Final Bummer

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Yesterday (11.21) Daily Beast political writer Peter Beinart noted that "in voting to allow debate, conservative Democrats Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas hammered some nails in the coffin of a robust "public option" that would allow the government to compete with private insurers. Both senators stressed that if the Senate bill includes a public option, they will ultimately oppose the whole thing.

"And since apostate Democrat-turned-independent Joseph Lieberman and moderate Republican Olympia Snowe have said something similar, and since health-care reform requires 60 votes, that means that liberals will likely face a choice between a robust public option and a health-care reform bill that can pass.

"That's where the sighing comes in. At the end of the day, Senate liberals will choose something over nothing, but with the knowledge that many of the fundamental problems with American health care will endure. It will be a necessary choice, and a tragic one."

So now there are three Democratic bad guys, obstructionists, blockers, whores -- not just Leiberman but Landrieu and Lincoln. Remember their names and perhaps something can be done some day in some small way to make them pay in some way, and perhaps even cause them personal suffering. They can't do what they're pledging to do and skate free. There must be payback.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 22, 2009 at 12:54 PM

comment #1

Colin says ...

When will these fucking idiots realize that privatized healthcare can compete with a public option? It only requires these corporate entities to act with the decency of human beings (removal of pre-existing conditions, no dropped coverage).

Posted by Colin at November 22, 2009 1:14 PM

comment #2

lazarus says ...

Lieberman is as big of a scumbag as anyone on the Republican party, and I've felt that way for a long time, including when he was Gore's running mate (I personally feel he dragged that ticket down and cost the Democrats the election).

And yes, there probably isn't one bad thing that could happen to these people that I wouldn't cheer on.

Posted by lazarus at November 22, 2009 1:14 PM

comment #3

PastePotPete says ...

The maddening thing is that these three don't even need to vote FOR the bill. All you need 60 votes for is to overcome filibuster so that the Senate can then vote for the bill, which only needs 50 votes to pass(I'm assuming Joe Biden would vote for it if need be).

What I don't get is that if the Republicans are so dead certain that passing health care will doom the Democrats next year, why are they fighting so hard to prevent it even being voted on? What's the reasoning there?

And don't tell me it's because they believe it's for the good of the country, because that would be very amusing coming from a Republican after Bush's two terms.

Posted by PastePotPete at November 22, 2009 1:17 PM

comment #4

dogcatcher says ...

Yawn!

The usual suspects declaring the public option dead for the one-millionth time.

Blanche Lincoln said no, so it's no. Is that it? Jesus, i'd be impressed with these hack writers if they didn't wear their ideology on their sleeve.

The House passed a version, the current Senate bill includes a version (now 60 Senators are needed to remove it from the bill, are there 60 who will do so?), 70+% of people in America support it (including large majorities in states represented by Senators Lincoln, Landrieu, and Lieberman).

Posted by dogcatcher at November 22, 2009 1:19 PM

comment #5

the400blows says ...

Haven't the journalists been saying all year long that the public option wouldn't be in the bill? Yet here we are with it in the bill that passed the House and needs only 2 more votes to pass the Senate. The press will say anything to sell papers. I'm not worried about the public option. As dogcatcher said: "Yawn!" At the end of the day, the Democrats will have to pass the bill with the public option in it because they know if it doesn't pass, they will all look stupid and there is no way they will win the election next year. They can't be that dumb to have a repeat of what happened during the Clinton Administration.

Posted by the400blows at November 22, 2009 1:35 PM

comment #6

DeeZee says ...

lazarus: "Lieberman is as big of a scumbag as anyone on the Republican party, and I've felt that way for a long time, including when he was Gore's running mate "

I knew whose side he was on when he decided to play the proto-Jack Thompson of video games. I will say, though, that, in Joe's defense Gore shot his own damn self in the foot. He did not do or say anything which was different from Bush. He even distanced himself from Clinton, even though the guy was more popular tham him.

catcher: Yeah, I do think there's a bit of a dog-and-pony show going on, too. There's no way those Blue Dogs can vote against the one bill which will make or break their careers since the resolution used as an excuse to make war with Iraq.

400: Oh, they can be that dumb. But Reid clearly isn't dumb, since he recognizes his low poll numbers enough to flip off Big Insurance. And he's not going down with that ship. Landrieu's got the most to worry about, if she votes against it, because her constituents are still the most vulnerable, because of Katrina.

Posted by DeeZee at November 22, 2009 2:45 PM

comment #7

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Can someone please explain to Jeff that the bill only needs 51 votes to pass, not 60?

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at November 22, 2009 5:08 PM

comment #8

dangovich says ...

DT, it needs 60 to defeat a filibuster. Reid could push for reconciliation but I believe he's already said he wouldn't. And you optimists above, explain to me how Lieberman, Lincoln and Nelson will vote for a bill with a public option.

Posted by dangovich at November 22, 2009 6:12 PM

comment #9

Manitoba says ...

Some readers might find of interest, a Huffington Post piece today "Bernie Sanders Pushes Back On Public Option." Sanders, the independent se nator from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats ,says the reform bill must have a strong public option to win his support.I just wish I knew how many other progressives can be found in the senate.

Posted by Manitoba at November 22, 2009 6:13 PM

comment #10

Eloi Manning says ...

Vermont is an excellent state.

Posted by Eloi Manning at November 22, 2009 7:21 PM

comment #11

dogcatcher says ...

dangovich,

By calling out 'Aye!' when their name is called during roll call.

It's one thing to vote against the bill, it's another thing altogether to join a Republican filibuster. They will be committing political suicide to do so.

The problem here is that we have too many people who don't understand what a filibuster even is...

No one needs 60 votes to pass anything. 50 votes is needed to pass, and there are more than 50 votes available. They need 60 votes only to stop debate and allow a final vote to be tallied. Thus, without 60 votes a filibuster can take place as debate can go on indefinitely because there are not enough votes to stop it. But it's not like if the Democrats hold a vote and 57 people vote AYE and 43 vote NAY to close debate then suddenly the bill fails. What do you think will happen to Lincoln's already dismall election prospects if she becomes the poster child of Senate obstructionism?

Posted by dogcatcher at November 22, 2009 8:01 PM

comment #12

dangovich says ...

I'm telling you now, it's going to be triggers coming out of the Senate, mark my words, I wish I was wrong...

Posted by dangovich at November 22, 2009 10:13 PM

comment #13

Floyd Thursby says ...

Mary Landrieu came to my attention when I lived in Baton Rouge in the early 80s. Her outstanding asset was her cuteness, but as Miss Scarlet might say, that's gone with the wind. Get rid of the porker.

Posted by Floyd Thursby at November 23, 2009 5:33 AM

comment #14

62Lincoln says ...

dogcatcher: "70+% of people in America support it (including large majorities in states represented by Senators Lincoln, Landrieu, and Lieberman). "

Where are you getting these fictional numbers?http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform

Posted by 62Lincoln at November 23, 2009 12:19 PM

comment #15