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Left Claims 218 Votes in Sight
Liberal told House Democrats that they have nearly enough votes to pass their preferred version of health insurance reform.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told a closed-door caucus meeting that the group's "whip count" showed it had 208 of the 218 votes needed to pass what liberals call a "robust" public option. That version would link rates to Medicare plus 5 percent.
Woolsey would not confirm the 208 figure in an interview, but three sources in the meeting said that is the number she cited.
"I said we have the votes to pass a robust plan," Woolsey said. "This is without leadership stepping up and saying, ‘We're for this.' "
Woolsey declined to provide a list of names to House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who has been tasked by leadership with keeping track of where the votes are.
Clyburn told Woolsey that his ongoing, informal tally doesn't show the liberals' version of the public option having that kind of support.
"That's not the vote count he has," said Clyburn spokeswoman Kristie Greco. "We're not there yet."
But any momentum liberals sensed early Wednesday was dampened after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced its analysis of Sen. Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) bill, noting that it would extend coverage to millions of Americans while also cutting the deficit.
Blue Dogs and other Democratic centrist are certain to note the CBO score as proof that the House bill should hew more closely to the Senate Finance Committee legislation.
Some House members, particularly centrists, questioned Woolsey's 208 figure, noting that last Thursday the Progressive Caucus presented Pelosi with only about 150 names. Centrist Blue Dogs are infuriated by the continued push for a government-run plan they believe the Senate will never agree to.
And another Progressive Caucus source said the liberals' whip count, begun last week at the behest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), found 176 solid "yes" votes, about 15 "leaning yes," 30 undecided and 23 solid "no" votes.
The angst from the conservative and liberal ends of the caucus is a sign that House negotiations are finally getting serious and Pelosi is preparing to take the bill to the floor for the final push.
"Buckle up," said Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.). "It's almost game time."
In the face of unified Republican opposition, Democrats are working to find the 218 votes they need within their 256-member caucus. The public option, which would compete with private companies to drive down costs, has emerged as one of a few key obstacles to getting that number.
Liberals want reimbursement rates for physicians to be equal to Medicare rates plus 5 percent. Centrists, especially Blue Dog Democrats, don't like the public option, echoing Republican concerns that it will not just lower rates but put private insurers out of business.
Some Blue Dogs have agreed to a modified public option that wouldn't be tied to Medicare. Instead, federal officials would negotiate rates individually with providers.
Ironically, though the Blue Dogs' top issue is fiscal responsibility, the liberals' option saves more money, $115 billion, than the Blue Dogs' negotiated-rate compromise, which would save $25 billion more than having no government plan, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Centrists say other issues, like ensuring private insurers survive and correcting Medicare underpayments in rural areas, are just as important.
Leaders told members at Wednesday morning's meeting that they have brought the cost of the bill to $925 billion with negotiated rates, the Blue Dog compromise. They need to find another $25 billion in savings to meet the $900 billion ceiling set by President Barack Obama.
So leaders set out a number of options Wednesday morning to find that savings, such as triggering Medicare-linked rates if negotiated rates don't bring down premiums, or covering more people with Medicaid.
But the new proposals generated a lot of questions, as well as irritation from the most liberal and conservative members of the caucus. Woolsey asked why leaders wouldn't just fight for their liberal version, since it saves much more than $25 billion.
Blue Dogs are frustrated that the caucus is still debating the public option, which they don't expect to be included in the Senate health bill.
"The broader caucus is still spinning its wheels and mired in the public-option debate that many moderate Democrats don't believe survives in the Senate or conference," said Blue Dog leader Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.). "We are not giving the same kind of attention and energy to the other things that really matter in this bill."
She said Democratic leaders in the House and Senate need to join with the White House to "pre-conference" a bill that can pass both chambers.
On Thursday, the Democratic Caucus is expected to take up the issue of taxes needed to pay for the cost of the bill, mostly premium subsidies for low- and middle-income people.
The Senate Finance Committee is working on a plan that would tax high-cost healthcare plans. But 150 House Democrats have signed a letter opposing such a tax, which is staunchly opposed by organized labor.
Democratic sources say that Pelosi is sticking with a plan for a surtax on individuals making more than $500,000 and families bringing in more than $1 million, possibly coupled with a $20 billion tax on medical devices. Last week, White House economic adviser Larry Summers and health czar Nancy-Ann DeParle presented a long list of other possible revenue-raising measures to House leaders, such as a fee on brand-name drug makers. Democratic sources said nearly all the ideas were met with some form of opposition, except for limiting the size of health flexible spending accounts.
