Call Wyden & demand your public option - this is the week!
T.A. Barnhart
The Senate Finance Committee will begin consideration on the public option Tuesday. Sen Chuck Schumer, with the support of Sen Jay Rockefeller, will be introducing an amendment to bring the public option into the one major piece of health care reform that lacks it. Sen Olympia Snowe will in turn introduce the amendment known as the “trigger” — essentially delaying implementation of the public option for an unknown time. All of which means that finally, we will learn where Sen Ron Wyden really stands.
For months, Wyden has moved between not supporting the public option to almost support it and then usually settling into a middle ground best described as “My bill…”. This week, he has to show his hand. If you want to force that hand, or try to, get on the phone and tell his office that you want the public option (please, keep it brief: be polite and brief, give your one best reason, and then get off the phone so they can answer the next call). After you've called his DC and local office, call your family and friends around Oregon, and in any state where their Senator is on the Finance Committee (see below). Have them all call and demand what Americans want: a public option now.
Wyden is, as many commentators have noted, a key swing vote. He has earned respect on both sides of the partisan divide both for the quality of the legislation he offers and his ability to get “bi-partisan” support for that legislation. Two years ago, his health care reform bill (the “Healthy Americans Act” co-sponsored with Republican Senator Bennett of Utah) was the only real attempt at health care reform during the Bush years. His efforts at net neutrality, in which he is a leader in the Senate, may not have earned across-the-board support, but he’s approached the issue without drawing the animosity that could kill other efforts. (And he's to be cheered on this front, especially now that Obama's FCC has, as promised, embraced and will promote net neutrality.)
But the election of 2008 rendered the Wyden-Bennett bill an after-thought. With a Democratic President and Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, true reform, far-reaching and game-changing, became possible. Until, of course, the Democrats in the Senate Finance Committee got involved. Until Max Baucus decided he could out-bi-partisan the president, even if it meant there would be no meaningful reform. Fortunately, the stupefying intransigence of the GOP has destroyed Baucus’ “Gang of Six” and forced him to realize he is likely a minority of one in his own party.
At which point have stepped forward Schumer and Rockefeller, both die-hard liberals and both understanding, it appears, that failure to pass real reform — and to include a public option — may undo the electoral success of the party over the past few years. That failure, in turn would likely undermine severely Pres Obama’s entire agenda. So, beginning Tuesday morning, the Finance Committee will finally have a chance to make up for Baucus’ fumbling and include a public option in their legislation. If they do so, then it grows more likely that the bill the President eventually signs will include that option.
So we await Ron Wyden. How will he vote? He is right about this regarding the public option: as proposed, it’s not good enough. It leaves out too many people and lacks certainty in just how it will ensure lower costs than private insurance. If it’s a mere variant of Medicare, with the same built-in problems, then it could be a disaster down the road. We need the right public option, not just any old public option.
But public option we do need. We need the concept of public option to become the basis of legislation and the provision of health care. If this bill doesn’t get the option right, the next Congress can fix that. Once it’s up and running, it can be modified to make it work better. But if the Finance Committee fails to get the public option into the bill this week — and Schumer and Rockefeller have promised that they will not fail — then the possibility that we will have no public option grows that much stronger.
Ron Wyden is one of the key votes in the future of American health care. He knows that Oregonians, like citizens in the rest of the country, overwhelmingly support the public option. It’s what we want. But he is a man who votes according to his conscience, far more than many in Congress. On a matter of this magnitude, he will try to do what he believes is right (and, unlike Baucus and most of the Republicans, he is not a favorite of the industries fighting reform; his campaign warchest does not depend on their monies).
Help Sen Wyden know what is right. Call him Tuesday. Then call him again on Wednesday. And Thursday. Encourage him to do the right thing: Get the public option off the ground. Once it becomes part of the package, he can work to improve it (and he has some very good ideas in that regard, not the least of which is portability, a concept too few in Congress seem to recognize as key to long-term reform). But if the public option fails to become part of the Finance Committee’s legislation, and he is one of those who helps bring it down, we’re faced with the prospect of reform that is anything but.
And not just a Yea vote for the Schumer Amendment; he needs to vote Nay on Snowe’s bogus trigger. As Health Care for America Now! says on their website:
The New York Times describes the trigger as "a possible compromise under which the government would offer its own health plan only if private insurers failed to provide affordable coverage." By that criterion, it's time to pull the trigger! Don't be fooled. The trigger is a bullet aimed straight at the heart of the public health insurance plan option.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has it right, saying thatds the trigger is an excuse to do nothing. It’s a compromise in the same way hanging is a compromise between a life sentence and a firing squad.
