While President Obama has been talking a lot about Republican opposition to his health care plan, his biggest obstacle is more than a dozen moderate Senate Democrats who oppose much of his proposal, including mandates for insurance coverage and the creation of a government plan.
A day after an address to Congress, Obama sought to rally 17 Senate moderates at a White House meeting, but these lawmakers say they won’t make up their minds until they see a bipartisan Senate proposal that is still in the works.
Among those who remain undecided is Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., a fiscal conservative and head of the Democratic moderate group who has questions about the size and cost of reform legislation, say his aides.
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., a moderate who is wary of the public option, said he liked the bipartisan outreach in Obama’s speech, but would not pledge to vote for anything yet..
“I’ll keep my eyes trained on the nitty-gritty details as the debate moves forward,” he said.
At the very least, Obama made it official that he would accept a bill that did not include a large, government-run health insurance plan that many Democratic moderates are uneasy about.
“I am so encouraged he is remaining flexible on the public option because in order for there to be a compromise, that is where it’s got to be,” said uncommitted Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., as she headed to meet with Obama.
Democratic moderates in the House and Senate are waiting for the “gang of six” on the Senate Finance Committee to produce an official bipartisan bill, which is expected next week.
An outline circulated earlier this week shows the bill does not include a public option, but rather would create privately run health insurance cooperatives. But it may lose moderate support by requiring all Americans to be covered and greatly expanding Medicaid. The cost of the plan would be about $900 million, which is another concern of the moderates.
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who is head of the bipartisan negotiations, told The Examiner that Obama’s speech helped create momentum in Congress to get a bill done, and that will force lawmakers to work together.
As for the moderates, Baucus said, “Probably a few more are for it than perhaps would have been otherwise.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., signaled that Senate moderates would vote with the party to give Democrats the 60 votes in the Senate needed to prevent Republicans from blocking the health care bill. Democrats control 59 votes but it is expected Massachusetts will in a few weeks appoint a Democrat to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
“We’re going to be fine with the moderates,” Reid told The Examiner.
