White House Pushing The Senate To Weaken The Public Option To Keep Snowe On Board

[t0dd]

Source: TPM

Multiple sources tell TPMDC that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is very close to rounding up 60 members in support of a public option with an opt out clause, and are continuing to push skeptical members. But they also say that the White House is pushing back against the idea, in a bid to retain the support of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

"They're skeptical of opt out and are generally deferential to the Snowe strategy that involves the trigger," said one source close to negotiations between the Senate and the White House. "they're certainly not calming moderate's concerns on opt out."

This new development, which casts the White House as an opponent of all but the most watered down form of public option, is likely to yield backlash from progressives, especially those in the House who have been pushing for a more maximal version of reform.

It also suggests for perhaps the first time that the White House's supposed hands off approach that ostensibly allowed the two chambers in Congress to craft their own bill has been discarded.

High level White House officials have floated the trigger idea a number of times, and it seems they continue to do so, even at this, crucial stage of the health care reform process, when their involvement is greatest. That has senators who support the public option concerned.

"Historically, 'trigger' mechanisms have not been successful, and they are not a substitute for a strong public health insurance option," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) in a curiously timed statement. "A 'trigger' simply delays price competition, which in turn will delay affordability for consumers and moves us farther away from the goals of health care reform. Already, we are seeing insurance companies threatening to game the system, by raising their prices in advance of reform. The only way to curb price-gouging by health insurance companies is with real competition on day one--that is the public option."

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/sources-white-house-pushing-back-against-senate-public-option-opt-out-compromise.php?ref=fpa

[NYC Democrat]

1. wait so this source says the white house is pushing against the PO

and another source says they are pushing for the PO. You know what I'm just done with all these "sources" I say keep the pressure up but just ignore all these anonymous sources .

[pinto]

7. I tend to agree. Keep the pressure on Congress. I think a lot of these "reports" are no more than

speculation, regardless of content, or what elsewhere would be considered "office gossip".

[skipos]

2. "sources say" is becoming the new "some people say"

it means nothing.

[badgervan]

19. Yep... Too Many "unnamed" Sources...

... I've learned not to trust any story that uses "unnamed" sources exclusively. Rove and Cheney's lieutenants made an art form out of leaking lies to their favorite suckup reporters, knowing that their lies would show up on the cover of some 'legitimate' paper or cable news show. When reporters get into the habit of using these unnamed sources too much, it tells me they are both lazy and willing to print unproven conjecture, opinion/crap to further one side or the other.

[Mithreal]

3. Not easily discouraged? Just push back even harder. nt

[mvd]

4. Oh my - REALLY hoping these sources are wrong

They often are. But the fact the President's speech to Congress was so third-way makes me a little nervous.

[TheDebbieDee]

5. Phuck Olympia Snowe! Phuck her! She's one of a hundred,

for crying out loud!

[niceypoo]

17. No shit

They don't need her. They need to drop this useless, idiotic, bi-partisanship fantasy.

WTF

[vi5]

6. Well, the good thing about this approach...

..is that if they make the bill and the PO weaker but get Snowe's support then the right wing media will consider the bill a success, give Obama and the Dem's credit for being bipartisan and centrist and will sing their praises for reforming Health Care in this country. The insurance companies will be so grateful and happy not to have to compete with a public option that they will start donating all their money to Obama and the Democrats. And they'll be so grateful not to compete with a PO that they will reform their practices willingly and compassionately.

Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity will stop criticizing Obama. And then all those yelling and screaming against dems and Obama in the tea parties and town halls will fall in line and stop complaining about things and be so happy that they'll start voting Dem and it will all be awesome.

It's going to be so fucking awesome that it hurts me just to think about the power of the awesomeness.

Bipartisanship!! Fuck yeah!!!!!!

[Frank Booth]

12. By George, I think you've got it!

12th degree backwards reverse chess is what it is!

Yippee!!:party: :bounce: :party: :bounce: :party: :bounce: :party:

[inna]

8. Darn. :(

more here: http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/10/23/obama-wants-a-trigger-so-keep-calling-reid/#comment-55666

Jane Hamsher of FDL: "It isn’t based on “the politico story.” It’s based on the administration’s history of months and months trying to make the trigger happen. If you ignore that and cling to the belief that he wants a public option that’s fine, but it’s in defiance of all reason and ignores everything that has happened up to now."

[2Design]

9. Ok we have one thread saying they are pushing for the public options ???

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4116766

[MidwestTransplant]

11. For them, the trigger is a public option perhaps.

[tomm2thumbs]

10. I'll bet the 'source' has a hand in an Insurance Industry pocket and isn't in the WH

as if they wouldn't play such games given that they play with people's life and death every day like a game.

[Frank Booth]

13. Does Harry Reid have the spine to save us from Barack Obama?

And how pathetic is it that I'm asking this question?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. Tell O. Snowe that the single payer system is much superior

from one has lived in 2 single payer systems.

[Capt13]

15. AFP AD

Whats this doing at the top of this thread ??

[jmondine]

16. I smell Rahm

[fascisthunter]

18. White House Denies Report That It Wants To Weaken Public Plan

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/10/white_house_denies_report_that_it_wants_to_weaken_public_plan.php