The Nebraska Democratic Party has joined the ranks of the state parties who are calling for their elected officials to vote for the public option:
WHEREAS, the heath care system of the United States is in crisis, with almost fifty million Americans lacking any health insurance, tens of millions more lacking adequate coverage, and millions more who do have private coverage paying increasingly unaffordable premiums, resulting in inadequate access to care and premature death, illness, or financial ruin for millions of Americans; and
WHEREAS, public polls show that a majority of Americans want health care reform to offer the choice of a robust public option in order to inject real competition into the marketplace and, in the words of President Obama, “keep the insurance companies honest:” and
WHEREAS, some in the healthcare insurance industry and their allies have organized and funded groups of extremists to disrupt efforts on the part of the majority and administration to discuss the issue with the American people reasonably, and have demonstrated an unwillingness to compromise in any way to pass meaningful health care reform;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Nebraska Democratic Party urge our members of Congress to vote for such health care reform proposals that contain a robust public option at all stages of the legislative process including conference and reconciliation, and encourage legislators to pass such reform;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Nebraska Democratic Party shall send a copy of this resolution to all members of Congress who represent any of our members.
The NDP joins the Democrats from fellow Great Plains state North Dakota, who two weeks ago called for all Democratic members of Congress from the state to vote for a public option. What’s more, the North Dakotans believed that the vote for a public option should only take place as a backup if a single payer plan isn’t on the table.
Perhaps it’s not necessary for the Missouri Democratic Party to follow suit – after all, the one vote that we’re really talking about here is Claire McCaskill, and she’s reiterated time and time again that she will vote for a Schumeresque public option. But it would be yet another voice speaking out in favor of a very necessary piece of health care reform, and we need all the help we can get. And it would seem strange that somehow the Nebraska and North Dakota Democratic Partys could endorse the public option, while the Missouri Democratic Party would remain too timid to say anything one way or another.
Then again, our Democratic governor couldn’t be bothered even to sign a Democratic Governor’s Association letter in support of a health care reform bill, and he has a strong hold on the MDP, so I don’t know why I expect them to be anything but timid.
…the state committee meets four times a year:
There’s no schedule citing the next committee meeting on the party web site.
If the Missouri Democratic Party fails to endorse a Public Option they will inherit the same incompetent image that the national party is earning in not standing up for people. I think that avoiding it is as revealing as a declaration.
You give Claire too much credit for her support of a public option. In truth, she doesn’t support a real public option. When the public option still had a genuine chance of making it into legislation, she was already acquiescing to “a trigger” which would never be pulled. That or worthless co-ops are all she has the courage to defy the insurance industry with. IMO, she chose to represent big insurance over the needs of people. I am a lifelong Democrat, but I will cast a protest vote for a third party in the 2012 senate race.
But there is no comparison between Missouri and Nebraska. Nebraska has a unicameral legislature that is a non-partisan affair. The state party only exists to endorse/promote federal candidates.
I foresee Missouri state legislators getting chewed out for not following suit when the option isn’t open to them.