Posts
In a letter delivered to the White House moments ago, the two leaders of the bloc of House progressives bluntly told President Obama that they will not support any health care plan without a public option in it -- and demanded a meeting to inform him face to face. . . .This goes to something I've been saying all along. The correct GOP position on this bill can be summed up in one word, "No." If certain Republican members of Congress would stop talking about what changes are needed to the bill to get their support, the Democrats will self-destruct over this thing.
"Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, a public option built on the Medicare provider system and with reimbursement based on Mediare rates -- not negotiated rates -- is unacceptable," reads the letter . . . signed by Reps. Lynn Woolsey and Raul Grijalva, the two leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
"A health reform bill without a robust public option will not achieve the health reform this country so desperately needs," the letter continues. "We cannot vote for anything less."
The gap between the Blue Dogs and the Progressive Caucus on this bill is so wide as to be irreconcilable. The only reason Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid haven't already been forced to admit defeat already is that there are too many Republicans making noises as if -- with a policy tweak or two -- the bill might be made acceptable to them.
Polls clearly show a solid political basis for Republican opposition to ObamaCare. Defeating this bill would be a clear win for the GOP, but there are some Republicans in Congress who don't want to be seen as being against "reform." It's an image thing.
Yeah, well, screw your "reform" image. KILL THE BILL!
