"MATH IS HARD"

When It Comes To His Health Care Experiment,
Harry Reid's Numbers Don't Add Up To Sixty

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REID'S GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE
MATH CHALLENGE: ADDING UP TO 60

Senate Dems Who Voted To Move Reid's Health Care Experiment Forward Won't Support Him Again Unless Changes Are Made. "Democrats had little time to savor their weekend Senate health-care victory, as two of the lawmakers who voted to move the debate forward Saturday night indicated Sunday that they will not vote to pass the package if it includes a government-run insurance program." (Shailagh Murray, "Public Option At Center Of Debate," The Washington Post, 11/23/09)

But Adding New Votes Could Mean Losing Existing Votes, As Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Warns That "Four Members Of The Senate Aren't Going To Tell The Other 55 What To Do On These Issues." (Carrie Budoff Brown And Patrick O'Connor, "How Health Care Reform Could Fall Apart," Politico, 11/23/09)

ON A PUBLIC OPTION, ADDING LINCOLN AND LIEBERMAN
MEANS SUBTRACTING BURRIS AND SANDERS

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) Says She Will Vote Public Option, Even With "Opt Out" For States. "She touts the compromise bill she helped fashion in the Senate Finance Committee ... That bill contained no public option. But the version now pending before the Senate, which was assembled by Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid from competing proposals, does. After equivocating, Lincoln came out against the idea, even with a provision allowing states to opt out. As federal taxpayers, she said, Arkansans would be 'on the hook' for any costs regardless of the state's participation." (Mark Z. Barabak, "For A Healthcare Holdout, It's Lonely In The Middle," The Los Angeles Times, 11/23/09)

• But Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) Says He Will "Not Support A Bill That Does Not Have A Public Option... That Position Will Not Change." (Charles Babington, "Key Senators May Rebuff Obama On Health Care," The Associated Press, 10/22/09)
  

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) Said He Will Not Vote For Cloture On Bill That Contains Public Option. "Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat turned-Independent from Connecticut, said Tuesday that he will not vote for a healthcare reform bill that includes a government-run insurance plan. ... he said he would not lend his support to an effort to cut off debate on a bill including a government-run insurance program." (Alexander Bolton, "Lieberman To Vote Against Public Option," The Hill, 10/27/09)

• But Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Says "There Are Number Of Senators, Including Myself, Who Would Not Support Final Passage Without A Strong Public Option." (Sen. Bernie Sanders, "Sanders: Public Option Critical To Health Reform," News Release, 11/22/09)
  

ON FEDERAL FUNDING OF ABORTION, ADDING
NELSON MEANS SUBTRACTING BOXER

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) Won't Accept Current Language In Reid's Bill That Allows Taxpayer Funding Of Abortions. "That language is not language that I would prefer ... I think you need to have it eminently clear that no dollars that are federal tax dollars, directly or indirectly, are used to pay for abortions and it needs to be totally clear. [It's] not clear enough ..." (Michael O'Brien, "Lieberman: More Dems Could Join Public Option Filibuster," The Hill's "Briefing Room" Blog, 11/19/09)

But Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Will Fight To Ensure That Language Similar To Stupak Amendment Does Not Appear In The Bill. "Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., a staunch abortion rights supporter, said the Pro-Choice Caucus would meet Nov. 12 in an effort to ensure that the House amendment sponsored by Bart Stupak, D-Mich., does not find its way into the Senate bill. ... But Boxer declared that the House language singles out women for 'unfair treatment,' adding that she will fight to ensure that the Finance Committee language stands." (Joseph J. Schatz, "Senate Machinations Begin Anew," CQ Today, 11/9/09)

ON A PUBLIC OPTION WITH A 'TRIGGER,' ADDING
LANDRIEU MEANS SUBTRACTING FEINGOLD

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Will Only Accept Government-Run Health Insurance With A Trigger. "I remain concerned that the current version of the public option included in this bill could shift significant risks to taxpayers over time unnecessarily, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to find a better and bipartisan solution for this issue. I have suggested that a freestanding, premium-supported, competitive community option that would trigger on a date certain, if our private market reforms fail to work, might be a possible compromise." (Sen. Mary Landrieu, Floor Remarks, 11/21/09)

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) Says Public Option Trigger Would Justify Opposition To The Bill. "[T]here are senators on the liberal side of the spectrum who say they won't pass a plan that includes the trigger provision. 'To me that would be a very serious gap and it would be a very strong reason not to support it,' Sen. Russ Feingold told CBS' 'Face the Nation' on Sunday. 'We need a public option.'" (Sam Stein, "Feingold: No Public Option "A Strong Reason" To Oppose Reform," The Huffington Post, 10/25/09)

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