SIMPLE PATH – PUT PO IN THE RECON BILL SENT FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE. EVERY THING ELSE IS SMOKE AND MIRRORS.
If indeed there is fraud going on by leaders/members of Congress saying one thing to the public and conspiring in the back room to implement some thing else, then it is time to call the names and expose the culprits. All these shenanigans will damage Democratic Party reputation and result in loss of large number of votes come November. They seem to not realize that they will be shooting themselves in the foot.
The FDL note [http://tinyurl.com/...] is disingenuously complex. I don’t know why such complexity is being created. It only adds to the smoke and mirror drama going on the Hill.
FDL: "This excuse is pure nonsense because the House simply can never get assurances that the reconciliation bill that they pass will pass the Senate unchanged. It is almost guaranteed that it will need to go back to the House for one final vote."
AA: Your statement flies in the face of the vote gathering efforts by PCCC, DFA, Credo Action with the backing of other Progressive organizations like MoveOn, HCAN etc who have been mobilizing with intense effort for a long time but really going into high gear in these days to help in sorting through the Political Haze on the Hill. As Adam stated there is a compendium of written or "on the record" public statements which shows that there are between 50 – 53 Senators who have promised to Vote for a Recon Package containing the Public Option. For a tally and statements you can read [http://tinyurl.com/...].
In my opinion the note only adds to the smoke being blown by the House folks right now to mask their decision to not include the PO in the Package. If they believe that what they are saying publicly to the PO activists is different than what they are saying privately to Nancy Pelosi and the House.
FDL claim that the bill will have to go to the house one more time because they will change the House PO definition and it will have to come back to house at least once. Dick Durbin has said he will not allow any amendments (putting it in the Package is superior than an amendment any way). In this case the pre-negotiated package will pass through Senate as-is.
If indeed there is fraud going on by leaders/members of Congress saying one thing to the public and conspiring in the back room to implement some thing else, then it is time to call the names and expose the culprits. All these shenanigans will damage Democratic Party reputation and result in loss of large number of votes come November. They seem to not realize that they will be shooting themselves in the foot.
SIMPLE PATH – PUT PO IN THE RECON BILL SENT FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE. EVERY THING ELSE IS SMOKE AND MIRRORS.