Durbin Vs. Public Option

[DrToast]

The effective #2 Democrat in the Senate, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (IL), will reportedly tell senators to oppose using reconciliation to pass the public option--and liberals are not happy about this.

Progressives have gotten 41 senators--including Majority Leader Harry Reid--to pledge their support to using reconciliation to pass the public option. This has involved a months-long campaign of whipping and PR in favor of the government-run insurance plan.

To non-liberals and reconciliation skeptics, using the procedure to pass a public option is a reach; many point to reconciliation's role as a budget/tax procedure. Liberals will tell you that the public option is a vital fiscal mechanism, meaning it fits within reconciliation's scope.

It appears Durbin has stepped in to be the bad guy here. Knowing progressives, though, the public option push isn't over by a long shot.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/03/durbin-vs-public-option/37393/?rss=37393

Sounds like Obama found a new "bad cop."

[AlinPA]

1. What the hell is going on? This guy is majority whip? We are hurting, folks. nt

[kysrsoze]

2. So... He's just as much of a dirt ball. He's getting an electronic piece of my mind

[hulka38]

3. It least Durbin's being truthful about where he stands.

The reality behind the scenes is that the Senate didn't/doesn't want the PO and neither does the President. By now, that should be obvious. That all important Adam Green list is a little charade for the senators to act as though they tried.

[Demoiselle]

13. But where he stood a day ago was FOR the public option!

[Enthusiast]

18. But the American people DO

want the public option. I will no longer support Durbin.

[vaberella]

4. It's always Obama isn't it. n/t

[polichick]

7. That's just how it works - the WH pulls strings because of deals it has cut...

...or promises made or whatever - the WH stopped drug importation too.

[craigmatic]

5. You're probably right this seems like a bhind the scenes White House operation

What are the odds that the senior senator from Obama's state would come out to oppose this now?

[EndElectoral]

6. y God Durbin. We're nine votes away from a public option. Get the F on board.

[hulka38]

11. Take another look at the train. It don't have wheels.

[laughingliberal]

8. Yeah, looks like he drew the short straw this time.

How can they pass CHIP under reconciliation and then call a public option under reconciliation a 'reach?'

Disgusting!

[hulka38]

9. Well, people want to put a face on this debacle. But as Dean said yesterday,

"..if Democrats in Washington don't deliver, we will not stop because of their failure of leadership." I agree with Dean. It was the leadership, not just Durbin. And as Cenk pointed out, that "we really want a PO" thing was a charade. Disgusting is right.

[laughingliberal]

10. No argument here. I think they just take turns being the goat for the PTB. nt

[denimgirly]

12. "The Revolving Villain" game continues. Cenk was right nt.

[ncteechur]

14. Boy, that was a stretch for the writer from the Atlantic. That is not exactly what Dick Durbin said

[Ildem09]

15. Chill OUT, Durbin is a great leader

He said he will whip for whatever the house puts in the sidecar. so if PO makes it, it's the houses move

[jillan]

16. I'm having a hard time believing this. Durbin is one of the more progressive members of Congress.

Could this be a RW attempt to cause more problems in the Dem party?

[Mass]

17. Really? I have no idea who Chris Good is, but the "will reportedly say" tells me all I need .

Here is what this is about. If the House Bill has the public option in it, Durbin will whip it, but he will refuse amendment to the House bill in order to make things go fast.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_102/news/44084-1.html