The Watercooler for 10/31/09 1:00 AM

LWC, that was a PDF.  Here's the link.  Click on Friday and it'll pull up the front page article.

http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/pageone/

Lots of opinions out there. This from FDL.

Blue Dogs Win Huge Victory For The Health Insurance Industry

 

In a huge victory for the health insurance industry, hospitals, and PhRMA, the Blue Dogs managed to stop the robust public option tied to modified Medicare rates. The Blue Dog Coalition, who must call themselves “fiscal conservatives” purely as part of some elaborate ironic joke, fought tooth and nail to kill the robust public option, which would have saved the federal government roughly an additional $85 billion. It would also have provided families with an option roughly 10-11% cheaper than the typical private health insurance plan. That would be roughly a $1,400 a year reduction in premiums for the average family.

The Blue Dogs fought hard and they won a big victory for the for-profit health insurance companies. If I were an insurance company CEO, I would be writing each of them a very large thank you note (i.e. a campaign contribution). Of course, today was a huge defeat for the American taxpayer, serious health care reform, and working class Americans who are going to be denied a robust public option which could have saved them thousands of dollars.

***************Here are the scathing comments. 

It's still a pig, even with lipstick.

87 Comments

By: Jon Walker Thursday October 29, 2009 4:00 am

Rep. Weiner On Countdown: "If They Aren't Squealing Like a Pig, We Haven't Done This Bill Right!"