Pelosi: House Bill Will Have Public Option
EmailABC News' Dean Norland reports: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she has every confidence that the health care bill coming out of the House will have a public option.
“I believe for us to have substantial health care reform, this has to be a part of it,” she said during a news conference Thursday.
"We will have a public option in the House that will be real. If it’s not real, it’s no use doing. And if we don’t do a public option, I’m not sure we have as effective a public healthcare reform as we wish," she added.
Pelosi said the public option must be sound, self-sustainable and one that adds to competition.
The speaker said there is no effort to drown out private health care plans with one that is government-run.
Pelosi's remarks come a day after the Bipartisan Policy Center, supported by three former majority leaders of the Senate – Tom Daschle, Howard Baker, and Bob Dole — Monday proposed a plan that calls for state or regional public-sponsored networks that would compete with private health plans instead of a government-run plan.
On the subject of giving the Federal Reserve more power as a regulator, as the president proposed Wednesday, Pelosi said any increased powers given to the Fed need to be balanced with more transparency, so the American people have a better understanding of how the central bank operates.
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I don’t understand the “more transparency” quote, I haven’t notice “ANY” transparency yet!
Posted by: maniteu | June 18, 2009, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
“Pelosi said the public option must be sound, self-sustainable and one that adds to competition.”
Hmm… why not apply those principles to the medicare and medicaid programs first, and then expand it to the public if it works there?
“… three former majority leaders of the Senate — Tom Daschle, Howard Baker, and Bob Dole — Monday proposed a plan that calls for state or regional public-sponsored networks that would compete with private health plans instead of a government-run plan”
Good grief… Have these people never heard of the 33 states that run health risk pools (insurance for the uninsurable)? Maybe they ought to check out the problems with these programs before they expel more hot air in D.C.
Posted by: Ordinary Sadie | June 18, 2009, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
Its refreshing to see that Leader, Pelosi hasn’t forgotten the people she represents.
Our country needs REAL health care reform. We’re not taking about widgets, but quality health care for “ALL” Americans. A public option would help remove some excess profit in the system.
Some profiteers feel its worth blowing
millions of $$$$$$ to kill health care reform. Keep on fighting for the millions who either have 2nd rate Health care or NO Health care.
Posted by: ParityFanatic | June 18, 2009, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
The big “O” needs to cut the congress out of any health care reform and make another fine command decision.
Posted by: gasyusblast | June 18, 2009, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
i dont think we are going to have a public option because the majority of the public doesnt want it. your missing a major detail and that is how and who will pay for this?
Posted by: catman | June 18, 2009, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
GO Pelosi!!!!!!
I honor the way you fight for us no matter what polls or hypocritical fear monger republicans say.
stay strong
Posted by: watching | June 18, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
with obamas poll numbers slipping and pelosis below chennys, they may want to rethink something that even daschle is saying no too. we have seen the stimulas bill and its failure, couldnt even begin to think about another bill coming from pelosi and her inability to tell the truth, she cant be trusted.
Posted by: catman | June 18, 2009, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
We keep hearing about how public option is not a good option because it is going to be run by gov`t. That everything run by government is going to lack quality and fail, eventually. Those same critics are saying that a public option is going to create an unfair advantage against the insurance companies. That people are going to start joining the public option.
Now my question is: why are they not interested in competition?
If insurance companies can run a more quality healthcare program, why would people want to switch to the public option?
Why is it that its only the drug companies, lobbyists, insurance companies and repubs who are for corporations that are against the public option?
I now know the greedy guys are running scared.
Posted by: Matt | June 18, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
caman, see that you are about as misinformed as the rest of the republican establishment. got to fox to get your facts because you would not no the truth if it hit you in the face. 8 years of bush/cheney were enouth. no more fear, no more lies, no more republicans. the days of scooter, W, cheney, ney, cunningham, foley, craig, vitter, and ensign are over. time to give the country back to the people and i dont mean sarah palins version of the people, i mean all people. the conservative movement is dead, long live the republican (no votes) party.
