public option – News Stories About public option - Page 2

GOP: Congress, Prez Must Go On Public Option

bluff and counterbluff

Dec 7, 2009 9:28 AM CST

GOP: Congress, Prez Must Go On Public Option

If there is one, which we hope there isn't. Good idea, say Dems.

(Newser) - In the circus that is the Senate these days, a couple of anti-public-option Republicans—Tom Coburn and David Vitter—rolled out an amendment to the health care bill Friday requiring members of Congress to enroll in any such plan that might come to pass. When Dems didn’t object—Sherrod...

Obama Goes to Hill
Tomorrow to Cajole Dems

health care reform

Dec 5, 2009 4:14 PM CST

Obama Goes to Hill Tomorrow to Cajole Dems

He will meet with Senate Democrats to try to iron out differences

(Newser) - President Obama will head to Capitol Hill tomorrow afternoon to try to keep health care reform from flying off the track in the Senate. Obama will attend a meeting of Senate Democrats at 2pm as internal squabbles intensify over key parts of the legislation. The two big ones revolve around...

Reid, Carper to Unveil
New Public Option

Dec 2, 2009 7:41 AM CST

Reid, Carper to Unveil New Public Option

'Hammer public option' emerges as Plan B

(Newser) - Facing the reality that his "opt-out" public option doesn't have enough votes to clear the Senate, Harry Reid will reveal a Plan B public option next week in a bid to break the gridlock on health reform. The new plan, largely the work of Sen. Tom Carper, looks likely...

Americans
Want JFK on
Mt. Rushmore

Nov 30, 2009 1:50 AM CST

Americans Want JFK on Mt. Rushmore

And they don't have a clue about health plan's public option

(Newser) - JFK could one day join Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt in rock now that a wide-ranging poll by VanityFair/60 Minutes has found he's the president most Americans would most like to see added to Mount Rushmore. Other revelations:

Though it's a hot-button topic in the health-care debate, Americans are fairly

...

Reid Rolls Out
Senate Health
Bill for Sat.
Showdown

Nov 19, 2009 7:40 AM CST

Reid Rolls Out Senate Health Bill for Sat. Showdown

Public option weaker than House's, abortion restriction less severe

(Newser) - Harry Reid rolled out the Senate’s combined health care reform bill last night, earning oohs and ahhs from fellow Democrats, particularly over the price tag, and setting the stage for a cloture vote Saturday. The bill would cost a svelte $849 billion over 10 years while reducing the deficit...

Dems Should Embrace a Health Care Filibuster

Steven Pearlstein

Nov 11, 2009 1:07 PM CST

Dems Should Embrace a Health Care Filibuster

Open, Senate debate is preferable to backroom negotiations

(Newser) - The Senate is broken, writes Steven Pearlstein , its members so mired in dysfunction they don’t even realize how undemocratic current legislative practice is. The mere threat of a filibuster is enough to kill a bill, a fact that "violates the letter and spirit of the US Constitution."...

Senate Health Bill
Runs Into Abortion Divide

Nov 10, 2009 12:05 PM CST

Senate Health Bill Runs Into Abortion Divide

Both sides have vocal opponents, could halt bill without compromise

(Newser) - With a last-second concession barring federal dollars from funding abortions, Nancy Pelosi largely skirted the full brunt of the issue, but Harry Reid may not be so lucky. The Senate majority leader likely won't get the 60 votes he needs without similar language— which a Planned Parenthood VP calls a...

Abortion Dispute Could
Derail Health Care Bill

Nov 9, 2009 7:42 AM CST

Abortion Dispute Could Derail Health Care Bill

Some Dems vow to block final passage

(Newser) - The abortion funding ban included in the health-care bill passed by the House Saturday could doom it down the road, as abortion supporters in the Senate threaten revolt, and those who voted for it in the House vow they won't back the final bill if it's still included, the Washington...

Health Reform
Faces Tougher
Battle in Senate

Nov 9, 2009 6:48 AM CST

Health Reform Faces Tougher Battle in Senate

A very different health bill enters a sharply divided Senate

(Newser) - "That was easy," Nancy Pelosi quipped after health care reform squeaked through the House; viewed from the other side of the Capitol, this is no joke. As the action shifts to the Senate, Harry Reid has a tough hand to play. The GOP minority wields more power in...

Life Inside Nancy Pelosi's Bubble

Interview

Nov 2, 2009 12:33 PM CST

Life Inside Nancy Pelosi's Bubble

For feisty speaker, there are only Dems, donors and vote counts

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi is smiling that trademark mask-like smile as she sits down for the interview. A recent California poll puts her approval rating at 34%, a big plunge from 48% in March, but the speaker barely noticed. Whenever poll numbers come up she waves her staff off, saying, “I’...

