I have just spoken with the offices of both my Senators from the state of Colorado. I have shared with them my fears about Democratic voter uneasiness with the state of healthcare and Wall St regulation legislation in the Senate. I propose some solutions that, in my opinion, may help the situation and show leadership after the fold.
As far as healthcare reform goes, after speaking to many voters in Colorado, one thing is clear: while many voters say they would not vote for a Democrat if the public option is removed from the final bill, the biggest fear is the mandate. I have informed both Senator's offices today that a bill with no public option and no mandate will create electoral difficulties, but a final bill with a mandate and no public option will create a mutiny among Colorado's Democratic voters. This feeling seems to be nearly unanimous, from what I can tell.
There are parts of the Senate healthcare bill that many can agree on, such as banning lifetime caps, prohibiting rate raises upon discovery of illness and the eliminating the horrible notion of pre existing conditions. The problem seems to be the public option. Some have proposed pushing the entire bill through reconciliation, though one apparent problem is that reconciliation is a budget maneuver and many of the parts of the bill we all agree on just don't apply. That is why I suggest they strip the public option from the bill, pass the bill, then announce a new "public option" bill that would be limited to legislating a robust public option, which could then be passed through reconciliation. If you agree with that, please call your Senators, especially if they claim to support a public option, like the two from Colorado do.
As far as regulation of Wall St goes, the proposed plans for regulation keep getting murkier and murkier and are losing traction with the public. So, I propose a simple solution: repeal the Graham Leach Bliley Act. This law, passed in 1999, removed the prohibition on insurance companies and banks from engaging in investment activities with consumer deposits. That prohibition seemed to protect the American economy for decades, with a decade of phony wealth and insane debt, much like the 1920s, sprouting immediately after removal.
Two plans:
- Strip the public option, pass the reform, then push a robust public option through reconciliation.
- Repeal Graham Leach Bliley and let banks know they cannot gamble in a casino with consumer deposits.
If you agree with these ideas, call your Senators!
Senator Bennet: 202.224.5852
Senator Udall: 202.224.5941
For the record, Senator Bennet's people seemed much better informed and willing to discuss these matters.