Harry Reid just completed his press conference in which he committed to pushing a "public option" through the Senate. What form of public option? The Opt-Out form. What is the Opt-Out form? Let's see what the legislative language says.
Does Reid have the votes to stop a filibuster? He would not say, except he did acknowledge that he does not have a single Republican on board. So he will need every single Democratic Senator to vote for cloture. Reid evaded a question as to whether he had the Democratic votes for cloture to move the bill to the floor.
Reid is sending the bill to the Congressional Budget Office for cost scoring. He will then use that score to lobby Senators, including Republican Olympia Snowe.
In other words, Reid has nothing. Not enough votes for cloture at this point. No cost estimates. Only a hope and a prayer that the CBO score will be favorable, and allow him to move a bill to the floor.
UPDATE: For a slightly less optimistic view - Dems to Cram 'Public Option' Down Throat of American Public
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Monday, October 26, 2009
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I sincerely hope you are correct in that assumption, that harry reid has nothing other than the hot air and vanity that he needs to satisfy with a press conference. I think he was more in love with the idea of being seen and heard on the cable news outlets and the evening news.
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