Friday, October 23, 2009

Pelosi Lacks Votes for 'Robust' Public Option

From FOX News:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly lacks the votes to pass a "robust public option," the most far-reaching of three forms of a public option House Democrats are mulling to overhaul the nation's health care system.

The shortfall, according to Politico.com, increasingly points to a compromise for a "trigger" option for a government plan on the heels of a private White House meeting on Thursday.

Pelosi told reporters Thursday that House Democrats are continuing to count the votes, but assured that a government-run insurance plan of some kind will be included.

"The robust public option is in my view a preferred way to go," she said. "It's not the only way to go and at the end of the day we will have a public option in our legislation."

Administration officials for weeks have said a trigger is the most likely compromise since it will satisfy liberals, Politico.com reports, eventually clearing the way for supporters to pass a limited public option through the Senate by appealing to moderate Democrats.

During a meeting with Democratic leadership late Thursday, President Obama said he prefers the "trigger" option advocated by Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. The plan allows a government-run insurance plan to take effect if private insurers fail to expand coverage quickly enough.

Read more, Politico.

Video.


No comments: