“Top Line”: House Liberals Refuse to Surrender on Public Option
EmailABC News’ David Chalian Reports: As President Obama prepares to head up to Capitol Hill to deliver what may prove to be a pivotal speech in his quest for health care reform, he clearly still has his work cut out for him in convincing liberal Democrats to give a little on the public option. “The anticipation on Wednesday is that the president will reaffirm that support for a public plan and begin to craft the legislation, the final legislation that includes it,” Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) told us on ABC News’ “Top Line.” “It’s as simple as that and we continue to be committed to it, we’re not raising a white flag and surrendering on the item,” he added. Rep. Grijalva serves as co-chairman of the Progressive Caucus in the House, a collection of the Democratic Party’s most liberal members. Last week, Rep. Grijalva penned a letter to President Obama to make clear that including a public option in the final bill is still seen as an essential component for health care reform among his colleagues. “If there’s no public option, I can’t support it,” said Grijalva. The congressman also refused to buy into the notion of a triggered public option as a suitable compromise. “The trigger to me is a delay in tactic and effectively reins in the public option and for all intents and purposes will never let it occur and will never let it develop. The idea of competition is that everybody starts at the same line and friction in a free market is what makes a better deal for consumers and if we don’t have that friction early and are waiting for a trigger dictated by private insurance it’s never going to happen,” he said. However, when Speaker Pelosi emerged from her White House meeting with President Obama today, she did not rule out using a trigger mechanism to launch a public option in the future. Speaker Pelosi suggested the talk of possibly incorporating a triggered public option into the final health care reform bill as part of the legislative process that still needs to unfold. She also said it would behoove the health insurance industry to get behind a public option from the start because a triggered public option a few years down the road will likely be tougher than one introduced into a health insurance exchange at the outset. Watch our interview with Rep. Grijalva HERE: Republican strategist Kevin Madden also joined us as he does each and every Tuesday. Be sure to watch how Kevin set the stage for what President Obama needs to accomplish in his big speech tomorrow night. We also asked Kevin to weigh in on the controversy that surrounded President Obama’s speech to the nation’s school children today. Watch our interview with Kevin Madden HERE:
Biden Reflects on Grief, Suicidal Thoughts 
Is Congress Sounding Dumber?
“Give a little on the public option”?? I don’t think so! Giving up single payer was enough!! It’s time to let the righties know who is in power!!!
Posted by: zee | September 8, 2009, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
No more than a handful of liberals will actually vote against any legislation introducing health care reform. Just will not happen…
Posted by: matt | September 8, 2009, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm
Do the uber liberals also have a plan to give money to the unemployed some of whom may never find a job again?
Posted by: david | September 8, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
After January 20, 2009 there has not been a Conservative agenda although the Republican rhetoric and the others that oppose a government health insurance option is no less than a movement. A movement that blinds the public of who is really being represented.
The movement confirms that the Republican Party and those who have been reached innately is made up of capitalistic charlatans that are only capitalist when it benefits the few and not the all regardless of what experience dictates.
If this adopted fear tactic becomes the going agenda then the opposition will at some point will construed that agencies that monitor the safety, privacy and the protection of the American Consumer is also bad for capitalism. The Republican opposition to their capital mandate is what should scare the American public. The Republican Party is trying to prevent people from ever thinking for themselves again especially those who are going to continue to share the world.
Representation; the public is willing to do their part provided that there is fairness. Ironically the Republican Party who has been adamant about fair taxation for many decades is rejecting fairness in health insurance for not only the middle class and poor but for also the wealthy. Wealthy Americans are in need of help just as the not so well off are regarding Health (care) Insurance. The Republican Party seems to have concluded that it is something wrong with survivability.
The blinding rhetoric that is causing a guaranteed failure of complacency and continued medical hardships for the American public is suppressing the reality of a Government Health Insurance option.
Look at what happen in New Jersey. All the Automotive Insurance Companies decided to leave until New Jersey started one, now there is more than a few with better options for New Jerseyans.
What will a Government Health Insurance Option do!
It will add more people to the paying for health care role
It will prevent a condition that could have been prevented or treated before it reached the stage of Medicaid payment that could last 20 years. If the cost those occur the same treatment could cost less because that is not the only store on the block preventing a raise in taxes.
Disabilities paid by Medicare that a person is not born with could be prevented or at lease
Postponed, causing a shorter payment period.
A Government option promotes competition, lowers the policy cost and prevents additional taxes.
What will The Health Insurance providers and Pharmaceutical companies do? Simple Put, Stop the waste and stop having to compete with boot leg distributors and allow Health Care Providers lower their cost
It will give social security an automatic make over.
For the People by the people!
Posted by: Roy Goins | September 8, 2009, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
What?? DON’T GIVE UP! Whatever you do, don’t give up. It’s time to throw a homerun and plow over those who wish to obstruct progress!! Our country is tired of it! Don’t let those squeaky-wheelin, lyin, cheatin, fear-tactic, hate & war-mongering, hijackers take this from us now!!!! They have had control of our Country for 8 years. They HAD the chance to prove themselves! If they really wanted to do something for the good of all American citizens.. THEY WOULD HAVE DONE IT BY NOW!!!! GAWD PEOPLE, GET REAL!! What if the PUBLIC option really makes things better? Why can’t we at least give it a chance?? We’ve done it THEIR WAY for 8 LOOONG YEARS!! It’s OUR TURN TO TRY SOMETHING!! WE DESERVE THIS CHANCE!! If we’re wrong, then the least they can say is we told you so,, but you know what I BET ALL KINDS OF $$$ THAT I DON’T HAVE THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE WRONG THIS TIME!!! GROW SOME GONADS (& I’m a woman) and DON’T BACK DOWN!!!
Posted by: LK in OP | September 8, 2009, 9:37 pm 9:37 pm