Landrieu (D?-LA) Open to Public Option with Trigger

[jefferson_dem]

Landrieu Open to Public Option with Trigger

Sen. Mary Landrieu is an outspoken opponent of creating a government insurance option as part of comprehensive health-care reform. The Louisiana Democrat worries that a public plan would undermine the private system which insures most Americans.

Landrieu signaled Sunday, however, that she is open to a government plan if it is created as a "fallback" to a newly regulated system of private insurance.

"I can support potentially a fallback, but only if the private sector is allowed and given a great opportunity to get this right," said Landrieu when asked about the public option with a trigger proposal. "I believe they can."

Landrieu belongs to the Moderate Dems Working Group. The group, which consists of 17 Democratic senators, met with President Obama at the White House on Sept. 10.

The group's co-chairman, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., urged the president during Thursday's meeting to bridge the divides in the Democratic Party be embracing a public option as a "fallback."

"If there is no meaningful competition after a couple of years, we would create competition through a public plan," Carper told ABC's Teddy Davis last week. "I think that could end up being the compromise because it bridges the differences between those who are for a robust public option and those who are adamantly opposed to a public option."

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http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/09/landrieu-open-to-public-option-with-trigger.html

[georgian style]

1. Is "public option with a trigger" an accurate term?

If a trigger is in effect, it means there's no public option yet. Isn't "trigger" the accurate term?

[Hansel]

2. Given a great opportunity to get this right?

Meaning the past hundreds years hasn't been sufficient?

Or even the past 20 years knowing that there was a strong push for health care reform when Clinton ran for and took office?

Sounds like plenty of opportunity to me and they have squandered it by going in the complete wrong direction.

[theophilus]

3. Well, she's on the right track. Now just nix the trigger idea and go on with the PO. n/t

[tularetom]

4. What is this "public option with Trigger" anyway?

I think he's stuffed in a museum somewhere

[Fridays Child]

5. Uh, excuse me, little miss shit-for-brains...

...but the ball has been in the private sector's court since fucking forever. Now, the only real question is how many filthy lucre enemas have you let the for-profit health care industry shoot up your worthless ass.

Fuck off, Mary, and not in a couple of years. Fuck the hell off, right now.

[Mass]

6. Plese, she opposes the public option because it would hurt insurance companies.

She said so this morning.

So now, we need to wait so that the insurance companies can clean the plates from the abuses from the last 20 years, and, according to her, it would only take them a couple years?/

[ruggerson]

7. I don't believe a trigger would ever result in a public option

no matter how it's written. Largely because a future Congress could undo it.

[mascarax]

8. How can this woman belong to a "Moderate Dems Working Group"?!

"Moderate"? Mary Landrieu?

I will never forget her inept interviews after Katrina. Just appalling.

Has she given up her government-provided healthcare yet?

[grantcart]

9. Interesting she is starting to retreat on her earlier hard position

The trigger died with Snowe


In the end she will issue a statement that she fought for the trigger but this was the best she could get.

[GrantDem]

10. GrantDem: Open to staying home in '10 & '12

[Arkana]

11. Fine, if the trigger is as follows:

Public option kicks in if insurance executives utter a single expletive when presented with the terms of their new regulations.

[quantass]

12. 60+ years of bilking People..why does the Industry need more time?

This trigger is a gimmick so the insurance companies can bilk more money out of people and time for them to look for loopholes a la medicare part d.

[and-justice-for-all]

13. No 'triggers', thanks. nt