Posted by: jimt | June 18, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
jimt…LA times…obama approval down to 56% from 61% two weeks ago, pelosi below chenny in same article. those are facts from a liberal newspaper. i am an independent, the same article points out that independents are about equally split on obama which is a huge drop from april. 46% of americans did not vote for obama and it was the independents, like me, that got him over the top.IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN. if anyone is running scared its the party in power. I DONT CARE WHAT BRAND OF POLITICS ONE SUBSCRIBES TO, WE CAN NOT AFFORD 1.3 TRILLION FOR HEALTH CARE ON TOP OF A 1.8 TRILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. IF NANCY PELOSI IS FORCED TO HAVE THE SAME INSURANCE AS YOU AND ME I WOULD SUPPORT IT AS THATS WHAT OBAMA PROMISSED. THATS NOT HAPPENING.
Posted by: catman | June 18, 2009, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
Catman: You forgot to add that the repubs approval number is around 23%. The lowest it has ever been. All things being fair, I would think you would want to mention that, being the independent you are.
Posted by: js45601 | June 18, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
So what exactly is the ‘public option’?
Is it if we can’t afford it, we don’t have to take it? Or is it if it isn’t enough, we can take it or leave it? Or is it if it is more than we can pay, we have no other option?
Nancy, just what is it you are trying to say? The only public option we care about right now, is you guys start being transparent, instead of talking transparent. I think I speak for the rest of America on that.
Posted by: John Merritt | June 18, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
The “bipartisan” commission’s “compromise” included a mandate that everyone buy insurance and no public option. It looks like a win win for insurance companies on both counts. What do consumers get out of it? Its another case of politicians pandering to lobbyists. Wait a minute – isnt that what Daschle, Baker and Dole do for a living?
Posted by: Mark from atlanta | June 18, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
js45601…fair point. i didnt focus on the gop because its obvious there not liked at the moment.the bigger point i was focusing on is that the president polls are slipping. once you go below 50% you are in trouble and no wants wants to run on your coat tails. thats when congress breaks with the president and focuses on things that will get them reelected, which always seems to be being a budget hawk and a tax reducer.
Posted by: catman | June 18, 2009, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
Now my question is: why are they not interested in competition?
answer is:The government is going to fund this even at a loss till they get rid of private insurance companys. You expect them to compete with that , also give away health care to people who cant afford it paid for by taxpayers so while we pay for our health care we will also pay for the havenots heathcare
Posted by: school_bus_yellow | June 18, 2009, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
Catman- thanks for your valid response. I was afraid after I sent it that it would be taken the wrong way.
Posted by: js45601 | June 18, 2009, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm
Someone wrote”i dont think we are going to have a public option because the majority of the public doesnt want it. your missing a major detail and that is how and who will pay for this?”
Check out “TOpLine” which has poll information that shows americans “overwhelmingly want a public Option.
Posted by: Irv Brick | June 18, 2009, 11:25 pm 11:25 pm
We have roughly 300 million Americans. The claim is that there are 45 million — 15% — with no health insurance. This leaves approximately 255 million Americans, or 85%, with health insurance.
According to a 2006 ABC News-Kaiser Family Foundation-USA Today survey. It was found that 89% of Americans were satisfied with the quality of their own health care.
Don’t need a public option, the federal government needs to demonstrate to the public that they can sucessfully operate Medicare which they never have in all of the years they have been funding it. Once this is shown and we can get an idea of the true cost (I don’t believe it is anywhere near what the folks in Congress are telling us, way higher) then a informed decision can be made.
Posted by: Sandcrab1612 | June 19, 2009, 1:07 am 1:07 am
Catman: You forgot to add that the repubs approval number is around 23%. The lowest it has ever been. All things being fair, I would think you would want to mention that, being the independent you are.
Posted by: js45601
—————————————
You might want to check out your polls source again because they are lying to you, big time. Repubs have now climbed ahead of Dems in several categories like “the economy,” “keeping the country safe” etc. 2010 is going to be a very good comeback. Bub-Bye Dems!
Posted by: Sunnyr | June 19, 2009, 2:39 am 2:39 am
The Government screws up everything it touches and it ends up costing millions more than it should. Medicare has been ripped off for years by fraud, mismanagement and bogus doctors and patients. How in the world is anyone in their right mind going to let these bozo’s handle health care for the entire country? Why do you think Canadians keep coming HERE for tests, treatment and surgeries? Because we have the best health care in the world and we don’t want Nancy and Company to destroy it!
