Health Battle Update
2:11 PM
by Nick Stone of Drawnlines Politics.
Senator Mary Landrieu D-LA, chair of the Committee on Small Business, said on ABC's This Week that "...the public option would undermine the private insurance system" and added "let's not completely revise the system, let's build on the strengths." However, Landrieu also noted that the system is "...going to crash and burn shortly if we don't do anything."
Senator Susan Collins R-ME backtracked on health care today, saying she would not support a trigger mechanism suggested by her colleague Olympia Snowe R-ME. The senator indicated that to so-called "trigger" would only "delay the public option" because the Congress would inevitably decide that the private sector hadn't done enough. Collins rightly noted that those who would make the decision are ideologically predisposed to the public option anyway and would use their prejudice to implement their agenda through the back door. Collins is one of a few Republican senators that the Democrats hoped to win over in the health care battle. That looks unlikely at this point, particularly if the "public option" is in the bill.
Political Analyst Robert Reich disagrees that a "trigger" would inevitably institute the public option. Rather, he indicates that Snowe's trigger would actually kill the government takeover because other provisions in the president's proposals would expand coverage and decrease costs. Particularly, Reich (an outspoken liberal, it should be noted) is concerned by the coverage mandate and online records making the public option unnecessary.
Congressman Wilson said on Fox News Thursday (a softball interview to be sure) that "Democrats have defeated amendments that would provide for enforcement and verification of citizenship" on health care coverage and added that's how he knows that what the president said in his speech was inaccurate. Governor Pawlenty also told ABC's This Week that without an enforcement mechanism, illegal immigrants would receive care and coverage under the current proposals.
Tangentially, Maureen Dowd seems to keep pressing the assertion that anyone who has a policy difference with the president is a racist. Surely if there is an assertion that does not progress the conversation on policy, it is this one. Yikes! *Still, the congressman's outburst was outrageous and unfortunate.
Senator Mary Landrieu D-LA, chair of the Committee on Small Business, said on ABC's This Week that "...the public option would undermine the private insurance system" and added "let's not completely revise the system, let's build on the strengths." However, Landrieu also noted that the system is "...going to crash and burn shortly if we don't do anything."
Senator Susan Collins R-ME backtracked on health care today, saying she would not support a trigger mechanism suggested by her colleague Olympia Snowe R-ME. The senator indicated that to so-called "trigger" would only "delay the public option" because the Congress would inevitably decide that the private sector hadn't done enough. Collins rightly noted that those who would make the decision are ideologically predisposed to the public option anyway and would use their prejudice to implement their agenda through the back door. Collins is one of a few Republican senators that the Democrats hoped to win over in the health care battle. That looks unlikely at this point, particularly if the "public option" is in the bill.
Political Analyst Robert Reich disagrees that a "trigger" would inevitably institute the public option. Rather, he indicates that Snowe's trigger would actually kill the government takeover because other provisions in the president's proposals would expand coverage and decrease costs. Particularly, Reich (an outspoken liberal, it should be noted) is concerned by the coverage mandate and online records making the public option unnecessary.
Congressman Wilson said on Fox News Thursday (a softball interview to be sure) that "Democrats have defeated amendments that would provide for enforcement and verification of citizenship" on health care coverage and added that's how he knows that what the president said in his speech was inaccurate. Governor Pawlenty also told ABC's This Week that without an enforcement mechanism, illegal immigrants would receive care and coverage under the current proposals.
Tangentially, Maureen Dowd seems to keep pressing the assertion that anyone who has a policy difference with the president is a racist. Surely if there is an assertion that does not progress the conversation on policy, it is this one. Yikes! *Still, the congressman's outburst was outrageous and unfortunate.
Posted by Nick Stone
on 2:11 PM.
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