20 Comments so far
Show AllWho among the Ds has the courage to ask CBO to score HR676?
(sound of crickets chirping...)
Does anyone have a link to just WHY Single-payer had been shit-canned right out of the gate? I mean, I know the REAL reason: The end of the health insurance romp. But what was the phony logic used and by whom? And, with the activism going on by docs, nurses, etc. it is still being ignored?Thanks.
If I remember correctly Pelosi took it off the table without stating a reason. Could it be the $421,000 she received from the health industry in the 2008 election cycle or was it the $192,000 she received just in 2010? re: opensecrets.org
None of this could be why HR 676 has been ignored could it?
I've never seen a logical argument against single-payer. The only reason I've seen for snuffing it was that "it doesn't have the votes".
This preemptive canard, before debate even commences, is a tried-and-true tactic of the corporatist majority in CONgress.
The Table did it. The Table tells us what is on it and what is not. You cannot argue with The Table. Its say is final and reasons are not needed. A pelosi or a party or a president can innocently stand aside and point to The Table.
Follow the money..
Americans need to know who is on the take and for how much.
The blue tail that wags the dogs.
Maybe the DNC should field more progerssive candidates in Blue Dog Districts
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Do not coordinate with the White House. Obama is against a robust public option despite his rhetoric. Make Obama veto a good robust public option. I don't think he has the guts. Obama blows.......with the wind.
The government owns the hospital.
The government buys all equipment and supplies used by the medical community.
There is no charge to the patient for using any of the above.
Now let's negotiate pay for administrators and staff!
Simple is better!
And yet, single payer is the only way to make sure everybody is covered. The idea of profit making on health concerns is just plain evil...a society that cares for it's peoples health, mental and physical, is one that will be robust and hopeful..and that is what we're lacking, any hope for sanity in this, and other matters at hand...I think the Golden Rule is appropriate here...but too many of our representatives have known nothing but silver spoons and priviledge for their lives, and have no concept of being helpless and abandoned, it just doesn't exist in their experience, so they vote the greed option, as that is all they know.
on 9/26/2009 pelosi had a fund raiser at the home of the
head lobbyist for united healthcare corp. this was detailed
in a article by david serota on 9/18/2009 at cd. go to
search bar and retrieve this piece. this shows in black and white
how the field is gamed. this woman has no ethics or scruples
and should not even be a congress person much less speaker
of the house. her real title should be speaker for corps
lobbyists and enemies of americans. she is doing a fabulous
job at this one. not so hot at her real one! sunburst look
at this piece by david.
"it will not just lower rates but put private insurers out of business."
And why is this bad?
Yeah, funny ain't it. The Blue Dogs don't even pretend to be concerned what is best for their constituents. For them, it's all about big business, about keeping their coffers full with insurance and big pharma money.
I don't know about the other states, but the Blue Dogs in Ohio (Zack Space and Charlie Wilson) are from the poorest, most economically depressed areas of the state. House minority leader Boehner comes from a similar district, but he of course thinks his constituents are happy campers. And he is right, since all his constituents are the corporations. Who has time to go out and mingle with the hoi polloi when you have friends in high places . If their constituents had any sense, they'd run them out of town tarred and feathered.
Not a moment too soon. Do the world a favor. Kill a health insurance corporation today.
Didn't we hear, a month or so ago, that Rep Weiner had gotten, through Henry Waxman, a commitment from the non-responsive House leadership (Pelosi) that the full House would get a chance to vote on HR 676 or some other version of a single payer bill? What happened to that commitment? Has the Table that Pitchfork talked about just opened a crack in its surface into which that promise was disappeared? Does anybody in the press have enough memory of last month's news to pursue questions like these?
Time to lower the Obooma and Pelosi Punch and Judy Reid: single-payer OR SINGLE TERM DEM OUT!
Medicare For All, aka single-payer health insurance, is favored by a majority of Americans.
How can we convince our Members of Congress to enact what the people want?
Let them know that unless they support Medicare For All, you won't support them.
Take the Medicare For All Voter Pledge today:
http://bit.ly/medicareforallpledge
The insurance industry and the pharmaceutical industry appear about to stage a coup.
Congress’ Secret Plan to Pass Obamacare - CONFIRMED
Posted October 7th, 2009 at 12.38pm in Health Care
Leaders in the House and Senate have a plan to pass President Barack Obama’s sweeping health care plan by Thanksgiving without any significant participation by the American public. CNS News has confirmed the details in our September 22nd titled “Passing a Shell of A Bill: Congress’ Secret Plan to Ram Through Health Care Reform.” Nicholas Ballasy reports “a senior aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told CNSNews.com that it is ‘likely’ that Reid will use H.R. 1586—a bill passed by the House in March to impose a 90-percent tax on bonuses paid to employees of certain bailed-out financial institutions—as a ‘shell’ for enacting the final version of the Senate’s health care bill, which Reid is responsible for crafting.”
