After Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s big public option opt-out reveal yesterday, the major players are looking pretty unified.
Check out all the reactions we posted at TPMLiveWire yesterday and see what they have in common, as Senate leadership, progressives and advocacy groups appear to be rallying behind the new strategy.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) was singing a different tune, reminding everyone in a statement that “I included a public option in the health reform blueprint I released nearly one year ago.”
MoveOn, which was asking members to pressure Obama last week, is now shifting gears to make sure the Democratic Party gets in line and votes to block a filibuster.
Health Care for America Now was championing Reid for “standing up” and doing the right thing, collecting more than 20,000 signatures on a thank-you petition to the leader.
Progressive Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) portrayed the opt-out plan in political terms, suggesting in his statement he was confident states would side with families, not insurance companies.
What about the conservative Democrats? We spoke with several offices over the last few days who all said their bosses favored a trigger or opt-out approach. Today when members gather for their caucus lunches they are likely to further show their cards.
Even the Republicans are on the same page with their opposition, calling it government-run before Reid even announced the plan.
We’ll get a better sense of where the House Democrats are today, but early reactions were warm. Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) said on MSNBC last night he was encouraged by Reid’s play.
“Progressives are going to be very very pleased with this,” he said.
