Where are the Senators who supported the public option?

[ProSense]

The current whip count and news reports show the following support passing a public option through reconciliation:

Bennet
Boxer
Brown
Burris
Cardin
Feinstein
Franken
Gillibrand
Harkin
Kerry
Klobuchar
Lautenberg
Leahy
Levin
Merkley
Mikulski
Reed
Sanders
Schumer
Shaheen
Udall
Whitehouse


Missing from the list are nine Senators who signed a letter to Reid supporting the public option:

Akaka
Wyden
Stabenow
Casey
Inouye
Kaufman
Specter
Menendez
Herb Kohl


Also haven't heard from these Senators:

Begich
Bingaman
Cantwell
Conrad
Dodd
Dorgan
Durbin
Feingold
Hagan
Murray
Reid
Rockefeller
Tester
Udall, Mark
Warner
Wyden


Not sure if McCaskill, Pryor and Webb would support it.

[SharonRB]

1. You have four more on the list than the whip site does

Do you know something they don't?

[ProSense]

3. Various reports: Cardin, Harkin, Klobuchar, Levin

Harkin and Klobuchar

Cardin

Levin

[SharonRB]

7. Cool!

Klobuchar is on with Ed right now (we get it delayed) and she says she'll vote for the public option through reconciliation. She won't say anything about signing the letter or not, just that she'll vote for it.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

25. I'm so proud of my two senators, Cardin and Mikulski. I was really worried about her in particular.

When I called her office, the staff member told me that she had already signed on. I called Cardin's office to thank him today. He's been a LIBERAL STALWART!!! :toast:

[elleng]

36. Pretty good state we're in, eh?

:hi:

[grantcart]

2. Rachel said that Feingold may not vote in favor of it because he is a

procedural purist.

If true it will be the gold standard example of how fucked up you can get by trying to be too pure.

Can you imagine being against a public option that will save lives and hundreds of billions of dollars because it upsets your sensibilities about the 'purity of the Senate'. 'The purity of Senate' procedures just typing it makes want to wretch.

[ProSense]

4. What's the matter with him? Feingold:

statement from December:

“The Senate health care bill is far from perfect. I am deeply disappointed it does not include a public option to help keep down costs and I also don’t like the deal making that secured votes with unjustifiable provisions. I will work to improve the bill, including restoring the public option, when the final version is drafted.

“But, while this bill could and should have been much stronger, it includes very important provisions for Wisconsin that I worked to include. The bill will bring more Medicare dollars to Wisconsin by improving the unfair reimbursement formula that has siphoned money away from the state for years, and by rewarding the high-quality, low-cost care practiced at places like Gundersen Lutheran and the Marshfield Clinic. Wisconsin taxpayers also win because we will see a boost in Medicaid funding, so our state isn’t harshly penalized for its leadership in expanding coverage. The bill also ends discrimination by insurance companies against people with preexisting conditions, expands coverage to 30 million more Americans and reduces the deficit by an estimated $132 billion. Despite the bill's flaws, it does meet the test of real reform, and the cost of inaction was much too high.”

Guess he wasn't all that disappointed.

Good grief.

[flyarm]

8. did you miss this on the greatest page?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7744613

[ProSense]

9. "After a meeting today with Senator Feingold, Open Left reader PR writes in:"

Well, someone should tell Rachel Maddow.

[flyarm]

12. I guess someone should tell Rachel..on the whip list #64 it says Russ signed it!

After a meeting today with Senator Feingold, Open Left reader PR writes in:

Feingold is in for P.O. through rec

That makes 34 supporters of using reconciliation to finish health reform, and 20 in favor of the public option. See the whip count here.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AsAvRfTpZcIkdHN...

see #64............

maybe we should all send Rachel the list..so she can get it right, eh?

[ProSense]

13. Your link leads to nothing, and he still hasn't signed

here

[flyarm]

14. maybe then you should correct the people on the thread on the greatest page then?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7744613

[ProSense]

16. Oh, according to the link in your previous comment

Max Baucus, Tom Carper and Ben Nelson support reconciliation. Funny, Carper and Nelson have said they support reconcilation, but not if includes a public option. Even Bayh is open to reconciliation.


Reconciliation means different things to different Senators. So unless they specifically support a reconciliation bill with a public option, they're part of the problem.

[flyarm]

18. you are changing the subject from Russ ...the link i posted was from the greatest page

it links to Open Left..and this is what it says.......

