Durbin’s Office: If House Passes Public Option, We’ll Whip For It In Senate

[ProSense]

Durbin’s Office: If House Passes Public Option, We’ll Whip For It In Senate

Okay, at a certain point talking about the public option seems akin to spending too much time in a rabbit’s warren: There are plenty of reasons to believe that it just isn’t going to happen this time around.

But this is nonetheless a very interesting development: Senator Dick Durbin’s office is now saying that if House Dems pass a public option as part of their reconciliation fix, he will whip for it in the Senate.

Durbin has been taking a bunch of heat from the left since he said the other day that if a public option amendment is inserted in the reconciliation fix, Senate Dem leaders may be forced to urge Dems to vote against it in order to ensure passage of the overall bill.

But Durbin’s spokesman, Joe Shoemaker, emails to clarify:

Sen. Durbin and the rest of the Senate Leadership will be aggressively whipping FOR the public option if it is included in the reconciliation bill the House sends over.

Here’s how the chronology would unfold: House passes Senate bill. It becomes law. House then initiates reconciliation fix, including public option. Senate leadership whips to pass reconciliation fix in Senate. Reconciliation fix — including public option — becomes law.

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[Jennicut]

1. I think any attempt through amendment by the Senate will fail.

Not because the Dems there won't vote for it but because Reid will have to ask the Parliamentarian to rule on Rethugs using Amendments to block legislation. This idea is the best possible way for it to get done.

[karynnj]

2. I think so too - but the Republicans can ask the Parlementarian to strip

out anything that doesn't meet the rules.

[Jennicut]

4. And Biden can overrule the Parlimentarian, correct? This is going to get very complicated

and not too many people will understand all the twists and turns.

[dmr]

10. That's my question. Isn't it true that Biden can over-rule the Parliamentarian? And, ...

... can't the Parliamentarian (or even Joe Biden) over-rule frivolous GOP amendments by deeming them for what they are, as obstruction to the democratic process?

John Boehner is on TV right now "All my attention, and all my effort at this point, is making sure this bill never, ever, ever becomes law."

So, there you have it. Anything brought forward by the Republicans will only be to obstruct the natural process of democracy in the Senate.

Let's kick some ass and do something historically wonderful for Americans!

[Donnachaidh]

3. Durbin the Flip Floppingest Senator there is

Yeah, and in 3 minutes he'll talk to another pundit and have a closed door session with someone else and then tell someone else he won't back it. And it will be reported by Markos....

Get back to us when the bill actually makes it to the Senate. This fool doesn't deserve the attention he's getting.

[Inuca]

6. Stop insulting people undeservedly

Durbin is NOT a fool and definitely not "the Flip Floppingest". It's petty and childish.

I do not really understand why they are not bringing up the PO under the circumstances and the messages Durin and others have sent were misleading and confusing, I agree, but the man was not born a few months ago, nor has he become a Senator a few months ago. There is more to his record than this, and most of it is good.

[Donnachaidh]

9. you haven't been keeping up for the last 24 hours, have you?

He *IS* the flip flopper of the moment. He's gone on TV and said *yes* to pushing for the PO. THEN in an interview to someone else, he said he was NOT going to push for the PO, for other dumb reasons.

then he gets rightfully torn a new one on the net, which triggers yet ANOTHER flop, but this one predicated on whether or not Nancy Pelosi wants one.

He's got bloody treadmarks on his ass, for all the flopping he has done in just the past 24 hours.

And you need to remember -- he's an employee of OURS. When he starts acting dignified and doing what is good for the PEOPLE, rather than sniffing around in search of another photo-op -- THEN he can ask for respect.

Until then -- he should be called on EVERY little tapdance he thinks he's getting away with. ALL of them.

[saracat]

5. But Nancy said the" Public Option is dead and is not in reconcilation."

[denimgirly]

7. The Revolving Villain game being played Yet Again. LOL..

This game is getting boring..It is clear Democrats have no intentions of considering a Public Option. Cenk was right about these games they would play.

[freddie mertz]

8. It's all an obvious charade.

Vote them all out.

Liars.