Howard Dean: Scrap the Senate Health Bill

(CBS)

The Senate health care bill in its current form should be scrapped, former Democratic leader Howard Dean said in a radio interview.

"This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate," Dean told Vermont Public Radio. "Honestly the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill, go back to the House, start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill."

Dean's remarks are set to air today at 5:50 p.m., Greg Sargent confirms, just hours after President Obama said that the Senate is "on the precipice" of passing its health care bill. The president said there is "too much at stake" to let the reform effort fail.

The Senate health care debate stalled this weekend when Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced he could not go along with the Democrats' latest plan to expand Medicare to the middle-aged.

While Dean is a strong proponent of a government-run health insurance plan (or "public option") for all Americans, he told the CBS "Early Show" that the Medicare expansion plan represented "real reform." He is now reportedly saying that the bill is not worth salvaging if Democrats leave out both the public option and the Medicare expansion.

Mr. Obama, by contrast, said today that the bill still meets certain goals like controlling health care costs and expanding coverage. Dean said last week on the "Early Show" that "there's not much cost control in this bill."

Under the process of reconciliation that Dean is advocating, Democrats could overcome a Republican filibuster and pass a bill with just 51 votes. There may be enough senators in support of the public option to pass the measure via reconciliation.

The reconciliation process, however, is limited to bills that pertain to budgetary matters -- so while the Senate could use it for any provisions that impact the budget, they would have to pass other reforms, like insurance regulations, in a separate bill. Democratic leadership has indicated they are not interested in using reconciliation for health care reform.

[jamoke59]

Lieberman needs to be scrapped" he is for Joe Lieberman not the american people,in the 2010 elections the modeate and consevative democrats need to be done away with as well and replaced with more progressive democrats or green party senators,the rst of the republicans need to go as well, they are the cause of this countrys problems,it took them 30 years but they destroyed this country.

[Jason_Clearbrook]

Joe Lieberman is doing the right thing by the American Public, but not by the Left Fringe Special Interest Groups. Howard Dean is an Outspoken Leader of the So-Far-Left-They-Fell-Off-The-Table. In other words, he is the Head Loonie of the Lunatic Fringe. However, although I differ in my reasons, I agree with Dean in the Basic Statement he makes in that killing this bill is good because it does not make any kind of reform that the American Public wants. That what he wants is contrary to what the American Public at large wants is a point he keeps missing along with his cohorts in all sorts of delusional agendas. However, I love it when this blow hard trumpets loudly, because most Americans have identified him correctly as EXTREMELY LEFT LEANING, and his endorsement is exactly what any Health Reform bill needs to kill it. So if he really wants the bill killed, he should suddenly start supportig it. That should do the trick!

[nearl451]

Unfortunately, the Bill is the only game in town right now. I understand and agree with most of Howards criticism, but the Democrats don't have a Supermajority, nor even a majority if a bill such that Howard calls for.

One thing that wold be helpful is toend that Supermajority rule intheSenate that 60 votes are needed to basically do anything(start debate, end debate). A filibuster is different.

Without the 60 vote understanding (not by Constitution,by the way) we may have atleast Medicare buyin if not a public option - - the real goal - Universal,single payer healthcare is not tenable for our lobby infused system.

[rightbehind]

Howard Dean is in tune with the voters. Democrats will suffer unless they grow a spine! Force the republicrats out! Force them to filibuster! Their constituents need to know who they are.

[velma179]

by rightbehind December 16, 2009 7:43 AM EST
Howard Dean is in tune with the voters. Democrats will suffer unless they grow a spine! Force the republicrats out! Force them to filibuster! Their constituents need to know who they are.

*************

PLEASE!

Learn the facts.

They can't FORCE a filibuster! The parliamentary procedure used TODAY is a Vote for Cloture and it REQUIRES 60 votes -- or NO BILL CAN MOVE FORWARD.... TO BE VOTED ON!

Do you actually think the people in CT or NE (or LA or AR)don't know who their representatives are? Do you think there is no television, radio or newspaper there where they can see these names DAILY?

The Democrats do not have a caucus with ideological purity -- it is NOT a LIBERAL body. It includes moderates and even, conservatives -- people who were elected by their constituents. Do you think ALL these voters are liberals who just decided to ignore that the Reps they elected (over and over in many cases) have moderate or conservative records?
Please.

======

Passing this legislation is fundamental. This legislation is far from perfect (what is, by the way?) But, there are GOOD (and some VERY GOOD) parts of THIS bill that COULD NOT be included in "budget reconciliation/50vote-passage" procedures. The things that Dean and you, it seems are bummed about being lost can ALL be passed this way.