Call Senator Wyden. Vote for the Schumer Amendment to include a public option in the Finance bill, and vote against the Snowe Amendment to “trigger” (kneecap) the public option.
Call Wyden's DC and/or local office
Washington, DC office: (202) 224-5244
Portland office: (503) 326-7525
Bend office: (541) 330-9142
Eugene office: (541) 431-0229
La Grande office: (541) 962-7691
Salem office: (503) 589-4555
Medford office: (541) 858-5122
Finance Ctte Members (Dem)
Baucus, MT (Chair)
Rockefeller, WV
Conrad, ND
Bingaham, NM
Kerry, MA
Lincoln, AR
Schumer, NY
Stabenow, MI
Cantwell, WA <<<=== Yo! Washington!!
Nelson, FL
Menendez, NJ
Carper, DE
Wyden, OR
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10:32 p.m.
Sep 28, '09
Nice post, TA.
I haven't tracked exactly what form the trigger is going to take, but it seems to me that there's basically two kinds of triggers.
One kind of trigger would say, "Unless things get lots better, in a great big hurry, the public option will come into effect on X date."
Another kind of trigger would say, "Unless things get substantially worse, the public option won't go into effect."
In other words, the question is: if nothing changes, does the trigger get pulled?
I'm opposed to the trigger outright - let's do the public option now - but it seems to me that the "gotta get worse first" trigger is substantially worse than the "if things don't improve" trigger.
The status quo is indefensible. We shouldn't set up a trigger that allows the insurance companies to continue to misbehave as they are now. If, on the other hand, the threat of a public option gets them to change their ways... well, that's not great, but it's something.
For that matter, I actually think there could be all kinds of strong and meaningful triggers. Let's put the public option in now, to be sure. But we could build in all kinds of "and if the private insurance companies don't get THIS much better by X date" triggers that would put into effect stronger and tougher regulations, expanded access to public programs, reduced executive pay, etc. Basically, set up a system where they have to behave better, year after year after year, or face substantial consequences.
Just a random brainstorm late at night.
Oh, and full disclosure: My firm built Ron Wyden's campaign website, but I speak only for myself.
10:35 p.m.
Sep 28, '09
Oh, and one more thought, a bit more apropos of TA's post:
When you call Wyden's office in support of the public option, tell him whether you think it should be available to every American - or whether you think the public option should only be for the unemployed, self-employed, and tiniest businesses.
Wyden's trying to open up the health exchange - which is where the public option would be - to all Americans. He could use some evidence that his constituents really do want the public option for everyone.
6:36 a.m.
Sep 29, '09
i want to reiterate my point of a few days ago: the goal is not to implement a particular policy. the goal is to make Americans healthier & help them when they need medical care. in terms of policy, and in terms of what is possible this year, a public option open to all is our best step forward. let's see how the private insurers respond. if they can match service and cost, more power to them. that's how capitalism is supposed to work (and rarely does, at that level of corporate enterprise). if they simply cannot compete with a government program, then they have proven themselves to be incapable of providing the right product at the right price.
but it's not about how we do it; it's about what we do. a focus on actual health will guide us in providing the right health care.
Sep 29, '09
Wyden has been on every television show, KPOJ, and dozens of newspapers blowing the whistle about the firewalls that limit the public option to the uninsured and a few very small businesses. He is one-hundred percent right to blow the whistle.
Calling his office is fine, but I don't believe Wyden's going to go all over the liberal media universe to talk about this stuff and then vote against the public option. That would be political suicide.
Mark it down. Wyden is a yes vote for public option.
Sep 29, '09
"For months, Wyden has moved between not supporting the public option to almost support it and then usually settling into a middle ground best described as “My bill…”
It pains me to see our reps. taking money from the opposition and obstructing the will of the people. I'm keeping a close eye on Mr. Wyden. It seems, a third term gives them a new license to take money.
Sep 29, '09
I just called Wyden's DC office and for the second time got a busy signal. The Bend office is using voice mail for messages. Looks like for the second day in a row that I know of Wyden is getting lots of feedback. The question is, will that feedback outweigh his campaign donations from the insurance-medical-pharmaceutical complex?
"At which point have stepped forward Schumer and Rockefeller, both die-hard liberals ..."
Really? They both voted for the war on Iraq and are in bed with Wall Street and they are "die-hard liberals"? Schumer was one of the more aggressive promoters of the war, and Rockefeller was on the Senate Intelligence Committee whose members were told the truth about Iraq's WMDs which differed (according to Dick Durbin) from the propaganda put out by the Bush gang.
But back to health care: Rose Ann DeMoro & Michael Moore explain Why the Current Bills Don't Solve Our Health Care Crisis.
