Senator Bernie Sanders: "Obama is Wrong, Making a Mistake on P.O."

[amborin]

Sanders: Obama 'Is Wrong,' Making A Mistake On The Public Option

by Sam Stein

While a bipartisan group of lawmakers begin a six-hour-long health care summit on Thursday, it's worth noting that Republicans aren't the only ones dissatisfied with the president's agenda.

During an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Thursday morning, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) offered fairly sharp criticisms of Obama for failing to show the requisite leadership needed to add a government-run insurance option to the final legislative package. Asked about the administration's argument that the provision lacked the votes needed for passage, even through reconciliation, Sanders replied:

I think the president is wrong. I think it is a public mistake. I think the people, for all the right reasons, distrust private insurance companies. I think they want to look to a Medicare-type public option. I think they should have that choice. And second of all, at a time when health care costs are soaring, vis-à-vis that 39% increase in California and all over the country, what a public option can do is keep private insurance companies honest, give people an option, hold them accountable. So I think the president is wrong and I think we should go forward and I think we could get the 50 votes that we need under reconciliation.
Sanders, in the end, will vote for a health care bill, even if it lacks a public plan. His Republicans colleagues, by contrast, won't meet him halfway. And herein lies much of the senator's frustration. Thursday's summit is, ostensibly, about promoting bipartisan unity around health care legislation. But on the structural issues in the bill, sacrifices have already been made by Democrats to the benefit of Republicans. Only, that was never reciprocated with GOP votes.

A new state-by-state survey shows that the Senate health care bill is unpopular, the public option is extremely popular and voters would rather support a senator who fights for a partisan bill with a public option rather than one who goes along with a bipartisan bill that doesn't include a public option.

snip

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/02/25-3

[Oregone]

1. The entire reform approach is wrong if you want to start getting critical

[BrklynLiberal]

2. The list of those wh were NOT invited to this little get-together is more interesting than the list

of those who were..

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/
Snowe says Obama never gave her an open invite to health care summit

By Anne E. Kornblut
Forget trying to agree on health care. The White House and Sen. Olympia Snowe cannot even agree on whether she had a long-standing invitation to the Thursday summit.

On this much both sides agree: On Wednesday, chief of staff Rahm Emanuel called Snowe (R-Maine) to invite her to the Blair House meeting with the president and lawmakers from both parties. She declined, saying she did not want to go around the established rules for including participants.

White House officials said President Obama had long ago told Snowe he wanted to include her in any public discussion about health care, and was trying to make good on that promise. When he saw that she was not on the list of members chosen by Republican leaders, he had Emanuel call to invite her, and did the same for Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden (Oregon).

But a top aide to Snowe disputed that account on Thursday. "The President never once in all their meetings or discussions ever told Senator Snowe she had an open invite to attend any future health care meetings," John Gentzel, Snowe's communications director, said.

"The first time they reached out to her about attending today's summit was yesterday morning at 10 a.m. when Rahm called her - 24 hours ahead of time," Gentzel said. "And if she had a standing invitation, why would they call to invite her? In fact, Senator Snowe talked to the President last Wednesday and he never mentioned the summit or health care. Sounds like they're trying to create some history."

Sounds like another sign that health care consensus is going to be hard to come by.

[xchrom]

7. +1

[Guilded Lilly]

3. So do I Bernie, so do I...

"I think the president is wrong. I think it is a public mistake. I think the people, for all the right reasons, distrust private insurance companies. I think they want to look to a Medicare-type public option. I think they should have that choice."

I am pro-Obama. I am anti-Republican. I am also sick to frikkin death (and pay an enormous chunk of my income to be able to GET sick in this country) with all this wasting time and words on trying to come up with some *bipartisan* measure. Watching the highly touted *conversation* this morning was an exercise in utter frustration and I had to turn it off after about twenty minutes. Everyone makes me sick...and I want to be able to AFFORD being sick before 2016 and beyond, thank-you.

ENOUGH OF THE FRIKKIN TALK. It will accomplish nothing. IT WILL ACCOMPLISH NOTHING.
BLAH BLAH fkn BLAH.

And the media news is all over it like a cheap suit with panels upon panels doing nothing more but talk talk talk. TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK...and NOTHING is accomplished. NOTHING.

Fckin' DO SOMETHING for the PEOPLE and quit all this ridiculous debate and postering and PR posing.

ENOUGH.

[Cleita]

4. Best remark on this made by Thom Hartmann today.

Paraphrasing here: He said something to the effect if they were really interested in doing the most cost effective thing, they would have to do single payer, however, they stand the risk of being arrested by Max Baucus. :rofl:

[leftstreet]

9. LOL

:rofl:

[tekisui]

5. knr!~

[frebrd]

6. K&R! n/t

[xchrom]

8. Recommend

[bvar22]

10. Despite the Victory Laps, High Fives, and claims of a HUGE WIN...

Nothing changed today.

Excellent Kabuki Theater, and high drama for the easily distracted while the American Working Class is being sold down the river by the "Centrist" Democrats (again).

Obama is a master of the old "Razzel Dazzel".

Razzel Dazzel
From the soundtrack to "Chicago"
(How ironic is THAT?)


"Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Bead and feather 'em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?
What if your hinges all are rusting?
What if, in fact, you're just disgusting?
Razzle dazzle 'em
And they;ll never catch wise!


Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Give 'em a show that's so splendiferous
Row after row will crow vociferous
Give 'em the old flim flam flummox
Fool and fracture 'em
How can they hear the truth above the roar?
Throw 'em a fake and a finagle
They'll never know you're just a bagel,
Razzle dazzle 'em
And they'll beg you for more!


Give 'em the old double whammy
Daze and dizzy 'em
Back since the days of old Methuselah
Everyone loves the big bambooz-a-ler
Give 'em the old three ring circus
Stun and stagger 'em
When you're in trouble, go into your dance
Though you are stiffer than a girder
They'll let you get away with murder
Razzle dazzle 'em
And you've got a romance


Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Show 'em the first rate sorceror you are
Long as you keep 'em way off balance
How can they spot you've got no talent
Razzle Dazzle 'em
And they'll make you a star!"

* Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of a government administered health insurance plan — something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get — that would compete with private health insurance plans?

Favor 82%

Oppose 14%

Not Sure 4%
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010010320/poll-shouts-message-massachusetts-voters-were-sending

[Lorien]

12. Yep. nt

[freddie mertz]

11. K & R. Bernie finds his true voice again.

Wishing him the best in his effort to improve the president's crappy bill.