Open Left

Response from Senator Edwards

Subject: frustration for progressives

I share some your frustration about the role and relationship of the Progressive Caucus and movement with the President, Administration, and our own Democratic Caucus.  I believe we have a lot of work to do internally as progressives and in better defining our issues, concerns and solutions to the American people and to the various political elements.  Despite that self critique as a progressive, I think this debate on health care reform and the importance of a public plan option are critical opportunities for us as progressives.  I'm a single-payer person, but that is not the agenda right now for a lot of reasons and not because people like John Conyers did not fight for it.  Here's the reality check:  The public plan option is already a compromise that we cannot afford to lose in order to preserve our opportunities for the future.  That's why progressives need to be on the record in our districts on our position supporting a robust public plan option modeled on Medicare -- it must be a bottom line.

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by: Chris Bowers @ Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 12:12:22 PM CDT