Michael Bennet is proud to support a public option

Card Check?

While your at it.  

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by: johnpauljones @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:04:02 PM UTC

He's said repeatedly

that he wants to see the final bill. And I find it hard to fault someone who says they won't say what their vote will be until they can see what the bill will do.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:31:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's awesome

Can't get any clearer than that.  This is the single most important issue to me, and I presume a lot of other Coloradans as well.  He's got my vote.

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead". - Thomas Paine

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:34:15 PM UTC

Mine, too. n/t

"I wouldn't characterize caloric intake as "professional development." c rork

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by: Middle of the Road @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:44:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yep

Thanks, Bennet staffer.

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by: Emma Anne @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 18:35:15 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh please

So everyone who supports Bennet is a paid shill? Emma, if you read this site, you should know FDN is a long-time poster and hardly a "staffer" for anyone.

I know it's kind of getting hard to tell the difference between the sock puppets and the real people, but all you need to do to tell that FDN--or anyone for that matter--is a real person is look at their profile page and see their comments.

Or are you simply pointing out that the diary was posted by the Bennet campaign? If that's the case, you should probably make it a little more clear. From my reading, it sounds like you're marginalizing anyone who isn't drooling over Romanoff.  

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 18:48:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Emma, RSB is right

I don't work for Michael Bennet.  Hell, the last politician I worked for was Roy Romer !  I am too damn old and jaded to be a cheery fresh-faced Bennet staffer.  I just like to follow politics.  I shave once a week on a good one, I haven't dressed up for work since the 90's and I sure as hell don't enjoy working with others, especially in a political setting.

I am just happy to see any support from our reps and senators for the public option.  If it fails I am guessing I will stop following politics in disgust.

I'm not totally in the bag for Bennet either, AND Andrew Romanoff is one of the best and brigtest pols we have had on the left side of the aisle for a long time.  I was wary of Bennet's corporate connections and still am, but his presentations and work
on behalf of HC reform (especially presenting it as a fiscal/debt issue) show me he can be creative and persuasive.

And RSB, thanks for pointing that out !

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead". - Thomas Paine

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 19:45:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I am misunderstood!

I was thanking Bennet for Colorado, who I assume is a Bennet staffer.  Sorry FDN.

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by: Emma Anne @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 21:05:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sorry for jumping on your back Emma

I totally misunderstood. Hope you can forgive me. I've been up to my neck in snark from people lately, so it was my fault for not seeing you were being serious. All apologies.

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 21:07:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

no problem (n/t)

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by: Emma Anne @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 21:08:40 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No worries Emma

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead". - Thomas Paine

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 21:25:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

good video

Thanks for posting.  This should, although probably won't, satisfy the Romanoff Democrats calling him a fake progressive. Can't get much more clear than this statement though. Keep fighting for health care reform!

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by: daunteblue @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 01:37:19 AM UTC

What's Romanoff's stand on the public option?

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:30:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

exactly.

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by: daunteblue @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:35:33 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

re:

I think Romanoff may support a public option but he hasn't been out front on these issues stating his positions imo. He has been very quiet in preparing his run and people don't know where he stands on a lot of things, which is ironically the same thing Romanoff supporters criticize Bennet for.

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by: daunteblue @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:40:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

At the Denver Metro Chamber

http://www.statebillnews.com/?...
"But he told the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce's membership that reform is not based on a public option, despite his belief that reform should include a public option for those who can't obtain private insurance. The senator acknowledged that there are several ideas on the table and that a public option is not the be-all and end-all."

I'd like to hear exactly what he said to the Chamber. From that article, it sounds like a slightly different message.

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by: lanman2k @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 04:03:59 AM UTC

I was at the DMCoC speech

live blog of Senator Bennet at DMCoC

What I took away from his speech on this was two things on this subject.

1) That the larger problem is reducing our spending on healthcare to under 10% of the economy. And the public option has no impact on this. (BTW - both statements here are spot-on.)

2) That the public option can be many things. And that having competitive insurance without preexisting/dropping/etc does not require a public option. He's committed to having competitive insurance for all and would vote for the public option. But he sees the requirement not as the public option, but solving the problem. (My worry here is he thinks they can craft legislation where insurance companies won't continue to game the system.)

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 04:19:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

His message is the President's message

He wants to see a public option, but it's only one part of reform. The President has been urging health care reform supporters to explain a public option to people who might not understand it, but to those who will not be effected by a public option (the great majority) he suggested explaining the other benefits of reform like consumer protections and tighter restrictions on the insurance companies (who aren't going anywhere any time soon under this plan.)

It makes sense to be hammering public option to people at constituent meetings, because many of them will probably benefit directly by being customers of such an option. The business world is saying "I already have health insurance, and I'm fairly happy with it, why should I support this? What's in it for me personally?" Those aren't bad questions either.

I don't think it's that bad of a strategy to emphasize the aspects of the bill that will help the particular people a politician is explaining it to. In fact, I'd say it's the mark of someone who knows how to get things done.

His opinion on public option is clear--even if it wasn't 6 months ago--and it doesn't make any sense to go into meetings with people who will in all likelihood not be affected by it, talking about how great it is. Public option is an important aspect of health care reform, but it is only a part of it. It's a complex issue, and it affects different groups in different ways. It needs to be sold to those groups in the same fashion that Bennet is trying here.

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 04:19:49 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good lord!

I hope it's not possible to post a more unflattering picture of Bennet! (the initial screencap, that is)

I'm not as sweet as I used to be.

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by: Jambalaya @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 01:07:49 AM UTC

yer gross

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." - Nietzsche  

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by: twas brillig @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 01:48:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

ME?

I neither posed for nor posted that pic.  I merely pointed it out!  You see, your comment is what destroys important discussion in this country.

:-)

I'm not as sweet as I used to be.

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by: Jambalaya @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 01:53:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

David Sirota would go so far as to say

that I hate democraCEEEE

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." - Nietzsche  

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by: twas brillig @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 02:09:08 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

You hate democracy

and it's a little odd, isn't it, I find it just a wee bit strange, that you come back with these vicious personal "kill the messenger" attacks. Actually, I find it somewhat amusing to be the target of so much rancor (there's a $10 word for you!), you whiny little commenter who hasn't ever authored a bestseller, much less two. Meh.

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by: RedGreen @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 02:39:59 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I am a victim of insidery thinking!

Lots of power worshipping, hatred of small 'd' democracy, and of course I'm not a true "Montanan" like the Dave-meister!

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." - Nietzsche  

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by: twas brillig @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 13:30:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

There's an old Montana saying

-- or is it a Colorado saying? I'm trying to keep my bona fides straight -- "When you're shooting at a rattlesnake, don't frighten the cattle, or you'll have a stampede on your hands."  

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by: RedGreen @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:03:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Missed you

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by: redstateblues @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 05:36:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh it is

This is Michael Bennet explaining why he's using the Force to choke a kitten (not shown).

"Have a Bobby bar! My dad made them." --Jon Huntsman Jr.

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by: sxp151 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 03:43:32 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Even worse

This is Michael Bennet hard at work writing "death panel" legislation.  

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." - Nietzsche  

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by: twas brillig @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 15:12:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

He does have tha that rough and tumble, hardscrabble western look about him

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead". - Thomas Paine

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:18:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think Sen Bennet could use some image consulting from this guy:

Old, Grizzled Third-Party Candidate May Steal Support From McCain

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead". - Thomas Paine

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:22:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]