Romanoff: Where's the 'Public Option' Champion?

This is grandstanding by Romanoff.

He clearly does not understand the process, nor the developments of the health care bill in the US Senate up to this point. It is a delicate fight to get as many Dems on board to pass something. Some don't want the public option/ most do, a few want single payer/most aren't there yet, some want the Stupak wording in/ most do not. We have very limited time to get this passed before time constraints expire. Romanoff puffing up his chest like "The Grouchy Ladybug" in the children's book by Eric Carle, just shows how out of touch he really is with what is going on at any given time in the US Senate. He clearly has no idea what he is talking about.

When this bill passes, with or without the public option, it will save 45,000 human lives each year because it will give 30 million people health care that did not previously have access to it. Andrew Romanoff risking human lives for the benefit for his career advancement is unconscionable.  

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 05:43:29 AM UTC

My problem, and I know it's not a possibility by this weekend,

and I know I'm stating the obvious but, a single payer system is just such a no fucking brainer.  

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by: Fong @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 06:12:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Agreed.

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 06:52:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Pass a 1 line bill: "All Americans are eligible for Medicare from birth." We gave our Dems

TOTAL CONTROL!
and they wasted it.

They CAN pass Medicare for All,

But they would rather please their TV AD Campaign contributors from the Health Care and Insurance Industry.

And the Media which gets Millions to run the ads supports the Democrats who are ignoring the

60% of Americans Who Do Want a Single Payer program.

Big Disaster coming in November.
Sad you cannot see it.

Obama Stole Dems 2010 Senate Primary Nomination for "appointed" Sen. Michael Bennet but 57,497 "UnderVotes" by angry Romanoff progressives nearly Stopped them

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by: johnhkennedy @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 16:31:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

@Peacemonger -- So, logically ...

... you must have also condemned  the "Benet letter" as grandstanding too, right?


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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 07:59:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

No, Actually...

Bennet's letter was an offering to the House, that if they could find the will and the votes to add the Public Option back in, that there was sufficient support in the Senate to get it passed.

Unfortunately, the fractious House didn't go for it.  That's not grandstanding by Bennet, that's called leadership.

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by: Harry Doby @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 22:03:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks, Harry

I can only conclude that some of Romanoff's ardent supporters would believe that the earth was flat if Andrew said so.

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 02:22:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

and no matter how much Bennet sells out

you'll stand by him.

What happened to your hero who said he would lose his job for health care?  Bennet will claim whatever passes as landmark legislation and you'll claim that it's only because of him that it passed at all.

Sorry Michael Bennet, but I'm a real person too

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by: StrykerK2 @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 05:13:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

You are amazing, Stryker

You seem to know what people are going to say when they don't know themselves, and you've never even met them. Wow! Why do we blog at all? Tell me which diaries are going to be posted tomorrow. Next week? Next year? I think I saw you on Montel once. Is your name Cleo?

I started out as a Romanoff supporter (for almost a decade). I became a Bennet supporter a year ago. Every day that goes by, I see the misfits and malcontents running over to the Romanoff side, and I am more convinced I picked the right guy. Thank-you, Stryker, for strengthening my confidence again today!

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 05:22:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

more snark, still no substance

Peacemonger I know you enjoy making snarky comments like "Romanoff supporters would believe him that that the earth was flat" and then get defensive when anyone says anything to you, but distraction doesn't save you from not answering the questions.

You blogged endlessly about Bennet fighting for the public option.  Now he's flat out abandoning it.  Where's your outrage?  Oh I remember -- now you also blog about how you get to spend personal time with his family.  Glad to know that all it takes to buy your loyalty is a little face time with a 3rd rate celebrity.

Sorry Michael Bennet, but I'm a real person too

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by: StrykerK2 @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 05:31:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

No, my point was

Michael Bennet is a decent human being, and if the Romanoff crazies would stop demonizing him for ten minutes, they would see what everyone else sees.  

Tomorrow, the Senate health reform bill will most-likely become law, in no thanks to Andrew Romanoff, who was nowhere to be found during 2009 when hundreds of us were standing face-to-face almost daily with crazy, Fox-news-watching people wearing tea-bag hats at hundreds of town halls, house parties, district meetings, rallies, and marches. Andrew's "assistance" in our year-long struggle to save 45,000 American lives is laughable. We photographed the vast majority of events. Andrew's face was never in a single photo. Later, Andrew flip-flopped between saying he was for single payer, then the public option, then avoiding the question, then whatever-Michael-Bennet-is-against. Michael Bennet, and members of his staff, were in most of the photos which showed how hard he fought with us.

