Despite its demise promised by the media (for many weeks in a row), this week-end has had a number of supporters reaffirming their support for a public option.
First Obama in his speech at Minneapolis and the crowd listening to him
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/president-obama-strongly-supports-publi
President Obama: I think one of the options should be a public insurance option. (Loud cheers) Let me clear. It would only be an option, nobody would be forced to choose it. No one with insurance affected by it. But what it would do is provide more choice and more competition. It would keep pressure on private insurers to keep the policies affordable, to treat their customers better. I mean think about it. It's the same way the public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students. That doesn't inhibit private colleges and universities from thriving out there. The same should be true on the health care front. Minnesota I have said I'm open to different ideas on how to set this up we're going to set this up but I'm not going to back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage we're going to provide you a choice.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090914/NEWS09/909140312/-1/LIFE04Harkin, head the HELP Committee, who predicted that the bill would have a Public option,
Rockefeller, reaffirming that he would continue to fight for it
http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/lindsey-graham-the-house-bill-is-dead.php?ref=fpbAxelrod stuck for it as well
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/13/AR2009091301492.htmlAnd we believe competition and choice will help bring prices down and improve care and give a better deal to consumers. So he continues to believe it's a good idea. He continues to advocate it. And I'm not willing to accept that it's not going to be in the final package.
And finally another poll by ABC/WaPo, stating that a majority of Americans supported the public option
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/poll-health-reform-supporters-are-closing-the-intensity-gap.php?ref=fpaSo, what are we waiting to call all Dems in the House and Senate and say the public option must not be dropped