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Can Democrats Convince Susan Collins To Vote For Health Reform?
Can Democrats Convince Susan Collins To Vote For Health Reform?
As Democrats move to reconcile the Senate Finance bill with the far more progressive HELP legislation , some are hoping to attract the vote of so-called moderate Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). This morning, during an appearance on Fox & Friends, Collins laid out her objections to the Senate ...
Health Care Reform: Only the Baucus Bill is Deficit Neutral? Wrong
Health Care Reform: Only the Baucus Bill is Deficit Neutral? Wrong
seminal.firedoglake.com — via Brooks Elliott The New York Times finally caught up with the phony claim Max Baucus and CBO foisted on the media that the Baucus reform bill is the only bill that is deficit neutral. But that’s all smoke, mirrors, and heroic ... (more) Health Care Reform: Only the Baucus Bill is Deficit ...
Collins Signals Cover for Snowe
themoderatevoice.com — A second Republican senator has indicated that she’s open to voting for health care legislation this year. Sen. Olympia Snowe’s Maine colleague, fellow Republican Susan Collins, said in a statement : “There simply is no question that our nation’s health care system requires ... (more) Collins Signals Cover for Snowe
Susan Collins Open To Supporting Reform Proposal? Her Office Suggests Otherwise
theplumline.whorunsgov.com — Is Senator Susan Collins open to supporting the health care reform proposal in the Senate? The Associated Press caused a bit of a stir in Democratic circles this morning by reporting that Collins, the other moderate GOPer from Maine, may be ... (more) Susan Collins Open To Supporting Reform Proposal? Her ...
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What Does Susan Collins Want?
Matthew Yglesias — ... Igor Volsky has a good post taking a look at Senator Susan Collins’ objections to the Finance Committee version of health reform. She appears to me to be taking a constructive tone with regard to the whole thing, but as is frustratingly often the case on this issue her concerns are somewhat contradictory. She’s concerned the bill doesn’t do enough to ensure affordability, but she opposes additional revenue measures to enhance affordability. She’s concerned the bill doesn’t do enough to control costs, but she’s voiced objections to many of the ...

Daily Treatment, Advice Columnist Edition
The New Republic blogs — ... thinks liberals should learn the difference between holding a seat in the Senate and getting that senator's vote. Igor Volsky thinks Susan Collins should make up her mind about what she really wants out of legislation. Now, if only a few other senators heeded that advice as well.... ...

Fred Hiatt's Strange Argument
Obsidian Wings — ... Hiatt's main concern is cost control.  He thinks (maybe correctly) that Congress is punting on controlling costs.  Instead, Hiatt wants Congress (1) to impose taxes on employer-provided health care benefits; and (2) to cede their power over Medicare reimbursement rates, etc.  (For the record, the Baucus bill includes the latter -- along with many other promising cost-reducing measures). ...

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President Collins Calls Public Option a “Non-Starter”
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GOPer Collins Opposes House Dems
blogs.abcnews.com 12 days ago — ABC’s Z. Byron Wolf reports: Here’s a wrinkle in the abortion debate: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, one of the few Republicans considered to be a strong supporter of abortion rights, said today she opposes the language inserted in the House health ...
Collins, Lieberman doubtful on public option; more supportive of 'trigger'
thehill.com 9/8/2009 — Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) both cast doubt Tuesday on their support for a public-option component to the Democratic healthcare reform effort, which suggests that the Obama administration is still struggling to win over ...
Snowe, Collins Will Not Back Public Option
politicalwire.com 9/13/2009 — More proof that the "public option" is all but dead comes from the two senators Democrats hoped might side with them in supporting a health care reform bill. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) said President Obama "should take it off the table" since it ...
Collins: No Public Option, No Triggers.
tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com 9/14/2009 — The word for the last week or two has been that the White House is hoping that, by moving toward a "triggered" public option, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) will be the 60th vote for health care reform. In the background, many have wondered whether ...
Some News for the Maine Twins: They Love the Public Option Back Home
dailykos.com 9/19/2009 — Brian Beutler speculates over whether Snowe is "about to pull an Arlen Specter." Maybe this polling on the public option in her home state will help reinforce for her just out of step her opposition to the public option is with the folks back home.  ...
Baucus To Release Health Care Bill Tomorrow
openleft.com 9/15/2009 — Senator Max Baucus will release a draft of the Finance Committee's health care tomorrow.  This is in accordance with the schedule for the Finance Committee to mark-up, and likely vote on, the bill next week: The Senate Finance Committee should ...
Collins does not support public option 'trigger'
thehill.com 9/13/2009 — A key swing vote on healthcare reform said Sunday she would not support a public option "trigger" -- a series of benchmarks that, if not met by a certain time, would authorize the creation of a government insurance program. "No -- the problem with ...
GOP Sen. Collins to support Sotomayor for court (AP)
news.yahoo.com 7/21/2009 — AP - An aide to Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins says Collins will vote for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
Benjamin: Erie County exec regrets comparing Sheldon Silver to Hitler, anti-Christ
nydailynews.com 27 days ago — An upstate Republican who's eying a run for governor has compared Shelly Silver, the Orthodox Jewish speaker of the state Assembly, with Adolf Hitler and the anti-Christ. And now Erie County Executive Chris Collins says he's really, really sorry.
Pelosi makes case for public health care optionmsnbc.com: Politics 10/15/2009
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the case is growing stronger for allowing the government to sell health insurance in competition with private companies.
Pelosi steps up defense of public option on health careCNN Political Ticker 10/15/2009
WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned her Senate counterparts Thursday that she intends to fight hard for a government-run health care plan as part of any comprehensive overhaul bill. Pelosi's adamant defense of the ...
Democrats chastise Snowe over health care 'influence'CNN Political Ticker 10/15/2009
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe on Tuesday. WASHINGTON (CNN) — There is candid frustration Thursday coming from rank and file congressional Democrats about the influence ...
Wellness Incentives Could Create Health-Care LoopholeWash Post In Congress 10/16/2009
Get in shape or pay a price. That's a message more Americans could hear if health-care reform provisions passed by the Senate finance and health committees become law. By more than doubling the maximum penalties that companies can apply to employees ...
A Key Player on Health-Care ReformWash Post In Congress 10/16/2009
Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) has been a passionate, and often blunt, voice for health-care reform for nearly four decades, starting when, as a young Vista volunteer, he took children to the dentist in the rural hills of Appalachia. A scion of ...