In other words, you can't make a vial of perfume out of a bucket of shit. Even if it has a public option.
Sep 29, '09
Sorry, I don't believe that if everyone calls Wyden's office and just says "we must have the public option" that a bill which would help ordinary folks and have an effective date before the next presidential election will be the automatic result.
I trust Ron's judgement and plan to support him for re-election. I didn't always agree with everything Darlene Hooley did, but I always supported her re-election.
Call me any name you want, but I don't believe outsiders always have more wisdom than elected officials.
Sep 29, '09
Well, what about the co-ops? They would have the same function as a "public option" without the government running the whole show. And, if Kaiser Permanente is an example of what a co-op would do, I see nothing wrong with that.
Sep 29, '09
"The question is, will that feedback outweigh his campaign donations from the insurance-medical-pharmaceutical complex?"
One possible scenario is that the IMP complex lobbyists will see that the Baucus bill isn't going anywhere and will give Wyden permission to push for the public option so they can use him in the future.
"Call me any name you want, but I don't believe outsiders always have more wisdom than elected officials. "
How about "enabler" as in parents and spouses who enable their children and spouses to do drugs and abuse alcohol? "Outsiders" may not ALWAYS have more wisdom than elected officials, but on many occasions they do, and they are also more likely to do what is morally and ethically right. As in the anti-war protests and now those pushing for single-payer health care.
OPB is showing Ken Burns' national parks series this week. There was a sober lesson to be learned in last night's episode that dealt a great deal with John Muir. It was a long haul for Muir to protect Yosemite and other places. After many years he mostly prevailed. Those of us who recognize single-payer is the right thing would do well to consider we will be in for a long haul.
Sep 29, '09
"Well, what about the co-ops? "
They will work in some areas but not nationally. They will, in many cases, be too small to compete with insurance corporations or bargain for better prices on prescription drugs.
Single-payer/medicare for all is the only option that will provide all people with essential care.
Sep 29, '09
In January, 2010, a national health care program based on that of Canada will become operational in Mexico.
Whatever the benefits of the discussion on "reform" that is taking place in the US we are confirmed in knowing 2013 is the earliest that and "change" will take place.
The "trigger" has already been pulled. The consequence is that 14,000 people per day are losing their insurance.
What Baucus and or Wyden and friends do or do not do is of little relevance. The Republicans will regain the House and Senate in 2010 because the Democrats are of no character or substance.
Sep 29, '09
"One possible scenario is that the IMP complex lobbyists will see that the Baucus bill isn't going anywhere and will give Wyden permission to push for the public option so they can use him in the future."
Did the fillings in your teeth pick that one up, Bill? That has to be one of the all-time stupidest comments I have ever read on BlueOregon. The biggest employers and health insurance companies have joined forces against Wyden's choice stuff, in case your fillings were down for service when that news broke.
Wyden will vote for public option and seems to have known it for a long time. You can't go out and talk to every media outlet in the country about how only 10 million Americans will be able to get the public option under the existing bills and then turn around and vote against public option.
Sep 29, '09
A few minutes ago "die-hard liberal" pushed for a public option to guard against a single-payer system that he doesn't want.
Sep 29, '09
"A few minutes ago "die-hard liberal" pushed for a public option to guard against a single-payer system that he doesn't want."
That should have been "A few minutes ago "die-hard liberal" Rockefeller pushed for a public option to guard against a single-payer system that he doesn't want.
"Die-hard liberal" Schumer appears to be on the same team according to his spiel.
Sep 29, '09
"Did the fillings in your teeth pick that one up, Bill? That has to be one of the all-time stupidest comments I have ever read on BlueOregon. The biggest employers and health insurance companies have joined forces against Wyden's choice stuff, in case your fillings were down for service when that news broke."
In case you missed it, anti-climactic, several weeks ago on two occasions I made it clear to a commentator that I don't get down in the gutter with people who indulge in personally offensive commentary. Prior to that someone complemented the bloggers on BlueOregon for the quality of a debate on a thread. I have no intention of enabling others to degrade the quality and civility of debate that mostly prevails on this site. Maybe if you elevate the quality of your comments you won't find it necessary to hide behind a pseudonym.
Sep 29, '09
In promoting his public option amendment, Sen. Rockefeller warned the other senators on the committee that if the people didn't get a public option they would push for single-payer, which he didn't want.
<h2>The important point to note is that no one is providing details about what the public option would comprise. If it makes it through the current health insurance reform farce that won't necessarily threaten the insurance corporations because their lobbyists can bribe their surrogates in Congress to ensure it will be inadequately funded and organized to guarantee failure.</h2>