TPM: Over White House Skepticism, Reid Likely to Go the 'Opt Out' Route

[flpoljunkie]

Over White House Skepticism, Reid Likely To Go The Opt Out Route
Brian Beutler | October 26, 2009

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will send a health care legislation to CBO today, and details of his proposal will be unveiled shortly thereafter, TPMDC has learned. A highly placed source suggests that Reid's preference remains to include a public option with an opt out clause, despite the fact that the White House is skeptical that this is the most politically viable strategy.

As TPMDC has reported, the move would make it much less likely that Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) will ultimately support the bill, and the White House conveyed skepticism to Reid last week that he was making the right call.

However, a senior White House official tells TNR's Jonathan Cohn that the White House will ultimately back whatever Reid decides to do. Sounds like we'll know for sure pretty soon.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/over-white-house-skepticism-reid-to-go-the-opt-out-route.php?ref=fpa

[Beetwasher]

1. WIN!

n/t

[Aramchek]

4. the WIN is overflowing!

[Oregone]

5. Heh, you don't know whats in the bill yet

Its as premature as "LOSE!"

[Beetwasher]

6. Prediction WIN!

Better?

[Oregone]

8. Yes, better

:)

[Beetwasher]

9. Glad To Be Of Service!

;)

[napi21]

2. I like the opt out a lot better than the opt in or the trigger!

I'll be interested in hearing who dcides to opt out on the State level. If it's the Governor or a vote in the legislature and enough people in that State disagree, that could really mean big trouble for those elected nutballs. I think it would be better to have it on the local ballot and let the people decide. If the majority decide they don't want it, that's fine by me.

[Oregone]

7. "better to have it on the local ballot and let the people decide"

LOL. Careful what you wish for.

[napi21]

16. If it's going to have to be a decision made by SOMEONE,

I'd rather have the people make it than the politicians. I sure have never been approached by any company with a bribe to vote one way or another!

[Oregone]

17. You don't need to bribe a pack of idiots

Ask the Mormon church about that

[Pirate Smile]

12. Me too. It is better then the Opt In or Trigger.

[tblue]

3. If we have to compromise, and I guess we do, it may as well be this way.

Horribly unfair to people who live in states that opt out. But it will be a joy watching those Republican governors try to explain opting out to their voters. I dint think many of them will in the end.

[rucky]

10. I like opt-out better than trigger, but I'd like to know Obama's thinking

on his preference of trigger over opt-out.

[Pirate Smile]

11. He isn't sure we have the votes. Snowe is cover for 3 or 4 ConservaDems to vote for the Bill.

It is about getting to 60.

I don't think it is so much about getting her as it is about getting the final 3 or 4 Dems to vote for it.

[DrToast]

14. I don't see how one vote, especially Olympia Snowe's, can be viewed as political cover. (nt)

[Pirate Smile]

18. I guess it is an excuse for the last 3 Dems to vote for what they are otherwise too afraid to do on

their own.

[Baltoman991]

15. How do we

even know that he favors the trigger over the opt-out? So far I've seen no names put to the supposed words of the President but I have seen a bunch of unamed sources being spread around as factual.

Once again, the media is leading folks around by the nose and we're allowing it.

As someone pointed out last night, and I had forgotten it myself, just remember Obamas words.........If you don't hear it from my mouth then don't believe it.

So, I'm not going to believe that he's for the trigger option unless he says so himself.

[damntexdem]

13. Well, it will maybe get something out of the Senate.

Then we can see what the conference committee can do -- and whether that can make it through both houses.