This story confirms the four part scenario that would railroad the bill through the Senate using a very unusual closed door procedure to craft the bill with no input from the American people.
The four stage plan to pass Obamacare has been publicly confirmed and is ready to be implemented. The following is a comprehensive update:
Step One: “The Senate Finance Committee will finish work on the marking up of Senator Max Baucus’ (D-MT) conceptual framework for legislation by this Friday.” Progress on this had been stalled and the bill was not passed by the end of last week. Foxnews.com is reporting that the Congressional Budget Office score of the bill will be released later today and a high score may further stall progress on the Committee’s Vapor Bill. Senate Finance Committee’s progress on passing something out of committee – INCOMPLETE.
Step Two: Next, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will take the final product of the Senate Finance Committee and merge it with the product of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee. CNSnews.com has confirmed that “the actual final text of the legislation will be determined by Reid himself, who will consolidate the legislation approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the still-unapproved legislation from the Senate Finance Committee. Reid will be able to draft and insert textual language that was not expressly approved by either committee.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will write the final version of Obamacare to be considered in the Senate with no input from the American people. This is an extremely complex procedure that will not be done in public, or in the form of a hearing, or a public conference committee, and only Senator Harry Reid, some other Senators chosen by Reid and Obama Administration officials will be allowed to read the bill before the Senate debate starts. Merger of the bills – IN PROGRESS.
Step Three: Senator Reid will then move to proceed to H.R. 1586, a bill to impose a tax on bonuses received by certain TARP recipients. A senior aid to Senate Majority Leader Ried has confirmed that he will move to proceed to Senate Calendar Number 36, H.R. 1586, or another House passed tax measure, so the Senate can avoid the Constitutional mandate that tax bills originate in the House. Proceed to tax shell of a bill – CONFIRMED.
Step Four: This scenario would most likely be implemented after the Massachusetts state legislature gives Governor Deval Patrick the power to appoint a new Senator and that Senator is seated by the Senate. The Senate swore in new Massachusetts Senator Paul Kirk on September 25th. Change Law of Massachusetts to allow for interim Senator – COMPLETE.
The final step in this plan is for the House to take up Obama care, without amending the legislation, and then sending that bill directly to the President for his signature. Matt Cover at CNSnews.com reports “House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) won’t rule out having the House vote on the Senate health-care bill without making any changes in it, which would allow the bill to go directly to President Barack Obama without having to pass through a House-Senate conference committee and another round of votes in the House and Senate–and a longer period of public scrutiny of what the text of the proposed law actually says.” This scenario is in the process of being implemented and, if successful, it will result in Obamacare being on the President’s desk in time for Thansgiving with minimal participation of the American public.
The San Francisco Examiner published an editorial today that exposed the fact that the American people can’t see the bill. “When then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama promised not to sign major legislation until it had been posted on the Internet for public reading at least five days, trusting voters took him at his word. Now they know better. Not only is the actual language of what is likely to become the main legislative vehicle for Obama’s signature health care reform not available on the Internet, it hasn’t been given to members of the key Senate committees or the Congressional Budget Office.” The procedure being used, in addition to the exclusion of the American people from the process, should be of grave concern to all who want to participate in democracy and have a say in Congress’ health care reforms that will touch 1/6th of the American economy.
This procedure is the same unconstitutional procedure they used to pass the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) back in November to give Hank Paulson his ‘$700 Billion Bazooka.’ The American people said ‘NO’ at the top of their lungs to that at the time, yet it passed anyway because they used this ‘backdoor’ procedure. It has now set a devastating precedent and Congress is about to use it again.
"This story confirms the four part scenario that would railroad the bill through the Senate using a very unusual closed door procedure to craft the bill with no input from the American people."
The only Americans will have a comprehensive health care bill is if the Democrats 'railroad' it through without any help from the unwilling Republicans.
Republicans do not represent the American people. The message is load and clear, Americans want universal health care and the Republicans are fighting it 'tooth and nail'.
I emailed all three of my reps [1 house, 2 senate] to tell them I will campaign against anyone who does not push for, support and vote for single payer. I will follow up on my promise. If we ALL do the same, we might make an impact.
MichaelC