Feingold in for public option through reconciliation; Reid says reconciliation on the table
by: Chris Bowers
Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 17:57

After a meeting today with Senator Feingold, Open Left reader PR writes in:

Feingold is in for P.O. through rec
That makes 34 supporters of using reconciliation to finish health reform, and 20 in favor of the public option. See the whip count here.

Further, I have received confirmation from Senator Reid's office that "all options are still on the table," including reconciliation. The aide with whom I spoke also reiterated to me that Senator Reid supports the public option. While that is a "yes" and a "maybe," given the way we are counting votes, they are still positive.


The momentum continues. Contact a Senator today.

Chris Bowers :: Feingold in for public option through reconciliation; Reid says reconciliation on the table

[ProSense]

19. Why do you keep mentioning that the link was "from the greatest page"?

It still mentions Carper and Nelson as supporters of reconciliation, and it is a fact Carper just a couple of days ago mentioned that he was not likely to support a public option.

The point is that the list is suspect. Rachel says Feingold is unlikely to support it. Open left is quoting a reader. Now that could be true, but given Feingold's longstanding opposition to reconciliation, he would need to state his support publicly.

[PassingFair]

40. That tears it.

Murray and Wyden are the only real question marks left.

[Cha]

5. grandstanding purist.

[vaberella]

28. Fabulous fucker. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

35. He voted for CJ Roberts for that very reason. Feingold is principled. Perhaps too principled.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. I've been calling senators all day long. Please add Kay Hagen to the list of "yes"

Her staff said that she plans to sign on when she returns to her office.

I called Casey, Specter, Inouye, Landrieu, and the two Nelsons as well.

I also called Reid's office.

[Jennicut]

11. Good there hear about Hagan. I really wondered about her.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

24. Her staff was incredibly sweet. And when I told one of them that the PO is popular all across the

state, he seemed really excited.

Need to call the two HI Senators, Akaka and Inouye.

Feingold, Dorgan, Dodd, Wyden haven't signed on yet.

Tester, Murray unresponsive as well.

Even Pryor and Bayh are considering signing on.

[vaberella]

33. I'm not too worried about Dorgan...maybe Dodd...n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

34. What's up with Dodd, though? He's retiring. Why not do the right thing on his way out? n/t

[vaberella]

37. We can always say that...they'll never do it.

I hope Bayh does the right thing as he retires. I hope they all do. I doubt they will. They didn't do much of it while in power, they most likely won't come through in the end.

[tabbycat31]

10. I called Menendez twice today

hoepfully a few more NJ DUers will follow suit--- call the following numbers

202-224-4744 and 973-645-3030

[vaberella]

32. Menendez is an obstructionist in my eyes. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. Surprising to me. He is reliably progressive. n/t

[tabbycat31]

41. he's a reliable progressive vote

however he's also running scared because he has a known enemy in the governor's mansion now.

[tabbycat31]

42. he signed the lettter--- #20

[Fire1]

15. Levin finally got his ass on there!!! Our phone calls did it!!! YAY!!

Now, I have to call and e-mail Stabenow, AGAIN!!!

[ShortnFiery]

17. I wouldn't hold my breath on either Webb or Warner signing on to "a robust public option."

But hope springs eternal? :shrug:

[vaberella]

31. First time you've made me feel the LULZ that didn't stem from sarcasm.

:rofl:

[S_E_Fudd]

20. Add Specter

From his Facebook status

"I'm proud to sign Senator Bennet's letter. I support a public option to lower health costs and keep insurance companies honest." -Senator Specter

[ProSense]

21. Thanks. He was also added to the whip page. n/t

[Hutzpa]

22. McCaskill, Pryor and Webb

Whats their problem?

[vaberella]

30. I'm in and out with Webb...n/t

[marlakay]

23. I am calling Cantwell and Murray this week

they said after a lot of threats last summer they would vote for public option now they are backing off. We have a lot of conservatives in this state and they must be shouting loud for them to back off.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

39. they have to be bold

[harun]

26. Senator's not signing up are going to feel a lot of heat. This is exactly what

we needed to happen. Full visibility of the Dem's killing a PO. When the group of Senator's opposing it is clear I think they will fold.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

27. K&R.

[vaberella]

29. Maybe we can put Reid, Rockefeller and Dorgan on the maybe list.