Snowe says she'll vote against public option

Salon.com ^ | 10/22/09 | Alex Koppelman

[OldDeckHand]

The lone Republican senator to back any Democratic healthcare proposal says she could support a filibuster

When it comes time to pass a final healthcare reform bill, Senate Democrats may need help from Maine's Olympia Snowe, the only Republican senator thus far to vote for a Democratic proposal. And if they do, that could spell doom for the public option.

Snowe was asked Thursday whether she'd vote for cloture -- that is, to end a filibuster -- on a bill that includes a provision for a government-run insurer. "I'd say I'm against a public option, so yes," she replied. Pressed further, "But would [the public option] be enough for you to say, 'I'm not going to proceed to this bill," Snowe reportedly nodded as she walked away.

The senator also voiced her opposition to a compromise public option plan that's been floated, one that would allow individual states to opt out of the federal insurer.

[OldDeckHand]

We will see. We will see.

Here's a link to a Bloomberg story, where she essentially promises the same thing.

[Nachum]

Trust her...........NOT

[fantom]

You are correct . This could change in a second. Maybe more money for the lobster museum.

[Paladin2]

Snowe’s been voting against the public for decades.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Is there Snowe in the forecast?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Not a dime to RNC until they call her to account for the Obamacare vote. Not a dime !

[jmaroneps37]

Sounds good BUT.....

[GOPsterinMA]

Watch out for yellow Snowe.

[tioga]

Let’s hold her feet to the fire.....snowe better come through.

[NotSoModerate]

The Snowe games are getting really old and really tired. They’ll throw her a bone with a hunk of pork on it and she’ll end up voting for the damn public option.

[Gabrial]

“Snowe was asked Thursday whether she'd vote for cloture — that is, to end a filibuster — on a bill that includes a provision for a government-run insurer.”

There already is a government run insurer - AIG - the government owns 80% of it. They stole it just like they stole GM. They even threatened AIG management with mobs in the process.

[Secret Agent Man]

Pressure must be applied now until that vote. She is a RINO and an unreliable one at that by her prior vote.

For the whole series of Zero dollar bills, go here:

"Flickr Archive of Zero Bills"

[paul51]

her expressed opposition is merely code for ‘I want more money for my vote’. Since the money for her vote comes from tax dollars (our money) being doled out by the democrats, no problem. They will pay her what ever is necessary for her vote...unless they can buy another one or two for less.

[NotSoModerate]

Let’s hold her feet to the fire.....snowe better come through

You know you're in trouble when you have to depend on Snowe for anything. It's like having to depend on the most irresponsible person in your family: one day you just have to accept that they'll never, ever come through for you. Otherwise you just get frustrated time and time again and nothing ever changes.

[reagan_fanatic]

"Trust her not I will!"

[Frantzie]

Keep calling and faxing.

[ArmstedFragg]

Wait a minute.... she said she’d vote FOR cloture? Is that an accurate report of the question she was asked?

[WellyP]

I learned YEARS AGO to NEVER trust that BITCH!

[OldDeckHand]

"Wait a minute.... she said she’d vote FOR cloture? Is that an accurate report of the question she was asked?

I think it's just bad reporting. The point Snowe is making is that she'd vote against a bill that contained "a public option". I wanted to post the Bloomberg story that I linked to (but Bloomberg is banned at FR), because it's written much more completely. You should click the link.

Now, whether Snowe will or will not eventually support a bill that contains a public option, or a public option "trigger", is really anyone's guess. Snowe's own track record isn't very encouraging for Republicans and Conservatives in this regard.

[WOSG]

There is no ‘public option’ that is the marketing slogan of the left on this. ‘Public’ is out in the ‘public’ , not private clubs, and the health insurance companies are all public companies.

It’s “government-run health insurance program”