Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Monday, November 23.1. Yesterday, Jon Walker took on Nate Silver, who "believes progressives should trade the public option away, but what he wants in return is far more useless and an even tougher political battle."
2. Jane Hamsher says it all "comes down to a simple question: will Harry Reid allow for majority rule? Or will he let corrupt members of his own caucus block a majority of the public and Congress who want a public option?" Hamsher urges everyone to sign the petition to Harry Reid to pass the public option.
3. Jon Walker writes that Sen. Blanche Lincoln "is willing to force tens of millions of Americans to pay higher premiums for the small possibility it could gain her some political advantage," and that this constitutes "the trifecta of awfulness." For those keeping score at home, that's a lot of awfulness! :)
4. Jon Walker points out "what a difference a serious primary challenge can make." Specifically, "[Sen. Michael] Bennet is currently facing a serious primary challenge from Andrew Romanoff, while [Sen. Blanche] Lincoln is not currently facing a primary challenge." Walker concludes, "It is amazing how quickly a serious primary challenger turns a senator into a reliable vote on the important issues." Sounds like we need a lot more primary challenges from real progressives.
5. Speaking of progressives, Jon Walker argues that "you can't be a progressive and support the filibuster," which he calls "a tool to thwart the will of the people" and "the great maintainer of the status quo." It's not like the filibuster is in the Constitution or anything, it's just an internal Senate rule, and those rules can be changed. Is there any good reason not to change it?
6. Jon Walker warns that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) may be "jumping on the trigger bandwagon." Even if he's well intentioned, the problem is that any trigger in this case will likely "be designed to make sure it is never pulled, so there will never be a public option." Obviously, that's not an outcome we - or hopefully Sen. Menendez - find acceptable.
7. Jon Walker analyzes "what the Senate bill does better," focusing in this post on the "waiver For state innovation." Given many progressives' frustration at this point, it's good to know that the Senate bill "is not all bad," as Walker puts it.
8. Finally, Jason Rosenbaum reiterates that "triggers are nothing but a plan to kill the public option." Other than that, they're a greeeeeeaaat idea. (snark)
