Olbermann: If Obama Drops the Public Option, He'll Face A Primary Challenge
By Susie Madrak Friday Sep 04, 2009 6:00am
(h/t Heather)
Last night on Countdown, Eugene Robinson and Keith Olbermann agreed on the risks for Obama: If he doesn't come up with a viable public option, he will very likely face a challenger in the Democratic primary.
Olbermann: But what about the risk of passing some sort of interim measure here and we hear Congressman [Raul] Grijalva, who's the head of the Progressive Caucus having released a statement last night about grave concerns about these contacts supposedly from the administration to health care reform advocacy organizations they are going to cease supporting the public option. What good does it profit a man to win a bill and lose the base of his party?
Robinson: In the medium term and in the long run it doesn't strike me as a great idea. I mean look, you could say okay, this is the best bill we can get. Is the liberal Progressive Caucus going to thwart what is possible in search of the perfect? And so you could put them in that position and you could maybe wrestle them into going along with what they consider a bad bill, but there's a lot else on the table. He's, our involvement in Afghanistan is deepening, we're talking about Iraq, we're talking about Guantanamo. We're talking about a lot of issues on which the Progressive Caucus is going to have a lot to say and I don't think you want them to be in a foul mood.
Olbermann: No, no, no because he's compromised on everything so far and as self defeating as it might be, the Progressive Caucus and progressives would abandon him if necessary if this were to be the policy of this administration into 2012. If it's necessary to find somebody else to run against him, I think they'd do it no matter how destructive that might seem at face value.
Robinson: Well, I think that is possible. We are a more polarized nation right now and I think searching for a mythical center, a mythical compromise between doing something and doing nothing, ah... there's nothing in the middle there, you know. Either you're going to do something or you're not and I think you've got to choose.
Olbermann: The middle has been nothing all this time. This is just a different variant of it.
Meanwhile, the House Dems' Progressive Caucus has fired a return shot across the bow. Last night they delivered a letter to the White House: Not only will they not support a House bill, they will not vote for the final bill without it and asked for a meeting with the president:
We continue to support the robust public option that was reported out of the Committees on Ways and Means and Education and Labor and will not vote for a weakened bill on the House Floor or returning from a Conference with the Senate.
Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, a public option built on the Medicare provider system and with reimbursement based on Medicare rates-not negotiated rates-is unacceptable.(...)
A health reform bill without a robust public option will not achieve the health reform this country so desperately needs. We cannot vote for anything less.
To date, only six members have signed. If they get to 40, we have a very different ballgame.
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damn right he will.
at this point apparently.
The Dems ain't perfect, but they ARE getting their shit together.
and I'm about sick and tired of your constant negativity on every single thing.
I am about to start ignoring you.
is it?
But, my man Obama better not drop the public option because that will be the breaker for me!
... it's the Republicans who are breaking into people's cars and stealing their stuff. Nyah. :P
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/...
this one is about something else.
the BOX.
but so is the topic of this particular thread.
Dem's with RLS.
The House on Tuesday voted 242-181 to approve an operating rules package (H Res 5) that eliminates the Medicare trigger, which requires the president to submit a plan to contain Medicare costs if they reach a certain level, CQ Today reports. The trigger was approved as part of the 2003 Medicare law. Under the law, if 45% or more of the program's funding comes from general tax revenues for two consecutive years, the president must submit to Congress legislation that would slow spending over a seven-year period and make the program financially stable. The trigger went into effect for the first time last year .'
Thats a sure mandate that protects the american voter---Sure --they are helping their donors out for sure...Corporate gimme again!
to pass important legislation he promised during his campaign, who needs him?
chaos, confusion and controversy that's for sure.
There was some magic wand Obama would wave and it would all go back to a peaceful, more hopefuller pre-9/11 time where Democrats and Republicans live and work in harmony?
And I'd like a bottle of Coke so I could teach the world to sing ...
(I've no idea if you're old enough to remember that commercial.)
plastic bottles. Reminds me of the old pop bottle vending machines. Whoops! Dating myself...
Dating yourself is admitting you used to know how to bump a coke machine and a newspaper box to open them without paying ...
