Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Tuesday, November 10.

1. Jon Walker warns that the Stupak Amendment “reaches far beyond any of the reporting so far” and could “effectively stop many employer-provided health insurance plans from covering abortions for tens of millions of Americans.” Scary stuff, well beyond the women’s-right-to-choose piece of this monstrosity.

2. Jon Walker points out that although Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) “is completely correct our current system is completely unsustainable and will not survive another decade if it continues in the same manner it has been,” he himself has “yet to endorse the kind of radical reform necessary to reduce cost.”

3. David Dayen provides a rough outline of the Senate schedule for health care.

4. Jon Walker reports that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is prepared to use “reconciliation” if necessary to pass health care reform with a public option.  Is this leading up to a death match between Sanders and Joe Lieberman, who has vowed to fillibuster a public option?  Stay tuned! 🙂

5. Yours truly reports that the House vote on health care has already become an issue in the gubernatorial primary in Alabama.

6. David Dayen writes that “Barbara Boxer sounds confident that the Senate will not be able to join the House in passing restrictive anti-choice language in the health care bill.” Let’s hope Boxer’s confidence isn’t misplaced.

7. Last but not least, Jon Walker says we shouldn’t get too excited about Bill Clinton giving Senate Democrats a pep talk.  Apparently, Clinton “told the Senate Democrats to pass anything, and do it quickly.” Anything?  With all due respect to President Clinton, that’s not really the point here, now is it?

Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Monday, November 9.

1. Jon Walker summarizes the passage of health care reform (HR 3962) as “a truly historic moment…[that] will help millions of Americans,” but also “at best bittersweet” from a progressive perspective. In the end, this bill “will at least provide progressives the tools they can use build with.” It certainly “will not be the end of health care reform.” In other words, we all could be working on this issue for a looong time to come.

2. Jon Walker asks “the 37 House Democrats who voted against health care reform because it is too liberal, why are you even Democrats?”  Walker adds, “I’m not big on party purity tests, but there are some things that are so essential that they are at the heart of what it should mean to be a Democrat.” Things like providing high-quality, affordable health care to all Americans.

3. Jane Hamsher writes about her appearance this morning on “Democracy Now” with Dennis Kucinich talking about the House of Representatives’ Saturday night health care vote. Among other things, Hamsher points out that “[w]ith the exception of Kucinich and Massa, all of the House progressives abandoned their July 30 pledge to vote against any bill that didn’t have a public option with rates tied to Medicare.” Apparently, a pledge ain’t what it used to be on Capitol Hill.

4. Jon Walker argues that there are two reasons to use “reconciliation” to pass health care reform: 1) to “save the public option;” and 2) to “kill the Stupak amendment.” In the final analysis, Walker concludes, “if a bill is passed under regular order that does not contain a real public option but contains the Stupak amendment, it is because Harry Reid refused to use reconciliation.”  I’ve posed this question many times before, but I still don’t understand how Republicans were able to force through their agenda from 2001 to  2006 with a bare majority in Congress, yet it’s so hard for Democrats with large majorities in both chambers. Any theories?

5. Jon Walker writes that in “three hours on Saturday,” he managed to do what “women’s organizations failed [to do] in legislative and media battle on the issue” of women’s reproductive rights; namely, “coming up with a…strategic counter-proposal or attack to undercut Stupak.”  Maybe it’s time for pro-choice organizations to hire Jon Walker? Ha.

6. Michael Whitney says that now is the time “to refocus our efforts to secure a public option in the final bill that’s signed by President Obama.” In addition, we need to be “nailing down enough Members of Congress to stop triggers or state-opt outs from appearing in the conference report bill.” Something tells me this is going to be an intense next few weeks.

7. Yours truly blogs about Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) comparing health care reform to the 9/11 attacks. Sadly, this type of insane rhetoric is becoming typical of Republicans these days.

