Senate Dems To Obama: Please Tell Us What To Do On Public Option

[kpete]

Source: The Plum Line

Senate Dems To Obama: Please Tell Us What To Do On Public Option

That’s the message senior Senate Democrats are sending to the White House in this Roll Call piece (sub only), which details the ways Obama and White House officials will be heavily involved in the negotiations over the final health care bill that emerges from the Senate:

*****Senior White House officials are scheduled to be in the room throughout negotiations to merge competing Senate health care bills from the Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees, with the expectation that they will make key decisions to mediate disagreements. In advance of the floor action to follow, Obama and top administration officials have been lobbying Senate Democrats to secure support for a final package.

“The White House presence in the merger will be huge, and it has to be,” a senior Democratic Senate aide said Monday. “President Obama will have to weigh in on the most difficult issues.”…

Democratic sources say Obama is going to have to make the final call on the controversial issues, including whether to push for the public insurance option.

With the public option still polling well, no Dems want to be blamed for its demise, and Senate Dems — mindful that they’ll take it on the chin if it’s not included — are handing some responsibility to the White House to signal the way forward.

Read more: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/senate-dems-to-obama-please-tell-us-what-to-do-on-public-option/

[NOW tense]

1. Pathetic. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yes. Pathetic. It should not have come to this. nt

[MercutioATC]

4. Agreed, but Obama's failure to state a clear stance is also pathetic.

[msongs]

3. lol we have a government with no leadership....except for perpetuating wars nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. Yeah, no kidding

x( Hope and Change :spray:

[rudy23]

5. If it's up to Obama, we're screwed. He seems to favor "the exchange" and mandates.

I really, really, really hope he proves me wrong, and I have to eat crow on here.

So far, none of my pessimistic worries have been proven wrong on this. None. We were sold out long ago, and now they're figuring out how to break the news, and who is going to do it.

[LynneSin]

6. Yes that's why he keeps saying the Public Option is on the table

:eyes:

[rudy23]

7. No, he keeps saying *A* public option is on the table. The devil is in the details.

Also, "some version of the public option." We'll hear that a lot this week.

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. Well, in 1936 'some version of Social Security' was passed,

which covered a fraction of the people it covers today.

If we can get *a* public option into law, it will be the break in the dam.

Not so long ago everybody was saying the public option was DEAD. Now, it looks like there WILL be something that establishes the principle of a public option. It may be slim. It may be totally inadequate. But if it is there, it can be fixed.

[rudy23]

13. Medicare part D triggers?.

Sorry, I'm not buying into the "pissing on our head, telling us it's raining" festivities. You can feel free, to. I think that's completely naive, and a big reason why we're in this situation in the first place. You must be the worst negotiator in history if you're happy with this outcome.

[Winterblues]

8. Can't blame them I guess

In this extreme climate of Hate and Threats of violence I would want my ass covered as well. Now it is time for Obama to really step up to the plate as I know he will and get this Bill done. We are going to have a Health Care Bill.. Will everyone be pleased about it completely? I doubt it. Will Americans as a whole be better off for it? I would bet that to be the result..Will Democrats as a whole benefit from it? Without a doubt..Will we go from here to an Energy Policy that will be just as confrontational? You bethcha. :argh:

[Toasterlad]

9. Good Luck With That, Senate Dems.

[WonderGrunion]

10. Senate Democrats have Battered Partner Syndrome

They're so used to be getting beat down by the right, that they seek out any strong hand to tell them how to act.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. What are they? Children?

THEY are the Senate!

1) Vote your principles.

2) If you have no principles, trust your instincts.

2) If you can't trust your instincts, trust the polls.

Why do they need someone to tell them what to do?

[rudy23]

14. Looks like they're arguing over who'll get the blame for shoving the shitty PO down our throats.

The pres. wants to blame the Senate, and vice versa.