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No Public Option Debate Until Tuesday

By Kate Pickert | @katepickert | September 25, 2009 | +

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus just opened today’s health reform bill markup by saying amendments related to a public option will not be introduced and debated until Tuesday. He said intends to close the hearing around noon today and won’t reconvene the markup until Tuesday. Democratic Senators Jay Rockefeller and Chuck Schumer had said last night they intended a public option debate to happen today, but possibly because of the shortness of today’s session, Baucus decided to put off the debate until next week.

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  • rustyreturns

    I guess Baccus just told Chuckles Schumer and Rockefella who REALLY is Chairman of this committee. Who is REALLY in charge of the one and only bill which will come out of the Senate for HCR.
    .
    I love it. Simply love it!!!

  • rustyreturns

    Kate:
    .
    Do you think while Schumy and Rocky were busy like little beavers writing up their joint “Public Option” admendment, Conrad was “grinning” because he already knew Baccus was going to do this today? Adjorn at 12 Noon?

  • grape_crush

    He said intends to close the hearing around noon today and won’t reconvene the markup until Tuesday.

    Any idea what the reason for this was?

  • deconstructiva

    Thanks, Kate. Now this is the traditional Senate I’ve grown to know and loathe. No growing a spine / pair / etc. here. But could this corporate footdragging backfire since now there’s extra time to apply more public pressure?

  • http://derekg.wordpress.com/ Derek

    They must have wanted to give the media one more weekend to bash the public option before bringing it up?

  • pafro

    I’ve reposted from the previous PO thread; can you let us know who might be a no vote?
    No public option is included in Chairman Max Baucus’s current health care reform bill and none is expected one to be added, simply because there are not enough supportive votes on the committee to pass such an amendment.
    Who is not supportive? You should help us out and name names.
    From what I can tell, no Democrat on the committee has out and out declared they oppose the public option (and if you look at support circa 2008, a number of these senators like Baucus supported a PO). Rather, they say weaselly things like “the votes aren’t there”, and “there is not the support for the public option”.
    When a Kent Conrad says “the votes aren’t there”, is he saying he is a NO vote, or is he saying he heard a lot of Senators talking about it in the bathroom and that is his opinion? And why can’t we ever get journalists to ask follow ups when the weasel statements like this get bandied about?

  • pafro

    Given that support is climbing, as per the CBS/Times poll out today, that seems like a bad strategy.
    Anyone know if any of these finance guys are on the Sunday shows?

  • pafro

    Actually Conrad comes right out and tells Ezra Klein that he is a No vote. Finally…end of September.
    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/09/why_frances_health-care_is_so.html#more
    He also tries to lie about France’s healthcare system and Klein politely busts him.

  • Paul-no not that one

    This Weak has SoD Gates and President McCain
    .
    Meet the Gregory has Sens Kyl and Webb
    .
    Ole Bob has SoS Clinton and fresh from his fainting couch Lindsey Graham.

  • carotexas1

    There are no adjectives to describe seeing Bacaus, Conrad and Grassley defend the age ratio for seniors to benefit the Insurance Companies.

    I was glad to see Nelson ask what happens when you spread the risk on a larger pool and was told it then the risk shrinks.

    My take is that not only the Insurance Companies do not want a Public Option they do not want National Exchange to help lower costs.

  • bangormaine

    Isn’t the slowness of this mark-up making it nigh difficult to meet the Oct 15 deadline for passing something via reconciliation? Or am I missing something about legislative process?

    These are real questions and I’d very much appreciate a response from Kate or others. Thanks in advance.

  • stuartzechman

    Thanks for answering your own question, and providing that helpful link.

  • pafro

    Ughhh. Kyl lied to the Supreme Court. Lindsey Graham as well.
    I wonder why journalists think they can contribute in an honest fashion?

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  • FlownOver

    pafro –

    Most of the MSM gave up on any link between honesty and news sources quite a while ago.

  • Paul-no not that one

    At least Kyl was nice enough to provide a topic-
    .
    “I don’t need maternity care,” Kyl said. “So requiring that on my insurance policy is something that I don’t need and will make the policy more expensive.”
    .
    http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/kyl-i-dont-need-maternity-care-stabenow-your-mom-probably-did.php?ref=fpblg

  • http://wahela.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/poll-public-option-favored-by-65-of-americans/ Poll: Public Option favored by 65% of Americans « Wahela's Blog

    [...] The Senate Finance Committee will vote on a government-run health insurance option Tuesday. [...]

  • http://journeyhomeburke.wordpress.com/ journeyhomeburke

    If you think the insurance companies are going to voluntarily lower our costs and their profits and their million dollar wages while having a monopoly over the process – well I’ve got a bridge to sell you …and I think Wall Street should be completely unregulated I trust strangers with my money, and pollution is good and airbags should be removed from all our cars.

    Our market systems depend and thrive on competition; unregulated markets are a vicious roller coaster ride of boom, bubble and bust. The winner takes all mentality doesn’t take into account the whole system that’s what governments are for. The pure free market system is a myth. It doesn’t exist and as an economic model is anarchy.

    At the end of the day vote your pocket book. Don’t take up millionaire strangers causes as if they were your own. They have plenty of paid voices lobbying for them. Keep your eye on what is best for you and your family and the Country will be fine.

    Paul Burke
    Author-Journey Home

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