Burris Becomes a Key Player on Health Care

Shunned Illinois Senator Makes Waves for Saying He Won't Vote for Bill Without Public Option

(AP)  For Democrats determined to get a health care bill, Sen. Roland Burris is like the house guest who couldn't be refused, won't soon be leaving and poses a plausible threat of ruining holiday dinner.

Suddenly, he can no longer be ignored.

The Illinois Democrat, appointed by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, says he'll only vote for a bill to provide health care to millions more Americans as long as it allows the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurers.

And he says he won't compromise.

"I would not support a bill that does not have a public option," Burris, 72, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "That position will not change."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Those words caught the attention of the very Democratic leaders who tried to keep Burris out of the Senate, suggested he resign and have shunned him in unprecedented fashion. Burris is not the only Democrat to insist on creation of a government-run health plan. But he is the one who has the least to lose by defying President Barack Obama and the Democrats who once turned him out in the cold rain.

It was early January and Blagojevich had appointed Burris, a former Illinois attorney general, to Obama's former Senate seat - defying Democrats in Washington who had wanted someone without a tainted patron and with a better chance of winning election in 2010.

What happened next was a procession of ugly images, from Burris' rain-swept news conference after Democrats turned him away from a swearing-in to Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush daring Democrats to block an accomplished lawyer who would be the chamber's only black.

Bitterly, the Democrats seated Burris. But when it came out that Burris had admitted what he had denied under oath - that he'd unsuccessfully tried to raise money for Blagojevich - Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., suggested that Burris resign. He refused.

A Senate ethics committee probe is pending into Burris' statements. Democratic leaders, meanwhile, refused to support any effort by Burris to run for a full term, and he will leave the Senate in 2011.

Meanwhile, his relationship with the rest of his caucus has settled into one of mutual, if chilly, benefit.

It works this way: Burris stays mum about any bitterness he may feel about his reception, and he gets Obama's Senate seat for two years. Democrats seat him, don't speak of him, and get his loyal vote at a time when all 58 Democrats and two independents must vote together to prevent Republican filibusters.

They've never needed 60 votes like they do on the yet-to-be-finalized health care bill. A disciplined grin shows that Burris knows it. No, he says, he will not vote for any version of a government-run plan circulating in the Senate, other than the full-blown one from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

He won't vote, for example, for Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe's idea to use the threat of a public option to force insurers to lower premiums by certain deadlines. He hasn't seen the details of another idea, proposed by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., that would allow each state to decide whether to offer public coverage to compete with private insurers. The health committee's proposal, he says, must be in the final bill to earn his vote.

"Yeah, that's the one," Burris said.

By definition, all 100 senators are relevant because any one can block Senate business unless there are 60 votes to override the objection. But Burris' stated position on the public option means that Democrats can no longer take his vote for granted.

Progress Report: CBSNews.com Tracks the Progress of Health Care Reform on Capitol Hill

And yet, Democratic leaders aren't talking about Burris.

Instead, they're talking confidently about having the votes for the biggest policy overhaul in a generation, a signature issue for Obama and the Democratic Party.

Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said Burris' demand alone makes him no different than other senators seeking this or that in the bill.

"I will do what I can to address the thises and thats," Baucus said. "But my strong feeling is in the end, the need for health care reform is to get 60 votes (and) is going to trump the concerns that some might have."

For his part, Burris says he's just representing the wishes of his state. And he's relentlessly loyal to the arrangement. His only acknowledgment of being treated differently than others is a reference to the "distractions" that marked his first weeks in office.

Ask him whether he feels badly treated by the leaders, and he'll answer with a question:

"By whose standard?"

Go a couple more rounds, and he'll elaborate, generally.

"I feel that I've had great opportunities here," Burris said. "I feel like anytime I had a question that needed answered, anytime I needed something, there was certainly assistance there."

Does he feel respected and listened-to? Burris pauses and looks puzzled.

"Yes. I'm a senator from Illinois representing 13 million people. I'm one of 100, and I speak on the floor, I preside over the Senate, I co-sponsor legislation," he says. "I'm very busy, I'm very challenged, and I have one problem."

He grins.

"I enjoy what I'm doing."

[horseman09]

goodguy said, "Has anyone figured out yet that the only way to neutralize the insurance companies is with a Public Option??
What other way would you suggest to break their monopoly??"............................goodguy, insurance companies don't have monopolies in most states. They have competition. But the 1st dollar (or close to it) payor system is the problem. If an insurance company pays a ridiculous amount -- or maybe even an erroneous amount to a hospital, the insured doesn't care as long as it isn't out of pocket. That's why ALL Americans should be responsible for a 1st dollar portion of their health care, and ALL health providers should disclose their fees freely and in advance. The health care industry needs the same free market competition that the health insurance companies have in most states.

[incog-nito]

Health care reform without a public option is not reform. It's just a bunch of rules and regulations that can be easily watered down or eliminated in the future if the GOP gets back in power. Real reform means change from the current system which guarantees that health care costs will continue to skyrocket in the foreseeable future.

[stn_sage]

Health care reform without a public option is not reform. It's just a bunch of rules and regulations that can be easily watered down or eliminated in the future... (fm incog-nito)

Exactly! So, let's have REAL reform (the public option) OR drop the whole matter and we can regard it as just another broken promise from
Mr. Obama and the Democrats!

Which means, we have a government composed of two parties, neither of which...knows HOW to govern!

[ubrew12]

Well put. Many of us who voted for Obama will see the advancement of a plan without a public option as a direct, unforgiveable betrayal. Clearly, neither party is ready to shun the money long enough to lead the country on behalf of her people.

I'm not sure how the people should respond to this level of betrayal. DC is like another country now. Its not even in the U.S. I think I recommend that, next election, everybody who feels as I do vote by writing in 'Mickey Mouse', etc, on their ballots. Since our voting really doesn't matter, the most we can do now is let them know that WE know it doesn't matter.

[HGOODGUY]

Has anyone figured out yet that the only way to neutralize the insurance companies is with a Public Option??
What other way would you suggest to break their monopoly??

[jschmidt27]

Rasmussen Poll:10/19- " Now that the Senate Finance Committee has passed its version of health care reform, 42% of voters nationwide favor the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That?s down two points from a week ago and down four from the week before. ixty-three percent (63%) of voters nationwide say guaranteeing that no one is forced to change their health insurance coverage is a higher priority than giving consumers the choice of a "public option" health insurance company.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% are opposed to the plan. "

Public option doesn't have support.


http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform

[horseman09]

9876 said, "Burris is speaking for the majority of the American people - sorry folks. He is on the right side this time and I'm thankful SOMEONE is speaking up and sticking to his principles." On the right side"?! The federally administered Public Option is "the right side"? You've gotta be delusional. The feds have bungled and/or outright stole from Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Health, Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac.......The list is almost exclusive to everything they've touched, and you really think they will administer healthcare (again) competently? How could you possibly come to that delusional conclusion?

[th9876]

Burris is speaking for the majority of the American people - sorry folks. He is on the right side this time and I'm thankful SOMEONE is speaking up and sticking to his principles.

[stn_sage]

Marvelous! His career as a Senator might be short...but, it could have more meaning and he could achieve MORE in a little over two years, than some of these men and women do after four or five terms!

If he sticks to his guns, he could go down in history in a POSITIVE way
unlike most of his colleagues who'll be recorded as irresponsible fools for 'green-lighting' two illegal wars, destruction of civil rights, destruction of the economy, and the monies 'giveaway' to Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, and the banking industry!

[jschmidt27]

Wonder if this Obama secret weapon in the Senate. Obama doesn't have to expend his capital if Burris is going to be the hard nose. Sounds like it is the Chicago method. No Republican or Blue Dog should support the public option if they want to be re-elected. No one is looking at where a public option will lead. Higher costs and eventually a single payer system with the no doctors pay and hospitals losing money.

[enwr77]

That is what we have now under insurance company control, higher costs, hospitals closing and doctors reimbursements shrinking.

