It's official: Obama will not push public option through reconciliation

"There isn't enough political support in a majority to get this through" - despite having VOTER support. So it's on display, public support dopesn't count. Which begs the question, who is Congress and the President serving?

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The White House made it official on Tuesday: the president doesn't think the votes are there to get a public option passed through reconciliation and consequently won't make a push to include or pass the provision.

Speaking at the daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked again why the administration did not include the government-run insurance option in its final health care proposal in light of the fact that 23 Democratic senators signed a letter calling for its passage.

"We have seen obviously that though there are some that are supportive of this, there isn't enough political support in a majority to get this through," Gibbs responded. "The president... took the Senate bill as the base and looks forward to discussing consensus ideas on Thursday."

The remarks were the clearest indication to date that the White House's vote counters don't see a viable path to getting the public option into law, even if Senate Democrats use reconciliation -- which would have allowed for an up or down vote. The outstanding question for advocates of the proposal remains: How many lawmakers could have been persuaded to vote for the public plan had the White House actually pushed for its passage?


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/gibbs-the-public-plan-doe_n_473443.html

but they went ahead and passed that anyway. I think it shows you who's really in charge, and it isn't We, the People.

the corporations asses, including Obama. so much for campaign promises.

administration refuses to fight for it.

Gross!

:sarcasm: Folks were taking bets just yesterday! Are the bets still on?:shrug:

It certainly isn't us.

Obama - good cop
Congressional dems - bad cop

Think of it as "the unreasonable partner" if that helps, but it's the same schtick--a person in a negotiation makes an offer that seems, on its face, unacceptable to the counter-party. The offeror, however, urges the offeree to accept(and quickly!), as this offer is much more than his "unreasonable partner" would ever approve of!

Probably preserves Obama's image as conciliatory, willing to work with both sides, for future negotations, and in the eyes of the independents he needs to swing his way next election.

about reconcilliation. That's apples and oranges.

Um.

it if it isn't what they want to hear.I am disgusted with some of these people.

worth sacrificing your self worth for.JMHO.

We have seen obviously that though there are some that are supportive of this, there isn't enough political support in a majority to get this through," Gibbs responded. "The president... took the Senate bill as the base and looks forward to discussing consensus ideas on Thursday."

He said then when asked why the President didn't include it in the WH bill. Says nothing about reconcilliation.

Nothing is official, much less this person's opinion when it's not backed up by what was actually asked and answered.

I also don't fault you for bringing the opinion piece here. However, you cannot fault me or anybody else for pointing out that it's not exactly factual.

...not that I really think that will happen.

but our Senate does not represent the people of this nation. so why are they there? off with their heads, let me eat cake and fuck you very much.

Secondly, that doesn't mean they won't use Reconciliation to pass Obama's plan.

Thirdly, if there aren't 50 votes for the PO in the Senate (and there haven't been), then what exactly is anyone going to do to change that? Obama can threaten all he wants, but that isn't going to change the votes of the DLCers who have decided to not support the PO.

To not say that is the next order of business, to tear down the anti-people "majority" in congress now that serves corporate power over the people, then that sends the message that THIS problem needs fixing before anything else constructive can be pushed through congress.

If you don't, you basically are setting yourself up as a TOOL of the corporate powers, and NOT the voice of the people that you campaigned on to get elected.

You have two choices for a big chunk of us to still support you in 2012:

1) Work with the Senate to put in place a public option through reconciliation and basically tell the corporate powers F YOU to their corporate money

or

2) Start working on tearing down this corrupting influence with public campaign financing legislstion being pushed through to take down this power-mongering hitting congress. Some other shots to fight in this new war that all of us need to win will be:
a) starting a constitutional amendment drive to permanently strike down the notion of "corporate personhood"
b) drive towards putting in place instant runoff voting, to allow more voices to be heard and elected, and also keeps in place strong democrats, but makes those that aren't doing their job more accountable so that they can be replaced by better third party reps.

People need to see this stuff to progress through congress, or they will see the current Democratic Party and yourself as just another obstacle towards getting real democracy back in this country. Waiting too long to do that will have people do more than just slam planes into the IRS buildings, or punching out CEOs in health clubs! Clock's ticking!