Senate Finance Committee Rejects Schumer Public Option Amendment

By a vote of 10 to 13, the Senate Finance Committee rejects Schumer's public option amendment. This was considered the weaker of the two proposals and would have allowed for negotiated reimbursement rates. Baucus, Conrad, and Lincoln voted with the Republicans to defeat the amendment. As with the Rockefeller Amendment, Finance Comm. Chairman Baucus used circular logic to vote against it "because [he] doesn't see how it can get 60 votes" on the Senate floor.

It is now unlikely the Senate Finance version of HCR will contain a public option. The Senate HELP Committee and the House versions all include a public option, however. Speaker Pelosi and the majority of the House Progressive Caucus have vowed not to support legislation that does not include the public option.

Comments

[Luther]

Well, day by day I'm becoming more and more disillusioned and totally turned off by these useless Democrats, and, maybe they will realize just how useless they are next November when they lose the #1 spot.

Baccus and big insurance won via padding the pockets of these Senators, again, so, they need a silver bullet to kill this waste of time bill that gets nothing done for the 46 million people who don't have and nor can't afford decent insurance, so much for change and let them get voted out, at least with the GOP you know they are anti-citizen and pro big insurance.

[TheRevKev]

I am completely confounded by PUBLICLY ELECTED OFFICIALS who are making choices based SOLELY on the votes of OTHERS!

This health care thing really is the final frontier because if people are healthier and live healthier then they are more likely to make HEALTHY CHOICES for their lives. It's the fact that the country doesn't care about certain people and certain neighborhoods and such that make some people live recklessly. They feel that no one cares. If you have a doctor who makes you responsible for your physical well-being and makes you understand your life and then you understand that same thing about your mother, your siblings, your neighbors (at a different level), then your desire to have a better life and a stronger community changes.

This is so deplorable that it makes me angry. THIS IS A FIGHT THAT WILL NOT GO EASILY INTO THE NIGHT! We must stand up. This is just sad.

I know that there were a lot of things that I disliked about the culture of BET, but Bob Johnson provided us with 100% healthcare! It was lovely to know that no matter how stressed I became at that job, I could always be healthy and I knew I was never going to feel the panic of not knowing what to do.

This is the final fight of privilege and class. The screams of SOCIALIST at President Obama are SO about despising him for trying to level the playing field and good living and solid healthcare is that field!

[robert]

I think you misidentified Chuck Schumer as being from West Virginia when I think he is from New York.

[libhomo]

The Green Party keeps looking better and better in 2010.

[Jim]

We can scream as much as we want to, but when a man has been paid a large sum of money to do a job, more than likely he’s going to do it. That’s pretty basic.

Nothing good will ever happen until these men are made to believe that doing the job they were paid to do will actually be more costly than losing their paycheck.

[Eminem Toy Soldiers]

What has happened to obamas health care bill? The one he has never read or had anything to do with its writing,yet has wasted millions on pushing.

[jacksmith]

Rockefeller and Schumer YOUR FANTASTIC! :-)

ATTENTION!! Congress Has The Votes Needed To Pass A Public Option - TODAY http://bit.ly/TCq7O

Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential - By jacksmith - Working Class

Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/dDYSJ http://robertreich.blogspot.com/

Hollywood Supports The Public Option :-) http://bit.ly/3XLwPi
Krugman on heathcare (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)

Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)

John Garamendi on the Public Option and the Grassroots: http://bit.ly/TJMty

Howard Dean on the Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKfW2dUnow&feature=player_embedded

We're Number 37! in quality of health care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4&feature=player_embedded

Twitter search (#welovethenhs #NHS #hc09 #hcr #healthcar #obama #p2 #topprog #) Check it out.