8. Jane Hamsher asks whether Planned Parenthood and NARAL will “score” the Stupak amendment, which “[s]ome are calling…the worst assault on a woman’s right to choose since the passage of Roe v. Wade.” If it’s that bad, pro-choice groups should “score” it, right?  Seems pretty obvious.

9. Jon Walker writes sarcastically, “Surprise! Ben Nelson Demands The Stupak Amendment!”  Yes, what a huge surprise that was. Not.

I have had one of those weeks that you remember for the rest of your life. On Tuesday, I won a congressional election. On Thursday, I was sworn in by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and got to cast the first vote of my congressional career: a resolution honoring female veterans and military personnel. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to cast the most important vote of my 34 years in public service.

The health care reform bill that cleared the House yesterday, if approved by the Senate, will transform this country’s health care delivery system. Denial of treatment for pre-existing conditions will be a thing of the past. None of us will have to worry that if we fail to report the chicken pox, we’ll be denied treatment from our insurers for cancer. Out-of-pocket expenses will be capped and subsidies and tax breaks will be made available to consumers and small businesses. This combined with the reduction in administrative overhead costs, the savings associated with an emphasis on preventative medicine, and other measures will provide us as individual consumers and as a nation with substantial long term cost savings. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the health care reform bill will cut the deficit by over $30 billion over the next decade and will continue to create a surplus over the next 20 years.

Yesterday’s plan also includes a public option that, while not as expansive I would have liked, is still very worthy of support. And as most of you are well aware, we had an unfortunate setback for women’s health in yesterday’s voting. But on the whole, this is change we can believe in.

When I was California’s Insurance Commissioner, my staff fielded thousands of calls from California residents who fell victim to the insurance industry shenanigans. When large fires hit San Diego, Oakland, and elsewhere, hundreds of consumers were victimized a second time by their insurance companies. My capable staff was successful at coming to a consumer-friendly resolution for almost all cases, but at times, I had to personally ring up high ranking industry executives to use all forms of persuasion available to my office to make sure my constituents were treated fairly.

When one’s business model depends on collecting monthly payments from people in the hope that you’ll never have to provide them with the services they are paying you for, it’s disappointing but not shocking that the insurance industry looks for loopholes to maximize its profits.

More over the flip…

It is from this motivation that we get babies denied health insurance because they’re “too fat” and women kicked off their insurance after requesting payment for emergency gallbladder surgery because their husbands failed to report high cholesterol. That’s why government intervention is sometimes necessary, to make sure the invisible hand of the market doesn’t become a closed fist.

In my run for Congress, I told anyone who asked that I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to return to Washington, DC to cast one of my first votes for comprehensive health care reform that includes the public option.

This week, I’m traveling to Livermore for my first town hall as a Congressman, and I will have four more through the month of December (at least one will be virtual, stay tuned). Given the rise in the unemployed and uninsured in my district, I expect many grateful supporters, but I also expect some naysayers. I am prepared to defend my vote, because I know it is best for my constituents and will help save lives. I also know most of my constituents have my back. After all, most of us know a friend or family member who has been on the wrong end of insurance industry malfeasance. Listen to my floor speech here to hear about what one friend of mine is going through.  

We still have a big fight ahead of us in the Senate, and I encourage all of you to call your Senators and demand they pass a good comprehensive health care reform bill that includes the public option. With helpful endorsements from the AARP and American Medical Association, and with two different congressional districts affirming their support for comprehensive health care reform in elections last week, momentum is on our side.

So thanks again for all you’ve done to make this bill a reality; believe me, it’s noticed. After the health care debate, we will move on to other big issues facing the nation: transportation, job creation, No Child Left Behind, troop placements, and the list goes on. If we pass comprehensive health care reform this year, it will mark the end of an important chapter in our nation’s history: the 40+ years between the passage of Medicare and the subsequent years we failed to live up to our country’s promise, letting millions of Americans live and die without adequate coverage. It will also mark the beginning of a new chapter: the years it will take us to lower the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 0. I’m hopeful we can beat four decades.

