Pelosi criticizes Baucus health bill - “This is why we need a strong public option..."

[jefferson_dem]

Pelosi criticizes Baucus health bill
By Mike Soraghan and Jared Allen - 10/08/09 08:07 PM ET

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not among those praising Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) for bringing his healthcare bill in well under President Barack Obama’s $900 billion limit.

Pelosi (D-Calif.), an advocate of the government-run health insurance option left out of the Senate Finance Committee chairman’s bill, criticized the means by which Baucus kept costs down.

“The savings come off the backs of the middle class,” Pelosi told a closed-door caucus meeting. “This is why we need a strong public option going into conference with the Senate.”

The remark, confirmed by several of those in attendance, demonstrated that Pelosi is increasingly siding with the liberal members of her caucus on strategy.

Leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus have consistently pushed the bill to the left in order to improve the bargaining position it will have in conference with the more centrist Senate when it hammers out a final version.

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http://thehill.com/homenews/house/62361-pelosi-criticizes-baucus-health-bill

[BlooInBloo]

1. Yes indeedy.

[David Zephyr]

2. Pelosi is acting like leader should. We need to support her.

This is one great lady.

[ej510]

3. If she gets a strong public option through we need to donate

to her campaign.

[Jennicut]

4. She is actually showing some leadership here, unlike Reid