Via Jon Walker, Evan Bayh:

If the people [who] want the public option in its fullest form are just adamant about that they can always just get that with fifty votes.

Bayh opposes all forms of a public option. So when he says that, he is laughing in the face of President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Reid.

When Evan Bayh is calling you a wimp, you know that you are weak.

Speaking for me only

Via dougj, sardine:

The reality is this debate really isn’t about politics, it’s about health care. It’s not left or right, it’s about all of us. People need help. They can’t afford their health care bills. People are dying. The crazy health care expenses are hurting businesses. Please don’t turn your back on these people. If you join with the Republicans and block health care reform, you’re basically saying to the American people – go f*ck yourselves.

I want to expand this plea to the people who can decide they do not have to depend on Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu or Blanche Lincoln. They are President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi. They know they can pass a bill via reconciliation. Of course they prefer not to. But they MUST let the players know they will if they are forced to. And they need to let people know NOW. This is not a game.

Speaking for me only

I was on a call with Senator Arlen Specter today and I asked him if the Senate did not invoke cloture for a health care reform bill with a public option, would he support the use of reconciliation for passage of budget germane items while leaving non-budget germane items for passage through regular order.

Senator Specter stated that while he did not think it would come to that he would, "as a last, last, last resort," support the use of reconciliation for passage of health care reform with a public option.

Other matters were covered, in particular regarding the Supreme Court. I will write a detailed post on that later.

Via Greg Sargent, Sherrod Brown puts it on Obama:

I hope the president speaks out strongly for the public option — this health care bill really becomes his at this point,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of about 30 Democrats who have pressured Reid to back the controversial option.

Wonder if the White House gets that the Bystander strategy no longer will work.

Speaking for me only

In a way, this is good news:

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Tuesday that he’d back a GOP filibuster of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health care reform bill. [. . .] "I've told Sen. Reid that if the bill stays as it is now I will vote against cloture,” he said.[. . .] “I feel this way about a national, government-created health insurance company – whether it’s a trigger or not,” he said.“

(Emphasis supplied.) Since Lieberman is there, then Lincoln, Landreiu and Ben Nelson will go there too. No health care reform through normal procedure. Notice especially Lieberman says he will filibuster even Snowe's Trigger (so much for Rahmbo's grand deal with the Princess from Maine.) Reconciliation it is.

Oh by the way, that means we go back to the ROBUST public option with NO opt out. That's the good news.

Update, as mcjoan notes, time to return to the Schumer Plan.

Speaking for me only

Digby speculates about the Opt In:

Howie Klein and I both speculated yesterday about whether Reid would end up substituting Opt-in for Opt-out if push came to shove. It's sounds silly, but I could see it happening. Cloture vote fails, Reid comes right back with Opt-in as the substitute and gets Nelson and Lincoln --- maybe even Snowe as a late conversion. The problem being that Opt-In is unworkable and basically kills the public option.

I think Reid can not do that politically. It would basically end his chances for reelection (the unions are critical for Reid.) But more than that, the words "opt in" sound like "opt out," but unlike the Federalist Public Option, which actually creates a national plan that states can later opt out of, an opt in national plan is uncreatable. A national plan must first exist to opt in to. "Opt In Public Option" makes for a nice sounding phrase, but you simply can not create legislation to bring it into existence - no person in the program means no program. Opt In is simply a trigger proposal with a new name. It is a non-starter and makes no sense. Indeed, I would like to see the proposed legislation for "creating" an opt in national plan. Can't be done. A trigger by any other name is still a trigger. And that ship needs to be burned now.

Speaking for me only

The once No Drama Obama team is in tatters. The lack of message discipline is appalling. HuffPo watches Chuck Todd so we do not have to:

The administration told Reid, "You're the vote counter. But don't come crying to us when you need that last vote," according to NBC News' Chuck Todd.

People who did not pay attention during the 2008 primaries may not know that Chuck Todd, one of NBC White House correspondents, was then practically a member of the Obama campaign team. I have no doubt that someone (Rahmbo! (Cough!) Messina! (Cough!)) in the White House said that to Todd. What is interesting to me is do these people REALLY think the President can just sit on the sidelines on this one? And not face a progressive backlash? More . . .