That isn't saying another bill will happen, Senators have said it won't .. but since a bunch of loose lips on the Dem side got us to where we are... I don't think they will!

[Jason_Clearbrook]

Oh, I am in a State with two Democrat Senators, only because the Governor appointed one of them. He is soon to be removed in the 2010 elections with almost a 20 point loss to any potential Republican Contender. It is too bad, because of the two Democrats we have, I think he is really the one who is a decent enough person to respect.

I agree with you on one thing though: Please Democrats, force the Republicans to Filibuster! These current bills (both the House and Senate versions) are so contrary to what the Average American wants that I want the Democrats to be seen expicitly as SHOVING THIS SMELLING PILE OF DUNG right down our throats, without anywhere outside their own party they can point the finger. In the words of Dirty Harry:

"Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do ya? ... Go Ahead; Make My Day."

[cleric60]

"The Senate health care bill in its current form should be scrapped, former Democratic leader Howard Dean said in a radio interview."
I agree, what's the rush? I too would like to see a national health care reform bill that would empower our States to create their own
health care program on a State/local level. I don't if our national
Congress in DC would knowledge the health care needs in rural USA.
Again, I would like to find out who/what can up with the facts/figures of how many citizens died because they didn't have insurance?

[rightbehind]

Put a strong public option back in with the medicare for 5o and older. Force the republicrats to filibuster! Expose them so their constituents will know who they are!

[midlclass]

I agree, as a matter of fact i called both my senators last night and asked them to put the P.O. and the Medicare for 55 and older plus to introduce aan amendment to make the minumin coverage equal to that of which the members of the senate and house recieve for health ins coverage. to then put it on the floor for a vote and dare the bill to be fillibustered then allow the DNC to track the vote and use this for the 2010 senate elections. people need to understand that we are no longer an 19th centry nation there are now 305 million people in the country, this is a much larger SOCIETY than we have had in the past. a large society equals more socialism it's part of the process when we stop progressing we go backwards. but that the way most republicant's seem to be.

[velma179]

PLEASE FOLKS.

Look up the Rules of the Senate.

If a Vote for Cloture (which requires a "supermajority of 60 votes) is not accomplished...

NOTHING CAN go to the floor for a vote. The filibuster (which is essentially not used anymore) is NOT the parliamentary procedure that matters here. It is VOTE FOR CLOTURE.

Please look this up for yourselves if you can't accept what I have posted.

(By the way -- I think the rules of the Senate suck Big Time and I am writing every Senator I can to push them to change them. The "tyranny of the minority" is despicable in a country where we each VOTE for our representative government and the MAJORITY winner is empowered to represent us... Please join me in this LETTER -- not e-mail, not phone call -- writing campaign. Thanks)

[robinspp]

All most all senators have been bought by the private Health insurance lobbyists. They will never do anything good for the public. Why they have to spend so much of tax payer?s money by discussing the useless bill such a long time? These senators are good for nothing. It is better to kill the bill because it is useless.

[reveal4]

33 million more people will receive medical insurance under the Senate reform plan. Premium prices will decrease. Long term health insurance inflation will be decreased substantially. Insurance companies will have to pay out 90% of income for actual medical care, instead of the current 73%. The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit "donut hole" will be closed, saving billions for seniors and the American taxpayer. Best treatment methods will be instituted for medicare seniors. Health insurance exchanges will offer not for profit, government price controlled and regulated insurance plans. Exchanges will include all insurees in large insurance pools, thereby lowering costs for individual premiums. All insurance premiums will be reduced in cost, on average. Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny people with pre existing conditions, or triple the rates for sick people. Health insurance companies will not be able to drop your coverage and leave you with tens or hundreds of thousands in medical bills. Insurance companies will have to provide payments for preventive care, especially benefitting women. Insurance will be available and affordable for Americans. Poorer, uninsured, and unemployed will receive subsidies for payment of insurance premiums...OR...WE all can gain nothing, absolutely nothing. Your choice.....

[mcapek]

those 33 million will never happen, since the wrong assumption is that they will be buying the insurance, while the reality is that they are either young people who think they will never get ill, and they will spend their money on more important things in their life, or people who don't give a damn, and those will continue to get their "free" care in the emergency department where they cannot be refused, don't have to wait weeks or months for doctors appointment, etc. the only thing this proposal will cause is more taxes, and takeover of healthcare by morons and incompetents in the government (BTW, do you work for the government, reveal4?), resulting in bad care for all. I like the idea of preventing insurance companies from preexisting condition denials, but that will result in higher costs, since those with chronic conditions have much more expensive care than normal, healthy people. money has to come from someplace, to pay for their benefits.

[OrionCA]

The only penalty for not buying insurance is a $1000 fine which may not even be constitutional - it's akin to a surtax on the air you breath. An any event under the Senate proposal you cannot be denied insurance for preexisting conditions so the logical thing to do is pay the stupid fine each year until you get sick and then sign up for insurance, which they are required by law to provide you.

The latest estimates are that only a few of the 33 Million will actually get insurance and insurance rates will rise sharply on everyone to account for the insurers' increased exposure. Please note the goal of "health care reform" was never to get everyone insured and simultaneously save money for the existing insured yet that's what this - thing - has metastasized into.

[rightbehind]

Force t a filibuster! Call the republicrats out! Expose them!

[reveal4]

rightbehind...Let me decipher the real meaning of your post...Let's see...Defeat healthcare reform. Deliver a stunning defeat to Democrats and President Obama, and ensure large democratic losses in the midterm elections...

[watkinsjr2000]

These comments on the Senate health care reform bill by Gov. Howard Dean are in my view both highly irresponsible & counterproductive. Federal laws to reform the way health insurance companies do business are decades overdue. People are literally dying out there because of pre-existing condition exclusions & other underwriting practices used by health insurance companies that shut millions out of the health insurance market.

Gov. Dean seems to be of the opinion that reform must contain everything he wants or it should be scrapped. In an ideal world, I'd favor a public option myself-but we don't live in anything close to an ideal world.Given the importance of reform to so many millions of Americans without health coverage,pragmatism MUST rule the day in the end here.There are a lot of reforms in the Senate bill that would be enormous improvements over the insane health care system we have today.Unlike Gov. Dean, I'd much rather get 60% of something badly needed here than 100% of nothing. And insisting that there MUST be a public option in any reform bill would automatically doom the bill to defeat. The votes to pass that simply aren't there.

Right now is likely the only chance to pass meaningful reform that will exist in most of our lifetimes.It's gotta be done now. When will we next have a president committed to passing reform,the 60 democrat super-majority in the Senate needed to kill a certain GOP filibuster, and enough public support to get us back in the position to actually make a serious run at reform if this effort fails? Maybe in 30 years, or fifty, or 100, or maybe never. A quest for the perfect simply can't become the enemy of the good here. This is too important to let that happen. I hope Gov. Dean can grasp this & either cheer this effort on remain silent.

Sometimes in politics it's vital to cut the best deal you can for the good of the country. This is one on those times.Gov. Dean,please don't say or do anything else to help the GOP cut our throats at this very critical juncture.

[stryker54]

Finally a Dem that see's what really is. As far as cutting a deal, this crapola is going to bankrupt this country if passed. Think you have it bad now, just wait and see what happens if it passes.

[tmittelstaed]

"...Right now is likely the only chance to pass meaningful reform that will exist in most of our lifetimes...."

Absolutely true. What's really going on here, for those who don't understand it, is that the Republicans have gambled everything they have on killing the reform bill. If they manage to do this then they will go into the midterms making the claim that the Democrats are ineffective and because there is a grain of truth in that lie, it's enough for them to get rid of the Democratic supermajority and put everything back into a 50/50 split in the House and Senate, where they can then be as obstructionist as they want. Then when Obama comes up for reelection, nothing will have got done, and he will be voted out.

If however the Health Care bill passes then it is going to give a tremendous boost to the Democrats in the midterms, and with luck we will end up with many more Democrats elected, and more than a 60 person Democratic majority in the Senate. Then we can take up a "son-of-health-care" bill a few years from now and add in all the stuff that the blue-dog Democrats and Republicans have taken out of the bill.

The Republicans know all of this and they know how thin things are. Since they are almost united in opposing reform, if reform passes, even though watered down by the GOP, they will get no political benefit from it, and every candidate that runs against a Republican is going to be saying that the Republican health care plan is "don't get sick, and if you do, die quick"

The truth of the matter is that the Republican leadership completely screwed the pooch on this one. They were so sure that the Democrats wouldn't be able to pull it together and get a health care bill in that they felt confident in opposing it - and now, at the last minute, they are realizing that the Democrats DID pull it together, and they can't flip-flop now on this or they will lose their base of support among the rednecks.