The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : It's Official: Finance Committee Bill Will Not Include "Public Option"

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The Spectacle Blog

It's Official: Finance Committee Bill Will Not Include "Public Option"

By Philip Klein on 9.29.09 @ 4:21PM

The Senate Finance Committee just killed an amendment proposed by Sen. Chuck Schumer to create a new government-run health insurance plan by a vote of 13 to 10. Coupled with the failure of another version of the so-called "public option" introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller earlier in the day, this officially means that the Finance Committee's health care bill will not include a government-run plan favored by liberals.

The defeat of the government plan in the Finance Committee sets the stage for a brawl among Democrats that will help determine whether or not they're able to pass health care legislation. Other Democratic health care bills, including the ones from three House committees as well as the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee all include a government plan. Eventually, Democrats will have to find a way to merge all the bills together, which won't be an easy task.

On the House side, liberal members have insisted that they would not support a bill that did not include what they consider to be a "strong" government plan, meaning tying reimbursement rates to Medicare.

The problem is that when Rockefeller proposed something similar today in committee, five Democratic Senators voted against it. Even when Schumer removed the tie to Medicare rates, three Democrats voted against it: Sens. Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, and Blanche Lincoln. And that's just the Finance Committee. Other Senate Democrats including Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, and Joe Lieberman have publicly opposed a government plan. Taken together, that means at least 8 Democratic Senators oppose what liberals would consider a "strong" government plan, and at least 6 would oppose even a milder version. Schumer himself admitted today that they did not currently have 60 votes to pass the government plan in the Senate.

Thus, the whole health care fight may hinge on whether the White House will be able to get liberal lawmakers to drop their demands for a government plan. This is problematic. The reason is that one of the most obvious ways to win over liberals would be to increase the level of subsidies to individuals seeking to purchase health insurance, yet doing so would substantially drive up the cost of legislation. President Obama has boxed himself into a corner on that front by declaring that his plan would cost $900 billion, and by vowing to veto any bill that adds to the deficit.

View all comments (8) | Leave a comment

Flel| 9.29.09 @ 4:34PM

Does this mean we can start cheering? It looks like it's not all a right wing conspiracy trying to derail Obama's plan after all. The names here are all Dems. Maybe, as a lawyer, he should redirect.

Ken (Old Texican)| 9.29.09 @ 5:24PM

Thank you tea partiers and town hall citizens!
Also, I would be willing to bet that the congress critters these last six months have gotten more faxes, calls and letters sayin "you are fired if" than they have in years.

ncatty| 9.29.09 @ 5:57PM

Something will pass and victory will be declared. Then when it doesn't work, goes broke, and the unintended consequences kick in, more legislation will be required. Then the consumer choice/public option/government plan will be resurrected. I am not encouraged.

ConservativeWanderer| 9.29.09 @ 6:00PM

Now taking bets on how long before LR (or one of his sock-puppets) comes in here and tries somehow to blame this on the GOP.

Mary Louise| 9.29.09 @ 7:03PM

First do no harm. So far, so good.

Though NCatty's post makes me a bit nervous; good sense and insight can sometimes do that.

But I'm surprised that the Dems didn't get the encouragement they needed from the latest CBS Poll that showed independents at only 33% of the electorate, and TONS of people becoming democrats.

Do you think they missed the missive? Haight Asbury, forfend!

hoads| 9.30.09 @ 9:39AM

Not so fast. The "public option" was never part of the Baucus Bill. This is just a grandstanding ruse meant to distract the public from the fact that the "private co-ops" that is in the bill is in fact mandated, subsidized and regulated by the government just like a public option--they've just changed the name. They're hoping this little stunt will keep the public off the backs of the legislators so that can proceed in the dark of the night.

wbfrank| 9.30.09 @ 1:20PM

Not to declare victory just yet. hoads is probably right. If any legislation passes you will hear the good old USA' economy come to a crashing halt. I am looking forward to a Constitutional Convention and trying to change the real Constitution by the Socialist government headed up by RINO's and Democrats.
Look at all the czar's the BHO surrounds HimSelf with: all are controversial and have not so hidden agendas. With his socialist roots and anti USA bias these people that BHO surrounds himself with think just like he does.
This is just a power grab they do not care whit about the country or the citizens. If the ruling class, the Democrats, passes a health care plan only the rich will be able to afford the good stuff! This ALL has been planned for many years. Just around the corner; possibly Martial Law and complete gun control.
Your papers please!

lili| 1.12.10 @ 8:11AM

Does this mean we can start cheering? It looks like it's not all nike shoes outleta right wing conspiracy trying to derail Obama's plan after all. The names here are all Dems. Maybe, as a lawyer all star shoes he should redirect.