Reid, Obama get ready to ditch public option for Snowe's triggers

[geek tragedy]

Anyone who held out hope the Senate bill would be decent (like I did) is going to be severely disappointed with the barf bag that winds up being produced.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/health/policy/15public.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Two senior administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the White House looked favorably on the Snowe plan. But liberal Democrats were maneuvering against it Wednesday, arguing that Ms. Snowe, the lone Republican to vote in favor of the Finance Committee’s bill, was gaining undue influence over the talks. . . . But in private conversations with Ms. Snowe, Mr. Obama has brought up her idea for a trigger that would create a government-run plan in states where at least 5 percent of residents lacked access to affordable care. One senior White House official called the idea “very reasonable.” . . .Now Mr. Reid must merge the two Senate bills. He has said he likes Ms. Snowe’s trigger proposal — “a pretty doggone good idea,” he called it in a recent conference call with Nevada voters.

Save us, Obi Wan Pelosi, you're our only hope.

[msongs]

1. true democrats need to stand against President Snowe's triggers nt

[OHdem10]

2. Why do we even bother with elections???

[Echo In Light]

22. Never underestimate the power of denial

[Mass]

3. More anonymous administration senior officials.

I do not say this is wrong, but I wished the media stop using anonymous sources.

This said, I have my doubts that the PO will be in the bill, and trigger does not work (when was the last time a trigger was activated).

[geek tragedy]

4. Senior admin officials=Rahm and Axelrod. nt

[Barack_America]

8. Hardly. nt

[Barack_America]

7. I've lost count of how many times the Public Option has "died".

Republicans and the media have cried wolf so many times regarding its "demise" that they are no longer credible.

[geek tragedy]

9. It lives in the House.

But there's no way the Senate has one.

[redqueen]

12. LOL... no shit... the bright side is

that hopefully, this kinda stuff gets people calling and emailing with their outraged demands for a strong public option, no trigger, no co-ops, etc.

I sure as hell hope that's what happens.

[Cha]

34. I got this from my District, Obama for President, chief

yesterday..:)

Hello, everyone. Mohawk Valley for Obama is now Organizing for America - Mohawk Valley. Our mission is to help support the President we elected last November and enact the changes we worked for so hard last year. It begins with health care reform and it begins now. I'm using our old mailing list as a starting point (if you'd rather not receive e-mails, please let me know!)

Our immediate tasks are:

1. Mobilize support for health care reform.

� On October 20th the House and the Senate will be debating their respective health care bills. Please call Congressman Arcuri (202- 225-3665 or 315-793-8146/8147 on Tuesday October 20th to urge him to support a bill that includes a robust public option. Tell him his vote on this issue is vitally important to you.

� Call Senators Schumer (202-224-6542 or 315-423-5471) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (02-224-4451 or 315-448-0470) with the same message.

� Call your friends and family and ask them to do the same.

� Go to http://my.barackobama.com/deliver for more information on how to get involved.

� There will be a phone bank on 10/20 in Syracuse reaching out to Obama supporters from the last campaign and urging them to call their Representatives and Senators with the same message. We are attempting on short notice to create a phone bank here in Utica. Please watch your email and my.barackobama.com for further details.


2. Mobilize support for the President's Agenda.

� The President has an ambitious agenda for change and he needs our ongoing support. Upcoming issues include clean energy, reform of the financial system, job creation, education for the 21st century, and rebuilding America's infrastructure. The grass roots campaign that elected President Obama is even more crucial to advancing the change we need. To achieve it, we need to stay focused and active, especially by showing our Representative and Senators that we have their back as they support the President. To be candid, we dropped the ball this summer by allowing the extreme right wing to dominate the debate on health care. We have to fight back on that issue and not make the same mistake again.

� Please forward this email to other Obama supporters and ask them to take action. If they would like to be a part of Organizing for America - Mohawk Valley, just send me their e-mail address.

Much thanks for your past and future efforts on behalf of President Obama and our country.

Ray Bepko

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. Elections have consequences.