Congressman John Garamendi represents Northern California’s 10th Congressional District, which includes portions of Contra Costa, Solano, Alameda, and Sacramento counties. Prior to his election to Congress on November 3rd, 2009, Garamendi served as California’s Lieutenant Governor, where he fought to keep college affordable for students, developed innovative strategies to create green jobs, and kept California’s coastline pristine by preventing oil companies from drilling off California’s coast. With more than three decades of public service experience, Garamendi has been an Insurance Commissioner, Senate Majority Leader, Deputy Interior Secretary under President Bill Clinton, University of California Regent, California State University Trustee, and Peace Corps volunteer. To learn more, please follow Garamendi on Facebook and Twitter.

Depressingly ironic, that choice is no longer part of the public option. The Stupak amendment, which bans the public option from covering any elective abortions, passed by a fairly wide margin in the House today.

Of note to us here at Calitics is that, along with the entire California Republican delegation, three California Democrats voted in favor of the Amendment. The names will hardly surprise anybody: Jim Costa, Dennis Cardoza, and Joe Baca. Our three biggest conservaDems strike again.

You can see the full vote total here.

UPDATE by Robert: All CA Dems voted for the final bill, including Baca, Cardoza, and Costa.

Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Friday, November 6.

1. Jon Walker asks, “Does Landrieu Not Know That All Her Demands Regarding The Public Option Have Already Been Addressed?” Specifically, Walker wonders if Landrieu is aware that “House Democrats adopted [Chuck] Schumer’s idea of a ‘level playing field’ public option,” one that is supported by premiums (not “government-run, taxpayer subsidized” as Landrieu seems to think). Very strange.

2. Jane Hamsher writes that “Anna Eshoo (D-PhRMA) may be the author of the language granting drug companies endless monopolies on biologic drugs, but she couldn’t have done it without the help of her good friend Jane Harman.” Hamsher urges everyone to sign the petition telling Senators Brown, Stabenow and Schumer to fight for affordable generic drugs for cancer and AIDS patients.

3. Jon Walker says that, “[a]s it stands, I can’t say I’m 100% confident in the success of a negotiated rates public option limited to only the new exchange.” Walker explains in detail how “the public option will reach several important tipping points in the first few years that will determine its long term success or failure.” Fascinating stuff.

4. Jane Hamsher writes about the AFL-CIO threatening to “reduce its contributions to Democrats who don’t side with them on the [health care] issue.” Hardball.

5. Jon Walker asks if the Republican strategy of “[d]ragging their heels, endless delaying, obstructing everything, screaming about overreach and government takeovers” has “succeeded in paralyzing enough conservative Democrats at just the wrong moment.” Walker worries that Democrats could end up “facing two opponents in 2010…Republicans, and staying home.” As someone who just observed exactly that in Virginia, I can say that this is not farfetched at all.

6. Jon Walker live blogs the House Rules Committee meeting to discuss the House health care reform bill HR 3962. Click here for Part II of Walker’s live blog.

7. An incredibly busy Jon Walker writes about a “new CBO analysis of the House bill [that] demonstrates how weak the CBO believes the new risk adjustment mechanism will be.”

8. Jane Hamsher asks asks everyone to “[h]elp Medical Students Fight PhMRA for affordable generics with their POP video.”

Finally, keep an eye on the House over the next few days, keep the pressure on your representatives for the best possible health care reform, and have a great weekend!

Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Thursday, November 5.

1. Jon Walker reports on what he correctly calls a “cruel sick joke” – the Republican “health care reform “alternative.” Among other things, “It does not ban insurance companies from refusing to cover pre-existing conditions. It guts state health insurance regulations, and lets insurance companies charge sicker people more.” That’s why I like to call the GOP the “I’ve got mine so @#@$@ you” party.