...it in public.
pop bottles in chilled water coolers? That is what I remember. Put the dime in the slot, raise the lid and get a great hit of musty cold water with the bottles lined up in rows. Then pick you choice and snake it through the metal braces to the end and get the bottle.
Check out the Mexican food aisle at your local grocery store. I shop at Kroger, and they sell 12oz. glass bottle Cokes imported from Mexico. These are sold as a food product and not as a beverage, and (unlike American Cokes) are made with real sugar cane instead of high fructose corn syrup. They cost around $1.79 plus tax, which is expensive, but it's kinda neat to treat yourself to one.
referring to enacting a universal health coverage plan, or at the extreme minimum, allowing the currently uninsured to buy into Medicare or a similar public program.
It now appears that what we'll get is a program mandating 'universal' coverage - through private health insurance companies. But, we'll see what gets voted out of Congress....
will do ANYTHING to rock Obama's or Rahm's boat when push comes to shove.
This is all political theater, plain and simple.
Obama will give his speech next Wednesday evening and REGARDLESS of what he says we will all see Barbara Lee and the other Progressive Caucus members jumping up and down in their seats trying to be good little Democrats. "I'm going along to get along! I'm going along to get along!"
I do not support ANYTHING this administration is cooking up because all it will do is further confuse the American people, not solve the crisis we have of ALL Americans not having access to QUALITY AFFORDABLE health care, and to continue to enrich the for-profit health insurance corporations and big pharma.
The U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration has been bought and paid for by the big corporations. This is the obvious reason that we will NEVER see any truly meaningful reform of the current system that does not benefit the owners.
Which is why I support Conyers/Kucinich H.R. 676. It would eliminate the profit from the system, everyone would be covered, bankruptcies due to catastrophic medical expenses would be a thing of the past, costs would FINALLY be controlled and, I believe, a higher quality standard of care could finally be realized.
But the best solution for the American People will NEVER have a chance as long as corporate America owns those trying to "solve our health care crisis". Especially considering that it is corporate America that has caused it.
BTW, I've read hours and hours of articles on health care reform. How many of these articles have suggested cutting our bloated, criminal military industrial complex in order to fund something that the American People actually NEED??!
Anyone? Anyone?
...the articles of which you speak, but I have been advocating along those lines for a long time. We could easily pay for healthcare just by cutting our nuclear arsenal by 75%. The only downside would be that we'd only have enough nukes to destroy the planet 2 times over instead of 10.
There are many, many other areas in defense where we could cut back if corporations weren't running the country.
Did you hear that now the WH is asking progressives and liberals to "take one for the team." I am speechless.
for K.O. to speculate on what Obama is going to do with the congress on Wednesday. I'm hoping that he will tell them if there is not a strong public option, he will veto the bill.
...but why the hell didn't he say that before congress went into summer recess?
Ironic that's a term generally reserved for Kindergarten level.
... used it all the way through 8th Grade.
But then, I've always been a big kid.
...in that we only got 15 minutes in kindergarten. Congress gets a friggin MONTH!
Rubber Stamp, signing statements, pass a bill regardless if anyone likes it or not.
..the Zombie Army (Gee what a surprise that MSM has picked up the Encouragement Speech directed at School Children and turned into a gop talking point, hmm, go figure??) and speak to Congress making the same pledges he made during the campaign, then that would be something.
I think KO's point is one I've been making only more in regard to War Crimes' trials. I figured Health Insurance Reform was a no-brainer with a Democrat in the White House and majorities in both the House and Senate. But if we don't see Health Insurance Reform with a real Public Option (No co-ops, triggers or other nonsense), then you bet there'll be two dozen other people vying for that nomination from the Dimocratic Party.
it looks like to me. They never accomplish anything in an expedient and confident manner. "We're going to do this where going to do that" on and on and on.
...than just empty slogans
.
Its almost as if everything that could be twisted against the Democrats is being done, shooting themselves in the same foot repeatably.
Its bad when you have people inside your party making up and handing out no brainer GOP talking points like candy.
