Monday, August 17, 2009

Public Option Dead? Not So Fast, Sez Pelosi!

Three cheers for Speaker Nancy Pelosi!

“As the President stated in March, ‘The thinking on the public option has been that it gives consumers more choices and it helps keep the private sector honest, because there’s some competition out there.’

“We agree with the President that a public option will keep insurance companies honest and increase competition.

“There is strong support in the House for a public option. In the House, all three of our bills contain a public option as does the bill from the Senate HELP Committee.

“A public option is the best option to lower costs, improve the quality of health care, ensure choice and expand coverage.

“The public option brings real reform to lower costs over the 10 year period of the bill.”

And fortunately, she also has the numbers to back her up. Anywhere from 64 to 100 House Democrats have pledged NOT to vote for an HMO/pharma bailout, so they would kill that bad bill if they and all the Republicans vote against it (as expected if the Baucus-Conrad-Grassley bailout plan were to make the House floor). So really, we actually have a good chance of getting a good health care bill passed so long as House Progressive Democrats hold and don't fold.

So again, please thank the progressives that are holding the line on a strong public option, send a thank-you note to Speaker Pelosi, and urge our Nevada Democrats in Congress to join the progressives in fighting for a pro-consumer health care bill.

If we stand strong and don't waver, we can win real health care reform.

No comments:

Post a Comment