2. Jon Walker blogs about DCCC chair Rep. Chris Van Hollen telling “members in a closed-door meeting that Democrats win by supporting the core Democratic agenda.”  Both Van Hollen and Nancy Pelosi emphasized that “Republicans attacked New York Democrat Bill Owens on health care during his own victorious special election campaign, but Owens still won.” In short, Democrats stand the best chance of winning when they give voters a clear alternative to Republicans.

3. Jon Walker says that endorsements of HR 3962 (the “Affordable Health Care for America Act”) by the AMA, AARP, American Cancer Society and Consumers Union “should help ensure that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be able to whip the votes to pass the bill on Saturday.” Let’s hope they more than counteract the Bachmann tea partiers who showed up en masse today on Capitol Hill!

4. Jane Hamsher has video of AMSA medical students and her visiting the Senate on Halloween to stop the Anna Eshoo/PhRMA Bill. Jane adds that you can help the medical students “spread the word by telling Senators Sherrod Brown, Chuck Schumer, Debbie Stabenow, Susan Collins and David Vitter (yes, that David Vitter) to help them fight to defeat Eshoo and PhRMA.”

5. Last but not least, Jon Walker reports that Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) has been disinvited as keynote speaker for the Palm Beach County, Florida Democratic Party’s annual fundraiser “because she has not yet decide to support cloture on health care reform.” Sorta like your mother saying, “you won’t get any dinner if you don’t stop hitting your brother?” 🙂

(I meant to promote this yesterday, but still, go get ’em Congressman! – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

On Tuesday, communities across America voted in hundreds of local and state elections. In Northern California’s 10th Congressional District, voters saw fit to send me to Congress. To all my supporters who voted, volunteered, donated, and spread the good word about our campaign, you have my sincere gratitude.

Today I was sworn in by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to represent the people of the 10th Congressional District (video here, about 1:35:00 in). It is an honor to serve my constituents and my country at such an important moment in U.S. history.

When we started our campaign for Congress this spring, we knew we would run a forward-thinking campaign with unwavering support for comprehensive health care reform that includes the public option. With a team of hundreds of volunteers and the support of more than 66,000 voters, we won our special election with a double digit lead. I look forward to voting for a House health care bill worthy of support as early as this Saturday – a bill that includes a robust public option, ends the denial of coverage for so-called pre-existing conditions, creates cost-savings, and protects Medicare for our seniors.

More over the flip…

It was a pleasant surprise to browse the stories about Tuesday’s elections and find so many pieces written about my health care position and record. A sample includes:

Keith Olbermann and Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC’s Countdown

Olbermann: “The Democratic candidate is John Garamendi. … He supports the public option, also single payer, he’s Medicare for All from the start, he supports an exit strategy in Afghanistan right now. In the last polling, he was up by 10. Two questions: if he wins by anywhere near ten, is that not a national story? And why hasn’t this race already been a national story if New York 23 has been one?”

O’Donnell: “You have kind of a super overqualified candidate for a first time Congressional race. But yes, he did not just look to the particulars of that district the way Tauscher did, the woman that just left that seat. He went in there and just said, ‘I’m going to run basically as a loyalist of Nancy Pelosi’ who is nearby in San Francisco, but this is suburban, this is different from San Francisco. And so he just went in there and said ‘I’m going to run.’ It reminded me very much of the way Daniel Patrick Moynihan used to run up state, used to run up in the 23rd district. He would go up there as a New York City liberal, be honest about it, and he would get their vote not because of agreement, but because they thought, ‘This guy has the experience and the integrity.’ And that’s how John Garamendi is going to win this.”

Get This Guy a Committee Assignment by Jonathan Cohn at The New Republic

“Most of you know John Garamendi (if you know him at all) as the former California state official who won a special election for Ellen Tauscher’s old seat in Congress. But those of us in the business of health wonkery know him as one of our own. In the early 1990s, he developed the “Garamendi plan” for California, which later became a model for the Clinton health care plan of 1993-94.”

