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Obama Or Reid? Who Calls The Shot On The Public Option In The Senate?

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 09:09:32 AM EST
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"The Buck Stops Here" -sign on President Harry Truman's desk

Chuck Schumer always has a plan. So what to make of this statement from him?

Leader Reid has the option of putting [the public option] in the final bill[.] If he puts it in the final bill, in the combined bill, then you would need 60 votes to remove it. And there clearly are not 60 votes against the public option. And so we're urging him to do that, and he's seriously considering it. [. . .] It's very important to see if a public option is in the bill that Leader Reid puts together. He hasn't yet made up his mind, but many of us who believe in the public option are urging him to do so, and so far we're getting heard.

Is Schumer putting the onus on Reid, hoping to make Reid act? And act in what way? Which public option? Schumer's level playing field compromise? The Federalist Opt Out Public Option? The horrible Snowe Trigger?

Or is Schumer expecting Reid to kick the decision upstairs to the President? If I was Reid, that is precisely what I would do. I would say, "the final bill will reflect the President's wishes." Pass the buck. After all, Truman said the buck stopped there.

Speaking for me only

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    Obama Or Reid? Who Calls The Shot On The Public Option In The Senate? | 9 comments (9 topical)

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    Depressing (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by lilburro on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 09:23:04 AM EST
    it seems to me that if your goal is to get a public option in the bill, that the framing is pretty ineffective.  Harkin says there are 52 Senators in support of the PO.  So that's a majority.  Plus you could make an argument that the HELP committee should lead on policy.  Etc.

    Just saying "it's up to Reid" seems dumb.

    Nice to see Obama's still AWOL too.

    To summarize it: (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 09:35:22 AM EST
    Still nobody knows what is going to happen.

    From reading the news this morning it sounded like President Snowe will get everything she wants: No public option but a trigger for later on down the road. Basically it sounds like a massively crappy bill---the Baucus bill intact.

    Reid is up for reelection... (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by magster on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 09:46:05 AM EST
    ...with the unions saying they don't back the current bill.  Maybe the progressive strategy is to attack the most vulnerable key player by letting him know he dies when the public option dies.

    Well, if what is most important to (5.00 / 3) (#4)
    by Anne on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 09:57:34 AM EST
    Obama is to get "something" on his desk for him to sign by the end of the year, and the next most important thing is to keep the support of Olympia Snowe so that the word "bipartisan" can be attached to the bill, and since Snowe does not support the public option, and Snowe is being invited in to Reid's meetings next week to hash out a final bill, I would guess that Reid will do little more than make sure that both Obama and Snowe get what they want.

    I think by the end of next week, we can add the acronym "PINO" to our lexicon: Public In Name Only, as whatever comes out of Reid's meetings will be missing any meaningful public element; it would not surprise me to see a trigger element in the final bill.

    And then, of course, I expect Snowe will withdraw her support when the House and Senate bills go to conference, but that will be okay, because her work there will be done.

    From BaucusCare to SnoweJob: way to go, Dems!

    Reid Will Put It in the Final Bill (5.00 / 3) (#5)
    by BDB on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 10:01:18 AM EST
    if Obama tells him to.   But, so far, I've seen no indication Obama is going to tell him to.

    That's the thing about weak Congressional leaders (which is what we have), they aren't going to stand up and do the right thing on their own.  

    Obama (none / 0) (#9)
    by lentinel on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 04:00:22 PM EST
    Obama will tell him to -
    if someone tells Obama to tell him to.

    Parent
    The Dems have made Snowe the most (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by MO Blue on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 10:05:18 AM EST
    powerful politician in D.C. Her support is more important than Democratic members of the House and the Senate. Her support overrides the desire of voters who gave the Dems the majority.

     

    What is the purpose? (none / 0) (#7)
    by BackFromOhio on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 11:00:30 AM EST
    Since the Dems cannot now complain they have fewer than 50 votes, or fewer than 60 votes, will the mantra now be, that no public option was the only way to get bi-partisianship, as if bi-partisanship is still necessary to enact legislation?

    Anyone know of a link for sending messages to our Congressmen/women refusing to vote for them for reelection if they do not support a meaningful PO?

    Parent

    Leadership (none / 0) (#8)
    by lentinel on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 01:38:08 PM EST
    So Schumer or Reid have to kick the decision upstairs to Obama?
    Will they find him hiding in a closet?
    "What do you want from me", he'll cry from within.
    "We want you to make a decision".
    "Sorry. No can do. Go away".

    Obama Or Reid? Who Calls The Shot On The Public Option In The Senate? | 9 comments (9 topical)

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