This Is Not the Change Obama Campaigned On

MSNBC anchor David Shuster tweeted the public option is dead.

Every indication public option is dead at WH. So, reform means taxpayer funds transferred to for profit companies to cover more people. That won't fly on the left

Not only not fly with the Left, the Progressive Caucus will not vote for the bill. Darcy Burner has organized 60 Democrats, in the House, to support a public option only bill.

Burner said liberals have new organizational muscle to back up their threat. As evidence, she pointed to a fundraising effort coordinated by MoveOn.org and left-wing bloggers that netted about $400,000 in small-dollar donations in just a few days for 60 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Those lawmakers signed an Aug. 17 letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius pledging to vote against a bill that doesn’t include a robust public plan.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it clear health care reform will not pass with a public option.

Not at all, she said. Asked by HuffPost if she would allow a reform package without a public option out of the House, she responded: "It's not a question of allow. It wouldn't have the votes."

Obama spent his political capital on the hope Charles Grassley and Mike Enzi would support health care reform. The White House has finally come to the conclusion Grassley and Enzi will never vote for any Democratic backed health care bill. Obama is left with a health care bill with no public option that will not get through the House. The President risks losing his base. This is Obama's "read my lips 'no new taxes" moment.

Shulter made a great observation of Obama's brand of change.

@jillosopher that's right. Corporate welfare to a group obama said was holding the economy hostage. So now let's give them more money and more hostages. Odd

Shuster fears Obama will sign a bill requiring all Americans to buy private health insurance. Taxes will be used to help lower income people get private insurance. This is a giveaway to the insurance industry. Democrats need to vote against this. If Obama really is pushing for a private insurance bamboozle then the Democratic Party should run candidates against the President in 2012.

Support Darcy Burner

Washington state congressional candidate Darcy Burner has become the darling of progressives. Her fundraising has been impressing. In part because of her support from the netroots. Burner has raised more than Republican incumbant Dave Reichert. The DCCC announced they will spend $1 million for television ads.

Burner is one of the architects of "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq." Burner and Donna Edwards drafted the plan. The plan calls for withdawing troops and dealing with the refugee crisis spawned from the insurgency. Domestically, the plan would end signing statements and warrantless wiretapping.

"We've been waiting for five years for a top-down solution," Burner told the Seatttle Times "No top-down solution is coming."

On women's issues: Burner has been endorsed by Emily's List. She has made a transparency pledge for her earmarks. Burner spoke out against the FISA bill.

In 2006, Barack Obama campaigned for Burner. Her opponent, Reichert is running on his law and order reputation. That may not be enough in a district that voted for Kerry and Gore.

"If he can't represent himself as a moderate Republican, he's dead in the water," said John Gastil, a professor of political communication at the University of Washington.

Political shifts both locally and nationally pose a challenge for the former sheriff.

The 8th District, which covers eastern King and Pierce counties, was once solidly Republican territory but now is considered a classic swing district. In 2004, voters favored Democrat John Kerry for president but supported Republican Dino Rossi for governor.

Support Darcy Burner.

Update: Darcy Burner at Netroots Nation.



Burner talks about "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq."



"The people inside the Beltway aren't going to solve this problem."