Obama Says We Should 'Take Our Time' on Health Care; Al Franken Rips White House for Lack of Leadership
Oh no he didn't! What happened to "every day we delay, Americans are dying"?
What the hell is wrong with Obama? Why does he always choose accommodation over moral action?
And his lack of leadership is getting downright scary. Congress is fumbling through a game of charades, trying to figure out the clues, while it becomes increasingly clear: There's no game plan.
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says "we should take our time" getting to a final health care bill.
He said Thursday he wants to go through the legislation in detail with Republicans to examine their ideas and Democratic ideas to see whether there are better ways to improve the nation's health care system than have already been proposed.
Sure. Because those dying people? They're not going anywhere!
Obama said that letting some time pass before calling for a vote also will allow "everybody to get the real facts."
Or, as is more likely, it will give the insurance industry time to gather their forces for one final game-winning attack.
The president spoke to donors and supporters of his political organization, Organizing for America, one of a handful of fundraisers he was headlining Thursday for Democrats.
Obama said it is most urgent to focus now on a jobs package, but that health care must be addressed afterward.
But a fed-up Sen. Al Franken (who's getting a reputation for being "difficult," bless his heart) took David Axelrod to task at a "tense" closed-door meeting with the Democratic caucus today:
Five sources who were in the room tell POLITICO that Franken criticized Axelrod for the administration’s failure to provide clarity or direction on health care and the other big bills it wants Congress to enact.
The sources said Franken was the most outspoken senator in the meeting, which followed President Barack Obama’s question-and-answer session with Senate Democrats at the Newseum on Wednesday. But they also said the Minnesotan wasn’t the only angry Democrat in the room.
“There was a lot of frustration in there,” said a Democratic senator who declined to be identified.
“People were hot,” another Democratic senator said.
Democratic senators are frustrated that the White House hasn’t done more to win over the public on health care reform and other aspects of its ambitious agenda — and angry that, in the wake of Scott Brown’s win in the Massachusetts Senate race, the White House hasn’t done more to chart a course for getting a health care bill to the president’s desk.
In his public session with the senators Wednesday, Obama urged them to “finish the job” on health care but did not lay out a path for doing so. That uncertainty appeared to trigger Franken’s wrath, and the sources in the room said he laid out his concerns much more directly than any senator did in the earlier public session.
From what I read Franken and Bernie Sanders cornered Axlerod and pretty much asked him wtf , where's the leadership here and what is the administration doing ? Good questions .
For the life of me I cannot understand why everybody has their panties/briefs so twisted up on this!
While I'm busy popping the champagne in celebration over this, I simply do not get why all the Democrats (and folks here at C&L) are so outraged over Obama wanting to take a step back!
Thanks to the voters in Massachusetts, the brakes were put on the monstrous bill that Pelosi, Reid, Obama, the Democratic Party and AHIP were trying to shove down our throats with it's mandates and fines and higher deductibles, estate recovery, rotten deals with Phama and on and on.
I realize Scott Brown is thick as thieves with Romney and McCain. But the fact is that with the death of Ted Kennedy and the special election that just happened to occur exactly as this vote was about to be taken, the voters in Massachusetts who have been living under The Mass Plan for the past three years and can see it's shortcomings, made a clear choice with Scott Brown. They knew that he would go to D.C. to kill the bill "41!, 41!, 41!" and to try to MAKE IT BETTER.
Those were his words over and over when he was being interviewed. He got an earful from Massachusetts voters while campaigning. They told him to go to D.C. to help make a "better bill".
We need to understand that this is a guy who voted FOR The Mass Plan and who is Pro-choice. He is fiscally conservative. If he expects to get re-elected in 2012 in Massachusetts he will have to watch very carefully how he votes. Basically, his campaign for re-election started when he took the oath yesterday.
I just saw a clip of Obama (I'll link it here...go to the choices of clips on the left margin) where he is encouraging Democratic lawmakers to turn off the teevee and get out among their constituents to talk:
http://mediachannel.org/videos/
A few days ago, The New York Times printed a letter to the editor from Physicians for A National Health Program regarding "Medicare for All":
To the Editor,
President Obama's State of the Union address had a high point when he pledged that anyone with a "better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know."
Thank you, Mr. President. The answer is the reform supported by 65 percent of the public and even 59 percent of physicians. It's remarkably simple, and the nation has already had 44 years of successful experience with it in financing health care for our elderly and the totally disabled.
