"Sixteen Senators Now Calling For Vote On Public Option"

[Clio the Leo]

Sixteen Senators Now Calling For Vote On Public Option

Sixteen and counting.

Senators Barbara Boxer, Jack Reed and Tom Udall have all now signed the letter pushing for a reconcilation vote on the public option, the group organizing the push confirms, bringing the total of Senators now pushing for the vote to roughly a fourth of the Dem caucus.

That means the number of signatories to the letter, which calls on Harry Reid to allow a vote on the public option under reconcilation rules, has more than tripled in two days.

“Going from 0 to 4 to 14 senators on the record in 2 days?” Adam Green, a spokesman for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, emails. “This is what momentum looks like.”

It’s unclear, however, where all this momentum is headed. The Dem leadership has signaled no appetite for taking such a vote.

And yet: Reid’s spokesman is on record saying that the Majority Leader supports the public option in general but doesn’t think this measure has the votes to pass. Which means that the higher the number of supporters for such a vote climbs, the more the pressure increases on the leadership to at least consider such a vote. In theory, at least.

What’s interesting here is that the range of Senators now signing the letter goes well beyond those who are conventional liberals or facing tough primary challenges. The ones to watch now: Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin, neither of whom have taken a position on this.

(more)
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/fourteen-senators-now-calling-for-vote-on-public-option/

[Beetwasher]

1. Cool!

:thumbsup:

[global1]

2. If You Haven't Already - Call Your Senators And Urge Them To Sign On......nt

[hedgehog]

3. +1

:bounce:

[Armstead]

7. One signed on already -- the other is Scott Brown....1 for 2.

[karynnj]

12. Brown is likely hopeless, but if he were honest - it does reduce costs and

he voted for MA's healthcare and it would be so cool seeing the Republican heads explode, but I think he is enjoying his recent celebrity. If it could happen, it might really transform the situation.

He really seemed all over the map in this article - http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/02/18/stance_on_jobs_bill_could_be_crucial_test_for_brown

[hlthe2b]

15. Call him anyway.... Tell him you are raising funds...

to put up a billboard of his Cosmo centerfold (and that you might just have to airbrush in some major love handles and paunch)... :evilgrin:

[Arkana]

17. Brown's nuts are in the GOP vice--even if he wanted to he wouldn't.

I don't trust Snotty Scotty anyway--he strikes me as a guy who would pull a Lieberman at the last minute.

[karynnj]

18. The question is if he would be the Republican's Lieberman?

To me, he sounds confused most of the time.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I am watching this story with great interest...

Both my Senators are now on board!

Momentum can change the political landscape...

We shall see.

[Armstead]

5. If they succeed it will do much to redeem the Democratic Party on health care

And it would show some backbone that could trim the sails of the GOP ultimately.

[Clio the Leo]

13. And if they dont, they're gonna have some highly p*ssed off supporters...

.... even *I* would not be pleased after this latest push if we didn't end up with one.

It leads me to believe that there's hope .... to make such a PUBLIC show of support for the PO and then NOT be able to deliver is HIGHLY irresponsible.

Man, wish there was a press briefing with Gibbs today.

[gateley]

6. This is exciting. We were wondering where Boxer was! I'm thinking maybe

Begich will sign on, too. My Senators have heard from me by phone and e-mail yesterday and today, and I'll keep it up until I see their names on the Good Guys List.

Thanks for posting this, Clio!

[hlthe2b]

8. Coloradoans: call Mark Udall (his cousin has already signed)

i.e., Tom Udall

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. where were these Senators

when a difference could be made?

[karynnj]

19. Most, if not all, of them were speaking for a public option

Some on the HELP committee and some on the Finance committee - others in press releases. They were there. The problem was there were not 60 and Reid, Baucus et al wanted 60. It might have been that they NEEDED a bill with 60 to get to this point where it could be amended in reconciliation. (With this many Senators signing, they likely feel that reconciliation can be used for this - something that had been in question.)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

21. you are right

I wrote in anger before reading

[vaberella]

28. At this pont I don't care. They're doing something now and I say push some more. n/t

[hedgehog]

10. Link to Chuck Schumer's office:

http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm

Direct email + phone numbers at bottom of page.

[Jennicut]

11. Hmmm, this is getting interesting. Where the heck is Dodd? Can he do something

right before he retires?

[CTyankee]

20. Jen, I called him already. Out of the country. Undecided on signing.

I called the Hartford office and a live staffer answered the phone. You should call. He needs to hear from his constituents...

[Jennicut]

24. I will call. Lieberman is a lost cause and I already sent an email to him months ago.

[tabbycat31]

14. just left a message wtih Lautenberg and Menendez

I hope at least one of them signs on.

[Arkana]

22. You're in luck--Lautenberg's in.

[tabbycat31]

25. now if only i could get through to Menendez

every time I call the line is busy. I got his voicemail once and left a message

[Arkana]

16. Yay--Kerry is signed onto this.

Geez, Harry, just call a vote. Even if it DOESN'T pass, we won't have to walk around going "Hey, maybe we should have just put it to a vote."

[tallahasseedem]

23. Let's hope this momentum...

can carry over into next week. This would be a dream come true!

[GinaMaria]

26. I sent Durbin a message

Rolland Burris is on board. This is exciting but the rug's been pulled out so many times before. I find myself wondering what they mean by public option and who it will include. Every time they roll out the PO in the media it's to distract us from something that will result in being farther and farther away from some sort of public option (c)

Just won't believe it till I see it, but that's not a reason to stop pushing for this.

[ProSense]

27. Clyburn things it will happen

here

[politicasista]

29. Kick

Thanks Senators. Hope this can/will happen. :kick:

[proud patriot]

30. woo hoo !

[tabbycat31]

31. 17 now

Chuck Schumer is now on board. Keep those calls coming

[ProSense]

32. Schumer on board

Via Josh Marshall

I'm starting to wonder what's up with this letter to Sen. Reid (D-NV) circulating among Democratic senators to demand that a public option be added to a reconciliation bill to be pushed through the senate. I'd seen it as more nostalgia than serious organizing. But Sen. Schumer just sent out a fundraising letter telling supporters he's on board now too.

[Clio the Leo]

33. Add Barbara Boxer to the list....

.... and her staff deemed it important enough to Tweet the news....

http://blog.barbaraboxer.com/?p=752

[Sky Masterson]

34. Sweet bearded baby Jesus

:woohoo:

[Clio the Leo]

35. Mr. "nothin' to lose!" Bayh says ..... "mebbe"

http://mydd.com/2010/2/18/bayh-reform-the-ces

[nilram]

36. jeeze, I can't recommend this twice? come on people...