Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid had some pretty interesting comments today regarding HCR. There are some pretty decent things in the House bill. If the bill came back from conference as is I might not be happy about it but it's definitely something we could build on. However, my belief is it is going to come back so watered down that although it might provide some benefits it will still become unaffordable and be a subsidy giveaway to the insurance companies. The CBO just scored the plan out at link under $900 million.
TPM is reporting that the President has to be convinced that the House version (including a public option) will get through congress Link.
On a conference call with reporters and bloggers this afternoon, I asked Pelosi whether, given recent reports about the President Obama's reluctance to push for a public option in the Senate, she was confident he'd be supportive of the measure going forward.
Pelosi said she's been too busy to gauge the White House's commitment, but suggested that Obama may need to be a bit more persuaded of its political viability if he's going to throw his weight behind it.
"We'll have to convince him that something that will pass in the Congress [that's similar to what we have in the House]," Pelosi said.
And over at the Huffington Post Senator Reid is pleading with us to contact our representatives link:
Anyone that cares about it, make sure you contact your representatives back here in Washington and push hard. We want a health care bill that has a public option that keeps the insurance industries honest and creates a level playing field
I think the leaders of both the House and Senate have moved the ball as much as they can move them without the might of the WH. Why hasn't the President been more forceful in real reform? Is he going to during conference? Did Harry Reid blow the plan of triggers by putting a Public Option w/an opt out clause in the Senate plan? I haven't wanted to ask those questions because I believe in President Obama. But, there were backdoor deals made with BigPharma, Hospital/Dr Assoc. (AMA), and the Insurance Industry. What exactly were they? If we knew that would that explan the tepid push for real Healthcare Reform.
I remember this Barack Obama...I know he has a lot on his plate but I'd like to see more of this guy (start at about 1 minute).
We've still got a chance. If Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are asking for our help we've got to give it to them. Let's double our efforts on the phones, e-mails, letter writing campaigns, marches, talks with friends and family, and anything else we think might show the ground swell of support needed to get past the Lobbyist who are investing more than $1 million dollars a week to kill this thing. Let's do it folks.
UPDATE: WOW....a lot of Folks are Hoping the President Steps Up and Defends one of his main agenda items.