After months of travel the eleven ships landed in Veracruz. Cortes had the men unload everything from all eleven ships. As they headed into their new adventure the men turned back and saw all eleven ships burning! Cortes had ordered the ships to all be burned. Cortes did not know what he and his men would encounter in their expeditions. What he did know was that by "Burning the Ships" he had completely eliminated their option of going back. At the same time creating an intensely powerful motivation to succeed.

While Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Barack Obama need to concentrate on persuauding/pressuring the uncommitted on cloture Dem Senators, in my view the progressive health care reform movement needs to shut the door on triggers. More . . .

Via Atrios, Bloomberg reports:

[The] chief financial officer for the AIG division that oversaw AIG Financial Products, the unit that had sold the swaps to the banks [wanted] to persuade the banks to accept discounts of as much as 40 cents on the dollar [. . .] Beginning late in the week of Nov. 3, the New York Fed, led by President Timothy Geithner, took over negotiations with the banks from AIG. [. . .] After less than a week of private negotiations with the banks, the New York Fed instructed AIG to pay them par, or 100 cents on the dollar. The New York Fed’s decision to pay the banks in full cost AIG -- and thus American taxpayers -- at least $13 billion. [. . .] The deal contributed to the more than $14 billion that over 18 months was handed to Goldman Sachs.

(Emphais supplied.) Months later, Goldman Sachs gave $200 million to charity. Gee, thanks.

Speaking for me only

mcjoan has the headline to sell - Reid, Obama, Baucus Deliver. All 3 do the right thing today. Reid delivers a federalist public option in the principal bill. WH Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said:

The President congratulates Senator Reid and Chairmen Baucus and Dodd for their hard work on health insurance reform. [The President is] pleased that the Senate has decided to include a public option for health coverage, in this case with an allowance for states to opt out. As he said to Congress and the nation in September, he supports the public option because it has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition."

Max Baucus said:

I included a public option in the health reform blueprint I released nearly one year ago, and continue to support any provision, including a public option, that will ensure choice and competition and get the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate. Success should be our threshold and I am going to fight hard for the 60 votes we need to meet that goal this year.

All the right moves and all the right noises. Still a fight ahead, but good on the Dems today.

Speaking for me only

So sayeth Greg Sargent:

Senator Harry Reid, who’s huddling with senior aides as we speak, has decided to hold a presser today at 3:15 in the Capitol to announce his decision on what to include in the final health care bill, a senior Senate aide confirms. According to multiple, anonymously sourced reports [. . .] Reid is poised to include a public option with an opt out in the bill.

This should be a great moment for Reid and for supporters of a public option. A few things to watch for: will Reid give himself wiggle room? Will Reid argue the merits of the opt out as giving states the chance to opt out if the program does not work for them? (I strongly believe he should.) What will the White House say in reaction to the expected announcement? Will Dan Pheiffer's words be repeated by Robert Gibbs at the podium after Reid's announcement? Should be interesting to say the least.

Speaking for me only

Looks like it is just about official - Reid putting in opt out public option:

According to news reports, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is sending the Senate's health care bill to the Congressional Budget Office today, and may unveil the bill publicly as early as tomorrow. [. . .] The bill reportedly includes a public option, but states may opt out of the program.

Some bad things in the tradeoff -- no employer mandate, just the ineffective free rider provision (also a Baucus/Snowe idea.) I think it is worth that trade - having the public option in this bill is, imo, the most important and critical part of this reform package (in terms of assistance, it is not - the Medicaid expansion provisions are). There are many many other terrible things in the Baucus bill (a few good ones not related to reform) like the excise tax. But the public option looks like it is in. That is reform that will work. Exchanges and all the other gizmos the Beltway Wonks love will not. The camel's nose under the tent that is the public option is THE essential element of the reform in this bill. Some of the rest is good of course, but not reform that will work.

Speaking for me only