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AP Interview: Snowe says no to Reid's bill
Snowe was the only Republican on the Senate Finance Committee to vote to advance health care legislation earlier this month. But she told The Associated Press on Friday that she won't vote to proceed with Reid's bill as it's now crafted with a "public option" with a provision that allows states to opt out.
Snowe prefers a "trigger" that would allow a government plan as a safety net only if the private market fails to lower costs on its own.
Snowe said she has concerns that an outright government option would drive out private insurers before they have the chance to perform under a restructured market. Just the threat of a government plan would force insurers to come up with more affordable plans, she said.
Reid's bill, she said, doesn't address the goal of lower health care costs.
"It sounds good, but mechanically and philosophically it doesn't address the central goal of this legislation, which is to make sure people have affordable choices," Snowe said.
The bill written by Reid, D-Nev., is expected to go to the Democratic-controlled Senate in the next two or three weeks.
Snowe said centrist Democrats will play a pivotal role in how the bill proceeds. She hopes changes are made to the bill before it goes to debate.
"It's not clear he has the votes for the motion to proceed," she said.
Reid spokesman Jim Manley said the lines of communication are open regarding health care legislation.
"Sen. Reid will continue to reach out to Sen. Snowe and any other Republicans that have a sincere interest in passing a health reform bill," Manley said.
Snowe, who has been a key figure in shaping federal health care legislation, said she doesn't plan to offer an amendment to Reid's bill because it wouldn't get enough votes to pass.
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Olympia Snowe could have
Olympia Snowe could have stopped this from going this far by voting against the bill as proposed in her committee. Trying to pretend now that she is against the bill because of a public option is ludicrous, especially since the trigger she backs is nothing more than a public option delayed. The triggers are set to fail, allowing the public option to be implemented. This debate is not over health care and never was. It is a pure and simple power grab by the Socialist left. If it was about them caring for you, why would they include penalties including fines and jail time for opting out of buying health insurance? When else in this country's history has the federal government helped you out at the barrel of a gun?
"Reasoning with a liberal is like trying to pick up a turd by the clean end. " Pirate
"Which of these would you
"Which of these would you prefer – (a plan that includes some form of government-sponsored health insurance for people who can’t get affordable private insurance, but is approved without support from Republicans in Congress); or (a plan that is approved with support from Republicans in Congress, but does not include any form of government-sponsored health insurance for people who can’t get affordable private insurance)?"
Fifty one percent said they preferred the public option. Sorry Olympia - you ain't the president and your whining does nothing. The bill will be passed through reconciliation if need be just to shut you out of the debate. You are irrelevant.
Any problem that can't be solved with taxcuts, republicans pretend doesn't exist.
verified worldwiderick Wake up
worldwiderick
Wake up Americans!
You will continue to pay more than anyone else on the planet for medications.
Your Insurance will still find ways to disqualify you.
Your hospital will still charge you an arm and a leg for setting a broken bone.
Business and human needs do not mix well- like oil and water- they repel each other.
For profit enterprises have a responsibility to their bottom line and shareholders.
The horendus state of affairs will only be corrected if business is taken out of the health equation.
Make health insurers non-profit. Allow generics after 5 years. Provide universal health care by law and let citizens choose their plan. Perhaps America will be able to achieve medical standards as good as people in Argentina or Canada do (look it up).
Why should Americans go to Canada to buy their meds?
Why do all Germans get universal health care ( who won the war anyway )!!!?
Force the government to be for the people- by the people and not just for big business.
The health care debate has
The health care debate has been going on for quite a while now. I've been listening to all parties and positions. Not once have I heard anyone suggest that physicians and other health care providers take a cut in pay. It's never discussed. The debate has focused solely on insurance.
Any cost containment plan must address compensation and its largest components: hospitals, physicians, and pharmaceuticals.
verified I am a Democrat who supports
I am a Democrat who supports Sen. Snowe's trigger for the public option if the private insurers do not bring down costs.
I do not support universal health care for people who take little or no care of their health. I do not support universal health care when it is underwritten by reducing Medicare.
I have not heard enough during this debate about the fact that medical treatment is more expensive than ever because of costly new technology which continues to improve, and help patients in ways never possible in the past. It is going to continue to be costly as we improve and invent new technology.
We also do not have a strong enough movement for individuals to take their health care seriously in a preventive way. The bottom line is we have responsibility for our own health first and must act accordingly relative to diet and exercise.
And, corporations must stop selling the easy life to citizens in order to keep them sloth-minded consumers so that they think nothing of poor diet and little exercise. Those in the health care industry, from doctors to hospitals, who pad their bills also need better oversight.
The cure for the health care system is in everyone's hands, not just the government's.
As far as I am concerned, however, the most important issue in the health care situation now is that we need individuals taking care of their health with diet and exercise. This will help reduce costs.
Speak as rationally as possible, recognizing human beings are not always rational.
So what new Senotor Snow?
So what new Senotor Snow? You are such a two face person. It's time to get her out of Maine.
"It's time to get her out of
"It's time to get her out of Maine." Where do suggest we send her, Washington?
two-faced: Hypocritical or double-dealing; deceitful.
two-faced: marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another; "she was a deceitful scheming little thing"; "a double-dealing double agent"; "a double-faced infernal traitor and schemer"
Olympia Snowe, if anything, has been consistent and forthright and far from two-faced. You're just a critic with nothing to say.
Yeah, its time to get a real
Yeah, its time to get a real conservative in office.
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verified on "P. Nachman: Confidence probably misplaced"
Ronald, If you have not
Ronald,
If you have not noticed, everything I’ve listed is a growth in the size of government, a growth in government spending or a program in crisis.
A tax cut does not belong in that list. While a tax cut may grow the size of the national debt, a tax cut does not necessarily grow the size of government nor does it increase spending.
Moreover, you selectively forgot to add your favorites, Bill Clinton and Obama, to your list of tax cutting presidents. Any reason why? Maybe your Cuban pharmacist is giving you placeboes!
verified on "G. Decoteau: They deserve each other"
I second
I second the motion!!!!
- Agree Agree (1)
verified on "P. Nachman: Confidence probably misplaced"
Not surprising
It is not surprising that the Czarist and racist factions of the old "Conservatively" Russian front are continually becoming seen all over again. The entire facets of hatred and fear seem to be predated in concepts from Stalin and Hitler himself. Using the vileness of the "outsider" as the most dangerous among us. Mr. Nachman you remind me of a classmate of mine who had felt that as she was of Czech descent that my mothers lineage of Irish-Jewry made it so that I would have to kneel before here.
As a Baptist this is rather disappointing to see that for all of the physics based knowledge one can posses creating an air of fear is the only true self-gratification one can get. In fact this is a bondage between those in the systems of your own family as well. The racism and the scaffolded humanist rejections with an air of continual fear is little more then self-centered egotistical facets. It seems to thrive on fear and donations to establish a "cult" mandated sense of the opine in writing and creates a narrow minded view of those who think differently.
Mr. Nachman while you enjoy the daily purges of illegal "aliens" does any of this truthfully set you so far apart from Stalin or Hitler? The very nature of the article which you write is more of instilling fear toward others; then little more then that? Is this a case where in reverse desperation anyone not deemed American would have to kneel down before you? The questions becomes of the VDare project just how much of a diaspora it would create and exiles as well if they had ever been given enough control to expel other Americans.
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