It is, of course, Medicare-for-all, single-payer, not-for-profit national health insurance. Its superiority lies in excluding profit-seeking insurance companies and Big Pharma from controlling and undermining our health system. This is your answer, Mr. President.
Quentin Young
Chicago, Jan. 28, 2010
The writer, a doctor, is national coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program.
Rather than wring our hands that we've "lost an opportunity to have a BAD BILL that is nothing more than a boondoggle for major insurance corporations", why don't we take this "set-back" as an opportunity to really let Obama and our representatives know what we REALLY want?
Now is the time to go public and have major meetings and make our case for "Medicare for All"!
Obama said, "If anyone has a better idea..." Well, let's figure out a way to let everyone know what our "better idea" is!
And let's remember, the Democrats are worried about being re-elected this November. We have the perfect opportunity now to put the pressure on them!
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
Yes...let's pressure them! We'll tell them...if they don't do what we want...we'll vote for em anyway...cause...where else we gonna go.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
Here in the 36th Congressional District Marcy Winograd will be challenging Jane "AIPAC" Harman in the Democratic primary. I hope voters here in So. Cal. have had it with the millionaire Harman who carpetbagged her way into the House nearly twenty years ago!
Now is the time (if it's not too late) for individuals to throw their hats into the ring to run against all these entrenched incumbents so they can be challenged in debates within their districts.
I'm going to work my tail off for Winograd to beat Harman.
Who will you be working for in your district, Liberal?
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
the male sara palin is going to save single payer?!
Cue the Kabuki....
why rush and force through a bill that might well be worse than what we have now?
and, since day one of "reform" the various bills have been watered down and corrupted enough to make one seriously question whether or not this is what the dems what to have as their legacy.
and franken is right, where is the WH leadership? obama impressed me with his skills in routing the GOP in the Q&A last week, now let's use those skills to get real reform--that is, if that is really what the dem leadership wants and not just some sort of titantic-deck-chair-fiddling type of reform.
Abby, you rock. Let's make Medicare-for-all an election year issue.
Both bills stink; the Senate bill just stinks more. Enacting any version of either just puts off real reform for years.
No bill is still better than a bad bill.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
you're right, the bill sucks (thanks to repubs and republicrats), so why would we want it pushed through as is?
kudos also to those who are putting pressure on the do-nothings in Washington. why put off until tomorrow what you can do today? seems like the Congress is channeling Cubs fans..."wait 'til next year".
to be "fair", Congress is in a tough spot...how are they supposed to pass legislation that will help the people when their financial backers have other interests in mind? someone is bound to lose. lets see, for the past how many years? seems like forever...its been the people who lose and the special interests who win. forgive me if I don't hold my breath waiting for Congress to wake up on their own. time to set the alarm clock....yep, for November.
at the outset, saying it was "unAmerican" (or something to the effect) - in other words, it was to corporate unfriendly. In light of all Obama's past actions/inactions, I interpret his "does anybody have any better ideas" remark as disingenuous at best; esp. since he shut out all the people with the better ideas from sitting at the table, including the physicians group you reference, his own physician, Howard Dean, ad nauseum.
I would be happy to participate in raising a ruckus in the lull in the teeny chance it might effect some change, but it has be big and VISIBLE; writing letters and calling your congressmen won't work.
and believe that if we do circumstances will force us to implement one better than the current within 10 years or so anyway (this bill wasn't going to be enacted until 2014 anyway due to yet another of Obama's political and moral miscalculations). It would be better if someone other Obama led the charge anyway.
because of O giving away single payer before negotiations even started and then a back door deal with pharma and then at every turn talking about fake partisanship, instead of supporting snowe's "trigger" he should have pulled the trigger on any repub involvement in May when it became more than clear to any sentient being the repubs were NEVER going to do anything except add amendments that they weren't even going to vote for.
Pelosi and Reid wanted a "strong public" option, but the word coming from the WH was keep dealing with the repubs.
This "failure" is entirely owned by O.
The failure rests with Obama.
And YES that includes George W. Why? Because Obama could have made some real change in this Nation. Of course he couldn't get everything done, but he could have made a difference. With he and Reid running the show, we are not only not seeing ANY change, we are seeing the third term of George W. Bush. Obama, and the Dems, are a cowering disaster.