[horseman09]

My God! Obama surrounds himself with hardcore Marxists, radical bombers, pedophiles and outright America haters, but more than 50% of Americans still (reportedly) support him?! We Americans don't deserve our freedom. Our kids, grandkids and greatgrand kids will pay with their blood for our intellectual silliness. And now, we want to trust our lives to ObamaCare? The feds have screwed up everything they've touched since 1946, but we are to believe they'll get healthcare right? How stupid can we be?!

[kandi456]

More than 50% of Americans support Obama because he has bent over backwards for the poor and middle class unlike the previous administrations. Our kids and grandkids will pay for blood due to the previous administration's lies and outlandish spending. Obama is trying to clean up the mess and is doing a good job. That's why we support him. The Party of NO has only offerred lies and half-truths with no new ideas. They don't care about the poor or middle class.

[chevyhotrod]

kandi,
Outlandish spending??? Who are you kidding? Obama is spending 4X the amount Bush spent. As a matter of fact his deficit in his first year will be larger than all 8 years of Bush combined. Get real, stop your lies. Want proof of what caused the financial mess. Follow link below, you might actually learn something. Stop your propaganda lies and your half-truths. What about Tort reform? Allow insurance to sell across state lines? Allow Health saving accounts? You speak of the middle class, but your unintended consequences will destroy the middle class. What happen to no new taxes with anyone making less than 200K? You people just don't get what is happening until it's too late.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs

[enwr77]

It is about time a democrat said what they would not vote for and it is something for the people, the Public Option. Yesterday on Meet the Press, Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl said it was ok to freely spend money on war but not on health of Americans. We should sacrifice. War kills. Lack of healthcare kills. Yet they accuse others of having death panels.

[pubsrtoast]

Those words caught the attention of the very Democratic leaders who tried to keep Burris out of the Senate, suggested he resign and have shunned him in unprecedented fashion. Burris is not the only Democrat to insist on creation of a government-run health plan. But he is the one who has the least to lose by defying President Barack Obama and the Democrats who once turned him out in the cold rain.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmmmm, so the lesson we can take from Burris is that if we really want to enact an agenda for the American people instead of for the corporate oligarchy, we should have strict, short, term limits.

[truth-b-toll]

GOOD MAN!
At last someone who sides on the side of THE PEOPLE!
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN!

[pcherring]

I would bet 1.42 Trillion that Burris hasn't read the proposed health bill and will not read the bill before the bill comes up for a vote. I would have bet 459 Trillion but it seemed like such a small amount.

[slownewsday_5]

Which bill? There isn't just one - you do know that, don't you?

[tomar01]

Actually senator, you won't be alone in the next national election. There are a lot of seats that will be voted out. Two years from then, a lot more will be unemployed as elected officials. We the people have grown very irate at all congress persons and their childish partisan politics.

[stuart-johns2]

Amen to that. I AGREE!

[shcurt]

There is a simple solution; however, you won't get any state or federal legilators to allow it. The people need to call for a simple vote. To fire or not fire every single senator and representative presently serving in Washington. Fire all of them. Viva La Revolution

[stuart-johns2]

I'm all for it.

[talltimber41]

I used to think our system of government was the best and laughed at the joke that it was the best money can buy. But I have now come to believe it. There are bright people in this country who could design a health care system that would answer all the issues and save money, but politicians won't go along. They are screwing this thing up royally.

[PVperson2]

As far as Burris claiming he "won't compromise", we've all seen how firm his resolve is, like jello.

[Marc_1986]

Just another corrupt politician who is trying to save face looking like he actually supports the common American. This fraud should never have been appointed in the first place.

Better be careful about speaking out against Burris though, you might get labeled a racist.

[rightbehind]

Thank you Senator Burris. Looks like you are the right Man for the Job.

[Mortarman29]

What happened to him living up to his oath?

[robrob791]

You know this country is heading down as fast as it can go when we have the likes of this guy in our Senate. Maybe God can save us but it will have to be soon.





s

[brian1920]

So a corrupt Chicago politician says he won't vote for the health reform bill without a public option? Who cares what he thinks, he bough his seat anyway. The Chicago political machine is in action