Gibbs: The Public Plan Doesn't Have The Votes

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post

Gibbs: The Public Plan Doesn't Have The Votes

The White House made it official on Tuesday: the president doesn't think the votes are there to get a public option passed through reconciliation and consequently won't make a push to include or pass the provision.

Speaking at the daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked again why the administration did not include the government-run insurance option in its final health care proposal in light of the fact that 23 Democratic senators signed a letter calling for its passage.

"We have seen obviously that though there are some that are supportive of this, there isn't enough political support in a majority to get this through," Gibbs responded. "The president... took the Senate bill as the base and looks forward to discussing consensus ideas on Thursday."

The remarks were the clearest indication to date that the White House's vote counters don't see a viable path to getting the public option into law, even if Senate Democrats use reconciliation -- which would have allowed for an up or down vote. The outstanding question for advocates of the proposal remains: How many lawmakers could have been persuaded to vote for the public plan had the White House actually pushed for its passage?

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/gibbs-the-public-plan-doe_n_473443.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Darn the luck.

Shucks!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Repeat. Rewind.

:eyes:

[Wardoc]

3. Then there is no point (other than to mandate insurance). We do NOT want the Senate Bill. (nt)

[Dawgs]

4. What do you mean "WE"? I want it.

:shrug:

[Alexander]

5. What good will it do?

[RoccoR5955]

7. If you want the Senate bill...

you either live in Nebraska, or work for an insurance company.

[warm regards]

12. Actually, I believe the Nebraska deal has been taken off the table.

[Wardoc]

24. The Senate bill is worse than nothing, it is a net negative. Mandates = corporate welfare. It is..

...like celebrating that our team were the ones who made the basket, but not caring that it was in the opponents basket and lost us points.

[Cali_Democrat]

30. All the rethugs are against it

Maybe it's not such a bad bill after all. :shrug:

[bc3000]

15. I agree! No mandates without cost controls!!!!!!!!!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

26. Isn't that what Obama's plan does? Has the mandate but makes insurance more affordable

though caps on what insurance companies can charge.

[damonm]

28. RTFB

[Autumn]

6. Next election,

will "they" have the votes? This is going to backfire on them.

[Q3JR4]

8. Oh yeah, bigtime.

You don't think this is contributing to the anti-incumbent rage that seems to be sweeping the country do you?

Q3JR4.

[on point]

9. No Public Option, No mandate

I do want the restrictions on the insurance companies, including not being able to discriminate against prior conditions. But let's face it, if companies must cover everyone, then everyone needs to be included (the mandate). The problem here is I do not want to be mandated to buy insurance from a rip off corp insurance company, hence the need for the public option.

I agree this cannot be passed piecemeal because of how the pieces influence each other, but then it must be passed as a comprehensive solution, and that MUST include the public option. WIthout it, there is no support among the public for health care reform plan, never mind what the Senate thinks.

[SlingBlade]

10. Liar, Liar, Pant's on Fire !

[tomm2thumbs]

11. the article says it all....

'It's worth recalling, after all, that Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) says he was never approached by the President to discuss the public option. And while administration officials insisted, at the time, that the Senator knew where they stood -- implying that there was nothing they could do to move his vote -- Obama clearly does carry significant sway in the legislative process.

On Monday, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) said she decided to support a modest jobs bill only after she met with an administration official and received a phone call from Obama himself.'

[fascisthunter]

13. well then, have fun trying to hold onto seats

I knew all this was just bullshit to make it appear as if they tried.

[nc4bo]

17. And it all seems to be confirmed time after time.

It's a game, we're the pawns, we're getting pwnd and I'm bloody sick of it.

[fascisthunter]

19. the Sad Part, I sorta expected it

[bvar22]

14. Divorced from Reality?...or just Don't Care?

* Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of a government administered health insurance plan — something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get — that would compete with private health insurance plans?

Favor 82%

Oppose 14%

Not Sure 4%
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010010320/poll-shouts-message-massachusetts-voters-were-sending

Who could have predicted that letting Lieberman & The Republicans write the Health Care Bill would piss off so many Democrats? :shrug:

"When given the choice between a Republican, and a Democrat who acts like a Republican, the voters will choose the Republican every time." ---Harry Truman

QED Massachusetts

[bc3000]

16. Dear Gibbs: find the votes or don't expect enough votes in 2012

[freddie mertz]

18. He doesn't want it! Everyone got that yet?

He is even trying to talk it down, through his mouthpiece here.

[brand404]

21. 1 termer seems very likely.

[brand404]

20. Public Polls ALL show MASSIVE Support for a PO...Clearly the Prez is a Corporate Stooge.

sad but true

[freddie mertz]

23. They will pay a price for this.

And they deserve to.

This ain't over, not by a long shot.

[Blue_Tires]

22. not even 51 votes??

[amborin]

25. ha ha ha!

[depakid]

27. So how about naming names and going after the votes?

Too hard. And that would require courage and political fortitude. And :gasp: risk and conflict!

Better to pass unpopular insurance industry giveaways and other half hearted ineffective half measures- declare victory and pretend the problems are going to improve or go away.

With this sort of behavior, here's what the Dems are looking at come November:

[Lorien]

29. It would if there were some LEADERSHIP in Washington, and if Obama actually

strongly supported the idea. He hasn't strongly supported much beyond the "free market" since he came into office.

[AlinPA]

31. 23/58 -sounds like he is right. nt