Once upon a time, Roland Burris was the joke of the Senate. Appointed to replace Barack Obama by embattled former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Burris’ rise to the Senate was thought to be at the very least irrelevant, and at the most invalid. But Burris has sat on Capitol Hill alone and in silence, almost like the nerdy outcast kid in Junior High nobody wants to sit with in the cafeteria — until now!
With Democrats working feverishly behind the scenes to craft their own workable health care bill, Burris has emerged swinging: NO PUBLIC OPTION? NO VOTE!
Democrats need every vote in the Senate they can get. But Burris says he is uncompromising on the public option, which would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurers. “I would not support a bill that does not have a public option,” Burris said in a recent interview. “That position will not change.” Those words caught Democratic leaders off guard, many of whom tried to keep Burris out of the Senate, suggested he resign and have shunned him ever since in unprecedented fashion. Although Burris is not the only Democrat to insist on a government-run health plan, he has the least to lose by defying President Obama and the Democrats who once turned him out in the rain.
So, it appears Chicago-style politics are in full effect in Washington, DC. and Sen. Roland Burris gets the last laugh.
DJ:"So, it appears Chicago-style politics are in full effect in Washington, DC. and Sen. Roland Burris gets the last laugh."Yes indeed. But since this is no laughing matter (and I'm not implying at all that you implied any such thing DJ) I do hope that Burris (a man of questionable character) sticks to his guns (if you will) on this one.Too many Americans are left to suffer and die NEEDLESSLY from lack of affordable health care insurance and THAT is simply TRAGIC by any definition and IMO totally UNacceptable!