Senator Gillibrand: "I support the public option"

[TheWraith]

A not-for-profit public plan option must be included in any discussion about comprehensive health reform.

I believe that by opening up a not-for-profit public health plan like a "Medicare for all," we can ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare regardless of his or her income. In the world's wealthiest nation, it's unconscionable that people are turned away from coverage because of a pre-existing condition and that families are just one illness away from bankruptcy.

As a mother of two young boys, I know that every parent's nightmare is to not be able to have access to the best possible health care a child needs. Access to quality, affordable health care in America should be a right - not a privilege.

I believe that offering a public health care plan option to compete with private insurers is the best way to truly lower health costs, improve quality of care, and ensure access to care in rural and other underserved areas. By offering more services and limiting out-of-pocket costs like high deductibles and large co-payments, a public health plan would improve access and affordability and would set a standard for coverage and efficiency with which private insurers would have to compete. Injecting healthy competition into the health care market is the only way to achieve real health care reform.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/5/11/730233/-I-Support-The-Public-Option

[closeupready]

1. Dammit! She's not allowed to support the public option.

She has to wait to be a good senator until after we get Governor Paterson out! :mad: :sarcasm:

[madaboutharry]

2. I am thinking she is o.k.

n/t

[yourguide]

3. I am thinking she changes her tune when it suits her political purposes. n/t

[madaboutharry]

4. Well, that certainly could be the case!

You bring up a very valid point.

[yourguide]

5. Based on her past voting record it seems that way to me.

[TheWraith]

7. She ran in 2006 on a platform of Medicare-for-all.

But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your paranoia.

[AtomicKitten]

8. She describes her own record as the most conservative in NY.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8481175&mesg_id=8484002

[TheWraith]

9. Not exactly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8481175&mesg_id=8484077

[AtomicKitten]

10. What part of her describing her own record as the most conservative in NY don't you understand?

Gillibrand brags that her record is the most conservative in NY state: But the fault line that is most likely to split New York Democrats is an ideological one. Gillibrand, who is part of the House’s Blue Dog coalition, is arguably the most conservative name on Paterson’s rumored short list, if not one of the most conservative Democratic politicians throughout the state. In fact, she herself has described her voting record as “one of the most conservative in the state.”

http://campaigndiaries.com/2009/01/22/gillibrand/

Please feel free to disregard her own words bragging about her conservative record. I can't even guess why you are intent on burying her actual past record other than the fact that it proves unequivocally that she is a political opportunist in an effort to keep the seat she was appointed to (apparently at Paterson's insistence).

In light of this white-washing of her record combined with the party machine's clearing the field for her, I find her candidacy downright deceptive and plenty of evidence to be apprehensive: She's a Blue Dog and the Blue Dogs are doing their best to trip up progressive legislation in the Senate.

With no primary opponent, NY'ers are rolling the dice that her re-branding for her appointment to the Senate is for real and permanent.

[Cha]

6. Wow, that's refreshing..

I really don't care what her past voting record is at this point in time..what with this and her saying DADT needs to be repealed.

[mvd]

11. She has been a pleasant surprise

:hi:

I know what we really need is single payer, but at least a strong public option would be the first step. An alternative to the make-profits-by-denying-coverage insurance companies is urgently needed.