Comments on: Public Option Headed For Vote in Senate TODAY-FRIDAY

By: MotorCityBadBoy

MotorCityBadBoy — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:12:54 +0000

I love my Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan! She basically told Senator Kyl about his mother... http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/kyl-... Via TPM

By: MotorCityBadBoy

MotorCityBadBoy — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:12:54 +0000

I love my Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan! She basically told Senator Kyl about his mother... http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/kyl-... Via TPM

By: Plantsmantx

Plantsmantx — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:30:27 +0000

…looks like they've put off discussion of the public option until next Tuesday.

By: Plantsmantx

Plantsmantx — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:19:49 +0000

Yeah, that was my first thought when I read the whining about the Democrats piling on amendments.

The Republicans are looking toward future electoral success, and the healthcare industries are looking to get paid. The Democrats are in a better position to pay them, and some of them are more than willing to do that. The Republicans know that…crocodile tears.

By: morphus

morphus — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:53:50 +0000

Business is parting from its traditional allies in the Republican Party on health care as companies and big corporate lobbyists lend tentative support to a congressional overhaul that conservative lawmakers staunchly oppose. The rift mirrors a similar divide on other issues, including immigration and climate change, where many companies have backed legislative action that Republican lawmakers oppose. But the health-care debate, in particular, casts a spotlight on the split in the longstanding alliance between economic conservatives and the business community. Republican lawmakers are digging in to oppose the overhaul effort as a big-spending government intrusion. Many companies, on the other hand, cite soaring costs to explain why they continue to back the congressional work under way to revamp the health-care system, despite misgivings over a range of provisions.
...
Republican lawmakers predicted that businesses would soon sour on the Senate health-care package as Democrats heap on various amendments... Republicans have been particularly furious at the pharmaceutical industry, whose early willingness to cooperate with the White House and with Sen. Baucus proved crucial in keeping the push for an overhaul alive this summer. In June, the drug makers' lobbying group, PhRMA, cut a surprise deal with Mr. Baucus, offering to slash $80 billion in drug costs in exchange for a range of protections from the government. That deal was shortly followed by the announcement of $150 billion in concessions by the hospital industry.

Overhaul Divides Business and Its Traditional GOP Allies,/b>

Odd, there's no mention of: The Senate heath care bill contains 160 Republican amendments.

By: thhalejr

thhalejr — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:15:05 +0000

“plantsmantx”,

I agree with you 100%. This is the best chance Americans have a getting meaningful comprehensive health care reform, and we have to pressure senators like Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, etc., to stand in line with other Democrats for the public option. Mandating the populace to give over billions to the insurance industry, without a public option, should be “Waterloo” for President Obama and a Democratically-controlled Congress. We cannot be forced to pay more money to a corrupt system period.

By: Plantsmantx

Plantsmantx — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:33:49 +0000

I wonder if he's ticked off about his alternative to the PhRMA deal being shot down.