Chicago, IL–(ENEWSPF)– Senator Roland Burris published a press release today touting his position that he "will not vote for any reform legislation that fails to include a strong public option." (emphasis in the original). Others, however, see more room for wiggle in Burris’ release and subsequent statements.
Appointed Democratic U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has gained some publicity inside the Washington “beltway” for saying he won’t vote for a health care reform bill that doesn’t contain the so-called public option requiring private insurers to compete with a government-run plan.
But today Burris was less than specific following a health care speech when asked by reporters if he would vote for a proposal that would allow states to opt out of the public option if enough competition exists among private health insurers.
That lack of specificity followed in a morning interview with WGN-TV where Burris said he was “not going to be an obstructionist” when it came to congressional passage of a Democratic-led health care reform plan. Burris, a former state attorney general and comptroller, has been struggling to gain credibility in the Senate since his appointment by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to the seat vacated by Barack Obama’s election as president. Blagojevich was ousted by state lawmakers following his arrest on federal corruption charges that included allegedly trying to sell the Obama vacancy for personal and political profit.
With the Obama White House and leading congressional Democrats counting every vote—particularly in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to rebuff a Republican filibuster, Burris’s declaration that he wouldn’t support a bill without a public option gained the embattled senator some attention. Burris is not seeking election next year.