Tale of Two Special Elections: One Shifts Right, The Other Left by John Nichols at The Nation

“An old-school progressive with an activist bent, Garamendi has been portrayed by some as being too liberal for the suburban district. But Garamendi has not pulled his punches; he has based his populist campaign on his enthusiasm for health care reform and promised to fight for a robust public option in any federal reform measure. And the former California insurance commissioner says he wants to go to Washington to take on the big banks and insurers.”

Congress gets another voice on health-care reform by Ezra Klein at The Washington Post

“Garamendi has a long history in health-care reform. In the early ’90s, he was serving as California’s Insurance Commissioner. Working alongside Walter Zelman and, later, Paul Starr, he developed the framework that would later become Clinton’s health-care plan – a triumph of health-care policy, if not politics. … In other words, Pelosi got more than another health-care vote out of Tuesday’s election. She got another health-care wonk.”

Health Care and the Elections by Matthew Yglesias at Think Progress

“The governor of New Jersey doesn’t have a vote on health care or energy or financial regulation or the budget or anything else. The Representative from the 10th District of California does, and so does the Representative from the 23rd District of New York. One can debate the larger meaning of it all as much as one cares to, but the situation is what it is.”

Garamendi puts his brand on politics by Dave Newhouse in The Contra Costa Times

“Meet your new 10th Congressional District representative – Democrat, cowboy, outdoorsman, environmentalist, health care advocate, insurance industry jouster, Peace Corps volunteer, and former UC Berkeley football and wrestling standout. Garamendi, 64, is a man of the land and a man of the people – the two main characteristics of his 35 years of public service.”

Yesterday’s Overwhelming Historic Republican Victory Makes Democratic Health Care Reform Just A Bit Easier by Brian Beutler at Talking Points Memo

“That creates some simple arithmetic. Yesterday, Democrats had 256 voting members in the House. By week’s end, they’ll have 258. Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could afford to lose no more than 38 Democratic votes on a landmark health care reform bill. Next week, after Owens and Garamendi are sworn in, she can lose up to 40. For legislation this historic and far-reaching, she’ll need every vote she can get–and both seem likely to support reform.”

New congressman John Garamendi joins health care debate by Kitty Felde at 89.3 KPCC

“Garamendi will likely be sworn in on Thursday – just in time to cast his first vote in the House on health care. Democrats need every vote they can get to pass the measure. … Garamendi knows something about both insurance and negotiating with other lawmakers – he served two terms as California’s first elected insurance commissioner and 16 years in the state legislature.”

Congratulations, Congressman Garamendi! by Anthony Wright at Health Access California

“Garamendi, Lt. Governor for one more day until he takes his seat, is a advocate for consumers and a verified health policy wonk, as a former Insurance Commissioner who was very active and influential in the health reform debates in the early 1990s. Last year, he helped us launch the Health Care for America Now campaign in Los Angeles in July 2008, and became then the first elected politician nationally to sign the HCAN Statement of Principles. It is totally appropriate that his first act in Congress will likely to be to vote for the historic health reform package.”

The Impact on Health Care by Steven Benen at Washington Monthly’s Political Animal

“In fact, by winning both of yesterday’s congressional elections, Democrats have not only managed to expand their House majority, they’ve also moved the caucus ever so slightly to the left. Bill Owens is a moderate, but he’s more liberal than the Republican he’s replacing, John McHugh, and he’s endorsed a progressive approach to health care reform. Likewise, Garamendi is more liberal than Tauscher was, and he, too, favors a progressive approach to health care reform. In this environment, every vote counts, and Democrats just picked up two more that are likely to prove helpful.”

California Wins House Seat, Adds Another Vote for Health Care Reform at California Healthline

“During his campaign, Garamendi said he will vote with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on health care reform legislation. He also told supporters that he plans to fly to Washington, D.C., this week for his swearing-in ceremony (AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/4). Garamendi said, “I may very well be there this weekend to provide a critical vote on health care. I would be very happy to make that ‘yes’ vote my first vote in Congress” (San Francisco Chronicle, 11/4).”

