Health Care For America Now

Jim Cooper uses "bipartisanship" to cloak his flip flop on the public option (via press release):

On the day after three former Senate majority leaders released their bipartisan health care reform proposal, Reps. Jim Cooper (D-TN), Mike Castle (R-DE), Parker Griffith (D-AL) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) called for similar bipartisanship in the House and Senate.

“Health care reform should be our top priority, period,” said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN). “But the Senate’s restrictive reconciliation process will make real reform impossible. That’s why Democrats and Republicans must work together to pass a bill that meets President Obama’s goals, lowering cost, raising quality and covering all Americans. Yesterday Tom Daschle, Bob Dole and Howard Baker showed it can be done. Today a bipartisan group of members of Congress said we’re ready and willing to make it happen.”

Health Care for America Now pushed back, reminding Rep. Cooper that he has prior commitments where the public option is concerned (also via press release):

Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now:

"We now know Jim Cooper talks out of both sides of his mouth on health care. On June 6, 2009, he stood before Organizing for America in Tennessee (video) and praised President Obama, his leadership, and his call for a public health insurance option. Now Cooper is trying to slow down reform and sacrifice what’s best for the voters for the sake of bipartisanship.  In his quote today, Cooper said he was with the President but then specifically took out one of the President’s key goals – choice of plans, including the choice of a public health insurance option.

"Rep. Cooper is infamous as the Democrat who led the charge against President Clinton’s health care plan. Clearly, he thinks he is going to make a name for himself again by trying to thwart the Obama plan. One thing is clear. No one on either side of the aisle can trust Jim Cooper.

"It may be easiest for some in Congress to get along by going along and pleasing their big campaign contributors from the health care industry, but doing so just for the sake of bipartisanship doesn’t help the American people who are looking for real solutions to the health care crisis."

As Richard explains, with moves toward cheap bipartisanship Rep. Cooper is placing himself profoundly out of synch with mainstream Americans:

"President Obama’s health care plan - and especially the choice of a new public health insurance option - is backed by majority of voters of every political lean. Two just-released polls place support for the public health insurance option at 76% and 83%. It could not be clearer what the public wants when it comes to getting quality, affordable health care for all this year. Only Republicans in Congress are out of sync.”

Members of Congress should know that the American people are listening closely to what they say on health care and specifically on the public option. Health Care for America Now and many other groups will be pressuring congressmen to honor their commitments to their constituents and their country.