Let me know when Hell freezes over, because only then will I ever vote again.
the dems have managed to pass some low hanging fruit legislation like health care for kids and what-not. but on the larger issues, zip. I'm starting to believe that the dems are a traitorous and cowardly bunch of corrupt takers of lobby money. They couldn't even get it togeter to delay what's his name from Mass. from getting on board in the Senate.
that we never hear about, or do we have selective hearing?
http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-quiet...
unemployment payments if we shift that general revenue to subsidizing people who don't have mandatory health insurance?
Cheaper health insurance means more employers can afford to hire more employees. More employees means more income taxes are paid into the general fund and fewer unemployment benefits paid out. More money in the general fund means lower deficits and less drag on the economy.
Get rid of health insurance altogether.
There should be no such thing.
Single payer.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
Naaah...they'll just eliminate paying claims.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
I feel the need to "nip this in the bud". Employers hire the fewest number of employees at the lowest cost possible to produce their goods or services. PERIOD! If you increase their profit margins by lowering their taxes or providing cheaper health insurance they will NOT hire more employees they don't need. That was the justification for all the tax cuts and all they did was put more money in the hands of people who used it to increase their power and wealth. Economies grow from the bottom up not, I repeat NOT from the top down.
Employers have already hired the lowest number of employees for the lowest wages they get away with and not be fired by the higher ups.
Al Franken for President!
Al Franken for President!
Yes.
I'm a huge Al Franken fan, but, sorry, the best place for him is exactly where he is now. Al's Jewishness and his drug-using past would make him a huge target for the Repugnikans.
I'd love to see a lot of Democrats follow Franken's example. And Franken for Senate Majority Leader? Go for it.
I've been a strong supporter of Pres. Obama. During his campaign, I thought his style of restraint was frustrating, but apparently effective. I think he's a great role model for rationality and pragmatism over shoot-from-the-hip ideological lunacy. BUT . . . this is getting scary. The Rethugs are running all over him and us. Shelby is blocking all nominations, the SC is empowering corporations to run our political system, and the Senate Rethugs are bullying their Dem counterparts to paralyze government. Is O just playing brinksmanship? Is there a gameplan here? A very dangerous game indeed. In my experience, you can't reason with bullies. They only understand one language: that of raw power. It's time, dems, it's time.
Obama nominees held up by GOP senator over contract beef
Democracy is too important to be entrusted to politicians.
Rise Up!
Protest!
he's a corporate lawyer who's staffed his WH with millionaires who are soooo far removed from the working classes they claim to represent... its becoming obvious with every passing day that obama does not represent change - instead, he and his party represent more of the same... just with a different face and name...
He twists you all around his little finger and yet you come back for more.
This game is over.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
At least if I vote Republican, I *KNOW* I'm gonna get screwed and don't have to put up with the pretense of wooing from the Dems.
Fuck Pelosi. Fuck Reid. Fuck Obama.
The only reason we haven't made progress in this race is because Dems are standing on the starting line with their shorts down around their ankles and assholes like McConnell and Boehner standing on them, snickering.
I was just thinking that while the Rethugs are assholes, but at least they don't pretend to be otherwise.
When O put rahm in charge of the WH, his reputation as a bulldog gave me hope. WTF has he been doing? Looks like nothing.
That's because he's a bullshit dog.
and then I'll be able to afford health insurance!
This country is fucked.
Chess.
how are we going to pull all this stuff off with 78 Million boomers hitting retirement age and expecting all their "entitlements" and perks as part of the so called "package"?
And, we should prosecute the CEOs and corporate officers who not only profited from the wars but also their other crimes as well. Then we shut down wall street and put people to work. We also prohibit banks from sending money out of the country, and we do the same to corporations. And, oh yeah, we impeach Roberts, Alito, Scalia and Thomas or pack the court or just revolt.
Where are the Obama cheerleaders? You know, the ones that say "give him time"? Well times up Obama. Get off your ass and do what you promised you would do.
It is a new election year. They have already gone into campaign mode.
Remember what use to be described as the first 100 days?
That is when you do what you are going to do.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
blogs with a little more complete information about the healthcare situation than is in this post.
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
happens until after the deadline for reconciliation passes, around April. This will be the final deathknell for the public option and Medicare buy-in, and he will be able to keep his promises to the insurance/hospital/pharma lobbyists that there will be no government run plan.
Then after the reconciliation deadline passes in April, that will force the House progressives to either pass the Senate bill w/o changes, or look like obstructionists (on national TV yet!). So Obama will have achieved his 2 deepest desires - no meaningful health reform, and sticking it to the progressives and middle class.
To think what you wrote up there is really possable. Obama is likely to go down as as bad if not worse then Bush jr.
to be a worse president than Bush. And I like him less every day.