How the State Elections Could Strengthen Health Care Reform by Max Fisher at The Atlantic Wire

“With Harry Reid predicting that reform is unlikely to receive a final vote until next year, new Democratic Reps Bill Owens and John Garamendi will be present to vote on health care. They may not be the deciding factors on reform, but could their votes help Democrats pass a more ambitious bill?”

2 More Votes For a Public Option In the House by Big Tent Democrat at Talk Left

“That’s two more votes for a public option. That’s the biggest story of the night.”

I’ve seen our side lose too many high stakes health care battles over the years, and with President Obama in the White House supportive of real health care reform, we cannot let this opportunity slip through our fingers.

I’m prepared to do what is necessary to pass health care reform, and I am ecstatic that I am able to enter Congress perhaps only two days before my colleagues and I put into place the most significant improvement in health care delivery since Medicare.

If we succeed, tens of millions of Americans will soon no longer be one broken leg or infection away from bankruptcy or worse. What was once hope for care can become health care, with leadership from President Obama and members of Congress.

It’s a new day in America. I look forward to working with you to solve the many problems we’ve inherited, to progress our nation forward and to make our beloved country and my beloved district and state places where quality health care is available to all. Now let’s get to work.

Congressman John Garamendi represents Northern California’s 10th Congressional District, which includes portions of Contra Costa, Solano, Alameda, and Sacramento counties. Prior to his election to Congress on November 3rd, 2009, Garamendi served as California’s Lieutenant Governor, where he fought to keep college affordable for students, developed innovative strategies to create green jobs, and kept California’s coastline pristine by preventing oil companies from drilling off California’s coast. With more than three decades of public service experience, Garamendi has been an Insurance Commissioner, Senate Majority Leader, Deputy Interior Secretary under President Bill Clinton, University of California Regent, California State University Trustee, and Peace Corps volunteer. To learn more, please follow Garamendi on Facebook and Twitter.

Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Tuesday, November 3.

1. Ben Tribbett explains “What Happened in Virginia?” In part, Tribbett blames it on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds “bashing federal Democratic priorities like “Cap and Trade” and health care reform to appeal to the conservatives that were headed to the polls.”  Brilliant.

2. Jane Hamsher blogs about Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), who “seems to think that if Democrats get their asses kicked [in elections] today, it just proves he’s right about everything.” Specifically, Altmire seems to think that “if the results show Republicans have a pretty good night, that probably is going to lead some Democrats to think that, going into next year, we need to take a second look at the way that we’ve done a lot of bills we’ve addressed up to this point.” Hamsher responds, “Give me a minute while I clean my keyboard of all the coffee that just came out my nose.”  Heh.

3. Jon Walker comments on the “Failure Of Blue Dogging” in New York’s 23rd District, writings that Bill Owens “was selected because he fit the Rahm Emanuel philosophy that the only way for Democrats to win right-leaning districts is with conservative Democratic candidates.”  Walker concludes, “If [Democrats] want to remain in power, they need to show the regular people that they are working to make their lives better.” Like on health care reform, including a robust public option, perhaps? 🙂

4. Jon Walker wonders if “Majority Leader Harry Reid has reached some sort of secret deal with Joe Lieberman (I-CT),” adding that “[i]f Reid sells out the base again to appease Lieberman, he has much more to worry about than trying to get 60 votes for cloture.”  You can say that again.

5. Jon Walker reports that “[t]wo new polls released yesterday show plurality support for the public option in both Nebraska and North Carolina.” What’s particularly striking is that ” Nebraska is one of the most conservative states in the country and is represented by the most conservative Democratic senator, Ben Nelson” – who does not support the public option. Apparently, Ben Nelson isn’t listening very well to the voters of his state (or he simply doesn’t care?).

6. Jon Walker comments on the Republican “alternative” health care bill, which he calls “a meaningless, very long press release, filled with some really bad ideas.”  I don’t know about you, but I’m personally shocked – SHOCKED, I tell you! – that John Boehner and Eric Cantor would have come up with anything “meaningless” or with “really bad ideas” in it. (extreme snark and eye rolls)

(Thanks to the folks at FDL Action, who will be posting these updates periodically. You can find them in the future in the recent diaries tab or at the FDL Action tag.   – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

Here are the FDL Action health care reform highlights for Monday, November 2.

1. First, thanks to Eric Pusey of Minnesota Progressive Project for letting us all know what’s going on in the Minnesota Congressional delegation regarding health reform, the public option, etc. Thanks to Eric. Also, I invite other progressive state bloggers to send me (at [email protected]) their “Voices from the States” for publication at FDL Action.

2. Universities Allied for Essential Medicines and the American Medical Student Association respond to the October 30, 2009 Huffington Post article by Rep. Anna Eshoo, “Setting the Record Straight on Our Health Care Legislation.” It’s extremely detailed, going methodically through the key assertions made by Eshoo. Check it out.

3. Jon Walker writes about “The Achilles Heel Of Health Reform: Risk Adjustment Mechanisms,” saying that he is “truly frightened by the possible ramifications that potentially insufficient (and currently completely undefined) risk adjustment mechanisms will have on our health care system after reform.”

See the flip…

4. Jane Hamsher blogs about Anna Eshoo’s response to her article on Eshoo’s biologics bill.  Although Eshoo “vehemently claims [her bill] doesn’t allow ‘evergreening,’ which would allow slight tweaks in drug formulas to grant drug companies endless monopolies and keep these lifesaving drugs from ever becoming generics,” that’s news to Henry Waxman, and the “experts agree with Waxman.”  Advantage: Waxman.

5. Jon Walker argues that “[Joe] Lieberman’s obstructionism [on the public option] is clearly a hindrance, but not an insurmountable barrier.” The fact is, “[f]ifty senators plus the Vice President can do anything in the Senate if they really want to.”  So, in the end, it’s really up to Harry Reid. Although “Lieberman has just made Reid’s job harder, neither Joe Lieberman, nor Blanche Lincoln, Mary Landrieu, and/or Ben Nelson can stop the public option-alone or together.” Your move, Senator Reid!

6. Jane Hamsher urges everyone to contact Senator Sherrod Brown and his cosponsors, asking them to introduce their “amendment to the Hagan/Eshoo PhRMA boondogle.” The goal here is to facilitate “important lifesaving treatments for breast cancer and other diseases” becoming generics, and thereby more affordable to people. Let’s see, lifesaving treatments for people or profits for Big PhRMA?  Tough choice, I know. (snark)  Hamsher has more on this issue here.

7. Jane Hamsher asks, “So What Does Jay Inslee Think You Deserve For Your Enbrel Investment?” The choice once again appears to come down to whether corporate profits must be protected, even if they than “leave cancer patients in financial ruin just to pay for lifesaving biologic drugs.” Hmmmm.

8. Jon Walker explains “How The CBO Is Likely Very Wrong About Number Of People Who Would Use The Public Option.”  Walker crunches some numbers and estimates that “the public option would have closer to 20 million customers by 2019, instead of the CBO projection of 6 million.” Actually, according to Walker, it could be as high as 60 million customers, and these kinds of numbers are “what really scares the for-profit insurance companies, not the relatively worthless CBO estimation of 6 million.”

9. Jon Walker writes that Ezra Klein should be “fairly pessimistic on the effectiveness of the new health insurance exchanges,” just “not for the reasons he outlined.” Well, at least Klein got the “pessimistic” part right! Heh.

10. Finally, Jane Hamsher urges everyone to help Alan Grayson raise $500,000 as “insurance against what could be an otherwise dire Tuesday for Democrats.” Even better, how about we do both; help Grayson and avoid tomorrow being “a wipeout for Democrats?” 🙂