The rumor takes a silly turn: Reid bucks the WH

[ProSense]

It's clear the blogosphere is invested in this rumor, from TPM: Over White House Skepticism, Reid Likely To Go The Opt Out Route

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will send a complete health care bill to CBO today, and details will be unveiled shortly thereafter, TPMDC has learned. A highly placed source suggests that bill is likely to include a public option with an opt out clause, despite the fact that the White House is skeptical that this is the most politically viable strategy.

CONGRESS: REID'S BILL IS READY

Per NBC’s Mike Viqueira, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has a health-care reform bill ready and will send it to the Congressional Budget Office today for an evaluation of costs, according to a top aide. The measure will include a public option with the "opt out," whereby states could individually decide to remove themselves from the government plan.

[Enrique]

1. what's silly about it?

politicians disagree on strategy all the time, why is a report that the dems are disagreeing on this strategy silly?

[ProSense]

3. It's silly because Reid is the Senate majority leader. If he thinks it's politically viable

why the hell would the WH have doubts?

Does anyone really believe that Reid is going to do something that will potentially fail, thereby giving the WH an "I told you so" moment.

Ludicrous.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. The WH can have doubts

There is nothing absurd about a WH and a Senate majority leader having different estimations of the political realities of something. It probably happens all the time.

The last time we had a HCR debate the Clinton WH and Senate leadership had very different ideas about the viability of different options.

The story as reported is not even very controversial.

Reid and the WH had a disagreement over the viability of an opt-out bill.

Reid say, "I can get the votes for this." The WH said, "We are skeptical and would feel better about a lower-risk strategy but it's your call." (As on story had it, "We hope you guys know what you're doing.")

It's not sinister.

People who favor an opt-out leak to the media to keep up pressure on the WH. These anonymous sources are almost certainly 1) senate sources, and 2) progressive. These stories are not to make Obama look bad. They are to but the WH on the defensive in a particular bit of wrangling.

[Enrique]

6. it happened during the stimulus negotiations

Obama, Reid and Pelosi had to hammer things out.

[ProSense]

8. "Obama, Reid and Pelosi had to hammer things out." What does that have to do with

Reid bucking the WH? Also, there were only 58 Senators in the Democratic caucus when they voted on the stimulus.

[Enrique]

10. the various parties disagreed how to proceed

they had to come together. The concept is not ludicrous.

[ProSense]

12. There was no disagreement between the WH and Reid.

They were trying to pass a stimulus. Reid did not buck the WH.

It's not riduculous to assume that Congress could buck the WH, it's simply ludicrous to claim in this situation, one in which Obama is trying to get a public option passed, that he would be pushing the least attractive and least supported solution, despite the well-known fact that a public option enjoys strong support.

[Enrique]

14. the Baucus bill could be attractive to Obama

in some ways the Baucus bill is the "least supported" as you say, but in other ways it does have support that Obama thinks is important, for example Olympia Snowe voted for it in committee and might vote for it on the floor.

[fujiyama]

19. The final vote for HCR will be less

We won't have Snowe or Collins on board, as was Specter. I believe they both voted for the stimulus package. Of course, we have two other changes since then - Specter is now a reliable yes on our side of aisle, and Franken's on board (yea!).

The main concern is who votes for cloture. If we can make sure Landreui, the Nelsons, Baucus, Leiberman and other conservative "Dems" in the Senate don't join a filibuster, we'll be OK even if they don't vote for the final bill in the end, which will undoubtedly be narrower.

Granted, joining a filibuster could kill any real future influence they have in the Senate. I doubt that would be a smart move - to actually cross over and join a republican filibuster. I would hope in such a situation other Dems would do what they could to fuck them over and not bring another bill of theirs' to the floor again. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

[TheWraith]

13. It's also silly because Reid has the spine of a jellyfish.

The White House has consistently been much more aggressive on almost every aspect of the bill than Reid has.

[thereismore]

2. Good. I am puzzled by Obama's approach but this was the one thing I feared during campaign:

he wanted bipartisanship with snakes.

[ProSense]

4. I don't think the rumor is true. There is no evidence that it is, and it doesn't make sense. n/t

[uponit7771]

9. ...some are vested in rumors more than ever now.

[phleshdef]

15. Yea, rumors allow them an opening to deny Obama credit for doing what many thought couldn't be done.

[Cha]

20. Oh yeah, they are revving up to deny

President Obama credit for anything.

[Clio the Leo]

16. You've heard of "10thers"?

Well, Barack Obama is a "1st Articler." :)

United States Constitution

Article I
Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

[thereismore]

21. A great point. Thanks. nt

[Aramchek]

7. the Democrats success is apparent, so opponents sew rumors of discord in a vain attempt to derail

FAIL!!!

[thatsrightimirish]

11. this is driving me crazy

I feel like I'm in high school. Is it that difficult for people to say what their position is and just do it? Its not like this is a new issue.

[Aramchek]

17. this is one of those 'Anything that might have the effect of slightly diminishing Obama' rumors

Have no doubt Barack Obama will be remembered in history for bringing this Country Universal Health Insurance Coverage and thereby, Universal Healthcare.

[Phx_Dem]

18. I'm ASTOUNDED that the media/bloggers would use rumors as a basis

for their reporting! :sarcasm:

I guessing the true reason for this rumor is to find any way to not give Pesident Obama any credit for health care reform. So even if a public option is included in the bill, it was done in spite of Obama, not because of him. I wouldn't be surprised if John Aravosis started the rumor. :puke: