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Specter Endorses Public Option
Talking Points Memo —
... Addressing a rally in DC this afternoon, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) came out in favor of a public option provision for health care reform -- reversing his previous opposition. Brian Beutler was there. ...
Specter: Schumer Has It Right On The Public Option
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News —
... insurers. Such an entity wouldn't be able to use its sheer size to set prices the way Medicare does--but it could nonetheless incur savings in a host of other ways, and in so doing drive down the cost of health insurance in the private market. Perhaps more importantly, though, the Schumer proposal is in line with the principles of the major reform campaign Health Care for America Now--and, as such, just about every major health care and labor organization in the country. Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/specter-schu...
Thursday's Mini-Report
Political Animal —
... this afternoon, 62 to 35. * Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is on board with the public-option plan sketched out by Sen. Chuck Schumer. * Art Levine ...
Specter gets points
The Reaction —
By Creature TPM: Speaking moments ago to a large and animated crowd of union organizers and health reform advocates in a brewing house just North of the Capitol, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) said he supports a public insurance option. "Schumer has it right about having a public component," Specter said. Specter's is the ultimate political opportunist, but the public option needs all the senatorial help it can get, so good for Arlen. Now let's see how he actually votes. ...
I Got The "Make Them Do It" Blues
Open Left - Front Page —
... up by 40 points in his primary campaign against Joe Sestak:
MR. GREGORY: Let me--I just want to turn, then, to the issue of health care. You would not support a public plan?
SEN. SPECTER: That's what I said...
MR. GREGORY: OK.
SEN. SPECTER: ...and that's what I meant.
Specter meant it so much that now, seven weeks later, with his lead over Joe Sestak reduced to 20 points (see polling trends here), that he has completely reversed his position:
Speaking moments ago to a large ...
WTF? Jello-Jay of all people?
Rising Hegemon —
... Just don't turn into a Democratic Arlen Specter, Jell-O Jay, because one, I know you are up to that based upon past practice, and second, the Democrats already have one of those. ...
In reversal, Specter announces support for public health insurance option.
Think Progress —
... At a union rally in Washington, DC yesterday with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) declared his support for a public health insurance option. Further, Specter said that Americans have a “right” to health care, and predicted that health care reform will happen this year. “I think Senator Schumer has the right idea about ...
Specter Embraces Public Option
Matthew Yglesias —
... Brian Beutler reports that at yesterday’s health care rally, Arlen Specter (D-PA) embraced the public plan that he’d opposed just a few months ago: ...
When It Comes To Health Care Reform, Who Can You Trust? John Kerry?
DownWithTyranny! —
... out by two senate aides, Kerry is hysterical that he could be put into the same category as treacherous Democrats playing footsie with Big Business to deny Americans health care reform-- hated party poopers like Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu. Even Snarlin' Arlen, knowing full well that he could never win the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania without supporting-- at the minimum-- a public option, seems to have come around... at least a bit. He'll never be a Bernie Sanders or a Dick Durbin and he's still an opponent of single payer and someone who we'll ...
6/26: A Heated Debate
Blogometer —
... ) are pleased that Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) reversed his position on a public option, saying that he now supports it. Lefty bloggers attribute Specter's switch to Rep. Joe Sestak 's (D-PA) primary challenge. However, it's clear that liberal bloggers ( ...
From The Pols Are Pols File
TalkLeft —
Chris Bowers celebrates Arlen Specter's "conversion" to support for the public option (Byron Dorgan also now supports it and Jay Rockefeller made a great statement in support of the public option) but then frets: The concept of making Democrats vote for more progressive legislation through primary challenges is predicted on the notion that we are dealing with people who are fundamentally self-centered, power hungry, and morally flexible. We believe primaries can pressure certain members of Congress into changing their minds on ...
The promises of primary pressure
Political Animal —
THE PROMISES OF PRIMARY PRESSURE.... Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, up until fairly recently, opposed including a public option in health care reform. This week, he reversed course . I wonder why that is. Speaking [on Thursday] to a large and animated crowd of union organizers and health reform advocates in a brewing house just North of the Capitol, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) said he supports a public insurance option. "Schumer has it right about having a public component," Specter said. [...] [T]he Schumer proposal is in line with the principles of the major ...
Sestak Says He'll Run Against Specter in Senate Primary
Politics Daily —
... Specter has been coming around on issues important to liberals. He reversed his opposition to a public health insurance plan as part of health care reform, and he is ...
Health Care: Why So Damn Difficult?
The Moderate Voice —
... all over the board on the health care reform debate.
I share the cost concerns of the cost concerned. I share the coverage concerns of the coverage concerned. I like the “cooperatives” idea; but I’m not opposed to the “public plan” idea, especially if it can be honestly structured to “compete on a level playing field with private insurers,” as Sen. Schumer has suggested and Sen. Specter and (apparently) Health Care for America Now ...
