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News & ArtsTuesday, September 29, 2009
Health Cantwell Public Option Amendment Defeated
Posted by Eli Sanders on Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Like the Rockefeller amendment earlier, the Schumer-Cantwell amendment, which sought to add a public option to the Senate Finance Committee's health insurance reform bill, has just been defeated.
The vote in the Finance Committee, which came after impassioned arguments by both Schumer and Cantwell, was closer than for the Rockefeller amendment. That one had only 8 votes in favor, with 15 votes against. Schumer-Cantwell got 10 votes in favor and 13 votes against—with Cantwell, of course, voting yes and committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Montana) voting no.
(An explanation of the differences between the two amendments is here.)
As happened during debate on the Rockefeller amendment, there was again high praise for Cantwell from Schumer during this debate. He pointed toward a different—but related—Cantwell amendment to reform Medicare's dysfunctional "fee for service" system and said it was perhaps as important as the public option to the overall reform process. That amendment should be debated later this week.
1
Baucus and the senate dem leadership are such fucking clowns. I am never voting democrat for federal office again.
2
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWK!!!!!
Well, I guess I'm not especially more screwed than I've ever been. Still uninsured, still one random illness away from homelessness or death. I don't trust this country as far as I can kick it. If our elected officials can't stop sucking that corporate titty long enough to save the lives of their voters, well... I'm off to Europe as soon as I can afford it.
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Well, I guess I'm not especially more screwed than I've ever been. Still uninsured, still one random illness away from homelessness or death. I don't trust this country as far as I can kick it. If our elected officials can't stop sucking that corporate titty long enough to save the lives of their voters, well... I'm off to Europe as soon as I can afford it.
-
3
It's time to hire some demographic experts to help determine the most advantageous distribution of voters among the various legislative districts. We all move to our various new voting districts, get good people elected, and pass some decent laws. A six-year national service commitment is all that is needed from everyone and then we can move back home.
6
We are fucked.
The plan Baucus finally agrees to is going to make health care rates skyrocket, and it will fail to cover the uninsured. Which is going to suck from a public health perspective, and it's going to suck even more in a few years when costs are out of control, the insurance industry is even more powerful, and Republicans' "see, we tole yuh it was a bad idea" argument will gain traction.
I fully expect to see the Republicans shut down both Medicare and Social Security in ten years' time.
I no longer give a shit what kind of a bill they pass, since it's by definition going to be worse than no bill at all.
Thanks a fuck of a lot.
The plan Baucus finally agrees to is going to make health care rates skyrocket, and it will fail to cover the uninsured. Which is going to suck from a public health perspective, and it's going to suck even more in a few years when costs are out of control, the insurance industry is even more powerful, and Republicans' "see, we tole yuh it was a bad idea" argument will gain traction.
I fully expect to see the Republicans shut down both Medicare and Social Security in ten years' time.
I no longer give a shit what kind of a bill they pass, since it's by definition going to be worse than no bill at all.
Thanks a fuck of a lot.
7
In a related story, 13 senators just received brand new luxury vacation homes, courtesy of the insurance companies.
9
conrad, who spent 5 mins complimenting the bill, voted no. then baucus voted no because "it can't get 60 votes"....
yeah jackass baucus, it cant get 60 votes with your attitude. fucking insurance cumrag...
yeah jackass baucus, it cant get 60 votes with your attitude. fucking insurance cumrag...
10
I think we should just admit it now. The democracy is gone and has been replaced with a corporatocracy. We thought that if most of the people wanted a public option, that's what we'd get, right? It's a Democracy, right? Apparantly not.
Lyn
Lyn
11
So what happens now? Is this the end of the public option? Did we lose the fight right here? Or can a good bill still make it to the senate floor without having to go through this committee? Somebody (Eli?) explain it to us!
12
wow
you Liberal democrats are like the Washington Huskies of politics.
it ain't even funny anymore...
you Liberal democrats are like the Washington Huskies of politics.
it ain't even funny anymore...
13
@11,
Well, Pelosi's already said that the house isn't going to pass anything that doesn't include a public option. So even if Baucus' POS passes the senate, it'll die in the house.