Lucky at the moment the GOP is headless and wrought with strife in its inner struggles, teabaggers vs fundies vs old school vs ex-bushco, but that wont last for ever, some faction will emerge as the winner.
winning. WTF is that all about? The WH wants liberals and progressives to "take one for the team," and just let them slide through the insurance industry version of a "reform" bill? If you think I am making this up, then you have not listened to the news today.
it doesn't matter because obama has all the bankers in his pockets and is certainly guaranteed re-election unless he goes behind the backs of them or goes against the blue dogs.
"Olbermann: The middle has been nothing all this time. This is just a different variant of it." - this is the money quote. there is no middle.
who are these 4 real americans?
..is that when time comes to run for re-election, if he didn't keep the campaign promise of a Public Option that he believes in, that really reforms Health Insurance, then there will be challengers and there is the possibility of a third party candidate who will strip votes from a Democratic Nominee. Whether its an incumbent President or a new candidate, a strong third party candidate could be the death knell for a consecutive term for a Democrat in the White House.
Pfffttt!
You got that right, Abbywood.
Talk of a third party is mental masturbation.
spongy headed?
Third party candidate doesn't have to be competitive, just popular enough to be a spoiler.
I'm an independent, in many areas there are more of us than Republicans. Most swing state break-downs showed that independents and young people (and among young people in many areas they are majority independent .. so) ... that voted for Dems this election were the decisive block.
The "conventional wisdom" holds that to get our attention you need to move to the "center" so compromise, as Obama is trying to do. Here is why that will fail.
Most independents lean socially liberal, but fiscally conservative. Health care reform is a big win to a social liberal. Even republicans want "reform". There is no center when everyone wants it. So the question here becomes fiscal responsibility. No public option to keep costs down, but mandates and subsidies for poor to subsidize private premiums are anathema to fiscally careful voters.
Yes, we've seen the numbers on %of GDP to health care, per capita cost of US system vs other nations (double). We could care less if Republicans call it "socialist" or "klingon". If we were scared by their labels we'd be Republican.
Obama might keep independents, but only if he ties the mandates to the public option. Here is the issue with this bill:
mandates + public option = fiscal win, independents stay
mandates + no public = fiscal lose, independents walk
no mandates + public option = mass confusion! independents split
no mandates + no public option = fiscal win, independents stay, await more reform
The only way to fix this bill for independents is to tie the fate of the public option to the mandates.
/your local independent swing voter
.
I wrote this last night on open thread.
========================================================
I am about to agree with a republican congressperson.
I think we ought to have an investigation of some in the house and senate to see if they are unamerican beginning with Michelle Bachman, who suggested it in the first place. They are the party of no and consistantly vote against the American public. Next would be Hoekstra, Grassley, McConnell, Boehner and I could go on. The final straw is when they encourage parents to keep children away from school to censor a speech by the President of the United States, Barak Obama. In my opinion, they are unamerican and their actions are unamerrican. They have stood up in front of us Americans and have flat out lied to us about a number of things, death panels and such. They need to be held accountable
Ed Schultz had a good show about this yesterday. He was livid for the same reasons you said.
I would NOT call the public option "perfect" in any way, shape, or form. Robinson makes some good points, but wtf?
basically that's all the TV Media does anyway.
or so it seems....
Because you just don't drop an underfunded mandate on people during a time of deep recession and record unemployment. It's not just stupid, it's suicidal.
against Obama, but since he was not one of the original six signatories I cannot go for a Johnny come lately. I am sure any of the other signatoires will do a bang up job derailing the Kool Aid Express re-election bandwagon.
... is to at least get the verbal tense right.
DROP KICK the public option and go for what's simplest and best, Universal Health Care.
It's an Occam's razor thing
Well slap my ad hominem and call my projections false dichotomies.
IE; serious reform of the worst of the biggest US hospitals and health clinics, people waiting for hours on end to be seen and dropping dead in ER rooms is not a good advert for UHC. This is why the teabaggers from the small towns are scared, and are getting support from people.
I would imagine theres some serious deadwood in some larger hospital administrations, people who care more about spreadsheets than the patients, cousins of the MBA types who infest the HI industry.
If you want to understand why we are in this mess:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200909/health-...
It is a lengthy article about all the problems we are facing. But at the end when the author comes up with his "solution" to the problem he starts yacking about "personal savings accounts" and the need for personal responsibility!
Savings accounts?? This guy is smoking some serious shit!
The last time I had a "savings" account was in high school with my little "Christmas Club" at the bank!
In today's economy, every day we are seeing thousands more Americans losing their jobs, their unemployment benefits etc.
Never mind not having health insurance! These people are on the brink of homelessness and starving for Gods' sake!
All I can say is we'd all better have our barf bags handy next Wednesday night when Obama speaks. Watching Anthony Weiner and Maxine Waters and Diane Watson and Barbara Lee and John Conyers and all the other "progressive Democrats" bouncing in and out of their chairs to applaud ideas that we all know are B.S. will surely make us sick.
Start floating Howard Dean's name again. He's been the only one who speaks out clearly for a strong public option! This might scare their asses a bit!
people acknowledge the problem? Why are so many people in denial about this? Is it because to acknowledge the existence of fixed elections means people have lost control of the government? It is what it is, and to not admit a problem is to allow it to continue. To condone it. Wake up. They are NOT afraid of people withdrawing their support through votes. They are laughing at anyone who thinks or says this. Damn!
This is why Bush Co. got 8 years in power instead of a jail sentence. No one wants to believe it.
person struggling to clear $12,000 to $14,000 a year.
Emergency Gall Bladder Surgery
12 hours ER - One Week Hospital (Recovery)
$114,000 and that doesn't include surgeon's fees.
What a system
This week at a town hall meeting at Somerville High School in Somerville MA, Sen. Kerry said there will NOT be a public option, as the Democrats simply do NOT have the 60 votes....
He was suggesting a duplicate of the Massachusetts health plan on a national level might be the plan, where everyone will be required to buy their own health inurance if they don't already have it.
Swell idea...those who can't afford insurance in MA are actually fined.
Someone please explain that logic to me....
I totally regret not having voted for Hillary...I don't think she would have kissed Republican ass as Obama has been doing...
Mandatory Insurance . . .
Kerry is a traitor and sell out.
Obviously he hasn't done a self evaluation in a while.
I live in Massachusetts, and don't have health insurance, as I can't afford it. My employer doesn't offer it, and I barely afford rent as is....
Because of this, I am punsihed with a $912 annual fee when i file my taxes, and there is talk the fee will go up every year....
It is actually cheaper to pay the fine than buy insurance, so many Bay Staters just opt to swallow the fine...
If the MA health insurance plan is expanded on a national level, expect to be fined if you can't afford insurance.
The MA health plan is a total giveaway to the private health insurance companies...
Tom.
Forced Slavery
Can they refuse treatment or charge for treatment for a non HI patient who is being 'fined', $900 a year would be a lot cheaper than normal HI premiums, I would rather pay that $900 spread over 12 months than the hideous amount our family HI costs now, $600 per month where I work, thats basically about 50% of the lower paid workers income.
Please check out this website on the Mass Plan and read the articles linked by Trudy Lieberman:
www.masshealthlawtruth.org
Seriously. What happens if the ins. cos. rejects someone, and they then cannot buy any coverage?
Its her (and her HI lobbyists) scheme. And why some people on the left did not want HRC anywhere near US gov.
HRC is a poison chalice.
Over at DKos, the HRC fans and TUs were banning anti HRC anti mandatory HI people like crazy during that period. No coincidence that the health industry unions have a very heavy influence over at DKos, and those unions will be happy with a bigger health industry no matter its functioning. 50 million new enforced customers, sweet.
What a perverted outcome the Democrats will wind up with if the Conservatives manage to strip out the core reform improvements from the bill. All for the sake being able to gain one Rebublican Senatorial vote and, perhaps, a few House Republican votes in order to point to a bi-partisan bill. The Republicans will tout the fact that they voted against a bad bill for reasons other than the fact that they were responsible for its' creation, while the Democrats try to persuade the public that the fixes will come later. But everyone will know that they've been had.
For 8 years we got to see what the Cons really were all about, and now we are getting to see what the Dems are all about.
A no win situation . . catch 22
Not much of a choice...
This is fucked up.
I'm a social liberal and lifelong Democrat, but am disgusted with the Democratic party's unwillingness to stand up to the Republicans...
I think I'll offically abandon my lifelong Democratic affiliation and become an Independent...
I'm with you. I'm done with the Democratic Party.
I'd rather go to my grave knowing I switched from the party of "going along to get along" with FISA, torture, war crimes and bloody capitalism at all costs (even to the cost of over 100,000 Americans dying each year due to medical "mistakes"/no health "insurance"), to being an Independent of "some" stripe.
I am ashamed to be a "Democrat". And so are millions of other Americans. Unfortunately the system is rigged for the two-headed monster.
I'm starting to really kick myself for not voting for Hillary- would she have made a better president than obama?
Then again, if she would be up for fining people who couldn't afford health insurance, that would be no good...
The majority could not have predicted Obama would have turned out the way he did either.
It seems to be a "Dems" disease. Osteoporosis of the spine.
with the "rascism" claims during the campaign.
Bill took a stand and stood his ground and challenged them and the Dems resorted to the sleaziest tactics ever.
but like Obama, he took a thrashing from the Republicans
And Democrats whine...ohh...they don't play fair.
"Honey...honey...why do you hit me...I looooooove you."
on her list during the primaries, it was common knowledge, one very good reason some preferred Obama over HRC.
And the main reason the Cons fear her so much.
and messed it up in a big way.
That I HAVE to buy for-profit health insurance from a corporation that only wants to screw me OR I will have a PENALTY thrown at me.
Good luck Charlie.
That's their idea of "choice".
If you're a coach headed into the Superbowl, would you rather have a talented newcomer - or someone who's already been in that spotlight?
You're making the interesting assumption that she hasn't learned a thing in 15 years.
Would that be the reason Limbaugh was encouraging Republicans to vote for her in the Democratic primaries? They were wanting her to win. That should give any thinking person pause about her candidacy.
. . .
one would think with his money,Jabba would hire a personal trainer...
Why would we want a guy like him to be "healthier"??
I doubt it.(About Hillary being better)
Let's see what happens in the end here and then if it is bullshit we will go ballistic (so to speak). In the meantime we let them know that what they promised is what we want and we will settle for no less.
Consider the fact that after all that has come out against Blackwater/Xe, she still continues to allow them to be employed by The State Department.
She's a snake.
believe that she has authority over them. Research who does the hiring of contractors. I do not think Blackwater is her fault.
Go here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071008/scahill...
And here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/20/cia.blackwater/
It's complicated, but she probably could raise a stink.
And that's what makes the difference. The last plan I heard was being floated covered only 65% of health costs for the insured. I just don't see Clinton agreeing to that, she'd hit them over the head with single payer.
Obama's looking for a political victory, not something that will help people over insurance companies.
On HRC. She'd hit them over, under,side to side and straight on in the face with healthcare. She wouldn't back down.
As for Obama, I hope you're wrong. I holding out that he'll do the right thing.
I'm hoping. I think he's got something up his sleeve and will surprise everyone. I know that can be taken either way. I'm thinking positive. But, I am getting tired. He should have come out swinging months ago. I wonder what his wife says about this?
The program has to be funded. And it has to have enough public support to make it absolutely impossible for any government to dismantle it.
This cannot and will not happen, with the current government and population.
Even if it is passed, the next time a Republican comes to power (maybe in 2012) he'll just underfund it and shut it down.
Dismantling a working UHC, even the densest redneck in the backwoods will see through that. They are among the people who need UHC the most too.
We can't afford health coverage for all Ameicans, yet can afford 2 illiegal wars??
I'm starting to wonder if Obama even cares about a second term. Who could blame him? I've never seen such a shameful backlash against an American President. Even Nixon after Watergate was treated with more respect than this man. Fox News, with the rest of the media in tow, talk like Fresh Prince just moved all his stuff into the White House and stayed there. It's ridiculous! Who'd want the damned job? I know I wouldn't!
He's also got two young daughters to think about. With all the loons revved up, that's got to be on his mind - a lot! All it took was electing a black President to coax this country's ugly underside out into the light for all the world to see and we've got the sheer gall to criticize Moslem countries for their extremists!
Can someone please explain why the Republicans don't take issue with the billions of dollars wasted in Iraq, OPPOSED any accountability for untold millions of dollars that vanished, YET are suddenly fiscal conservatives when it comes to a health plan to help AMERICANS?
Noticed that too, did you? This country's gone mad.
In another time Glen Beck would be in an asylum....Now he is on tv....Only in America...
and are paid by lobbyists to talk for them, the chain of ownership in the MIC and the HI industry goes down the Republican food chain, big profits, and I'm all right Jack.
The rise of the popular libertarian and teabagger is only a symptom of impoverished former Repugs, former burb middle class types who see their dreams evaporating.
Kinky Friedman?
It's not like you have to be governor for very long anymore.
Richard Friedman have to do with this?
Rather than develop a totally new health care system, why not just expand th existing medicare to cover all ages?
and fee's would just continue to get higher and higher.
and the President individually have blown it.
This isn't just about healthcare. To not have known that the GOP was going to go dirty on the healthcare debate, WILL go dirty on the war debate, and on EVERY other issue was plain STUPID.
By not pushing back, by not embracing the progressive approach that put Obama and the Dem majority in power has allowed the GOP to split the party. The Dems are sooooooo scared of losing the Blue Dog states, that they will allow the whole Party to go into the shitter.
You pass progressive legislation and MAKE people see just what "socialism" means in terms of the benefits to average people...and you will win elections.
The Democrats don't play to win...they play to try not not lose. When you play like that...you DO lose.
so they don't have to watch the President on Tuesday.
I hope the Democrats don't slap Ted Kennedy's name on a gutted health care plan...
Olbermann has jumped the shark, along with 'progressive' blogs. His show is embarrassing, his ego has run rampant.
Now back to the collective hyperventilating...
I bet your parents had such high hopes for you, redecorating your basement, putting you through college and university, and then you went and ruined their dream of higher things, by working for the GOP lobby industry.
of course I do not mean that.
What I mean is that the juvenile mind is one which tries to counter an argument by implying the person making it is too young to know better. Or that their parents are disappointed.
raised by wererabbits on Watership Down.
And I saw no argument in the post I replied to, just argumentative opinion designed to provoke.
Rabbits are known to be stellar stone parents. As long as they do it in heterosexual pairs.
such is the exciting social life of rabbits.
raised from a pair of well adjusted rabbits.
Beats hell out of fruity pebbles.
Just one question: After the rabbits placed you under the stone, who found you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0XCxr3Wgok&fe...
Two words. Glen Beck. Two more words. Fox News.
Math and Faux never makes sense ;)
and he has THE math.
about Rove just screams "pedophile". Maybe it's just me...
Does he have a wife? I'm just askin...
if he does drop it, he should be challenged (of course, he should be be challenged in the primary anyway, aside from the public option-decision)
I say it's time that progressives stopped voting completely.
Fuck it. Let the country go COMPLETELY in the shitter.
That's all this country reacts to. PAIN.
I hope HALF of all American families go into bankruptcy due to healthcare costs.
become ill and are driven into finacial ruin from all the hospital bills....
I hear you, and I tend to agree.....
The right wing reaction to any nations that surpass us in all fields will likley be to attack them..
for some time.
The worst part is I'm inclined to agree completely. But don't wish for that - I know you're angry, I am too, but c'mon - don't wish bad on those who can't (or won't) see the truth. We gotta keep fighting, my friend, that's just the way it is, and always has been. Look up, Hannah, look up...
for some good news form the president in his speech. for now, this is all bloviating; filling air time with guess work and speculation. I will say however, that if the democrats cannot get it together to get us some real health care reform, which has to include a public option, then they've lost me. I'll still support Act Blue candidates, but nothing to the DCC.
The problem is that the GOP has pared itself down to demagogues and populist ideologues willing to say anything, make up any lie to obtain and retain power while the democrats still try to think through issues and believe in compromise. I have no idea what it will take to make them wake up to the fact that you don't compromise with a rabid dog.
As it stands now if I lose my job then i am just SOL for health insurance. All because I had a melanoma 4 years ago. It would cost me the amount of a second mortgage. We've started talking about moving to another country, where they have a humane health insurance system.
... progressive outlets need to inform the public and the politicians that the insurance companies may have the money to dish out, but it is WE, The People. who are the ultimate deciders of who gets re-elected and who doesn't.
