NYT: Burris Pushes Back (on HCR)

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

December 15, 2009, 1:56 pm
Burris Pushes Back
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN

The backlash has begun. Senator Roland W. Burris, Democrat of Illinois, has vowed that he will not vote for a health care bill that does not include a government-run insurance plan, or public option.

And on Monday, after Democrats indicated that they were prepared to meet the demands of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, and strip the last vestige of a public option from their bill, Mr. Burris went to the Senate floor to warn that he had not committed to vote for the legislation.

Mr. Burris, however, did calibrate his language: “I am committed to voting for a bill that achieves the goals of a public option: competition, cost savings and accountability,” he said. “I will not be able to vote for lesser legislation that ignores those fundamentals.”

He added: “My colleagues may have forged a compromise bill that can achieve the 60 votes that will be needed for it to pass. But until this bill addresses cost, competition and accountability in a meaningful way, it will not win mine.” With a dramatic flourish, Mr. Burris said: “As Mohandas Gandhi once famously said, ‘All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender.’”

http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/burris-pushes-back/

[lapfog_1]

1. Will he join the republican filibuster?

And, more importantly, will some piece of shit repuke now vote for cloture? I suspect that they will. The industry wants this "reform" now.

[depakid]

7. I hope so

High past time someone on the progressive front shows some cojones.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. Still trying to figure out Burris

Is this just a shake down while he has the chance as a US Senator or is it actually a stab at redeeming some shred of honor?

[Armstead]

11. Probably both

[Parker CA]

12. Limelight. He sees the edge of it's glow from his post off stage and wants it.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. he won't vote for it, but he will vote for cloture

Lots of sound and fury from Burris.

[Clio the Leo]

5. And that's all that matters....

.... but where/when did he say that?

[eleny]

4. Christopher Hayes of The Nation said this is freaking out the White House

David Sirota just interviewed Hayes on his radio program.

[freddie mertz]

6. That can only be a good thing at this point. nt.

[ej510]

13. Good, because it appears that Obama has sold us out.

[Popular Front]

8. Go Burris! nt

[JVS]

9. YES!!!

[PBS Poll-435]

10. Hahahahahaha

:rofl:

[vaberella]

14. I think your response is the best one to this entire situation. n/t

[HughMoran]

15. Only a Dem who isn't running again can take a principled stance?

Politics in this country just doesn't work.

[WeDidIt]

16. I called his office yesterday

and begged him to do this.

:D

[WeDidIt]

17. BTW, I called this yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7236216

[WeDidIt]

18. Kick n/t