02/26/2010 11:18:33 AM EST

Take the Damn Vote

posted by Cenk

I have now heard countless times that Democrats don't have enough votes for the public option. Twenty-four senators and 120 representatives have signed a letter supporting the public option. Apparently, that's still not enough. Serious people assure us that there just aren't the votes, even to pass it through reconciliation where you only need a simple majority. You know, there is one way to find out.

Take the damn vote.

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That way we'll see if all the doomsayers were right or not. And more importantly, we'll see who is on which side when the votes actually get counted. And that's exactly what the problem is. The Democrats don't want to go on the record. They want to be able to kill the public option without admitting who it was that actually killed it.

It's amazing what happens sometimes when you actually take the vote. For example, on the jobs bill Scott Brown flipped over and unexpectedly voted with the Democrats. That led to four other Republicans supporting the bill because they thought it was going to pass anyway. And then a curious thing happened, a whole bunch of the people who voted to filibuster the bill turned around and voted in favor of it in the final vote. They theoretically felt so strong about the bill that they filibustered, but when forced to vote on the merits of the bill, they felt enough pressure from their constituents that they actually voted for it.

In the end, the jobs bill passed easily, 70-28. Why? Because these senators who voted in both directions didn't want to be on the record as opposing the bill. Amazing what taking a vote can get accomplished.

Howard Dean was on The Young Turks last night and he suggested that they could also take a vote on a Medicare buy-in as part of the health care bill. As he explained, that is another form of the public option. He pointed out that there appeared to be 59 Democratic senators on board for the Medicare buy-in compromise before Joe Lieberman (supposedly) single-handedly killed it. Why not try both? Try taking a vote on a robust public option and a Medicare buy-in and see which one people like better.

Here is what is inarguable from a policy perspective - there is no harm in trying. What's the worst that can happen - we don't get either? Well, if we don't try we won't get either anyway. The only possible harm in taking the vote is finding out which Democrats sold out their voters for some campaign cash from health care companies. Now do you see why they're not planning a vote?

Well, that's exactly why we should put pressure on them to do the bare minimum - take the vote. Send Harry Reid a message that all we want is a vote and that is the least he can do as Senate Majority Leader. We've all fought so hard and long for this and so many of these Democrats say they've been in favor of it for so long, so they have to at least give us this. Take the vote!

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Take the Damn Vote | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
Excellent Cenk... (none / 0)
The American people all need to know who is for Health Care Reform and who is against it.
We demand a vote so WE can vote accordingly.
The pressure is on Dems. Who's for the American people and who is for the insurance industry?

by designs on 02/26/2010 11:54:14 AM EST

I agree (none / 0)

But I was a bit surprised that Howard Dean now would vote for the bill even without a Public Option or Medicare buy-in. He totally folded. And the reason? Because he's tired of being pushed around by the right wing, as he stated in the interview. That's understandable, but a political reason nonetheless.

And I'd really like to know where Cenk stands on this, as he too repeatedly stated that a bill without a public option or buy-in would do more harm than good, and that he wouldn't vote for it. I have the feeling that he too has "developing views" on this issue, and would have to eat his words, meaning he would vote for a bill without any of that, if he where a senator. Cenk, please address this!

I'd take the vote, first public option, if that fails, let's try buy-in, and if that fails, take what you can get and run. Try to fix it later, and if you can't do it, you at least started a transformation, and another democratic president will pick up the mantle. That means, if he wants to do it, or deems the times ripe.

And the best argument for a public option, as a cost control will the then still rising costs be, for which insurance companies and republicans alike could be blamed.

Of course, long-term planning sucks for people of the present era, especially if there is the opportunity for a faster solution.But it's still better then no planning at all, as is the republicans strategy.

by tomjane7 on 02/26/2010 12:20:35 PM EST

Public Option (none / 0)
Rep James Clyburn's idea of what is a Public Option is laudable for those individuals making 150% of the poverty level and hospitals that would receive reimbursement of Medicaid to Medicare levels, but if the universal mandate remains in the final bill then the Public Option must include a Medicare buy-in that will eventually cover everyone.  That could be by lowering the buy-in age five years in increments of every two years.  This could be done by adding an extra box on the W-4 form, so when you decide on what deductions you want taken out for withholding tax there be the new one to voluntarily increase your Medicare deduction as an indication of your "Buying In" to the Medicare Public Option.

Rep. Clyburn did make a very interesting statement in regard to Health Care that it is a Right.  A site devoted to that concept can be found here (Right To Health Care . org)

by gatekeeper50 on 02/26/2010 02:59:47 PM EST

Healthcare vote (none / 0)
I'm a Canadian so take what I say with a grain of salt, but... As I understand it the Democrats have majorities in both of your elected peoples' Houses, the Executive and have overwhelming support in a blind plebisite vote.

How the Democratic party has manaaged to screw this up so far is utterly (excuse the pun) foriegn to the rest of the world.


History judges cowards far worse then dreamers. Cenk is right, throw down and vote.

by PolicyNorth on 03/17/2010 11:20:29 PM EST

Take the Damn Vote | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
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