Senator Reid Is Key to Public Option Now; or spoonfeeding you stuff you may have missed
From TPM LiveWire:
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) threw down the gauntlet on the public option for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) last night. Appearing on The Rachel Maddow Show, Schumer essentially put the fate of the public option in Reid's hands -- saying that while the bill passed Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee doesn't include a public health insurance option, it's up to Reid to decide whether to include a public option in the bill that merges the Senate Finance Committee bill with the bills passed by others committees -- all of which do include a public option.
"Leader Reid has the option of putting it in the final bill," Schumer said of the public option. "If he puts it in the final bill, in the combined bill, then you would need 60 votes to remove it. And there clearly are not 60 votes against the public option. And so we're urging him to do that, and he's seriously considering it.
It's very important to see if a public option is in the bill that Leader Reid puts together. He hasn't yet made up his mind, but many of us who believe in the public option are urging him to do so, and so far we're getting heard."
(the video is also available at the Mothership) : http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/schumer-to-reid-the-fate-of-the-public-option-may-be-in-your-hands.php?ref=fpb
(in case you are too lazy to click back to the front page...)
Contact Senator Reid: http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Phone: 1-202-224-3542 Fax: 1-202-224-7327
Reid does accept emails from outside his state. It would be nice if he got lots of encouragement on this one. (hint, hint, clue, clue) That he has a primary challenger makes it tough, I'd imagine. He ain't the Bravest Senator there is. (Sorry, Senator; I'm just sayin'...)
That is a good idea Wendy. Very good.
And Senator Chucky is pretty shrewd. He was shrewd when he was in the minority and he might even prove shrewder in the majority. Ha
October 14, 2009 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is really just a Public Service Announcement. Chucky is shrewd
October 14, 2009 7:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Reid's response to Schumer is ...
Sounds like a fight is brewing, but more like intra-party rivalry and one-up-manship.
October 15, 2009 2:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Reid is, so far, allowing a blind filibuster of the public option by one or more democrats. I sent this message to him.
Dear Harry,
You realize of course that it is way crummy to have members of congress participate in a blind filibuster. And it is way crummy for you to allow it. You and those members are violating any notion of representation and perpetuating a lie.
You can't have it both ways Harry. One must be a lie. This dishonesty has everything to do with the mess we are in. If you can't manage the basic ethics of governance you are no better than a common thief or liar. And not much of a man. This very behavior is destroying this nation from the inside. I would hope you see this, and change it, before the fate of this nation is irrevocably sealed. This is a fundamental violation of right and wrong with the nation resting in the balance. I can't put it more plainly than that.
October 15, 2009 2:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, people, that was inspiring and so accurate. It is just so awful that our emails and faxes just get entered into columns marked FOR or AGAINST. Man, I mean it; what if you emailed it to the letters section of (I think it is) the Salt Lake Tribune?
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion
Public forum is all I could find.
October 15, 2009 8:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I read an email from Jane Hamsher right after I posted this. I'll bet one of them at least is Ben Nelson (D-NE). He is a talking-closet-full-of-old-clothes.
Nyaaahhhhh!!!! Crazy-making shite!
October 15, 2009 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I got Janes message from FDL as well. They're onto this crap big time. I usually sign their petitions.
October 15, 2009 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jane is indomitable, isn't she? She is a Survivor with such mettle, such verve!
October 15, 2009 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
More than a few have been intellectually and mercilessly mugged by her. It's a treat to watch.
October 16, 2009 8:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
If only there was a leader of the Democratic Party to help Reid make the better decision.
Reid is not the only decision maker here.
October 15, 2009 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed; this is Schumer's take, and Reid is pushing back against it. Reid is also allowing a blind filibuster to happen. Cripes. And will Rahm steer the Prez on this one? Beats me. But meanwhile, I'm lobbying Reid on both issues. The TPM front page on this elicited some good comments!
I re-posted here because it sometimes seems to me that Cafe folks miss things there.
October 15, 2009 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Stand strong on your committment, progressives.
October 15, 2009 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
"He ain't the Bravest Senator there is. (Sorry, Senator; I'm just sayin'...)"
Might have something to do with that duo Spine/Testical removal surgery he had back in '07...
Guy should have been replaced as majority leader LONG ago.
October 15, 2009 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink