Kent Conrad Will Vote For The Public Option

Proof • October 30, 2009

For a while now Senator Kent Conrad has been maneuvering himself as some sort of health care maverick in the Senate to appease his North Dakota constituents who overwhelmingly oppose government health care. While at home during the August recess Senator Conrad said that he would oppose the “public option,” a promise he’s re-iterated since.
So how will Conrad vote once the “public option” is put in front of him in the Senate? Taking the Senator at his word one would think he’d oppose any effort to pass the bill. In reality, the Senator is going to be sneaky about it. He’ll vote for cloture for the “public option” to give it the 60 votes it needs to end debate, but he’ll vote against it on the actual vote which only requires a simple majority to pass.
He’ll vote for it before he votes against it.

In another step forward for health care reform, a key moderate Dem Senator says he will vote to bring the bill with a public option and an opt-out to the floor — getting the bill past a key procedural vote — and suggested his colleagues should do the same.
Senator Kent Conrad, in a phone interview with me just now, confirmed that he would cast a vote in favor of bringing Harry Reid’s health care bill to a debate.
“Sure,” Conrad said when asked directly whether he would vote Yes on the initial procedural vote, which is a major obstacle because it requires 60 votes. “My position would be to have a debate, have amendments. Because unless you get a bill to the floor, you can’t legislate.”

Notice that Conrad said his “position would be to have a debate.” But what is a “cloture vote?” It’s a vote to end debate.
A “yes” cloture vote is as good as a vote for the public option. And Conrad shouldn’t be let off the hook based on this cloture vote charade.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, North Dakota News, Politics

http://Array brain trust

I fired off emails to two of our clowns(Conrad & Pomeroy) today. I think they are getting tired of hearing from me. What a couple of spineless wonders. Couldn’t stand up to the arm twisting of the Chicago thugs. They really need to find something else to do.
rightwing conspiracy

Conrad Says He’ll Vote Against The Public Option
By Brian Beutler – August 14, 2009, 3:18PM

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)–one of six Finance Committee members writing that panel’s health care reform bill–has been leading the charge for creating a system of regional private health care co-operatives instead of a public option. All along, he’s said that he supports the co-ops because a public option doesn’t have the votes.

But what he’s mostly elided is the fact that he himself would vote against a bill that called for a public option.

That’s what he told a crowd of about 100 in North Dakota today.

Of course, there’s still a question of whether he’d support a filibuster of a health care bill with a public option. But in case it wasn’t obvious before, his position has probably had more to do with his ideological opposition to the public option than with a dispassionate analysis of Senate politics.

Conrad also said he’ll oppose a health care bill that provides government funds for abortion, or care for illegal immigrants.
sayanything-7715

I realy am begining to think they don’t care what their constituants think anymore. They control the media in ND better then Obama nationaly, and they just do what the think is good for their socialistic utopia.
sayanything-8606

Kent, your a stupid looking asshat. Shut up Dino.
sayanything-2

Just another socialist a$$wipe. What else did anyone expect from it?
djer

Gee Rob and Graner, you two trying to figure out who I am. Really????? Is that the best you two have? don’t like what someone writes, so you use your administrative access to try and out a blogger here. Really??????? Take your best shot!
djer

I don’t work for any of them, though I do keep up on the issues. So obviously you have been proven wrong since you have failed to provide any facts to back up your allegations and have taken to trying to figure out who I am.

And if you go back and read your post, the Sun indicated that they don’t have the information that he said what you are claiming he said. I know the truth is hard for you to understand.

you just wrote this: “Care to point out the way in which any North Dakota citizen, or any American for that matter, can opt-out of Social Security or Medicare? Last time I checked we were being forced to pay into those programs under the law.” You are the one who claimed that NDers overwhelmingly oppose government sponsored health care and I responded that the older NDers already get it. The point was they already have it and I would venture a guess the vast majority would vote to keep it.

But again, you haven’t provided one stitch of proof that Conrad said what you allege he said, or that NDers overwhelmingly oppose his stance.

So I suppose you can keep trying to figure out who I am which just tells me you are lying as usual.
sayanything-106

Time for a phone surge at Kent’s office.
sayanything-4928

Not only are you forced by law to pay into Social insecurity and Medicareless, you are also forced to live under medicareless.

Honestly, liberals are so uninformed it is ridiculous! Try reading something else but the daily kos for once.

I have heard conroid on the radio and tv saying he wouldn’t vote for the public option while he stumped for his stupid public co-ops public option.

