Oh, ya think?

happy talk kabuki..

what these 4 'stoopid' puppet senators need is to be threatened within an inch of their political lives that they will be buried alive in their next election unless they loose the grip of the medical insurance thug-money from their decision-making.

Good post, Steve. You should re-run it during the week, so more see it.

Shouldn't it be NL3?

these 4 senators already know their supposed concerns are addressed in the bill. Either they're angling for something more, or they will flat-out never be interested in real reform and will latch on to any reason besides "we're obstructionist douchebags." What makes it lose-lose is that, by latching on to so many different & false reasons why they won't support the bill, it potentially gives their constituents cause for concern - my, there must be a lot wrong with this bill - making these senators not only obstructionist douche bags but lying scumbags as well.

OK, I realize it may be my own naivete, but isn't knowing what's in the bill the least we can expect of a Senator? Isn't it a bit insulting to suggest that the reason these people are against it is that they have no idea what's in it?

I mean, sure they've made comments that criticized it for things that aren't in it, but do people believe they really don't know better? I mean, I generally trust Senator Whitehouse, so maybe he's right. But wow, it really says something pathetic about the quality/laziness/stupidity of those misguided Senators, doesn't it?

(And Joltin' Joe's just makin' stuff up to disguise his desire to join the GOP. You can't convince me otherwise about him.)

GOOD for Jarrett telling that piece of wasted space (George W on TWWGS) to wait for final analysis WHEN there is a FINAL BILL!!!! The pre-judging, opining, whining, lying, obfuscation (love that word - I know I'm being redundant), and misinforming has done the process NO GOOD and will ultimately probably derail any real opportunity for meaningful health care reform...thereby DEFEATING that "not-white" guy in the WH as REPUGS want to do...AMERICA and the PEOPLE be damned!

Senators who oppose the public option on grounds of unfair competition should be asked to square the circle that is the CBO analysis: they estimate that the premiums for the PO will be greater than your average private ins. premium.

That's right: the PO is going to be more expensive than your average private insurance plan. See Ezra Klein's analysis/comments on this score.

yeah, just great. we will PROVE to you that our bill is a sham that entranches the insurance predators even further in our lives...

What will work best for Lincoln is to have it explained by thousands of her so-called "constituents" that they'll be voting for someone else if she doesn't support cloture. She's already heard from this one. There's no amount of explaination from fellow senators that will make her understand what she is being paid very well by Blue Cross/Blue Shield to not understand. Ms. Pacman really only "understands" anything when there is a large check attached - or fear.

Now that CBO has said that these basic bills can reduce the deficit, is reconciliation even a remote possibility?

Watching Lieberman change his justifications concerning health care is like watching Bush work through his reasons-of-the-week for invading Iraq. (And for that matter for supporting his tax cut for the wealthy, first because the economy was so good, and then because it was so bad.)

it's kinda funny -- funny in the holy shit! way not the ha ha way -- that thug, criminal, bought politicians can blatantly defend the completely unnecessary private insurance companies from any accountability for their massive fraud and destructive profit-making LITERALLY from the dead and dying in this country.

the fucked-up nature of this country is so obvious 1) because these monsters get away with it and are defended by paid-off elected officials; and 2) because there is no powerful authority in any institution of this land -- media, religion, education -- doing anything to shine the light on this vast corruption.

The spectacle of this year's attempt at health care reform is a sickening indictment on the vile, corrupt, monstrous collapse of democracy and decency in this country.

but, hey, whats' comin' on the teevee tonight?

Reconcilliation is the only way to actually handle this.

The CBO also said that the reforms held within this bills won't work. That's the entire basis of claiming that insurance company plans will be cheaper than the public option. The CBO is essentially stating that Rescission will continue and guaranteed issue won't exist, so Insurance companies won't have to charge more to cover the sicker patients.

Never vote for a Democrat again. At least when the Republicans were in power, the Obama sycophants had to fight. Now they lay down and make excuses for why Obama is such a shitty President.

