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UPDATED: Lieberman Threatens; Nelson Undecided; Snow Disappointed

Posted by PETE ABEL, Managing Editor in Breaking News, Health, Politics.
Oct 27th, 2009 | Comments

Per a breaking news email from Politico:

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) says he will join a Republican filibuster against the Senate Democrats’ health care reform bill unless the public option is removed.

More here.

From CNN:

Also Tuesday, conservative Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska warned that his vote remains uncertain for a bill with a public option.

From the same story:

[GOP Sen.] Snowe has indicated her preference for a “trigger” provision that would mandate creation of a public health insurance option in the future if specific thresholds for expanded coverage and other changes were not met.

Snowe issued a statement Monday saying she was “deeply disappointed” about Reid’s decision on the public option. She said that a decision in favor of a trigger “could have been the road toward achieving a broader bipartisan consensus in the Senate.”

By my count, that leaves only 58 or 59 potential votes for Reid’s “compromise” … and (as far as I can tell) other conservative-leaning Democratic Senators (e.g., Sen. Bayh from Indiana) have yet to weigh in.

  • TheMagicalSkyFather
    If history is any guide he will fill his campaign coffers and back down, its what LIEberman does.
  • PWT
    Given that he is from CT, the insurance capital of the world, it is unlikely that he would consider voting for any form of public option. He knows where his bread is buttered and where his constituents work.
  • shannonlee
    Then let them filibuster.
  • roro80
    Yeah, I don't think anyone's going to die of shock at this news. Totally expected, even if disappointing.
  • pacatrue
    The only way a public option has a shot is if the Senate leadership can find a way to make the death of the entire bill painful to this group. Right now, the more liberal Senators can say, "Well, I won't vote for it unless it has a public option," and Snowe/Liberman/Nelson can just say, "I guess there's no health care reform then." The more liberal members have to find a way to make that option unacceptable to the moderates. Otherwise, they hold all the power.
  • AustinRoth
    Poor Senator Snowe. Apparently she forgot the parable of The Scorpion and The Frog.
  • Father_Time
    Screw'em

    We still have the nuclear option. MOVE FORWARD!
  • JSpencer
    FT, if the nuclear option was taken, the opposition could threaten to shut down the Senate... of course that would be a fitting symbol of everything else they've accomplished this century so far.
  • DLS
    "We still have the nuclear option. MOVE FORWARD [sic]!"

    That, of course, would expose the ethical and moral depravity of the Dems, but wouldn't be surprising.

    The public option is far from dead, but it will be interesting what form the opposition to it takes now.
  • DLS
    "Given that he is from CT, the insurance capital of the world, it is unlikely that he would consider voting for any form of public option."

    [scowl] Don't forget Greenwich and all the Wall Street insiders who are inbred with Team Obama, too.
  • DLS
    A "trigger" on the public option in practice is likely to amount to nothing more than gimmickry to address the concern better people have with yet another Dem rush, this time to federal takeover of health care. The public option is still viable; I wonder to what extent the opposition might try to secure something on behalf of saner souls in the form of (exploiting anti-gun lunacy) what would amount to a "trigger lock" to jam the "trigger" and prevent it from being easily actuated.
  • Zzzzz
    I agree it is all about the insurance companies being based in CT. It will be interesting to see what happens if Lieberman follows through. CT is a pretty blue state. People who don't work for those companies are likely to support healthcare reform, and some of the lower level employees of those companies are likely to support it also. If he is right, then his vote will have more local support than opposition. If he is wrong, he will have trouble the next election.
  • JSpencer
    "If he is wrong, he will have trouble the next election." ~ Zzzzz

    One can only hope.
  • Leonidas
    The moderate voice in Congress has spoken.
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