I personally will not vote for anyone who will not vote for, or vote against the public option. That goes for President Obama on down.
I'm officially done as a Democrat. I will put all of my efforts, time and money into helping build a third party.
Screw that. Spend your time getting ready for the eventual progressive blowback against extremism.
Study your history. It happens all the time.
even though they keep stabbing me in the back and throwing me under the bus would be like Obama continuing to reach out to Cons. It would be like continuing to put my hand on a hot burner. At some point I have learn and stop doing it.
I'm not telling you to stick with the Dems, my friend.
I'm telling you to opt out completely...and focus on getting ready for when this country is REALLY ripe for change.
Maybe even a Liberal one.
If Obama ain't it, we'll be happy to find someone else to fit the bill.
So long, Big Talker.
Anyone would fire an employee who fails to do his job, why should the president be an exception? His presidential campaign had a lot to do with health care reform and when he won, voters put him there to fulfill what they want, not because he is inspiring and such a "heck of a guy". I think it could be even worst for the progressive movement, because we were able to show the American public that republicans are not to be trusted, and from what I see, democrats are not any different.
As of 10 am this morning according to chuck todd, the latest balloon being floated is the President is leaning to the 'trigger option' that has been used to keep Olympia Snowe talking.
The political strategy that is being employed is a bit dissonent. I have been biding my reaction thinking that the President is playing 3D Chess. The month of August was one big rope a dope. With Kennedy's illness/death a lot of energy was dissapated from the health insurance reform movement. Also, the circular firing squad 'gang of six' made a disaster in the senate and a mockery of majority rule.
If, it is true we are now being slowly informed there is a different kind of compromise brewing. It seems 'we' are being played against the right. The more liberal wing of the body politic would hardly want to align ourselves with the defeat of a program that would embarrass and weaken the President. The republicans could shrug and say the dems did it to themselves...and we were right anyway.
Roger Simon from politico was on hardball yesterday he took a question from tweety about 'the left' scuttling the President's proposal. Simon wouldn't take the bait, and said it isn't 'the left' it was the People. Obama promised during the campaign the public option was ONLY thing that would/could keep the insurance companies 'honest', such as it is.
I don't think the calculus of fear and racism that is cynically being successfully being manipulated by the corporate swill and the republicans has been well factored by the administration. I have always thought a solid 25% of the country would hate any thing Obama did. It is pretty clear those numbers are quite a bit higher.
I have cut them (the administration) a lot of slack since the disseminators of ANY information are owned by the republicans or right leaning corporate interests. I will wait for 'the speech'.
I will gladly be a roped dope if the President smacks down these jackals. Calls "Enough" to the lies.
If not the words of Frank Rich a couple of weeks ago that we were 'punked' will give more pause.
Then there is the wars, warcrimes, the Supreme Court, and banksters.
Yeah...the trigger option.
They pull the trigger after more people die. Then the insurance companies go to court. An injection is put in place...more people die. Then a committee is created to study the problem....
FUCK THIS.
More politics. More lies. More bullshit.
Kicking the can down the road is the new method of American politics. If government had to actually ADDRESS a problem...ohhh...they would piss off their johns. No more blowjobs. No more money.
Oh oh...Mr. President...why don't you put out a co-op trigger option!!
Yeah...yeah...that's the ticket!!!
No No...how about a trigger optioned co-op...or how about a cooperative bipartisan co-op trigger with a beer chaser on the side.
No no...that would be unhealthy...we need to keep that bipartisanship though...you know...so we have Chuck Grassley on our side when we need him to be bipartisan and stuff...like when we ask for more money for the war...we know how much he hates that.
Way smarter. Obama wouldn't piss off the winners (Dems) to please the obstructionist and very sore losers (Droopy and the Repugs).
... to have
lovedtried and lost than never to havelovedtried at allLets just wait and see , right now it's just the rumor mill and the 24 hour news cylce . If Obama and the Dems don't pass or try to pass serious healthcare reform with a public option he ( they ) will not be getting my vote the next go around , I'll be writing this country off as hopeless . While Obama has done some good stuff there is much going down that just doesn't jive with what he promised , if this turns out to be horse shit too , I am done .
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