Howard Dean says ‘Kill the Senate bill!’
Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife
In a pre-recorded interview given today by Howard Dean and set to air at 5:30pm EST on Vermont Public Radio, Dean has called for the Senate health care bill to be put to death as it no longer proposes enough reform to make a difference. Dean’s comments come in reaction to what appears to be the Democratic Caucus’ decision to remove both the Medicare buy-in and a public option from the Senate health care reform package.
In an excerpt of the interview given by Vermont Public Radio to Greg Sargent of The Plum Line blog on whorunsgov.com, Dean says –
This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate. Honestly the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill, go back to the House, start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill.
Via The Plum Line
Dean further added, according to Bob Kinzel who conducted the interview, that if the Democratic leaders cave to Joe Lieberman’s demands, they will be left with a bill not worth supporting.
Howard Dean has been a leading voice on behalf of the progressives in the effort to include a meaningful public option in the Senate bill. When the Medicare buy-in was first proposed last week in lieu of a public option, Dean was among the first to offer his wholehearted support, helping the compromise gain steam before Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson stepped forward to derail the effort.
Dean’s call for invoking the reconciliation process may give cover to Senate progressives who are having to swallow hard to accept the legislation as it appears it will be crafted. While reconciliation poses formidable challenges to the Senate Democrats, the primary concern is that following such a path would necessarily push the the debate into next year, something the White House is dead set against.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by rickungar, Tweets Tube. Tweets Tube said: Howard Dean says ‘Kill the Senate bill!’ http://bit.ly/8r1cht [...]
I’m with Dean. Maybe start with a bill designed to address private insurance abuse followed by removing their antitrust exemption and allowing states to set consumer protection for any insurance company operating in within its borders.
No, if a Senate bill passes, it will still go through a House/Senate negotiation. Reasonable reforms can be added there to salvage the benefits of the bill. It’s important for the credibility of the Democrats that they pass something, that’s why the Republicans are bringing out the big guns.
Democrats introduce Amnesty Bill during health debate…….they couldn’t wait!
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-immigration-bill16-2009dec16,0,149598.story
Let’s hear a cheer for 30 million new democrat voters…who will all get free obamamcare
Andy – you should learn how to read the entire article.
In the LA Times piece you cite, it tells us that a couple of Dems. in the House have introduced a bill (did you think that nobody has introduced a bill all year since the health care debate began?). The article goes on to say that Pelosi – who calls the shots on these things – wants the senate to address the issue first which is to say that we will never hear about this bill again.
This is why arguments like this are never taken seriously except by those who also manage to read an entire article – you can’t cherry pick a situation to create a bitch if you expect to be credible.
Since I’m sure my 2 preferred options are off the table: 1) Abolish the Senate; and 2) Repeal the cloture rule altogether, then I have to go with Dr. Dean on this one. Passing this will be the kiss of death to the Democrats in the next election so failing to produce anything will actually be better. They’ll still lose the mid-terms but they won’t have imposed this monstrosity on the American people.