White House appears ready to drop 'public option'

[OneBlueSky]

if this proves to be the case, then any healthcare "reform" will be utterly meaningless, accomplishing nothing more than ensuring continued outrageous profits for the insurance and pharmaceutical industries . . . the upcoming smoke and mirrors campaign to cover up the failure of healthcare reform will be a thing to behold . . . and we'll be right back to square one within a year or two, wondering what to do about our "runaway healthcare costs" as the corporations' need to grow their profits lead to ever increasing premiums (increasing income) accompanied by ever increasing denials of care (reducing expenses) . . .

http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?articleId=597420&categoryId=22

WASHINGTON, Sun Aug 16, 12:27 PM

President Barack Obama's administration signaled on Sunday it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run health insurance as part of his ambitious health care proposal.

Facing mounting opposition to the overhaul, administration officials left open the chance for a compromise with Republicans that would include health insurance cooperatives. Such a concession is likely to enrage his liberal supporters but could deliver Obama a much-needed win on a top domestic priority opposed by GOP lawmakers.

Officials from both political parties reached across the aisle in an effort to find compromises on proposals they left behind when they returned to their districts for an August recess.

Obama has been pressing for the government to run a health insurance organization to help cover the nation's almost 50 million uninsured, but Republicans remain steadfast in arguing against it.

- more . . .

http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?articleId=597420&categoryId=22

[WeDidIt]

1. With no public option, it will be worse than the status quo

Seriously, the only way things could get worse would be to mandate coverage and hand the insurance companies a guaranteed monopoly.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

2. If this is the case, I wash my hands of the all the Dems that vote for a bill and

sign it into law.

[nightrain]

3. knr. Yes, DHHS Secy Sibelius is signaling that Obama is ready to toss

any public option and go for local (ineffective) health co-ops.

If this administration has anything to stand for, now is the time. Or has it already passed??!!?

[JaneQPublic]

16. Remember when Larry Summers was on Sunday morning a few weeks ago?

He suggested the White House might have to abandon the promise not to raise taxes on the middle class. The media went wild, making it their lead story.

And what did the Obama administration do? Come out and say it wasn't the case.

I mention this just to make the point that White House officials appearing on Sunday talk shows don't always do a great job speaking for the president.

Maybe, just maybe, Sebelius and any other White House spokesperson who suggested Obama was abandoning the Public Option were just plain wrong.

So maybe we should just wait and see what Obama himself has to say about all these rumors before we fly off the handle.

[nightrain]

17. possible. I don't see people flying off the handle. But watching the signaling from the sidelines

to the QB back and forth... (can't believe I use a football analogy! LOL)

The Administration might be sending out trial balloons or they really are disorganized, or ??

[Tim01]

4. Giving ground has been the consistent trend from the start on this.

When is is over, it isn't over yet, it will probably be worse than if nothing had been done.

[Texasgal]

5. with no public option

there is no reform. It's a wasted effort.

[Walk away]

6. I can understand a president giving up a chance at a second term..

in order to give the American people what he promised them and what they so desperately need.

But it seems as if Obama is going to give up his second term in order to make the republican party look like the winners and betray the people that voted for him.

It's really weird.

[gateley]

7. I honestly don't think they can do that -- they KNOW the support

the PEOPLE have for a public option. So many of their constituents would yank their support. It seems surreal that against millions of voters, a handful of elected officials have more power.

I've said it several times -- why can't Obama or Biden storm into the House and Senate and read them the riot act like LBJ did?

This is a serious issue -- one that many people won't just roll their eyes and think "politics!".

Although it's nowhere near what I was hoping for (not that there's even a bill yet!) and the concessions thus far are disappointing, I just don't see them eliminating a public/government option. We won't fall for it.

[tekisui]

10. I agree.

Hey, stranger! I haven't seen you around in a while. I was wondering about you. Good to see you!:hi:

[gateley]

11. Hey yourself!

SO good to see you! Was out for a bit but now I'm back, as my rising blood pressure will attest!

Hope all is well! :pals:

[Tim01]

14. Oh, yeah? Who else are you going to vote for?

The republicans? That'll show the corporations.

[gateley]

15. I don't know yet, but thanks for asking. nt

[AdHocSolver]

20. Delete dupe. n/t

[AdHocSolver]

21. This is why the Democratic politicians are so ready to abandon their constituents.

The Democratic politicians can take the lobbyists' money and still screw the people and not pay a price for it. That practice is what the Republican Party is for.

America's choice seems to be between a political party that attacks you from the front or a political party that stabs you in the back.

At least, if we don't support a turncoat Democrat, he or she won't be able to collect lobbyist money and perks. If we threaten to end the stream of lucre, by not supporting them during elections, then maybe some Democratic politicians will pay attention to the wishes of the voters.

[jimshoes]

8. Ya know something,

this government takes my money to use on a million things that it sees fit to use it on from wars that provide nothing to some things that actually make sense like Social Security. If this government can't step on a few toes and provide the poor and not so well off of this country with a health plan they can use then maybe its time to quit paying taxes as well. I don't give two shits that the insurance industry can work into a froth a handfull of ignorant lemmings to go yell at town hall meetings, they don't amount to shit. I can't believe the Democratic controlled House and Senate along with the fricking White House is going to cave to a minority of peckerheads with a couple of misspelled signs and deny the very people that elected them to do this exact thing. Wake the hell up dammit.

[Bluerthanblue]

9. Don't let the media spin this into life- Sunday talk shows are not

worth all that much- Unless we let them be turned into Memes that influence people who should know better.

:nuke:

[magellan]

12. If he thinks he can be re-elected without his "liberal" supporters

...I wish him luck. Most everyone who voted for him on the strength of his plan for healthcare reform, including a public option, is left of the current GOP -- i.e. "liberals".

[Tim01]

18. I think he probably can.

He'll have almost 100% of the black vote. Black people usually have a very low turnout to vote. But lots of them showed up to vote for Obama, and they will probably do it again. And all of the people who just think it is the right thing to do, voting for a black president.
He is very popular, most of the mainstream dems like him, they will vote for him again. Conservative leaning dems will vote for him more now than before. He will have the support of corporations. And hell, conservatives think he isn't so bad after all.
He authorized lethal force against the pirates who took that captain hostage. Military folks love it when they are allowed to take the golves off to do their job, and win without reservation. It made them like him in spite of themselves. He expanded the war in Afghanistan, and is still expanding. He will have votes with military and military industry.
Real racists still hate him because he is black, they will vote the same. Real conservatives still hate him because he is a liberal, they will vote the same.

I don't think it will hurt him that much if he looses the support of serious liberals.

[magellan]

22. I'm not talking about serious liberals

I'm talking about pejorative "liberals" as referred to in the article. Meaning everyone who voted for him because he backed a public option, regardless of their politics.

It isn't just serious liberals who like and want the public option.

[Tim01]

23. Well, we may get a chance to test this one. nt

[Thickasabrick]

13. This is so sad. Words just fail me right now. nt

[Clear Blue Sky]

19. Why can't they make Medicare the public option?

Allow anyone to be part of Medicare. Pay premium, tie it to income level. Seems reasonable unless I'm missing something.