Over 60% of voters support a PO. Ollie Snowe does not. Why, then did we let her run this issue?

[Captain Hilts]

It makes NO sense. We jumped through flaming hoops to get her one vote.

THIS is the tail wagging the dog.

[stray cat]

1. How many of the dems in the senate will even vote for a bill DU likes? 35% of dems?

[Captain Hilts]

2. Over 60% of VOTERS support a PO, not just Dems! This is maddening!

[stray cat]

5. THEN you better elect those people to the senate - because they don't have a vote on the bill!

[customerserviceguy]

3. By being the only Repuke who was willing to even entertain the notion

of healthcare reform, she got a lot of power. There are those on the progressive side who think they need a fig leaf of GOP support to be able to persuade the Blue Dogs to get in line behind whatever bill comes out of Congress.

[Captain Hilts]

8. We sell out the US people for one lousy vote? nt

[customerserviceguy]

14. That's the size of it, so it seems

But without Blue Dog votes, no health reform has a chance of passage, the way the Congress is structured right now.

I say, come back and try this again after the 2012 elections. We might be able to put together a group of solid progressives that can pass single payer, or something else meaningful. Its no worse than waiting for 2013 to see half-hearted band-aid measures masquerading as reform.

[Fumesucker]

4. It has to be "bribepartisan" or the Repubs might say mean things about the Dems..

I really, really like the term "bribepartisan", coined by another DUer a day or two ago.

[Captain Hilts]

6. Oooh, that's gooooood. nt

[Captain Hilts]

7. Weird duplicate nt

[DrDan]

9. how many of the 100 senators care about that 60% statistic?

[Captain Hilts]

10. Well, yes. That's THE question. Not too many. nt

[MarjorieG]

11. PO was never getting out of cmte. Now it has, with bi-part. PR. We do need her to avoid a filibuster

if Nelson and Lieberman continue to be evil. (They of course didn't like filibusters during Bush.)

[Captain Hilts]

12. Put Republicans on record as opposing a public option. Make 'em stand up and be counted. nt

[northernlights]

23. ooooo....a filibuster.....can't have that

:scared: :scared: :scared:

What is so horrible about putting the rethugs front and center opposing healthcare and approving insurance extortion?

[SoCalDem]

13. I hope President Snowe lets Obama into the picture when she signs the bogus bill

do I really need the :sarcasm:?

[Altoid_Cyclist]

15. Allow me to be the voice of negativity this morning.

We might as well face it, the entire HCR debate has been nothing more than a farcical stage act. The Corporate Media is framing every discussion on any possible PO as "controversial".

The only HCR that will get passed is something that will only further pad the bank vault for the insurance companies and their partners in crime, otherwise known as our elected politicians.

I hope to hell that I'm wrong, but every time I see that freaking two timing prick Baucus on TV, I know that the fix is in.

We're told every day by the talking heads on TV that his is the only bill with any chance of passing. Since his "HCR" :sarcasm: was written by the insurance companies, what are the chances that it will actually help the average American?

Please; somebody out there show me why I'm wrong. I don't mean that in a smartass way. I would really like to retain some hope of meaningful reform occurring during my lifetime..

Universal Healthcare should have been the objective from day one, but our leaders are just too freaking corrupt to allow that to happen. MEANINGFUL health care would require at least a strong public option and I don't see that happening either.

[Captain Hilts]

16. Yes, media millionaires interviewing congresscritters who have lifetime govt-sponsored Health Ins.nt

[Altoid_Cyclist]

18. They had a segment on the news this morning about that.

It might have actually been on last night also, but I didn't see the news last night.

They were comparing how many plans the politicians have to choose from, how little it costs in relation to their average income and that they are able to keep it for life even after leaving office.

It was nice to be reminded once again that this country has become two divisions. This country is becoming more of a serfdom every day. I'm fed up with being a serf.

Interesting article:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.opednews.com/populum/print_friendly.php%3Fp%3DResist-or-Become-Serfs-by-Chris-Hedges-090406-703.html&h=497&w=300&sz=13&tbnid=pFU7Qi-56M5ZYM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=78&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dserf%2Bpictures&hl=en&usg=__ALcdPYcNyJvvuRwoDAOygEmSgAs=&ei=7tXVSvivL47cNoLYxJQD&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&ved=0CA4Q9QEwAQ

[Captain Hilts]

19. I'm descended from British royalty, so I don't do the 'serf' thing well either! Thanks for the link!

QEII: Captain Hilts, you don't have to be a good sport about the US healthcare debate. xoxo Liz

[Altoid_Cyclist]

20. I don't have that distinction, but my ancestors have a unique link to the Whitehouse.

My Mom's ancestors were John & John Q. Adams. My Dad's ancestors included Admiral Sir George Cockburn who led the British invasion of Washington and the subsequent burning of Washington and the Whitehouse in 1814.

That's as close as I'll ever come to making it to the Whitehouse though.

No wonder I get confused. Half of me wants to be proud of our government and the other half of me wants to burn it all down.

[Captain Hilts]

21. Good one! I have the same problem! My team was on the losing side in 1776 and 1812, but I'm

glad the colonies won both!

I'm first generation. Dad was born in Brighton, Mum's dad in Liverpool.

[OHdem10]

17. Over the past decades our Country has become an absolute ARISTRCRACY

once again. It is perfectable acceptable for the upper crust
to have their own rules.

[LynneSin]

22. Does it really matter - this isn't the final bill, it's one of 5 bills in fact

and there is a Joint Committee that will create the final bill - THAT is what matters!

[ProSense]

24. She ran the issue?

Nearly all the amendments passed without her support, and she voted for the bill in the end. How is that running the issue? She was the 14th vote on a bill that passed 14 to 9. Without her vote the bill would have still passed.