I think there are some house bills that include a public option but just haven't made it to the floor yet.
Well, Pelosi's already said that the house isn't going to pass anything that doesn't include a public option. So even if Baucus' POS passes the senate, it'll die in the house.
I think there are some house bills that include a public option but just haven't made it to the floor yet.
14
@11: reconciliation with the house bill can bring it back. these 3 DINOs aren't the final answer.
the senate was, is, and always shall be useless and corrupt. it is intended to be the plutocratic limit on democracy. you're free, but don't push it.
the senate was, is, and always shall be useless and corrupt. it is intended to be the plutocratic limit on democracy. you're free, but don't push it.
15
If you're upset with Senator Baucus about this, consider chipping in towards this Progressive Change Campaign Committee PAC advertisement that calls him out for going against the majority of his constituents and siding with the insurance companies he accepted $4 million from.
16
Agreed with fnarf, big time. The conspiracy theorist in me sees how futile the effort was and kind of wonders if this whole health care push was designed to fail from the start. My wacky ol' dad thinks corporate interests want to bankrupt the government so they can take over the joint. To me, it just looks like so much more evidence of the utter animal thoughtlessness of human greed. No one can stop the end of our species, but the rich seem to think this Nth degree of power or money will somehow save them When The Shit Goes Down. We're a fucking dead species walking, and we don't have the decency to show each other an iota of compassion (social services, whatev) as we sail into Oblivion.
17
If you want to have fun, phone the Montana Tourism Bureau and ask them about ski trips and such - and then after they talk for a while say "oh, wait, Montana, isn't that where the guy who killed the public option for healthcare is a Senator? in that case I'm not visiting your state".
it's fun!
it's fun!
19
Thanks for trying, Senator Cantwell? Fuck Maria Cantwell and the entire Democratic Party. You've shit on the people who vote you into office once again. We don't want a public option. Private insurance is the problem. The only solution is single payer. And why oh why is an "objective" journalists like Eli Sanders LYING about Maria Cantwell's proposal and making it sound like progressive? What does Maria's ass smell like Eli? Do you fucking job and report on what the majority of Americans are demanding, SINGLE PAYER, and NOT this bullshit that "trickles down" from your cougar fantasy Martia Cantdoanytingprogressivewell.
20
There was an "Alice in Wonderland" quality to Max Baucus's explanation as to why he couldn't vote for the Rockefeller public option. He said he was against it because it couldn't get to 60 votes. Now, considering that he himself is one of the handful of key swing votes to get to 60, that's tantamount to saying, "I'm against this because I'm against this."
BTW, do you know the litmus test of the effectiveness of a public option or a coop or a trigger or some other attempt to give the health insurance industry competition? Whether Max Baucus and Kent Conrad will oppose it. If there's a coop or a trigger and Baucus and Conrad support it, rest assured it's bogus.
It's enough to make one think the only hope for American democracy is for large masses of educated people to establish settlements or kibbutzes or something in Montana and North Dakota.
BTW, do you know the litmus test of the effectiveness of a public option or a coop or a trigger or some other attempt to give the health insurance industry competition? Whether Max Baucus and Kent Conrad will oppose it. If there's a coop or a trigger and Baucus and Conrad support it, rest assured it's bogus.
It's enough to make one think the only hope for American democracy is for large masses of educated people to establish settlements or kibbutzes or something in Montana and North Dakota.
21
THE MARXISTS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED!!!
It's only one step, but a big one towards sweeping them out of power forever next year!
It's only one step, but a big one towards sweeping them out of power forever next year!
23
YEAH! OBAMA FAILED!!!
Shit - I still have a piss-poor HMO, and with nothing to stop the cost from rising, soon your job's health plan will suck, too. But.... uh....
YEAH! WE WON! TEA PARTY AT MY PLACE!!!
Shit - I still have a piss-poor HMO, and with nothing to stop the cost from rising, soon your job's health plan will suck, too. But.... uh....
YEAH! WE WON! TEA PARTY AT MY PLACE!!!
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