Schumer, Dean, Harkin don't seem to be sweating much about the Public Option

[grantcart]

The reason why?

Most likely scenario is that the bill coming out of conference committee will have a public option, probably not the preferred Rockfeller ammendment but the Schumer ammendment.

The Senate Caucus will hold on the procedureal vote for cloture and the final bill will pass the Senate with 54-55 votes.


Why will Senators who are against the Public Option not join a Republican filibuster?


Its one thing to disagree in committee.

Its another thing to disagree with the majority of the Senate.

Its yet another thing to disagree with the House of Representatives.

And its a completely different thing to disagree with your colleagues, the Senate, the House of Representatives, Your President on the most important legislation that the Party has worked on in 20 years, cross the aisle and vote with the Republicans to sustain a filibuster so that the legislation doesn't get a vote.


Dean, Schumer and Harkin are all predicting victory on a final vote.



What is going on now is positioning for the final negotiation. There will be some face saving gestures - probably on reducing spending in other areas that they can go back to their more conservative states and say that they won the deficit battle, save face and claim victory, and if they want they can vote against the bill after cloture.

Its been rather obvious for a while and Schumer, Harkin and Dean all act like they have already read the final script.

[cliffordu]

1. I'm watching Dean in particular -

I'll give up when he does....And you're right, he seems to be pretty confident.

[grantcart]

2. well if you buy this theory that means we are in deep deep shit!

lol btw somebody stole your rec!!

[cliffordu]

5. Bastids.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. As much as you are correct in some ways

and we have yet many other elements that still need to happen... I will not breath EASIER until it is signed WITH a public option. If not, I let my reps know already. I am done with the game.

If we do, I will ONLY vote for progressive candidates. It is a DLC type. I vote third party. PERIOD.

I am a part of a movement, not a party. Hartmann and others have it right in that sense.

[bleever]

9. Dean caught my attention on Rachel tonight

when he said that the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" was bigger than the Democratic Party, referring to the fact that a sizable majority of Americans support a public option, even though their "Democratic" representatives felt that it was their duty to only vote for something that would get 60 Senate votes.

Baucus's leadership is only as big as the 40 GOP senators that he can't convince. Pathetic.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Exactly, that also got my attention

this is the majority that the two parties hate.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Bascially it's 2 games: 1) Get the Dem assholes to be with us for cloture...

2) Get the reasonable people to actually be with us on the final vote.

[babylonsister]

6. It WILL happen! There are a lot of House progressives, many Senate

Dems who are pro-PO, and they all know what's at stake. I can't explain today's turncoats. And they all sure did stand out.

[DeadEyeDyck]

13. I think a bill will pass w/o a PO...

but it will have the trigger thing. The trigger will fire quiely and there you are.

[regnaD kciN]

19. If there's a trigger...

...you can count on the insurance companies making sure it doesn't get invoked. Even if it means playing nice during the two years or so that consitute the "review period." Once that period is over, they've met their goals, and the trigger is dead, watch your rates soar!

[bleever]

7. Call me crazy,

but I still am of the very same opinion.

[DeadEyeDyck]

10. love the flag

did you make that? Can I steal it?

[bleever]

25. Yes, and yes.

Also available on shirts, etc., at www.cafepress.com/satire_veritas.

[bluestateguy]

8. Harkin has been in the Senate for 25 years

He knows how this shit works. If and when I see his confidence wavering then I will get worried.

[xchrom]

12. if schumer is the canary here -- nt

[ShortnFiery]

15. Schumer talks out of both sides of his mouth.

I caught his pathetic performance on both Tweety's and Rachel's show last night.

[xchrom]

17. lol -- i have this picture now of him trying to do just that.

yeah he's awful.

[dmr]

20. Yea, his grin always kills me

I've always had a hard time trusting him and that grin (was my senator when I lived in NY), but I think he's serious about PO.

Dr. Dean and Sen. Harkin - I've never doubted them, and feel confident with both.

Senator Rockerfeller has truly impressed me.

[wroberts189]

14. Excellent analysis ..you should be on tv. knr/nt

[grantcart]

18. well since you liked that here is the rest of the theory

BTW there is a corollary to the theory -


The Republicans want it passed.


It takes health care reform off the table (an issue that will hurt them in the election) and turns the main issue to deficit and runaway spending.

They can sit back and complain about all the messy things that this bill will do, including mandates, and simply say "see what happens when the government takes over something!".

Their campaign for congress will simply be to "slow the Democrats down before they try and take over everything".

Ironically passing health care will help them because the problems will be obvious by November but the benefits will not yet be in hand. Passing the health care bill actually helps them.

Their campaign, "vote for us to slow Democrat spending" is so easy it can write itself letting the bill pass actually helps them.

[bridgit]

16. And why should they? Baucus is discovered as the preeminent corporate HMO legislator...

with respect to HCR no fucking doubt. I hope his constituents are pleased with feeble, meandering performance like some old pre-dote; and that is what it is, that is what he is. Even still to *allow* republicans to sit on his; fucking; committee and put forward without stuttering that their primary concern is that this, the people's concern regarding HRC; is too dangerous because it might become popular is imo an utter abdication of civil governance

Watch whomever you'd care to, my eye is on the small 'd' democratic Judas: Max Baucus = big sky country my lily white Scandinavian ass; as it turns out the sky in Montana is in reality very, very, very-very small & divisive and proud of it!

[Douglas Carpenter]

21. kick and recommend!!

[GivePeaceAchance]

22. i TRUST IN dEAN HE CAN'T HELP TELL THE TRUTH.

[grantcart]

23. Well we will just have to overlook that charachter flaw in him!!

[Demeter]

24. The "Script" Will Produce a "Blockbusting Flop"

Enough Kabuki, we want some Harrison Ford!

[Raineyb]

26. They already have health insurance and plenty of money. Why would they sweat it?

Just sayin'

[scheming daemons]

27. Quit using logic and reason! The complainophiles want something to moan about...

...