Michael Bloomberg noncommittal on health care plan
Messaging matters in Washington, so why did New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg go mushy when talking to reporters about a government-run insurance program?
Bloomberg privately told lawmakers Wednesday that he supports the public plan option. After a meeting with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), a key vote on the Senate Finance Committee, Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern tweeted, “Lobbying with Mayor Bloomberg on health care. Leaving Senator Snowe. Mayor big proponent of keeping people healthy and the right public plan.”
But later, when Bloomberg got behind the microphone at a press conference with Stern and SEIU health care point man Dennis Rivera, the mayor was noncommittal on a public plan.
“What I support and don’t support is not important. What I care about is how any plan they pass will affect New York City,” Bloomberg said. “I don’t want to go and prejudice their negotiations. In a real world, they have to come up with something that can get a majority of the votes. And to polarize them is just dysfunctional. It may make a great sound bite for you, but it doesn’t help the country.”
By: politico.com Read more >>
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