President Barack Obama is actively discouraging Senate Democrats in their
effort to include a public insurance option with a state opt-out clause as part
of health care reform. In its place, say multiple Democratic sources, Obama has
indicated a preference for an alternative policy, favored by the insurance
industry, which would see a public plan "triggered" into effect in the future by
a failure of the industry to meet certain benchmarks.
The administration retreat runs counter to the letter and the spirit of
Obama's presidential campaign. The man who ran on the "Audacity of Hope" has now
taken a more conservative stand than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.),
leaving progressives with a mix of confusion and outrage. Democratic leaders on
Capitol Hill have battled conservatives in their own party in an effort to get
the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. Now tantalizingly close, they are
calling for Obama to step up.
"The leadership understands that pushing for a public option is a
somewhat risky strategy, but we may be within striking distance. A signal from
the president could be enough to put us over the top," said one Senate
Democratic leadership aide. Such pleading is exceedingly rare on Capitol Hill
and comes only after Senate leaders exhausted every effort to encourage Obama to
engage.
Unfortunately, this increasingly doesn't surprise me at all. All too often, Obama talks a good progressive line when he wants the votes, but when the policy is on the line, his true conservatism shines through.
Isn't this a classic 'bait and switch'? I'm afraid so, if it is true.
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