WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday rejected an amendment to include a government-run public health insurance option in the only compromise health care bill so far.
The amendment by Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia fell by a 15-8 vote, with committee chairman Sen. Max Baucus of Montana and four other Democrats joining all 10 Republicans in opposing the measure.
The other Democrats voting against the public option amendment were Sens. Blanch Lincoln of Arkansas, Bill Nelson of Florida, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, and Tom Carper of Delaware.
It was one of two amendments for a public option proposed by Democrats, and the committee immediately began debate on the second amendment proposed by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York.
Baucus explained he liked much about the idea of a public option, but he knew a health care bill containing the provision would fail to win enough support in the full Senate to overcome a Republican filibuster.
"I fear if this provision is in the bill, it will hold back meaningful reform this year," Baucus said.
UPDATE: The Schumer amendment on the public option also failed. It drew the support of 10 Democrats, including Carper and Nelson. Baucus, Conrad and Lincoln joined the GOP vote against it.
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So much for reform.
There was legislation to bail out the homeowners, you voted against that because of the bank lobby
There was legislation to ease credit problems for consumers. That bill was watered down and there is the crap we have now.
You voted down the public option. We are going to vote you out and replace you with somebody that will vote for a public option.
Folks, THE 2010 Election is AS IMPORTANT as the 2012 for President!
The Republicans are "counting on winning" more seats, and
some want to impeach Obama.!!!! Nasty talk from the Republicans.
There will never be another President that will fight for the Middle
Class than Obama. This is it!!!!
Vote 2010. Like that is now. Some of the elections are months away.
Democrats must vote..............................................!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's all in the economics.....but fear not....the day is coming when there will be no illness left to be healed....no sickness of any kind. Look upward....
Sadly, Baucus isn't even giving the opportunity for "real reform" to take place. It is Baucus, not the public option, that is preventing real health care reform this year.
"I fear if this provision is in the bill, it will hold back meaningful reform this year," Baucus said.
And what is the meaningful reform you're talking about? Without a public option, this bill simply makes matters worse by requiring that all citizens have health care, which will continue to be provided by the parasitic oligopoly that currently bilks and robs the American public. Shame on all of the Senators that oppose a much needed alternative to a horribly corrupt and broken healthcare system.
Obamacare is D.O.A.
We need to vote out of office the FIVE democrats that voted it down. We have atleast their names. We must ONLY vote for politicians that will vote for a public option.
Baucus is in the back pocket of private insurance companies. Look at his contributions. It's a fact, he's bought and paid for, and will not support the american people, only his corporate masters.
This is beginning to look like someone in the US Senate is listening to what Americans are saying. I am encouraged.
Baucus and the other Democrats should not be re-elected. They get the best medical care on our dime, but they are dening the rest of the American people good health care.
Without the "public" option, however will those entrenched congressional cronies funnel all that promised pork to their pharmaceutical industry masters without the pesky insurance companies crying foul?
What can one say...I guess some Dems are joining the party of NO. God help us all. Especially those who need healthcare. I hope I never have to feel what Americans with no healthcare feel right now.
So now I suppose we will see Obama saying that he never wanted the public option, and he wanted it to take this long, and he never wanted to reach across the aisle.
However it turns out, he will claim it happened JUST as he wanted.
Right.
The Dems finally listen to the people and see that something is better than nothing. Could this truly be the sign of debate and comprimise?!?!?
Sure glad we had a Democrat heading this.. They all make me sick
Baucus, I can see your yelloe streak from here. Why don't you just switch parties now? You are one of them, not one of us.
Vote these guys out, they are bought and payed for by the insurance companies. Mandatory health care without the public option is just a handout to private insurance. Dispicable.
Very good news!
I love it! Now we have a track record for Rockefeller & Schumer with which to nail them come re-election day. These guys think the electorate is stupid with a 10-minute memory. Not always true my friends. Remember what happened to Jimmy Carter? The people do remember when their Representative’s performance is as abysmal as these two.
GOOD to vote down the liberal way. The supporters of the public option are clueless to want more government control of our lives.
Baucus is a disgrace,.. i hope the good folks of Montana give him the boot, ... the other four democrats that voted against shoud also be voted out of office. I hope President Obama rams the bill through, with the public option, and publicly calls out the five corrupt Democrat Senators..
You know what MOST of the mourons in Wall St who are pumping up the HealthCare company stocks don't get??
Public Option OR Not – these insurance companies Cigna, Wellpoint, United etc etc – their earnings ARE skrewed up for a while with this reform – just a Public Option or not does NOT change it... although it could minimize to a lill extent the damage!!
These are the five Democrats who voted against the public option and are thus only wearing democratic costumes in preparation for halloween:
Baucus
Thomas R. Carper of Delaware
Kent Conrad of North Dakota
Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas
Bill Nelson of Florida
We need TRUE democrats elected that will do right by america, and not sell out our future to their corporate masters:
The absolute best comment from these meetings had to come from Senator Rockefeller who decried the "banditry" of the insurance industry. A beneficiary of the Standard Oil empire actually wants to cast stones against the practices of another industry? This guy is pure hypocrisy.
Bargaining away meaningful reform isn't meaningful reform. The hypocrisy of it all. And at what cost to this great country. Elected senators, congressmen, officials, particularly GOP nay-sayers, holding public office and embodying and representing the "goverment"- claiming they mistrust the "government" and public options like Medicare because they are scared of themselves and their ineptiude and call that "socialism." Then you have your DINOs "Democrats In Name Only" who place value on weak bipartisan posturing that doesn't win any GOP votes and doesn't deliver the intended results to fix the appaling status quo: 39th place in the world for quality of health care?? We can do better.