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Senate Democrats who thought they had found a
workable compromise on health care reform learned otherwise from
independent Sen. Joe Lieberman over the weekend.


      The Connecticut senator, whose vote is critical to the bill's
prospects, threatened Sunday to join Republicans in opposing health
care legislation if it permits uninsured individuals as young to 55
to purchase Medicare coverage.

      Lieberman expressed his opposition twice Sunday: first in an
interview with CBS, and more strongly later, according to
Democratic officials, in a private meeting with Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid.

      Reid, who is hoping to pass the legislation by Christmas, needs
60 votes to overcome Republican objections and has been counting on
Lieberman to provide one.


      But appearing on CBS, Lieberman said of the Medicare proposal,
"Though I don't know exactly what's in it, from what I hear, I
certainly would have a hard time voting for it because it has some
of the same infirmities that the public option did.

      "It will add taxpayer costs. It will add to the deficit. It's
unnecessary," he added of a provision that Reid last week hailed
as part of a breakthrough between liberals and moderates.

      Democratic aides, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
Lieberman later told Reid he would support a Republican-led
filibuster against the bill if it contained the Medicare provision
or permitted the government to sell insurance in competition with
private companies.

      The same aides added that Lieberman had responded differently
last week when Reid asked him privately about the proposed Medicare
provision. "He voiced support for the idea," said one official.
Lieberman's public comments last week were also generally
favorable. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they
were not authorized to comment publicly.

      In an interview that aired Sunday night - but was recorded last
week - President Barack Obama voiced optimism about his call for
sweeping legislation to expand coverage while cracking down on the
insurance industry.

      "I think it's going to pass out of the Senate before
Christmas," he told CBS' "60 Minutes."


      "With the American people as overwhelmingly opposed to this
bill as they are, for the Democrats to basically, arrogantly take
the position that we're going to ignore public opinion and jam this
through before Christmas, I think that's really a stretch," said
Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.


      If Lieberman follows through on his plans, he leaves Democrats
with few options. Most obviously, they could strip out the
provisions he opposes, and hope liberals overcome their inevitable
unhappiness and vote for the bill. For that approach to have any
chance of success, Obama would have to lobby heavily in its favor.


      Democrats are have some political leverage, however. Lieberman
lost the Democratic nomination for re-election the last time he
ran, in 2006, then won a new term as an independent. Even so, he
retains his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Government
Affairs Committee, a post he holds at the pleasure of the
Democratic-controlled Senate.


      Democratic Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Ben Nelson of
Nebraska also expressed concern about the legislation.


      "I'm concerned that it's the forerunner of single-payer - the
ultimate single-payer plan, maybe even more directly than the
public option," Nelson said of the Medicare proposal. By
single-payer, he meant national health insurance run by Washington.
Unlike Lieberman, Nelson participated in negotiations last week
between liberals and moderates that produced the general framework
that included the Medicare provision.


      Nelson also is seeking stricter abortion restrictions than are
currently in the bill.


      "The whole reason we're doing this bill is to bring down cost,
first for the American people in health care, and secondly for the
deficit," said Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri. "So
until we get the numbers back from the Congressional Budget Office,
we're all on hold."

      Asked if she would vote against the bill if it raised health
care costs overall, she said, "Absolutely."


      Lieberman, Nelson and McConnell spoke on CBS' "Face the
Nation." McCaskill was on "Fox News Sunday."

Gallery

Health

Senate Democrats who thought they had found a
workable compromise on health care reform learned otherwise from
independent Sen. Joe Lieberman over the weekend.


Lieberman resists, health care compromise hits snag

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