In other words we will take the citizens with the least money and the most problems, through them into a lifeboat together, and tell them to take care of themselves.

Raul Grijalva is co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Washington, D.C.--Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement this evening, concerning the President's address to Congress on health care reform:

"I am pleased that President Obama made the right choice to recognize the importance of a public option as part of the health care reform legislation.

"A public option is the most effective way to achieve our goals of controlling costs, eliminating abuses of patients by insurance company abuses, and providing quality health care to all.

"However, the President needs to be more direct on what the public option means and what it will do for the American people.

"President Obama was elected to bring change and progress. I fear that if my party and the President do not appreciate the mandate the American people have given us, the people will lose confidence in the idea that they can vote for change and get what they voted for.

"We in the majority must have the courage to do what is in our power to do, and pass a bill that guarantees access to affordable, quality health care.

"Doing nothing is not an option. That is why I oppose efforts to delay and kill real reform with a so-called "trigger". We cannot wait and just hope that the insurance companies will develop a conscience.

"The defenders of the way things are want to diminish and destroy the public option because they fear it will be effective. A national insurance plan would have the bargaining power to get lower drug prices and better deals with health providers.

"We cannot rely solely on the insurance companies' good faith efforts to provide for our constituents. A robust public option is essential, if we are to ensure that all Americans can receive healthcare that is accessible, guaranteed and of high-quality.  Health insurance reform is an investment in our future that we cannot afford not to make."

P.S. -- One of the folks in the audience tonight was your Senator, Michael Bennet. Since arriving in Congress, Senator Bennet has shown his commitment to real, sensible reform, working with me toward the same goals I outlined this evening -- and I want to thank him for his leadership on this issue. He's traveled all across the state of Colorado, holding town hall meetings in small towns and big cities, and he hasn't stopped standing up for real health reform that will get our economy moving again and help to bring the deficit under control.

"The President affirmed tonight that our government has a role and responsibility to serve as a check and balance in America's health care system. The insurance companies cannot be allowed any longer to go without competition, and the president presented a plan to provide the American people with fundamental health security guarantees. He insisted that there be prohibitions against current practices that deny or withdraw coverage when people need it most. He went on to affirm that there would be a competitive public plan to force the insurance companies to be accountable for their cost, thus insuring that costs would come down. The president drew a line in the sand that said no American should be forced to go broke in the richest nation on earth because they get sick."

(Bolding is mine.)

McDermott was the only WA politician, so far, to even mention the words "public plan". He is following the caucus strategy of pushing the public option to the forefront, and intimating that Obama is all for it so let's get it done.

Governor Gregoire's and Senator Murray's statements were really anemic and generic. They mimicked Obama's themes of "security and stability" -- obviously, the WH sent out talking points to all the Dems.