If only he had a reputation as a scrappy fighter that he was keen to defend

Assorted Democrats and their short-sighted media kindred spirits would rather have a bipartisan health care bill for bipartisanship's sake than a bill that finally transforms a perverse system and provides people with quality affordable care. As such, they're getting aroused by Sen. Kent Conrad's proposal to create a non-profit co-op insurance scheme instead of a strong public insurance option.

Nancy Pelosi, in probably the most useful thing she's done in weeks if not months, is having none of it. "Not instead of a public option," Pelosi said Thursday when asked about the co-op idea.

It would be useful if Pelosi's counterpart in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, could get out in front of his caucus (for a change) and similarly declare that a more industry- and Republican-friendly co-op scheme, while perhaps another alternative to insurance industry profiteers that might have a place in the mix, is not in and of itself an acceptable substitute for a strong public option.

One Gleaner reader suggests Reid might even be persuaded to say something along those lines if he were pressured by his most ardent and loyal supporters, that is, those people he is relying on to reelect him to the Senate next year.

Well, how 'bout it, Sig? Could you please call your senator and tell him this isn't a good fight, but a great fight, and now would be the time for Reid to cowboy up? Gracias.

UPDATE: The wingers at Townhall are urging the teabagging base to contact specific Democratic senators who are deemed wishy-washy and can be turned against a public option, including "yes, Nevada's Harry Reid.  If Majority Leader Reid turns against the 'government option,' it is dead."

Hmm. Sig, I'm sure, already has Reid's number on his iPhone. But if anyone else would like to contact the senator's DC office and tell him not to buckle under on the public option, the (toll free for Nevadans) number is 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343). More Reid phone numbers & email contact info here, btw.

Comments

[dave404]

Someone who is better informed than I care to chime in on which way the US should go; along the Massachusetts plan (which is now way over projected costs) or the San Francisco Health Plan (AKA Healthy San Francisco, which seems to be well run and under projected costs)?

[Scorpiogal]

Dave,
As a health care worker having just come back from delivering healthcare in South America & the Amazon...I agree the San Fran plan seems to be a great start but San Fran has always been more progressive than say Las Vegas-and the rest of the US for that matter-I predict that Harry "folding chair" Reid will buckle on us.

[atdleft]

Scorpio & Dave-

I'll concur with both of you on Healthy SF. My family up there really appreciates it. And btw, I think it can be replicated nationally. If Gavin Newsom can get business support for Healthy SF, then Democrats can make a real universal health care happen.

[Nevad_Ned]

"Single Payer" is the Canadian-style plan, also called "Medicare for All". The mass media has an information blockade on single-payer. The Canadian plan covers everybody and costs about half of what the US system costs.

See the information from the Institute for Public Accuracy

http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=2011

[atdleft]

Ned-

Agreed. Contrary to the myths, single-payer works.

http://www.healthcare-now.org/hr-676/whats-single-payer/

http://www.healthcare-now.org/hr-676/

In an ideal world, we'd get single-payer NOW. And really, that's why I'm pissed at conservative "Democrats" who are trying to get us to "compromise" with a nothing bill with no public option. Come on, the public option IS the compromise we agreed to!

If there's not even a public option, it's not universal health care and it's not worth supporting.

[dave404]

Thought this was an interesting read;
usbudgetissues

...and it included this gem, "By 2035, the Government Accountability Office estimates that all federal revenue will be consumed by Medicare, Medicaid and interest on the public debt." That is as far away from today as 1983 is.

[Vegas Shopper]

I keep saying that "health care reform" and "insurance reform" are not necessarily the same issue but I'm willing to listen to any reasonable argument otherwise.

[Goldy]

I am supporting Barbara Buckley because she is going to make it illegal to be sick; ergo, no need for healthcare. An innovative and progressive approach!

[atdleft]

Vegas-

Where are you going with this? Just curious...

Goldy-

Huh? What are you talking about?

Or am I just hopelessly out of the loop?

[Scorpiogal]

@ Goldy
Do yourself a favor and put down the crack pipe....you're not making any sense.

[Nonplussed]

Harry Reid deserves a break. If he tried to lead Senate Democrats on health care, it might hurt his reelection campaign. And if he isn't reelected, Nevada can kiss Sig's train to Victorville goodbye. Is Nevada willing to take that risk?

[Scorpiogal]

Ok I get that politics is compromise. I get it...truly I do. Political careers hang in the balance-oh and yeah,I haz a sad about that...NOT!
Frankly,some issues superceed politics.Reid is assured re-election here and due to his position has plenty of perceived clout.So we are saying he is impotent to wield some of that juice? And Sig? OMG a man who supported that train wreck Gibbons? It seems to me Sig is looking to distance himself from Gibbons et.al. by snuggling up to Reid and wielding what little clout he has left. I say grow the nads,come out swinging-and btw Sig should be politically bitch slapped back to the last centurty. There is a time to be Mr.Congeniality and a time to fight. I say put on that magic Mormon underwear,the boxing gloves and take the damn risk.

[Scorpiogal]

Not to put too fine a point on it, MLK said it best:

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

[atdleft]

Scorpio-

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

YES! Oh yes, and I really agree with this as well:

There is a time to be Mr.Congeniality and a time to fight. I say put on that magic Mormon underwear, the boxing gloves and take the damn risk.

If he puts half the effort into being a real leader in DC that he does sustaining his political empire here in Nevada, we'll get universal health care WITH the public option, a strong climate & energy bill, Employee Free Choice, and real civil rights progress. So what is he waiting for? Does H. Reid want to be known as the Senate "Leader" that couldn't accomplish anything... Or the Senate Leader who really got the job done?

[Scorpiogal]

@ atdleft,
Thank you,you summed it up perfectly and I agree whole heartedly.