Sen. Sherrod Brown: No Negotiations On The Public Option, As Far As I'm Concerned

[babylonsister]

Brown: No Negotiations On The Public Option, As Far As I'm Concerned
Brian Beutler | December 3, 2009, 4:22PM


One of the most dogged public option advocates in the Senate--and a key liaison between progressives and leadership--says no way, no how to yet another compromise.

"There's no negotiations as far as I'm concerned," insisted Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). "We've compromised the public option three times, maybe four, depending on how you define it. This bill is not going to continue to become more pro-insurance company."

So the opt out is where you draw the line?

"Yeah, the opt out was not our first choice. Delinking from Medicare was not our first choice," Brown said.

Several conservative Democrats have entrenched their positions against the public option, and have threatened to filibuster the health care bill if it's not further compromised

"I think in the end that none of my colleagues want to be on the wrong side of history," Brown said. "I think that no Democrat wants to kill the most important bill in their political lives--in their careers--on a procedural vote."

That creates some complicated math. With Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) insisting that he'll filibuster any bill that includes public option of any kind--even a trigger--Reid has a maximum of 59 votes in his caucus for a health care bill. That means to retain a public option at all Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) must be brought aboard, and she's said the measure must be changed to a trigger of some sort.

Brown says he won't be helping in that effort: "I'm not drawing a line in the sand. I am not part of any effort to give the insurance companies more."

more...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/brown-no-negotiations-on-the-public-option-as-far-as-im-concerned.php

[closeupready]

1. Can we clone Brown, please?

Congress is underpopulated with people like him.

[Inuca]

3. Actually

I think Brown himself is a clone of Bernie Sanders in his younger days

[jpak]

2. Good - the Blue Dawgs have had there way long enough on this issue

and too fucking bad if they don't like it

[Inuca]

4. I don't know....

The way it looks now (it may of course change), if they do not like it, we may not get anything at all. I am referring to the Senate conservadems by the way. I do not know about the others, but after seeing how Ben Nelson voted yesterday (against the Mikulski amendment about preventive health care for women and FOR the effing McCain amendment to recommit :mad: ) I wonder if there is any chance to get ANYTHING passed without help from Snowe (she voted for the Mikulski amendment by the way, together with Collins and VITTER of all people, Ben Nelson and FEINGOLD voted against).

[Vincardog]

5. Or Harry could change the Senate rules to make it take 55 votes to end a Filibuster.

[kelly1mm]

6. So how does Reid get to 60 votes then? Not seeing it happen without

some compromise. May need a lot of compromise if you loose Burris/Sanders/Brown with further watering down of the PU though in order to pick up Lieberman/Snowe/Collins/one more Senator.