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babylonsister Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:10 AM
Original message
Rockefeller announces he's giving up on public option
http://www.salon.com/news/healthcare_reform/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/02/24/rockefeller

Rockefeller announces he's giving up on public option
Senator who'd supported proposal says "no value" in passing version that exists "in name only"
By Alex Koppelman


Bad news for supporters of the public option today, news that will put a damper on talk of a comeback.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V., a key proponent of the idea, had already said he wouldn't support using reconciliation to get the proposal passed through the Senate. In a statement released Wednesday morning, he went further, basically declaring the public option dead and saying it's time to move on.

The full statement:


From the very beginning, I have supported a strong and meaningful public option that would lower costs for consumers and hold health insurance companies accountable. That is why I introduced the Consumers Health Care Act (S. 1278), which would have saved consumers at least $50 billion over ten years. I also supported the House’s public option approach, which would have saved consumers more than $100 billion over ten years.

I fought for a meaningful public option, both in the Senate Finance Committee and on the Senate floor. My version didn’t pass out of committee and other versions were watered down. Unfortunately, there simply has not been enough support to date to pass a strong public option, despite these efforts.

I will continue to support viable options for enacting a robust public plan. Right now, however, there is no value for the American people in diminishing a meaningful public option so substantially that it exists in name only — and that is why we must focus our attention on the many great private health insurance reform ideas on the table today.

We need to continue the forward momentum on health care reform, and find ways to hold health insurance companies accountable and to lower costs for consumers. This is why I am fighting for other effective ways to achieve these health insurance reform goals, including a minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) requirement and the creation of a federal authority to review premium increases — both are included in the President’s proposal along with a number of other critical health insurance reforms.

I do not oppose reconciliation, and have long made the case for exploring all avenues available to pass health reform.
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global1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:15 AM
Response to Original message
1. Wasn't He Against Reconciliation The Other Day And For A Public Option.....
now he's for reconciliation but against a public option?

Get this guy some psychiatric help!!!!!!1
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Inuca Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-25-10 08:41 AM
Response to Reply #1
16. No, he wasn't
Edited on Thu Feb-25-10 08:43 AM by Inuca
Why make things up?
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jefferson_dem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:17 AM
Response to Original message
2. Rockefeller comes out against "POINO"
Edited on Wed Feb-24-10 11:19 AM by jefferson_dem
Public Option in Name Only.

Makes sense. Of course, all public options are not equal. As i've said, some recently discussed proposals - government oversight of premium increases, abolishing the industry's anti-trust exemption - would likely represent more robust "reform" than a watered-down, toothless public option.
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ProSense Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:22 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. You're right, it makes sense. It's also interesting
that he issued this statement today.
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cascadiance Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:54 PM
Response to Reply #2
9. Yea, from one of the SDINOs that are the reason "we don't have the votes" to get 50 votes...
Edited on Wed Feb-24-10 11:56 PM by cascadiance
SDINO = STEALTH Democrat in Name Only!

The WORST kind, so that its harder to get them voted out of office even though they are just as bad or worse than other more public DINOs...

We need to find a way to get a roll call that has consequences of senators that are for or against public option in budget reconciliation, so that we have a list before primary season of who needs to be challenged. Unfortunately its already a bit late already as Bayh has already shown us with the timing of his "retirement announcement".
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ProSense Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:17 AM
Response to Original message
3. This statement says nothing about the public option being dead. In fact, it is
abiguous as hell:

"I do not oppose reconciliation, and have long made the case for exploring all avenues available to pass health reform."

Rockefeller isn't writing the final bill, and he doesn't have to find the votes in support of it.

He supports reconciliation, that is all that matters.

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rhett o rick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:57 PM
Response to Reply #3
11. Do you support a strong, government run PO? nt
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MarjorieG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:26 AM
Response to Original message
5. We need to put energy into Medicare immed, and to 55. More sellable to Senate, and public likes.
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freddie mertz Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:37 AM
Response to Original message
6. The fix is in, folks.
The White House opposes any public plan, and has for many months.

Probably always.

Worst Dem administration in my lifetime.
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cascadiance Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:58 PM
Response to Reply #6
12. They intentionally waited this long to "Bayh" us out of primary challengers for those screwing us!
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MarjorieG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 01:04 PM
Response to Original message
7. Has been watered down, disappointment after passage. Still, would like having structure to improve
Public really doesn't know it's watered down. I still say Medicare at 55 a winner.
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Clio the Leo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:41 PM
Response to Original message
8. "Harkin: Public option dead for now"
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/02/24/public_option/index.html
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liskddksil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-24-10 11:55 PM
Response to Reply #8
10. yep just like my support for these tools
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2Design Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-25-10 12:18 AM
Response to Original message
13. so they are all willing to give up their socialist benefits, right ????? n/t
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European Socialist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-25-10 04:17 AM
Response to Original message
14. I guess it's to be expected from the wimp that let Bush...
destroy the USA with barely a protest. The Repukes are horrendous and the Democrats are pathetic--So much for choices.
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Rosa Luxemburg Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-25-10 08:31 AM
Response to Original message
15. only 72% support a public option I guess he's worried about the rest of them?
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