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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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21

Reid Narrows In on 60 Votes for Public Option

Landrieu and Lieberman agree not to block opt-out plan

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(Newser) – Harry Reid closed in on the 60 votes he needs to pass a health reform bill with a public option yesterday, aided by 2 Democratic moderates who pledged not to filibuster the vote. Both Mary Landrieu and Joe Lieberman said they wouldn't block the bill, which offers a public insurance option that states could opt out of. Another Democratic fence-sitter, Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, signaled that he might support the opt-out plan.

Reid could still switch from an opt-out to an opt-in, or "trigger" plan, to win a yea vote from Sen. Olympia Snowe, his best hope among Republicans, before the bill comes to a vote as early as Tuesday, Politico reports. In a White House meeting Thursday, Obama appeared to favor the trigger plan.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, accompanied by Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Patrick Leahy, speaks during a news conference on health insurance companies, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, accompanied by Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Patrick Leahy, speaks during a news conference on health insurance companies, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, center, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, following the policy luncheons.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, center, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, following the policy luncheons.   (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
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21 comments
VIEWING:
 
skeptik
Oct 24, 09 9:44 AM CDT
Forget the bi-partisan dance, it is a waste of time. Put a good, strong, public option into the bill & PASS IT. Enough drama, enough trying to appease the repubs- they have no intentions of supporting this legislation so quit wasting time and pass it. We are tired of waiting. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+9
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Oct 24, 09 10:08 AM CDT
I love how Democrats are so disconnected from the issue that they will play around with the lives of 46+million human beings in the name of bi-partisanship.
Vote up! Vote down!
+3
IN RESPONSE:
ljm
Oct 24, 09 1:24 PM CDT
The republicans are not sinking this--- it is the Blue Dogs et al. If the Dems had the support of the *conservative* wing (so tired of the blue dogs being portrayed as the "moderates") they would push it through. The Bipartisanship Dance is a way to blame failure on the other side and shirk responsibility. This is the Democratic Party's issue to loose and it looks like they are trying very hard to do just that.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
LovinLife
Oct 24, 09 7:05 PM CDT
If President Obama pushes a Public Option, we will have it for his term only - which will likely be short lived. If he continues his current strategy (rallying 12,000+ volunteers to generate 344,000 calls to representatives in the last 4 days, encouraging legislators to find solutions that more of them can support, empowering our representatives to do their job), we will have a permanent public option which will provide benefits over the long term (similar to Medicare) for people who currently have no choices. Someone recently said that Obama is playing chess while his opponents are playing checkers. That person gets it and I apologize for not remembering who. Brilliant.
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
hybrid
Oct 26, 09 10:03 AM CDT
@fondue What bi-partisanship? They don't need the gop and haven't wanted them. This not being passed is all on the party of the donkey.
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0

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