Legal Commentary

Obama's Next Moves on Health Care

By Jeralyn

President Obama may make a major speech on the health care legislation next week. He's going to use the time between now and then to re-tool his strategy.

The Boston Globe reports that the Dems may force the bill through using a "reconciliation" maneuver it likens to a "nuclear option." But, since that option requires the bill be related to the budget, some portions may have to be dropped.Others say that is not the strategy the Dems will use.

And CNBC's Maria Bartiromo should stick to reporting on stocks. She doesn't even know that Medicare applies only to those age 65 and older. Check out the video where she berates 45 year old Rep. Anthony Weiner for not having it himself.

In a mocking tone, she pressed the congressman: "How come you don't use it [Medicare]? You don't have it. How come you don't have it?" Rep. Weiner, who turns 45 this week, tried to walk Bartiromo through it. "Because I'm not 65." But she was insistent. "Yeah... c'mon!" she exclaimed, laughing incredulously.

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Over at HuffPo, Lincoln Mitchell, an assistant professor at Columbia writes that passing the Democratic plan with the public option is more likely to help, not hinder, Democrats in future elections because once passed, it will be as popular as Medicare, which Republicans also opposed at the time.

It's the Republicans that are walking away from the table. It's the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats that are preventing the Dems from garnering 60 votes to pass the bill with the public option. I don't see how that's Obama's fault, except to the extent that he hasn't been specific enough about where the cost reductions will come from, leaving the Republicans room to make the argument he will cut Medicare benefits and promoting the Senior Bill of Rights.

Right now I the the Democrats' smartest move is to push for health care reform with the public option and if it fails in the Senate, cast the blame where it belongs: On the Republicans and the Blue Dog Democrats. At least they will have stayed true to their prinicples.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 02, 2009 (boomark / email).