Grassley: No bipartisan support for a public option

[babylonsister]

Grassley: No bipartisan support for a public option
@ 9:45 am by Jeremy P. Jacobs


Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a key player in healthcare negotiations, laid down the gauntlet on Tuesday, saying there won't be a bipartisan healthcare reform bill that includes a public option.

In a thinly veiled swipe at Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D-Mass.) Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Grassley said on MSNBC that if reform is going to get bipartisan support "it is going to have to come out of the Finance Committee," of which he is the ranking member.

Asked what the criteria would be for bipartisan support Grassley said: "We need to make sure there is no public option."

The senator said that there could be a "co-op" but said that a pure public option or government run health program would have to stay out of the legislation.

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/06/24/grassley-no-bipartisan-support-for-a-public-option/

[WI_DEM]

1. I'm afraid a public option isn't going to happen. Not only because of Republicans but because there

are enough democrats who also will work against it.

[Betty]

2. I guess the fact that there's PUBLIC support

for a public option doesn't matter, because these assholes don't represent us, they represent the insurance companies.

[trayfoot]

3. The Dems better just DO IT - without the reTHUGs!

[WI_DEM]

9. But what about the democrats who refuse to support a public plan?

Last I heard only about 36 or 38 Senators are in favor of the public plan.

[trayfoot]

13. If the Dems don't support public health option,

they may as well pack it in!

Obama was elected on two basic ussues - healthcare and the war - as were the Dem majority. They need to "step up tp the plate" or many may find themselves out of a job in the near future!

[stray cat]

4. Hypocrites - I would love the gov pension and health care package taxpayers give them!

[Autumn]

5. Then we won't get one.

If it has to be a bipartisan bill.It's as simple as that

[babylonsister]

6. Perhaps the Dems are playing them. They tried bipartisanship,

it didn't work.

I don't think they will let reform fail because of a few dullards in the gop. It's too important.

[Autumn]

8. I just don't have a

lot of faith in some of our so called Democrats.:shrug: They have sold us out too many times.

[babylonsister]

12. Your distrust is understandable.

Some Dems drive me crazy, too, but I'm not willing to write the whole thing off as a defeat just yet.

[snappyturtle]

7. Also being discussed:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5911554

edit: Grassley's office number 202-224-3744 I called and asked that Grassley surrender his taxpayer subsidized healthcare policy and to consider the cost savings to Medicare (which he regards as our public option)if we had good cradle to death healthcare. Probably won't do any good to change the old codger's mind but I feel better letting him know that we now understand that he doesn't want us to have what he has.

[Ilsa]

10. We shouldn't let 40 hypocrites in the senate decide what's good for the US. nt

[spanone]

11. i'm with big ed...fuck bipartisanship...it's too important for piss ant rethugs to thwart

[steelyboo]

14. Steelyboo: Cappy Corn, there is no public support for a GOP Obstructionist option either.

this ass is a younger Ted Stevens, blustering old grouch.

[Romulox]

15. "Bipartisan" = we elect Dems, Pukes still control the agenda. nt