Lieberman, Bayh Wives
in Bed with Health Biz

ANALYSIS

Oct 30, 2009 9:38 AM CDT

Lieberman, Bayh Wives in Bed with Health Biz

Ties to pharma, insurers make filibuster threats suspect

(Newser) - The threats from Sens. Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh to help filibuster any health reform bill with a public option should come as no surprise to anybody familiar with their family finances, writes Joe Conason. Lieberman's wife Hadassah spent 30 years working in the corporate health sector for pharmaceutical firms...

Pelosi to Liberals:
Cheer Up, Shut Up

Interview

Oct 30, 2009 9:05 AM CDT

Pelosi to Liberals: Cheer Up, Shut Up

Get on board, says speaker, and don't expect amendments

(Newser) - The health care bill Nancy Pelosi unveiled yesterday may not be as liberal as some of her colleagues would like, but she says they’d better get over it. The speaker intends to keep debate to a minimum, and squash any attempt to add an amendment that would strengthen the...

Time to Pick a Side on Health Care Reform

Paul Krugman

Oct 30, 2009 7:58 AM CDT

Time to Pick a Side on Health Care Reform

House bill ain't perfect, but it's the best we're going to get

(Newser) - No more fence-sitting or holding out for a better bill. “It’s the defining moment for health care reform,” declares Paul Krugman. “Everyone has to decide which side they’re on.” By everyone he means not only politicians but people in the media and other influencers....

Pelosi Plan Finds
Foes on Left, Right

first takes

Oct 29, 2009 3:43 PM CDT

Pelosi Plan Finds Foes on Left, Right

Liberals say it's too conservative, and conservatives say it's too liberal

(Newser) - Some early takes from the left and right on Nancy Pelosi's health care bill:

Tevi Troy, National Review: This will offend states, employers, budget hawks, insurers, even liberals who don't think it's "robust" enough. "The Pelosi approach is an impressive demonstration of coalition building—if you’re trying

...

Pelosi Presents $900B
Health Care Bill

Oct 29, 2009 10:27 AM CDT

Pelosi Presents $900B Health Care Bill

It could go to the floor as early as next week

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi showed off the House’s sweeping health care reform bill today, boasting that it was a historic step toward providing quality health care for nearly all Americans. The bill, which officials say will cost roughly $900 billion over 10 years, would cover 96% of the country, requiring nearly...

Pelosi to Unveil Bill With Weaker Public Option

Oct 29, 2009 7:12 AM CDT

Pelosi to Unveil Bill With Weaker Public Option

Liberals suck it up as plan tied to Medicare rates lacks votes

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi will unveil her long-awaited version of the health care reform bill today, but it won’t include the top item on liberals’ wish list: a public option with rates tied to Medicare. Instead, the bill contains a weaker version of the government-run plan that would let doctors negotiate...

Public Backs Afghan Troop Surge 47%-43%

Poll Numbers

Oct 28, 2009 11:21 AM CDT

Public Backs Afghan Troop Surge 47%-43%

....and majority support holding off on decision until after runoff

(Newser) - Public support for a troop surge in Afghanistan is surging, too, according to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll . Support for a troop increase edged out opposition 47% to 43%, after trailing opposition 44% to 51% last month. But 58% also support waiting until after the runoff election to make...

Reid's 6 Biggest Headaches

PUBLIC OPTION SHOWDOWN

Oct 28, 2009 8:14 AM CDT

Reid's 6 Biggest Headaches

Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman are two of them

(Newser) - To get the 60 votes he needs just to bring his health care bill to the floor of the Senate, Harry Reid is going to have to rein in some of his caucus' members. Politico surveys the majority leader's biggest challenges.

Joe Lieberman, Conn. The independent said yesterday he'll join

...

Afghan Surge Gains Favor; Public Sours on DC

POLL NUMBERS

Oct 27, 2009 6:20 PM CDT

Afghan Surge Gains Favor; Public Sours on DC

Support for public option also grows; GOP isn't more popular, though

(Newser) - New poll numbers out today hold good news and bad for the Obama administration. Support is rising for a troop surge in Afghanistan, the NBC/Wall Street Journal survey finds, and nearly half now favor a public option in the health-care reform measures now under consideration. The bad news: 58% said...

Lieberman Threatens Filibuster Over Public Option

Oct 27, 2009 2:08 PM CDT

Lieberman Threatens Filibuster Over Public Option

Independent's warning is bad news for Harry Reid

(Newser) - Joe Lieberman doesn't want a public option, and he warned today that he would join a Republican filibuster to try to prevent one from becoming law. The statement by the Democrat-turned-independent is bad news for Harry Reid's prospects of getting 60 votes in the Senate. Lieberman said he told Reid...