Posted by: Sunnyr | June 19, 2009, 2:43 am 2:43 am
since when was Pelosi ever telling the truth? Is she not under fire for lying about the CIA? where did all that go–great cover-up, Obama.I would not trust her with my cats health care –let aline my own.
Posted by: sifto77 | June 19, 2009, 9:52 am 9:52 am
ivy brick–i don’ know where your info is coming from–you can make up anything you want to try and promote govt run health care–it is a disaster.
Posted by: sifto77 | June 19, 2009, 9:54 am 9:54 am
They’ll do anything to increase the U.S. Federal debt (especially War & Health Care). A big problem is that credit can grow on a whim now that it is no longer backed by anything (since 1971, see Gold Standard on Wiki). Even worse, the Federal Reserve has the fortune of creating as much money as it wants out of thin air, which is also the international reserve currency. And even worse, the Federal Reserve, which is a private entity, creates money at ZERO cost to itself (i.e. they just go a computer and enter a dollar amount to create in its bank account), then LENDS the money to the U.S. Government AT INTEREST. The Government (i.e. the American people) has to give real money to this private cartel of banks for their ‘service’ of creating money out of thin air. The Government (i.e. the American people) is truly the loser in this system. Andrew Jackson (who was almost assassinated) eliminated the private central bank in 1833, but it just popped back up in the Aldrich-Vreeland Act and the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, immediately after Woodrow Wilson was elected. Wilson’s political opponent had also promised to sign the same Act, but under a different name, if he were to get elected. The international bankers gave themselves once again control over the American monetary system without paying a penny. JFK started Silver-backed currency, then got assassinated a couple of months later. The Federal Reserve has never been audited, and Goldman Sachs, the leader of the banking cartel, truly rules the world… for now. Pelosi, Obama, and most others in DC (except Ron Paul) are just a spokespeople for the Federal Reserve.
Posted by: andyupnorth | June 19, 2009, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
catman | Jun 18, 2009 7:10:55 PM
You said; … “focusing on is that the president polls are slipping. once you go below 50% you are in trouble and no wants wants to run on your coat tails. thats when congress breaks with the president and focuses on things that will get them reelected, which always seems to be being a budget hawk and a tax reducer.” …
_________________
Since you’re leading the parade and seem to be “offering the expert opinion”, what will you say if (when) the poll numbers turn around??? Will you say President Obama’s Job Approval Rating is GOING UP? Agreed, this week the poll numbers Dropped to 59% on RCP, arguably the most reliable source. They have “no dog in the fight” as they simply compile and average 10 – 15 of the Major Polling Sources, and the L.A. Times is Not included.
Needless-to-say you’ve made several points, that are “selective” as opposed to factual that need to be cleared up. You say;
“obama approval down to 56% from 61% two weeks ago,”
RCP indicates an approval rating of 59%, down from 61.5% two weeks ago. But it’s actually 59% down from about 61% since Jan. 20, 2009. That’s a slippage of approximately 0.05% (1/2%) each 6 months. At this rate, it will be some time in 2011 (with consistent negative polling numbers) if the President is to fall to your Negative Threshole of “below 50%. I think you’d agree, probability is that’s highly unlikely.
Especially when you take into account this historical Polling data;
Job Approval Rating
Highest Rating CNN 76% 2/7 2/8
Lowest Rating Rasmussen 54% 6/18
61% 2/3 2/5
FOX News 58% 3/31 4/1
65% 1/27 1/28
Last you claim 46% of The Voters Didn’t vote for President Obama. Actually the numbers were;
52.9% Voted For Barack Obama
(+ 9,549,975 votes)
45.7% Voted For John McCain
01.4% Voted for Other misc candidates
President Obama won the Electoral College Vote 365 (67.8%) to 173 (32.2%.)
Posted by: bobj72 | June 19, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
catman, you errored it wasn’t 46% who DIDN’T vote for President Obama. The Actual Percent of the Popular Vote, he didn’t win was 47%!!!
Posted by: bobj72 | June 19, 2009, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm