Pelosi: Healthcare can't pass without public option

solon.com

By Alex Koppelman

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 18:55 EDT

Pelosi: Healthcare can't pass without public option

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already defended the public option once this week. But on Thursday, she came out with an even stronger defense, saying that at this point there's no way a reform bill can pass the House if it doesn't include the plan.

"There’s no way I can pass a bill in the House of Representatives without a public option,” Pelosi said. "Unless someone comes up with a better idea, that's how we're going forth in the House .... If someone can come up with a better idea, let them put it on the table, we haven't heard that yet."

Of course, it remains difficult to see how the Senate will pass a bill with the public option included. So there's going to be some awkward negotiating going on pretty soon.

― Alex Koppelman