Public Option Dead on Healthcare
A sudden shift in the healthcare debate is starting today. Ed Morrissey says Obama has realized his trojan horse was exposed, and the language is now shifting to drop the public option. Of course this will outrage the far left liberals who think it is essential. It’s no time to be complacent, but it is a crack in an ill thought out plan. Democrat Senator Conrad is the first to shift the goal line.
“Look, the fact of the matter is there are not the votes in the U.S. Senate for the public option, there never have been,” Conrad said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.”
“So to continue to chase that rabbit is, I think, a wasted effort,” Conrad said.
His comments followed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s remark that a public option is “not the essential element” to ensure competition in the health insurance market. Sebelius made the remark on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
A public option is included in legislation moving through the House, and is backed by liberals, who would feel betrayed if it is not a part of a final bill. They see a public insurance plan as critical to ensure that private insurance companies offer coverage and lower costs.
And here is Sebelius retreating:
A White House aide said in an e-mailed statement Sunday afternoon that “nothing has changed” in the administration’s approach.
“The president has always said that what is essential is that health insurance reform must lower costs, ensure that there are affordable options for all Americans and it must increase choice and competition in the health insurance market,” said Linda Douglass, communications director for the White House Office of Health Reform. “He believes the public option is the best way to achieve those goals.But taken together, the remarks from Obama, Sebelius and Conrad suggest the White House is preparing supporters for a health care compromise that may well exclude the government option — which could help Obama win enough votes for a sweeping overhaul but touch off a nasty battle inside his own party between liberals and more moderate members who have resisted a bigger government role in health care.
More from CNN…Obama with the white flag: What was once a critical element according to Barack, is now only a sliver.
The public option just doesn’t have the votes, and Obama wants anything called healthcare reform he can put his stamp on because it is all about politics. The left are already upset! Congrats to all those that spoke out, whether at a townhall, a blog, or a letter to your Congress critter. We killed the biggest head on this monster.
Jimmy at Sundries shack says the monster isn’t dead, just rephrased.
Basically, what the White House is doing is giving up the name “public option” and replacing it with the Orwellian “competition”. My guess is that the ruse will work for a little while, especially because few if any members of the MSM will call them on their ploy.
Update: Michelle Malkin says not to buy the hype.
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Posted by Jay on August 16, 2009 10:10 pm
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, Anti-Capitalism, Barack Obama, Communism, Congress, Democrats, Government, Government corruption, Government malfeasance/misfeasance, Government tyranny, Healthcare, News, Socialism, Totalitarianism, Unconstitutional, Video
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3 Responses to “Public Option Dead on Healthcare”
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Our President is getting his first taste of going against the insurance industry, which is, make no mistake about it, a CARTEL, no longer the intended business model originally created to protect in an event of a loss, with their hands in all elections, all the time and process as much money as our government and in fact controls many public policies. Currently, what the insurance industry wants, the industry gets. They feel that no one is too big for them. With profits paramount, currently running health care as well as auto collision repair in there unsuccessfully dysfunctional way with no one to challenge them, as well as crushing free enterprise with their referral systems. When US States successfully created affordable government run workman’s comp insurance for business, the system currently works extremely well, with government achieving a much higher level of service at half the cost, but not surprisingly the insurance industry attempts to abolish the program every legislation cycle. They complain about being in competition with the government, but have no regard to health care patients well being, care facilities or the collision repair stores they our putting out of business daily by pushing all the patients or damaged autos through locations they own or have interest in, aggressively via referral systems. Insures are in competition with all businesses they pay claims to. From health care to auto repair. The insurance industry is currently a competitor to businesses and crushes whom they feel like, with no Federal Trade Commissions stopping them. The insurance industry controls the largest majority of claims service rendered. Free competition is long gone but seriously needs to be restored. I believe government should not just challenge the insurance industry, but to do its job and control them. I wish a leader to challenge the cartel, not give in to greed, and win. Mr. Obama, please don’t give up. The insurance industry can and should be restored back into its intended purpose. The insurance industry currently has more money than local governments and is right behind the federal government with regards to cash flow. They have hand placed policy makers in all levels of our government, federally and local. This presents serious threats to our government and should be investigated by the Federal Trades Commission, FBI and the CIA to ensure the stability of our government.
THE POLITICIANS WHICH CLAIM THE PUBLIC DOESN’T SUPPORT OBAMAS PLAN ARE MOST LIKELY MOTIVATED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY LOBBYISTS, A USUAL DAY IN WASHINGTON.
Politics 101 is to tell the public what they want them to think. The “public support for Obamas plan” articles are noting short of insurance lobbyists getting to work to win.
Wow !!! “A sliver”? So 85% of the news stories over the last several weeks have been over “a sliver”? Bull !!!
Obviously, the health care lobbyists have gotten to Obama and his health care supporters, just as they got to Hillary Clinton a few years ago.
The criminality of the entire issue reeks to high heaven, and us “Working Joes” that were paying attention to the public health care debates, knowing that a move like this would save us and our families a lot of money AND ensure that we are protected from sudden illness,are surprised (Or NOT) that Obama is backing down like a beaten wet dog with his tail between his legs.
This gives rise to the belief that the working man IS a sucker,as I was brought up to believe,and seemingly puts another notch in the “prone to criminality” gauge that I have erringly tried to abandon for some years now. Obviously the ONLY political rule is “Might Makes Right”,and Obama is, I guess, not as mighty as he purported himself to be during the elections.
“Change”? Give us a break, ain’t nothing changed but the names.
To those greedy seniors who have government run health care and now try to deny it to others. There’s a special place in hell for you. And that includes Fox’s Glen Beck who is just looking to make a name for himself at the expense of people’s lives.