Pelosi: "No bill can pass the House of Representatives without a public option in it,"

[CocoaBeachCoco]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/Pelosi_in_Philly_Keep_the_public_option.html

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a visit to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital today that a government-run insurance program must be in the final version of health-care reform, even as other Democratic leaders have suggested it could pass without the provision.

"No bill can pass the House of Representatives without a public option in it," Pelosi said, after touring the hospital emergency room.

She was joined by U.S. Reps. Bob Brady, Chaka Fattah and Allyson Schwartz, all Philadelphia-area Democrats at an event designed to highlight the need for passage of legislation to control health-care costs and expand access to insurance coverage.

Pelosi said the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the "public option" of health insurance would squeeze $100 billion in costs from the system over 10 years because of competition with private insurers. "That's hard to ignore," she said.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Despite criticism fairly given her on other issues, Pelosi has been an absolute rock on this one...

And I'm salivating for the opportunity to watch the House bully the arrogant and useless Senate into a public option.

[CocoaBeachCoco]

2. Self-anointed President Baucus must be stopped.

[TheBigotBasher]

4. Since the start of the new congressional term

Pelosi has been a star. Solid on ending the recession, solid on health care, solid on make work pay. She remmebers who got her House elected.

The Senate - not as much. In fact I think it may be easier to deal with Rethugs in the Senate then whiney Blue Dogs.

[kath]

3. But if it's a "public option" that is only available to 3% of people, then it's freakin' worthless.

[cmd]

5. No, it's a huge win

The door will be open and can never be closed. More and more people will walk through it.

[Bonn1997]

6. eh, you really think the door will be open? If a Dem President, a Dem House, and a super majority in

the Senate, could get only a weak public option, then how open could the door be for later improvement? Are we gonna some day have like 74 Dem Senators and then be able to take advantage of the door that Obama opened?

[Warren DeMontague]

13. For something so 'worthless', they sure are fighting it tooth and nail.

Indicates to me it must be at least a tiny threat.

[Kansas Wyatt]

7. With Washington Serving Up 'Reform' On A Silver Platter To Corporate America...

I hope it fails miserably.

Token Effort Chump Change will not do, and that is exactly what the American People are being offered, while Corporate America is handed the keys to the U.S. Treasury.

I do not buy this bullshit that 'a bad bill is better than no bill.' A bad bill only guarantees that it will be harder for the American People to get rid of the BAD part of the bill and it limits what can be done in the future for a long time. Stepping stone, huh? See NAFTA.

Either Congress and the White House works for and represents the American People or they work for Corporate America. That is the bottom line, and bad bills are giveaways to Corporate America.

What is good for Corporate America doesn't mean it is good for the American People.

[kath]

9. Yep - a bad bill will delay the prospects for REAL reform for a long, long time.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. I'm guessing health care reform is dead then.

[mmonk]

10. Depends on what one categorizes reform as being.

[Vidar]

11. At least, she's talking the talk.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Wow. What are the Professional DU Pelosi-Haters gonna do with this?

:shrug:

"But She Said 'OFF THE TABLE! OFF THE TABLE! OFF THE TABLE!!!!!!!!!' AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!1111!!"