The Congressional Progressive Caucus in the House of Representatives, according to The Hill, drew their line in the sand as a voting bloc to be reckoned with, and I say it's about damn time! Here's more below:
Eighty liberal lawmakers, in a letter sent to House Democratic leaders Friday, forcefully demanded a “robust and affordable” new government-run health insurance plan be part of healthcare reform.
Emboldened by President Obama’s declaration this week that he wants a public plan option created by the legislation being drafted by Democrats, the Congressional Progressives Caucus (CPC) aggressively stakes its claim as a player in the healthcare reform debate under way in Congress.
They're determined to fight for us, and I'm glad they're taking a very strong stand on the issue of a strong, robust Medicare-like public option in health care reform that isn't hampered by the "7-year trigger" that is being favored by some Senate Democrats. For years, we've needed the Congressional Progressives to come together as a voting bloc in the House of Representatives to help counter-act the treasonous actions of the Blue Dog Democrats.
In its letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democratic leaders, including the committee chairmen writing the bill, the liberal group rejects any healthcare reform plan that excludes a public plan or, as some centrists have suggested, or includes a public plan that would only be “triggered” if private insurers fail to extend coverage.
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Along with the letter to Pelosi, the liberals outline a set of criteria that the public plan “must” possess, including that it be run out of a single government entity, not be administered by private insurance plans.
And Robert Reich explains why we MUST fight for a strong, robust Medicare-like public option that does NOT have the "7-year trigger" and why the trigger is designed to kill the public option in health care reform.
Enter Olympia Snowe. Her move is important, not because she's Republican (the Senate needs only 51 votes to pass this) but because she's well-respected and considered non-partisan, and therefore offers some cover to Democrats who may need it. Last night Snowe hosted a private meeting between members and staffers about a new proposal Pharma and Insurance are floating, and apparently she's already gained the tentative support of several Democrats (including Ron Wyden and Thomas Carper). Under Snowe's proposal, the public option would kick in years from now, but it would be triggered only if insurance companies fail to bring down healthcare costs and expand coverage in he meantime.
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Much the same dynamic is occurring in the House. Two members who had originally supported single payer told me that Pharma and Insurance have launched the same strategy there, and many House members are looking to see what happens in the Senate. Snowe's "trigger" is already buzzing among members.
All this will be decided within days or weeks. And once those who want to kill the public option without their fingerprints on the murder weapon begin to agree on a proposal -- Snowe's "trigger" or any other -- the public option will be very hard to revive. The White House must now insist on a genuine public option. And you, dear reader, must insist as well.
This is it, folks. The concrete is being mixed and about to be poured. And after it's poured and hardens, universal health care will be with us for years to come in whatever form it now takes. Let your representative and senators know you want a public option without conditions or triggers -- one that gives the public insurer bargaining leverage over drug companies, and pushes insurers to do what they've promised to do. Don't wait until the concrete hardens and we've lost this battle.
Are you ready to fight on Monday for a strong, robust Medicare-like public option with no "triggers" and is available immediately to ALL Americans?
It's the line in the sand for me, millions of Americans, and our friends in the House and the Senate.
Health care reform would be a SHAM without a strong, robust Medicare-like public option with no "triggers" and they have to know it because...
we're going to YELL like HELL on Monday!
We're going to need all of you in this fight. If we don't have you on our side....
We'll fail.
We won't get a strong, robust Medicare-like public option if you're not with us.
It's the truth.
It's time to check your gut and FIGHT like hell. They won't know what's coming when we hit them on Monday.