How hard is President Obama pushing the public option? The President is putting on the pads.

[grantcart]

A Scripted Engagement


Bring everyone together.

Try to agree on basic principles.

Develop a consensus on the depth and urgency of the problem.

Create a deadline and start applying the pressure.


How much pressure is the President applying?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/us/politics/07policy.html?_r=2&hp

Many Republicans are already angry over the emphasis Mr. Obama placed on the public plan in last week’s letter. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, said Friday that “the key to a bipartisan bill is not to have a government plan in the bill.”

As the above article and the President's radio message shows the President is putting on the pads.

With so much of the action behind the scenes how hard is he hitting?

With a White House that refuses to leak the only way to judge the hits is to look at the bruises.

Just how hot and bothered are the Republicans.

Grassley appears to have been knocked senseless. After having made so much noise about working together he now faces having not a single Republican vote on this legislation and in the future when millions and millions of Americans choose the public option, the Republicans will not get any credit. Oh yeah and by the way you can't fillibuster, all we need is 51 votes.

Gingrich looks like he swallowed a live rodent.

Palin is babbling.

McConnell is on the floor looking for his glasses.

But the key indicator is that Orin Hatch is on the TV and looks like he is about to have a thrombosis erupt in his cerebral cortex for a massive stroke.

I hope you have good health insurance Senator the President appears ready for a long 4th quarter.

[MNDemNY]

1. Without a public plan, it is all for naught.

A complete waste of time, no, worse than that, a chance squandered.

[grantcart]

4. I agree, better to let it all grind down to a systemic collapse and rebuild it properly.

Once you mandate universal care there is no longer any business function for private plans, except to provide supplemental care.


Some basic level public plan, regardless of how basic, must be an option, we can expand it later.

[MNDemNY]

7. So long as it is not "held in reserve" in case the industry does not behave.

They will not behave.

[grantcart]

8. of course not they are fighting for their jobs

However the success of the plan will depend on the ability to do an end around and get the medical industry on board.


And, even though I hate it, it may be necessary to do a deal with the pharmaceuticals, just as long as the public option is in place, we can perfect it later.

[Triana]

2. To HELL with a "bipartisan bill" The DEMOCRATS have the votes

JUST

DO

IT


Grow a damn SPINE already and DO IT!


:grr:

[nichomachus]

9. And the corporations have the "lone crazed gunmen" waiting in the wings

They are making tens of billions of dollars off the current system. They are not just going to walk away from the quietly.

For heaven's sake, we just finished killing a couple of hundred thousand people over a few barrels of oil.

[RufusTFirefly]

10. Mebbe so. But I doubt it will be necessary.

There are other, classier options

[TheCoxwain]

3. McConnell can shove the olive branch up his ass !!! .. I am really rooting

for a poison ivy though!

[glowing]

5. He needs to put on the gloves and line them with lead...

In any fight, expect to get hurt; realize it and fight for victory... Pads sounds like playing defense.. when an all out offence is needed.

[HopeOverFear]

6. Obama: IT'S OOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!