Lieberman's hypocrisy is so evident, and especially revolting! He condemns the minute public option as entitlement and subsidy when he himself has fed from the health insurance lobby's corporate trough his entire political career, while receiving the type of health care he wants to deny to American citizens.

Lieberman is a whirlwind of confused allegiance, a veritable who's who of political whoring! -Kevo

There is no competition in the 'public option' at all. The rates will actually be higher in that option compared to private plans. It is a total fucking sham.

Here's the only message they'll ever listen to. Filibuster this, and the President, the party, and your fellow Democratic Senators will do whatever it takes to end your careers. That includes, by the way, informing companies and businesses who might be inclined to hire you as a lobbyist that that would be a good way to make powerful enemies.
The only thing these people care about is themselves. You have to make it personal.

"Never vote for a Democrat again."

Okay, so then what is your Plan B? Fleeing the country? Holing up in a mountain cabin?

Politics is slow, messy and contradictory. Why is it that the right has much more fortitude than the left, which is all too quick to take its bat and ball and go home when things don't go as planned?

Perhaps we spend too much time in coffee houses arguing about policy and not enough time actually making it happen.

Okay, so then what is your Plan B? Fleeing the country? Holing up in a mountain cabin?

I have no Plan B. Cursing the darkness is my full time job. Get that candle away from me.

(let's call them N3L)

Shouldn't it be NL3? - ColoZ @ 11:04

n3anderthals who haven't seen a $ufficient $iphon prior to voting.

Well, looks like my sen (Bayh) has changed his mind and won't support a filibuster. Let's hope that sticks. There was a poll that showed a plurality would vote AGAINST him if he supported a fil, and maybe he remembered his dad losing a "Safe" seat (to Dan Quayle!). Plus maybe he thinks he has to put a bit of distance between himself and his wife's overlords at Wellpoint (she's gotten a million dollars as a "boardmember"-- yes, that all comes out of our premiums).

The real reason they oppose the public option is that they are more than likely in to pocket of the health insurance industry.

The country is deeply corrupt. The Democratic party is deeply corrupt. Obama has sadly surrounded himself by the people who made the mess and listens to them -- like Summers, who is deeply corrupt.

That the press doesn't even point out the conflict of interest of both Lieberman and Bayh whose wives are shills for the health care 'industry' is just another sign of that corruption.

The country is ungovernable. And Obama doesn't have the courage to lead -- he seem enthrall to people like Emmanuel and Summers who long ago sold out.

Improving HCR is necessary if they want my time, bucks and vote.

I've already sent the letter to my Representative, Senators and President to let them know I will no longer work, donate, or vote for them.

I voted for Obama. I now know he's a coward.
He may also be a crook. I haven't decided yet.

One word: reconciliation.

"As the members learn the details of what's in it, they're going to see that it is a true attempt to be a level playing field, not some covert way of getting single-payer, which as you know is what the right-wing drumbeat has been, and they're going to be very comfortable with it," Schumer said.

Ok, ya got that everyone? PO's biggest pusher in the Senate has confirmed that it will not bring us closer to SP.

Can you all stop drinking the PO koolaide now, and get behind real SP?

"There is no competition in the 'public option' at all. The rates will actually be higher in that option compared to private plans. It is a total fucking sham."

It is a fucking sham. It's all a fucking sham. Obama could have taken the fight directly to the lobbyists as he promised in his campaign. He hasn't. He hasn't had the stomach to confront them. He's got some Wall Street lobbyists right there with him.

The incoherence of all of this is staggering. We really are incapable of solving ANY major problem anymore.

Except of course if it comes to giving us poor suckers money to Wall Street or Too Big to Fail Banks.

No wonder the Tea Party set is all fired up in confusion.

Hillary would have fought this battle for Health Care to a bloody end if needed. How do we really, really, hurt Liebershit, Bayh, Lincoln, Landrieu and the other Health Care Cartel whores?

Hmm. Grayson for President in 2012? I'd like to see him call Bayh a whore. That's what we need in a President.