Open Left

Senator Kohl on the public option (4.00 / 2)

A message from Senator Herb Kohl, one of the undecideds:

While our goal is to reduce the growing costs of health care, we're going to make sure that those who like their current health coverage can keep it.  Others who are in need of better coverage will have more choices.  Ideally, I think health reform should include some type of a public option.  After all, millions of seniors are happy with their government-sponsored Medicare coverage.  There are many proposals on the table, and I am confident that we will end up with one that won't undermine current health providers, will not rely on government subsidies, and will garner bipartisan support.  I believe we can reach consensus on this and all of the critical issues in health reform if we don't get caught up in ideological labels and work together for the good of the country.

What do people think--is this a yes to the public option, or a maybe?

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by: Chris Bowers @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 11:41:44 AM CDT

Sounds like a public option supporter to me ... (0.00 / 0)

and OT ... but what happened to the QH comments?  Why were they disabled?

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by: Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 11:44:06 AM CDT

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They weren't disabled (4.00 / 2)

They are broken. Working on it...

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by: Chris Bowers @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 11:45:02 AM CDT

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I think that's a maybe (4.00 / 1)

Ideally, he's for a public option. That sounds like weasel wording to me--I wouldn't count on him not to settle for a fake public option.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 11:46:37 AM CDT

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There are a lot of qualifiers in this statement (4.00 / 1)

"Ideally," "I think", "some type of."  These sort of hedges are normal in everyday speech but on the issue that seems to be considered the most important of the day, they are unacceptable.  If he is a supporter, than he should say so.  If he won't say so, I have difficulty imagining a reason other than that he is not certain that he is a supporter.

The way I see it, vague commitments are useless - 'I will close GMTO' (but use alternatives to serve the same function', 'I oppose DADT' (but I won't lift a finger to secure legislation or stop its implementation despite full legal authority to do so.)

Who are the best keepers of the people's liberties? The people themselves. The sacred trust can be no where so safe as in the hands most interested in preserving it.
James Madison

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by: David Kaib @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 11:56:27 AM CDT

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Given Kohl's record, (0.00 / 0)

you should give that the most conservative reading possible.

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by: pastordan @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 13:10:54 PM CDT

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Kohl shows unenthusiastic, ambivalent support for the public option (0.00 / 0)

     If I am decoding the politician-speak correctly, Kohl does not want to be unpopular with Dem voters. His reading of the tea leaves says that most Dems favor the public option, so he wants to appear to favor it, too. However, if it fails to pass, or if it gets passed and then later becomes unpopular, he wants to be able to say later that he reluctantly went along with it.
    Does anyone here decode his words differently, or did I nail it?

1 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV) - "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."/ GOP = Greedy Old Privatizers or Greedy Old Privateers?

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by: Christian_Dem_NY @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 20:52:23 PM CDT

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