Or do they.

*sigh*

[geek tragedy]

6. So long as they happen in

Maine.

[Barack_America]

11. Actually, they do.

The public option is constantly declared "dead". How many times have we heard this already? And yet, from most accounts* it is actually gaining momentum? Why? Those pesky polls demonstrating it's what the people want.

*Aside from hysterical Republicans, industry insiders, conservadems and unnamed "senior officials" who are all bought and sold.

[geek tragedy]

13. Then why is the admin talking about how great triggers are?

Why is Reid already trying to duck blame for the merged bill?

[Barack_America]

17. Are they still? The quote you posted was all in past tense.

If somebody is willing to go on the record and say our President's stated commitment to the public option is not sincere, then I will believe them.

[geek tragedy]

18. The administration has not committed to the public option.

It supports it, but has made it clear that it's willing to negotiate it away.

[MNDemNY]

28. Not when we continue to elect corporatists.

gobama!

[Bluenorthwest]

10. President Snowe

[redqueen]

14. Please call Congress toll free at 1-800-828-0498. At least three times.

To Reid, Baucus and Harkin. Share your thoughts about these anonymous comments.

Wouldn't hurt to call your own two Senators as well. Just for fun. :)

[spanone]

15. carnac, is that you?

[safeinOhio]

16. Better make it a freaking hair trigger.

[katandmoon]

19. Obama = Republican Lite

[geek tragedy]

20. That's not true.

There are lots of Democrats who are on the wrong side of this.

[Toasterlad]

21. Obama Will Give Anything To Any Republican Appearing the Least Bit "Bipartisan".

He is totally willing to fuck healthcare, the country, his legacy, EVERYTHING, in order to appeal to Republicans.

[Echo In Light]

23. "Bipartisan" is code for Protecting The Profits Over People Systems & Ideology

[chimpymustgo]

24. Ding ding ding!!!!

[Neecy]

30. It's not to appeal to Republicans

Face it, Republicans are going to hate the final product as much as we do.

The whole point of the private meetings with President Snowe, who has so many doggone good ideas, is to try to fool people into thinking the bill is bipartisan. This way, Democrats won't get the full brunt of the blame when people wake up and realize what a mess this is. But they will. People are dumb, but not THAT dumb.

[alfredo]

25. Make the trigger punitive. Fuck us over and we go single payer.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

26. It's not Snowe's triggers! Thank Rahm!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6464826

[emulatorloo]

27. Call your Dem Senators - say "no" to Triggers.

I don't believe in "administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity" but it can't hurt to continue pressuring the Senate.

[Yuugal]

29. Didn't we send Trigger to the glue factory already?

It must be zombie horse. I thought trigger was safely dead.

[Neecy]

31. lol

[Kalyke]

33. Trigger wasn't sent to the glue factory.

He was stuffed and is now a site destination for the gawking hordes.

[rvablue]

32. Wouldn't one think that most states have at least 5% of the populations without

affordable health care???

I guess it's all about how they end up defining "unaffordable"..........

[kjackson227]

35. You're right... I would be EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED if this were to happen...

but I don't believe the parties involved would be that STUPID to do it. No way, no how.

[Neecy]

36. ohhhhh, yes they would

There's a good diary up now on DKos that has some good analysis of the latest twists and turns. A key point he makes (and it's supported by the text):

We can all see where this is going. It appears that the Senate bill will contain something other a national, trigger free public option. It looks like either a trigger or coops will be in the bill since even the best Senate Democrat Senators won't vote against and help filibuster a bill with a trigger or coops in it. Other than Sen Roland Burris, none of the Democrat Senators have said that they would vote against a bill without a public option. Not one. So, all of the "good" Democrat Senators will still vote for it with a trigger. So, a bill with a trigger can pass the Senate even though only a small minority of Senators like or favor that idea.

I recommend reading the whole diary, although it makes for pretty gruesome reading.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/15/793321/-Reid-cant-lead-a-prostitute-to-a-bed