he can really beat them to the punch if he propses the amendment himself. why wait until they let him co-sponsor?

Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and David Vitter (R-La.) are preparing an amendment to force members of Congress into any public option health plan that becomes law

That sounds like a great idea. Time for Republicans to back up the clown car, Coburn and Vitter have temporarily fallen off.

I know the public doesn't follow details . . . but I still don't get how this scores political points when it can be so easily rebutted with: "the public option is an *option*, and just as nobody else is forced into it, neither should Congress be forced into it."

In fact, they could amend the amendment to: "notwithstanding any other provisions, members of Congress shall be eligible for the public option", thereby making their standing just like the public.

To review: I see the GOP talking point: "Heh, if the public option is so good, why won't members of Congress take it"

And Dems rebut: "We *will* take it -- as an option, just like everybody else."

I just don't get it . . .

They opened the door.

The Dems should hold a press conference on the steps of the capital building and loudly proclaim their support for the bipartisan Coburn/Vitter amendment.

I know the public doesn't follow details . . . but I still don't get how this scores political points when it can be so easily rebutted with: "the public option is an *option*, and just as nobody else is forced into it, neither should Congress be forced into it."

Because thanks to the outstanding ability of Republicans to disseminate vague-but-horrible messages, and the extraordinary incompetence of Democrats at countering them, about half the country now believes that the public option is not a government-administered option for obtaining private insurance, but a government-delivered healthcare program. As in: forced enrollment in this program leaves you at the mercy of faceless death panels making decisions on your healthcare as your special government-selected doctors look for ways to kill you as promptly as possible.

I'm serious. People believe this shit.

They opened the door.

The Dems should hold a press conference on the steps of the capital building and loudly proclaim their support for the bipartisan Coburn/Vitter amendment.

Absolutely. Watching the bovine smirks fade from the faces of the idiotically uninformed voters who keep whining, "If the public option is so great, why isn't Congress on it, huh, huh?" would be entertaining.

Diaper Dave the prostitute poon hound and Coburn the C Street House "preacher man" that tried to get Ensign to bribe his mistress with a million dollars is some pretty poor company to be in. But I do like Sherrod Brown's idea. It would be funny to see 30 or 40 Democrats come on tv today to say they all want in to this amendment because their plan is just that good.

And add to the amendment any employee of or associated with ACORN, since they receive fed funding..

Brown is my hero.

Actually since they have a menu of different health care options that they can select from all they need to say is that one of the options shall be the "public option!" They will be free, as well as the other federal employees, to select that as their health care choice! A twofer! If employees select it it will save money and it will help to reinforce that it is an OPTION!

Health care for everybody. And it should be free like in most other countries in the world.

I seem to recall reading once that Brown refuses to take Fed emp. health insurance until the public gets it.

If that amendment passed it would produce one
of two things.
1. A great public option, once the senators know they will have to use it.
2. Defeat of the public option, once senators know they will have to use it if it passes.

Not sure anything is gained here, since a mediocre public option just got defeated.

I really like my Senator.

Next thing will be for Sens Coburn and Vitter to complain that the honorable Senator from Ohio is forcing them to take their own legislatice proposals seriously. The sheer madness.

Sorry, should of course be 'legislative'.

Coburn and Vitter must have gotten their idea from the same ACME store that Wylie Coyote shops at.

Can we get back into reality, you know where D's & R's would never, ever use an insurance exchange meant for us common folk.

This is pure politics on both sides. I am tire of the games, tired of children trying to score so retarded point with the clueless voter. Once elected they should govern, not use their 2/4 year service as a campaign for their next election.

I suspect those 4 calls to Vitter and Coburn have put the kibosh on the amendment.

As far as I know, there's no copyright on proposed amendments. Can't Brown just take their text, propose it as his own amendment, and change its name to the Bipartisan Congressional Health Care Equality amendment or something?

The entire clown car needs to be crushed into a cube and left to rust. This country is really in need of a new government. Congress, the executive and even the courts have all been bought and sold. I wonder if the founders could have envisioned such folly. Not that things were perfect then either, however in the here and now things shout out for what they really are; a scam, a con and a ruse in place of the three branches of government.. Time for another Lexapro!

"Coburn and Vitter must have gotten their idea from the same ACME store that Wylie Coyote shops at.

Posted by: Joe Friday on December 4, 2009 at 11:53 AM"

My thoughts exactly. LOL

Again,

1. A Robust Public Option is Good Policy.
2. Most Americans want a Public Option and Good Governance.
3. Most Doctors want a Public Option.
http://www.rwjf.org/healthreform/product.jsp?id=48408

Insurance companies don't want a Public Option.
Mary Landrieu doesn't know what a Public Option is.
Coburn and Vitter think its a game.

F-this. No Public Option. No Bill.

It's really hard to figure how a genuine public servant like Brown ,who seems to have the best interests of the people at heart, can be from the state as Boner.

What the Democrats should do is propose an amendment to require Members to get their insurance on the individual market...

Such a nice post. It is really awesome post.Because thanks to the outstanding ability of Republicans to disseminate vague-but-horrible messages, and the extraordinary incompetence of Democrats at countering them.

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