advising Obama and I hope he has a say in the final outcome.

[vaberella]

27. On DU there is a major split between those who support PO and SP---I'm PO. n/t

[PassingFair]

30. I don't see it as "major" here.

And IRL, I haven't spoken to a single
person who has told me "It's single-payer
or nothing!".

Public Option is our chance to phase
in single payer.

[vaberella]

34. Interesting...

Many on here who support single payer do not support a public option. Even if public option leads to single payer. To them insurance private insurance companies need to go away all together and the only way for that is single payer. They don't like the incremental move, or the fact it's not being pushed in Congress. So yeah, I do see a rather big divide. In any event, single payer in and of itself doesn't allow room to negotiate or allow dialogue between different entities like a government run program and private insurance, narrowly speaking.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x453857
Note post #7


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5883517
This one is full of misinformations and lies.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8428554&mesg_id=8428554
Post. #3

There are few more if I did an indepth search so I'd say----there are many people here who do not support a public option and only support single payer---at the risk of public option not getting the push it needs by many people in Congress. Thankfully that's reserved to here rather than a majority.

[PassingFair]

35. I support the single-payer supporters....it gives us a point

from which to negotiate a public option.

What I DON'T support is the "divide"
being used as an excuse for torpedoing
real reform.

Perhaps a poll is in order....

[MarjorieG]

3. Conswervative states, or those from insurance, big money interests.

Washington also one that is pushing estate tax relief, backed by big bucks of a few companies. We need to look at other states, and a clearer picture of affordability, even a fight for Bush tax cut repeal, going back to Reagan rates, as a sense of fairness.

Given cost savings, imperative to begin this coverage, the case can still be made.

[Dr Fate]

21. None of those states are as conservative as they used to be- it's the CASH, not the voters.

And I doubt that voters themselves would be any long-term revolt against DEMS if they were really given good healthcare options.

Just look at the polls- the public generally trusts Obama on this.

[rug]

4. Because the health insurance industry doesn't want it.

[PurityOfEssence]

6. a-yup

'Nuff said.

[sandnsea]

5. Call Call Call

Join DFA, HCAN, Moveon, and every other group and join their calls, FOCUS on Public Option Only - and we can make this happen.

[andym]

18. Agreed 100% Call, call call-- the only way that change will happen! nt.

[TomCADem]

7. Politico - Claims Defeat Of Healthcare Reform Is Increasingly Possible

It appears that single payer advocates and free market advocates may be successful in stopping Obama's proposed efforts to reform healthcare according to Politico. Also, Politico repeats the usual refrain of Obama trying to do to much.

Does any media outlet do more than re-hash GOP talking points?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090619/pl_politico/23906

[karynnj]

10. The first link is to a diary that completely jumps to conclusions

There is nothing in the response he got that said anything about public option. Not to mention many responders to it had been told by Durbin's office that he was for public option. The really insidious thing here is that in spite of Durbin's solid liberal record and the weakness of the OP's argument, many specifically told by the office he was for it gave more weight to the diary.

DFA lists Durbin as a YES. http://standwithdrdean.com/where_congress_stands?chamber=Senate&party=&state=&hc_status=1&commit=Filter

(Note Schumer is listed as a yes too.)

[Captain Hilts]

12. Are they giving up their govt.-sponsored healthcare? nt

[QC]

13. Because the corporate whores know who's their daddy--he ain't us.

Every one of these people needs to be driven out of office.

[Mass]

16. The word socialist has been uttered. They are afraid.

This said, there are two categories in this list: some want a public option and have said so not only in DFA's list, but in public and in emails (Schumer, Durbin), even if the public option is not as strong as we would like it.

Others, like Lincoln, Conrad, or Baucus, do not like the idea or simply do not want it (Nelson Ben, Landrieu).

We need to be louder and ask our senators and reps to be louder too on this issue. Answering YES to Dean is not enough. Speeches on the Senate floor and interviews stating their opinion is better, if anything to counter those with a different opinion.

[andym]

19. Source of funding is helping to kill it.

Need to suggest they pass the increased taxes on people making > 250K.

Need more funding sources: cigarette taxes? soft drink and junk food taxes? VAT?

etc

Need to figure it out now and then lobby Congress!

[GeorgeGist]

26. The bottom line is private profits ...

healthcare is a means to that end.

[babylonsister]

29. In the Senate. Maybe they need to pay attention to the House:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5883349&mesg_id=5883349

House Democrats "Anxious To Take On" Health Care Reform Opponents

The Democratic Party showed on Friday what it's capable of when led by the majority of its members rather than its conservative wing. In stark contrast to Senate Democrats, who spent the week backpedaling on reform, unified House Democrats unveiled a draft health care overhaul bill jointly endorsed by three powerful committee chairmen.

Henry Waxman, Charlie Rangel and George Miller, chairs of the Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means and Education & Labor Committees, announced the result of six months of negotiations. The sight of three united committee chairmen in the turf-conscious House is a historically rare one.

Where the Senate Finance Committee's outline of a bill didn't include a public health insurance option for people to buy into, the House version includes a robust public plan that would operate nationally and compete with private insurers on a level playing field to keep them honest.

The public plan would be self-sustaining and not subsidized by the federal government, although an upfront infusion of capital would be needed. It would initially be tied to Medicare reimbursement rates, to capitalize on the existing infrastructure, but would evolve into a separate plan that paid higher rates. Participation by doctors would be voluntary.

Rangel described the public plan as "the best of Medicaid, best of Medicare, then kick it up a notch." The chairmen estimated the plan would cover 95 percent of Americans.

While the Senate has cowered from the debate over a public option in the face of Republican and conservative Democratic opposition, Rangel said he relishes the battle.

"I'm anxious to take on those people who oppose a public option," he said. He'll have public opinion on his side. A recent poll showed 3 out of 4 people want a public plan as part of health care reform. "We've got the momentum."

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/19/house-democratsanxious-to_n_218177.html

[AbbeyRoad]

31. It seems Durbin supports the public option

On that Daily Kos link you provided someone posted a link to this site where it shows him supporting. Also someone in that thread said they called his office and was told he supports it.