Al Franken recommends a Pledge and Pass strategy

I just got this in today’s email from Al Franken (D-MN):

Dear Maven:

This week President Obama asked Congress to stand strong and finish the job of fixing our busted health insurance system. I couldn’t agree more, and now we’ve got a plan to get this done.

I’m calling this strategy “Pledge & Pass,” and it’s a simple, two-step plan for passing meaningful health insurance reform. I believe it’s our job as public servants to actually serve the public, and ending the suffering of millions of Americans under our current system is exactly what our constituents expect and deserve.

Here’s the plan.

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Read Robert Reich on healthcare reform

I simply adore Robert Reich - well, Mr. Maven comes in ahead of him hands down in other ways, but still… Reich is able to call ‘em as he sees ‘em.

That’s a quality all too rare in this day and age of political correctness and ideological posturing.

FYI: Read my post on just what a reconciliation vote is.

Read on:

 It’s Time To Enact Health Care With 51 Senate Votes

Sunday, February 21, 2010

This week the President is hosting a bipartisan gab-fest at the White House to try to tease out some Republican votes for health care. It’s a total waste of time. If Obama thinks he’s going to get a single Republican vote at this stage of the game, he’s fooling himself (or the American people). Many months ago, you may recall, the White House and Dem leaders in the Senate threatened to pass health care with 51 votes – using a process called “reconciliation” that allows tax and spending bills to be enacted without filibuster – unless Republicans came on board. It’s time to pull the trigger.

Why haven’t the President and Senate Dems pulled the reconciliation trigger before now? I haven’t spoken directly with the President or with Harry Reid but I’ve spent the last several weeks sounding out contacts on the Hill and in the White House to find an answer. Here are the theories. None of them justifies waiting any longer.

1.    Reconciliation is too extreme a measure to use on a piece of legislation so important. I hear this a lot but it’s bunk.

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Senate healthcare bill: It may not be perfect, but ...

I guess I’m going to have to give in to the prevailing thought on the current healthcare reform bills - that they are going to be a damn sight better than what we don’t have now.

For all the naysayers: When even the freakin WSJ says it’s do-able, you’ve gotta let it go.

This came from Reid’s office today:

Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today about the recent CBO analysis regarding how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would affect the rising cost of premiums:

“One of the reasons that the Senate has made health insurance reform a top priority is because of skyrocketing health insurance premiums that are breaking the backs of American families.  The most recent analysis that we received from the CBO today strengthens our belief that the Senate reform proposal will bring security and stability to American families and will stem the tide of rising premiums.”

“Most Americans will see lower premiums as a direct result of reform.  In addition, small businesses would see a reduction in premiums for their employees because of the tax credits included in the Senate proposal.  Today’s analysis confirms that millions of Americans who lack the necessary coverage to avoid potential financial ruin would have access to more coverage at an affordable price because of our proposal.

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