If you libs like living in a socialist state then just head on over to Cuba. You have had your way in this country for long enough and people are tired of having their money stolen to support basement dwellers like you.
sayanything-7715

Conrad is just living up to the first part of his name. CON….
TheTodd

“While at home during the August recess Senator Conrad said that he would oppose the â€œpublic option,â€ a promise heâ€™s re-iterated since.”

Neither of the links you included in that sentence indicate that. (Your Headlines were classic: “Kent Conrad Aide: The SenatorIsnâ€™t Opposed To A Government Health Care Plan” and “Is Kent Conrad For The Public Option Or Against It?”) In fact, in both articles you criticize him for refusing to offer a clear statement of his views. (A fair criticism, mind you. The second article you linked to begins thusly:

“Kent Conrad â€“ North Dakotaâ€™s senior senator whoâ€™s been influential in the health care reform debate â€“ refused to answer directly Tuesday whether he is willing to break party lines on the issue of a public health insurance option.”

Today–now that it’s more convenient for you–you lie and pretend that he opposed the public option the whole time.

Again, you’re just shameless.
sayanything-7715

DJer the anonymous congressional flak tells us:

Conrad has never said he would oppose the public option.

I guess that’s why he told a town hall in Carrington that he wouldn’t support a public option, but then had to quick and claim that the reporter was lying when she accurately reported his comments.

And please feel free to post any ND polling data that shows that North Dakotans overwhelmingly oppose government sponsored health care. That would be hard to believe since the majority of NDers are retired on Social Security and Medicare, both government run programs.

My goodness but you’re dishonest.

Care to point out the way in which any North Dakota citizen, or any American for that matter, can opt-out of Social Security or Medicare? Last time I checked we were being forced to pay into those programs under the law.

By the way, do you work for Conrad? Or Dorgan? Can’t tell from your IP address, but it’s one of them Mr. Flak.
brenarlo

He’s only agreed to allow debate on the bill. After amendments and such there will be a cloture vote to end the debate. So there’s still another procedural hurdle he has to jump over before allowing an actual vote on the bill.
djer

Rob, as usual you are wrong. Conrad has never said he would oppose the public option. He prefers his coop idea but his main issue is the reimbursement rates for Docs and hospitals in North Dakota. Always has been one of his main concerns along with affordability and deficit reduction. You simply cannot claim that has ever indicated that he would oppose the public option. Nor has Rep. Pomeroy.

And please feel free to post any ND polling data that shows that North Dakotans overwhelmingly oppose government sponsored health care. That would be hard to believe since the majority of NDers are retired on Social Security and Medicare, both government run programs.

Try a bit of the truth with facts, Rob.
sayanything-4416

So what? Things change. Don’t forget that the idiot reagan was a liberal democrat union president before he went crazy and turned into a republican.

As for Conrad, I don’t care how he votes but I want his suit! It’s so midwestern retro!
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Now watch, Dorgan will vote against the “public option” because he’s the
only one likely to face a serious challenge in the upcoming election.

These guys are so predictable it’s pathetic.
sayanything-101

Gaylord has been living off of taxpayers his whole life and always will; what did you expect out of him?
sayanything-6955

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), one of six on the Senate Finannce Committee negotiating a bipartisan health care bill, “told an audience of 100 that he would not vote for a government-run health care program,” the Jamestown Sun reports.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/conrad-says-hell-vote-against-the-public-option.php
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

DJer the anonymous congressional flak tells us:

Conrad has never said he would oppose the public option.

I guess that’s why he told a town hall in Carrington that he wouldn’t support a public option, but then had to quick and claim that the reporter was lying when she accurately reported his comments.

And please feel free to post any ND polling data that shows that North Dakotans overwhelmingly oppose government sponsored health care. That would be hard to believe since the majority of NDers are retired on Social Security and Medicare, both government run programs.

My goodness but you’re dishonest.

Care to point out the way in which any North Dakota citizen, or any American for that matter, can opt-out of Social Security or Medicare? Last time I checked we were being forced to pay into those programs under the law.

By the way, do you work for Conrad? Or Dorgan? Can’t tell from your IP address, but it’s one of them Mr. Flak.
sayanything-6955

Just as we all thought! Dorgan will have to pay, cuz “Countrywide” thinks we will have forgot by the time his term is up, and he probably won’t run again anyway. He has a nice new beach house to go enjoy!

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Kent Conrad Will Vote For The Public Option

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