Shame on Andrew. No one was more disappointed than I was when I couldn't find my former "hero".  His feeble attempts at saying he is for the public option now are a year late, and completely transparent.

My opinions here do not reflect any organization or group with which I may be affiliated.  

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by: peacemonger @ Sun Mar 21, 2010 at 08:07:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK, so, assuming you're consistent, Peacemonger ...

Here's what you presumably posted when the "Bennet letter" was being touted:

This is grandstanding by Bennet.
He clearly does not understand the process, nor the developments of the health care bill in the US Senate up to this point. It is a delicate fight to get as many Dems on board to pass something. Some don't want the public option/ most do, a few want single payer/most aren't there yet, some want the Stupak wording in/ most do not. We have very limited time to get this passed before time constraints expire. Bennet puffing up his chest like "The Grouchy Ladybug" in the children's book by Eric Carle, just shows how out of touch he really is with what is going on at any given time in the US Senate. He clearly has no idea what he is talking about.

When this bill passes, with or without the public option, it will save 45,000 human lives each year because it will give 30 million people health care that did not previously have access to it. Michael Bennet risking human lives for the benefit for his career advancement is unconscionable.  

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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 08:40:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

@Peter...WTF?

Stay with us - even gravity follows basic principles. Accusing Sen. Bennet of risking human lives to advance his career is taking a serious leap into the great abyss of serious dillusion.

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by: Just Anita @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 20:32:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Actually, Anita ...

That was a verbatim copy-and-paste of Peacemonger's post, but with Michael Bennet's name substituted where she had written Andrew Romanoff's name.

OK, so, assuming you're consistent, Anita, here's what you presumably posted in response to Peacemonger:

@Peacemonger...WTF?
Stay with us - even gravity follows basic principles. Accusing Andrew Romanoff of risking human lives to advance his career is taking a serious leap into the great abyss of serious dillusion.

Right?


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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 21:53:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Try again...

It was actually your  Copy/paste/remove/delete/substitute/arrange/edit...Voila!..content that prompted my response. Taking things out of context, then manipulating the content is sort of...well...GOPish. Guess I leaped into the "great abyss" thinking you'd get it.

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by: Just Anita @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 23:57:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK, Anita

You've had more than enough chance here to admit you were glaringly in error, but you refuse to do so. Instead, you respond only with projective insults and other desperate attempts at reality-bending.  The hypocrisy and dishonesty you've displayed here are not only obnoxious but tedious as well. If you think you can get away with this crap against me, you are very much mistaken.  

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"Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that." --- Britney Spears, September 2003

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by: Mucius Scaevola @ Mon Mar 22, 2010 at 02:11:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

get on board with grayson's bill

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by: wade norris @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 17:25:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Grayson's bill

good idea.

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by: MADCO @ Tue Mar 23, 2010 at 01:14:32 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's the Democratic leadership

that doesn't understand the process.   They've been outmaneuvered at every turn - constantly responding to desperate right-wing lies instead of setting the tone and actually getting something done.

Calling for a vote solely on a public option bill isn't grandstanding, it's pointing out that the leadership still hasn't done what a majority of Americans want done.

I personally doubt that the way this bill is crafted will end up saving 45,000 lives every year.  The number will likely go down, but many of the system's ills will remain.  Time will tell.

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by: WeatherDem @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 17:45:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If it walks like a duck, has feathers, and quacks?.....

Please read the regulatory changes and the financial allotments slated within the Senate's bill. It's not the end of the "public option", or Medicare for All - for that matter. A financial foundation is being laid - the beginning steps toward opportunities, that will keep this conversation open for months to come. Moving money from the insurance sector to provide millions with HC, helping individuals and small business with HCR to reduce costs, keep the insurance industry from denying claims, and boosting Medicaid/Medicare is the first step in moving forward.

Medicare required legislative steps that took decades to create. It took nearly a century after the Emancipation Proclamation for Civil Rights legislation to be initiated in this Country. How much sufferage did it take for the 19th Amendment? We're still fighting. That's how our Country works.  Personally, I don't think it will take centuries - or even decades - for "Universal" coverage for all. However, good policy requires a good foundation and time. HCR - as written - is the foundation, not the house.  It's up to us how we build it from here.  

We still have many in this nation terrified and shell-shocked by the rightwing's fear tactics.  They'll need time to realize, HCR is a good thing. Nothing in legislation is permanent. We Progressives cannot and will not go away; remaining present within this conversation, as these changes unfold. The foundation is being set. We won't know where the cracks are until it's set.  The opportunities for Universal coverage may be closer than we think. HCR is a start - not the finished product.

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by: Just Anita @ Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 20:11:07 PM UTC