Vitter makes a boom boom with a hooker and he's touted as a statesman.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
But sadly, especially when we see how truly corporatist Obama has proven himself to be, you may be correct in your analysis.
The question is, what will we all do in November to try to send a message that we've had it?
I'm voting for Marcy Winograd over Jane Harman.
If we had "Winograd's" running against ALL the rotten corporatist incumbents, we'd have a chance to upset their applecarts in November.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
is at war with the progressives. The progressives represent the interests of the average American, in direct opposition to the DLC, which represents the corporations (while pretending otherwise).
But there are no "leaders" left in the game,just politicians worried about getting reelected.The GOP started figuring out how they plan to be reelected before Obama was sworn into office.Obama himself seems to believe constantly moving to the "center" will keep him in power.
Anyway,everything else takes second shrift to the politics.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
Barack might as well have said "We're going to leave this one up to the Palin administration."
Ouch!
Why in the hell would Obama crush his own momentum? Seriously it's like Obama is afraid to do things. Obama got scared that he would be forced to act because of the speeches and such he has done so he's now sabotaging himself?
There are definitely some people in this administration who need to be fired, and I'm not just saying that because I hate Rahm.
As stupid as Bush was, Karl Rove would have never let the Bush White House flop around like this. They were bullies. They got things done.
This White House doesn't want to offend anyone and instead is offending everyone. Both Left and Right.
I think they really want to help and they really want bipartisanship. But they're incompetent at managing their own image in a governing setting, outside of elections.
You see how great Obama is when he gets up and speaks. Well, that's part of why he won. But that doesn't necessarily translate into being able to manage a huge organization at war both here and abroad.
They need to bring in someone who will make it clear to Americans the following: what in the hell does the Obama White House stand for, and what is it willing to do to get what the public is asking for?
If that means telling the Republicans to go F themselves in the A, as Jimmy would say, then just do it!
You will look worse in 3 years losing the election than you will now replacing some staff members and admitting that the Obama machine is taking a new direction.
Last bit of advice: a new direction does not mean more to the right.
Because he has stated many times that he is a "pragmatist". Obama sees that as a good thing: it's realpolitik results over "ideology".
But results without ideology are bankrupt. It might save many people in airliner crashes over cold water if we can see how long a decent sample size of Jews tread ice water before they go under. I believe that was a Nazi experiment. If we can reasonably guess that the number saved over a few years would nicely exceed the Jews sacrificed, the experiment would demonstrate "pragmatic" results and we should probably do it. But we don't because it would be "evil." Once we use the word "evil" however, we need a morality grounded in some ideology.
Which is to say that as long as Obama hides behind "pragmatism" don't expect much. As long as Obama isn't willing to say that it is "evil" that the U.S. is the only First World (we like to think) country that doesn't have universal health care, don't expect much.
with lobbyists at the expense of true healthcare reform.
"The Healing of America" right now. He traveled to all the other industrialized nations that have a Universal Healthcare System in order to discover how they have managed to get it done.
It mostly comes down to their core beliefs as to whether or not profits should be placed above human life/health.
Whether it's Japan, Germany, Canada, France or England, T.R. Reid learned that it would be unconscionable to allow any of their citizens to go bankrupt because of medical bills. That it would be unconscionable to allow any of their citizens to die because they did not have health insurance.
This is the point at which the leadership of the United States has not arrived. And until we get to this point, this MORAL IMPERATIVE place in our collective consciousness, the citizens of the United States will continue to be taken advantage of by the for-profit insurance corporations.
We need to reach a "tipping point" in order to let these corporate scumbag incumbents of BOTH parties understand that the American People WANT TO SIMPLY EXTEND MEDICARE TO EVERYONE.
We cannot AFFORD to pay "for-profit" insurance corporations the big bucks they need for their shareholders. The insurance corporations need to be axed out of our healthcare equation once and for all.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
.. 'nuff said ..
Democracy is too important to be entrusted to politicians.
Rise Up!
Protest!
Franken seems like not just your average Senator. Here's hoping some other so-called Dems get on the Franken bus.
The Right wing have been very successful at framing the Democrats as "far left" Liberals(I wish)who are hopelessly naive and fiscally irresponsible.They have invested a ton of energy in devaluing the root ideas of Liberalism.Words like "community" or "society" or "volunteer" "human rights" have all been reduced to snide put downs.
The worst of it is that Democrat politicians,primarily concerned with reelection,have to a large extent bought into this cynicism.
It's already been noted in this thread that standing up for what you believe in,your "ideological beliefs" is important.
It's the heart and soul of any movement,that which bonds us together.I'd rather see Obama lose standing up for core principles than "win" with Joe Lieberman calling the shots,although if he chose to truly lead,I don't believe that would be the case.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
in their usual fashion have formed a very effective circular firing squad. So losses in the next election are guaranteed and we can get on with the nation's business - moving further to the right.
It's really unfortunate.
I see America as one of the most paternal modern nations on Earth.
For all the inherent goodness of American(s)there is an intractable
masculine power(war is peace)at it's core that refuses to cede any influence or sway to it's "feminine" counterpart.(community)
Democrats seem trapped in always having to pander to this bitter reality.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
Man Hater.
We didn't get the leader we hoped for.
This is not my father's America
... maybe we can get some change.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Hmmm...now where did I leave that post that stated that it would be a Democratic Congress that ultimately would unwind Social Security and Medicare?
Oh..yeah...there it is...right under that copy of Profiles In Courage.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
In the article, they said Franken is getting a reputation for "being difficult". I like that. If he's pissing off Rahm, Axelrod, and the President by pointing out the obvious lack of leadership, good.
Someone said up thread that Karl Rove would have never put up with this shit. They're right. Rove was a bastard, but he was disciplined and the GOP/Bush got a lot of stuff through, and they didn't whine about how they needed 60 votes. Obama's administration is like a bunch of school children with no parental supervision. Just pure anarchy.
Obama is almost like a deadbeat dad.
It's what a friend calls the "Magical Pixie" theory of childrearing: you simply feed them and just let them grow toward the sun!
A former award-winning journalist and lifelong class warrior, keeping a jaundiced eye on the Washington elite.
and thank you. As for that nifty S.O.T.U. speach, I guess it was just that. What a great way to demoralize the base even more.
He gives a great speech. He looks cool, calm and collected.
But he's no leader.
Paging Harry Truman ... paging Lyndon Baines Johnson ...
BID
The Nobel Prize "Winna" was able to escalate the War Machine with outstanding leadership. My guess is he will show another profound flush of leadership when he leads us and Israel in war against Iran. He is da man. Now I think I'll head on over to Huffington Post and see if Michelle is strutting any new fashion statements or culinary surprises. Maybe her and Barry are both at a photo shoot feeding the homeless at a free kitchen.
in the Senate which he considers an honor and a sacred responsibility. It is too bad that the majority of the Senate view their seats so cheaply. The Senate has been overtaken by cowardice and treasonous self interest. It is broken and, as a body, not worthy of our respect.
The Senate has been overtaken by cowardice and treasonous self interest.
Also known as Pelosi and Reid.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
Poppy Bush and Jeb Bush were at the White House to visit Obama on Saturday Jan. 30?
The cowardly treasonous Democrats in leadership positions or their whining base which is so ineffectual in getting them to do anything.
At least the Republicans and their base know how to stick together and get things done.
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
It takes a guy with the name Jimbo to tell the truth! C'mon "Rock Obama".....Listen to Al too! Quit listening to the sick republican kids. Just spank 'em, old school style, and lock 'em in their own room. They'll either make it or go to jail! Send the republicans to jail. You can't Dr. Spock 'em. These republicans were raised on Sesame Street........and are out of control with antics.
I appreciate Franken's "let's get it done" attitude. Obama and Axelrod have a front office mentality -- i.e., they have their positions; they're secure in their jobs; and I get the feeling that they have no sense of urgency about the healthcare issue.
I recall watching Rahm on election nite in 2006, and when asked about healthcare, his attitude about healthcare was that it was a bridge too far and that there was no point in going down that path. If that's he real attitude about the issue, we have something to worry about and a little outrage from Franken would be very helpful.
Clearly Obama and quite a few congresspeople, want to make sure that he and dems can't be saddled with the responsibility of passing healthcare reform. If they can't get repubs to share the blame, they'd rather let it slide.
...President All Talk.
While it might be a good thing to have regular Q&A sessions with Obama and the two parties, it might also be a good idea to toss in the occasional Citizen's Forum, with regular citizens getting to ask questions. Obama would probably face a lot of winger nonsense, which I have little doubt he could handle, but he might also have to publicly explain why he thinks he doesn't need to actively lead. His passivity is maddening.
New Hampshire.
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
We need you Tommy Douglas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqpFm7zAK90
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
The fact that other Senators don't like it because Al dares to tell them - the established career politicians - what America is thinking, shows why we need new blood in Washington, like Al Franken. Career politicians just care about staying in power, not about doing right by the country. Thanks Al - keep it up!!
The way I am seeing it now is President Obama would have a tough time leading three nuns in silent prayer.
Obama is capitulating.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/05/obam...
There will be no health care reform from this Congress, and it sounds like he is conceding that Democrats are likely to lose in a big way come November.
From "Yes We Can" to "We're Not Even Going To Try" in a little over a year. Pathetic. He doesn't know how to lead. Everyone had better start figuring out who to run & support in 2012, because this guy is history.
The lefter I go, the righter I get...
Obama's 'lack of leadership' is obvious. What is often left out of these analysis is that the reason for the lack of leadership is that he is bought and sold as are virtually all Democratic and Republican politicians in DC. Obama is no different than Bush. Bush didn't make any policy or lead us into any wars except for the fact that others behind the scene were telling him what to do and he was taking his marching orders. Same thing with Obama. The Rahm Emanuel's are so embedded in corruption we all think it's just normal business as usual -- well, it is business as usual and I guess given the current system it's normal. And, it's also corrupt. Vote Write-in!
He's clearly only upset because the corporate-written bill he supported didn't make it to Obama's desk. Progressives need to stop allowing themselves to be be fooled by phonies like Al Franken and Bernie Sanders.
Whatever Franken may be, imho, he certainly is not a phony...
Also he and Sanders are probably two of the LEAST corporatist Senators in Congress.
A lot of poo is being slung in all directions and I suspect there are people whose intent is to spread dissent and confusion among Democrats
Methinks if you look at the comment history of some of the commentators here, you might find evidence of an agenda of attacks on Democrats and attempts to disrupts any Democratic party 'unity', such as it is...... and I'm saying this as a person who is disgusted by the ACTUAL corporatist Democrats.
Yes, to hear Franken or Sanders talk, you would think they were Ralph Nader. Then you look at their actual voting records, and you find they are no different than Reid or Pelosi. Both, for example, voted for the Senate healthcare bill, which as we all know, was nothing more than a giveaway to the insurance industry.
This disconnect between rhetoric and action is a constant problem with liberal politicians. In fact, it pretty much defines what it means to be a liberal these days. Obama of course won the Democratic nomination because he made himself *seem* more liberal than Hillary Clinton, but once he got the nomination, he immediately returned to corporate Democrat mode. We see this same pattern of bait and switch over and over, and unfortunately, progressive voters keep falling for it over and over, which leads me to believe that almost no one on the left is as progressive as they claim to be.
I'm at least proud that I gave up on Obama during the Primaries, after he broke his promise to Filibuster Telecom Immunity. So I voted for no one, the first time ever.
I'm also happy I never voted for Bush or Nader. Lot of good it did
The more I see of Senator Al Franken, the better I understand why the Republicans were so desperate to keep him out of the Senate.
But a fed-up Sen. Al Franken (who's getting a reputation for being "difficult,"
So, questioning leadership and standing by what you believe in is considered 'difficult' these days? Al has every right to ask 'where's the leadership?'. Obama needs to stop straddling the fence and trying to play nice with the other side. It's getting him no where, and makes him look weak, which is exactly what the opposition wants.
He's not saying we need single payer or even a public option. All he's really doing is trying to revive the corporate-written healthcare bill, while making himself seem *progressive* at the same time. Why do people on the left keep falling for these tricks?
He's not your typical run of the mill Senator, he actually thinks he works for the people of Minnesota.
That's why we have all the incessant and lame attempts to discredit him.
Some people say that Bill O'Reilly is posting on this site under the name freequark?
We report, you decide.
In MN my Sen. Franken, after all the struggling an wrangling, has been given the Go to Wash D.C. Balls Award. In fact in Wash D.C. the award is called "Golden Balls Award" because when you get to D.C. the balls becomes "Golden" 'cause he is the only senator in Wash D.C. with any at all, and we know they are extremely valuable!
and I don't want their "ideas". We got their shit for 8 long years.
You stupid shit. Lost my vote, for sure.
I voted for him, I've defended him and I honestly believe that much of the opposition to him is racial. However, he needs to stop with the door mat politics. These people don't like you Obama no matter how many times you kiss their asses.
The dems had complete control of all three houses and managed to get nothing done, other than giving T-baggers what they want.
I'm new to this....just wondering if anyone is still out there?
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