Public Option Lives on

[Winter_123]

Temporarily anyway.

People forget (and certainly I am one of them) that Obama is providing no leadership on this legislation whatsoever. He is just observing what the House and the Senate are doing. He is good out on the campaign trail and so the town hall works for him (even though none of the other dems can pull it off). But when it comes to preparing a bill and defending it and working it through Congress, he simply does not do that work. He lets them flop around and seizes on what he likes. This is true with Sebelius as well. I saw her being interviewed yesterday and she said she could not answer some things because we have not seen the Senate bill yet, which is where she is looking for guidance I guess. Okay fine. What is the frigging President's plan and bill here.

So, yep, Obama is backing away from the public option and that is a signal that it eventually is not going to fly, but what a mess.

And then you gotta read Howard Dean's comments here. That scrambles things up even more. Oy!

Health concession fuels blowback - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Like any other weak politician he has no beliefs. His beliefs change with the latest polls. If his plan is popular it's a go, if it's not popular he pulls back.

Great presidents have very strong beliefs and hell or high water they try to get accomplish their plans.

Remember this is the same person who ran on a universal healthcare platform until he beat Hillary. Then he immediately pulled to the middle and ditched the universal rhetoric.

 

[InsureGuy5]

Obama and Sebelius are saying one thing and Dean is saying another. But Dean will have more to say about what comes out of Congress. I think they are purposely downplaying the idea of a public plan until the furor dies down. Then they will be right back at it again. These guys really think they can manage another govt program...

 

[Winter_123]

Like any other weak politician he has no beliefs. His beliefs change with the latest polls. If his plan is popular it's a go, if it's not popular he pulls back.

Great presidents have very strong beliefs and hell or high water they try to get accomplish their plans.

Remember this is the same person who ran on a universal healthcare platform until he beat Hillary. Then he immediately pulled to the middle and ditched the universal rhetoric.

Clinton had Hillary and Obama was planning on having Dashel. Didnt go that way did it. Sebelius is a non-entity.

 

[ins.dave]

As a few of my English friends like to say, "what a p*ss take."
Yeah, Dean with his, "there is no real reform without a public option." I used to like this guy. Is he nuts?
Reform should mean giving the present system a tune up, not scraping it or trying to phase it out with a "public offering" aka a co – op.
Spoken like a true doctor. They love all the business their volume purchase based agreements with insurance companies bring, but they don't think they should have to abide by the agreed upon amounts.
Move to Canada you slack jawed p*ssy. Brother.

Can somebody get me up to speed on this "Co – op" deal. What the h*ll is that about? I knew the "public plan" was a dog from the beginning so what is this a way to save face by coming up with some side deal with insurance companies to offer plans for the people with pre ex who can't qualify for underwritten coverage? I don't get it.
This is getting more hysterical daily. Great theatre.
I love the way these ins. companies are staying out of this publicly at least. Just letting these political gumbies j*rk themselves and everybody else off while they wait it out. Now that is salesmanship.

 

[somarco]

town hall works for him (even though none of the other dems can pull it off

They could if the had TOTUS.

They also need attendees to make reservations two weeks in advance, giving all their personal info including SS number and permit background checks. They will also have to submit questions in advance, sign in, and take a number if they want to pose their question.

The Secret Service will be outside and in. All attendees will have to pass through a metal detector and possibly other screening devices as well including dogs trained to sniff out those from the right.

But when it comes to preparing a bill and defending it and working it through Congress, he simply does not do that work.

You mean like his Senate voting record? Can't recall the exact figures, but seems like he only made 30% of votes during his entire time in the Senate.

But don't hold that against him. After all, his specialty is organizing . . .

Howard Dean does as much for the Dems as having Jimmy Carter endorse something.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

It's change you can believe in....as long as that change has a Gallop poll positive rating of at least 56.5%.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

If the public option is removed it can very easily be snuck in at any time, do not kid yourself. Same with this BS CO OP alternative.

Public option might be temporary off the table, until this passes of course.

 

[Winter_123]

If the public option is removed it can very easily be snuck in at any time, do not kid yourself. Same with this BS CO OP alternative.

Public option might be temporary off the table, until this passes of course.

In the long run, it may be easier for Obama to set-up co-ops and then just nationalize them down the road as he is doing with everything else. All this Congressional and public approval stuff gets to be cumbersome.

 

[Full Throttle]

I think the odds of making a good living as a health insurance agent over the next 30 years are slim, hope I'm wrong.