tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22468479.post7897933704183356221..comments2024-03-13T03:16:31.400-04:00Comments on Pushing Rope: Public Option is DeadMichael Husseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10798917783817126218noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22468479.post-86113040414835106502009-08-20T12:03:34.158-04:002009-08-20T12:03:34.158-04:00Bill, the White House has taken the public option ...Bill, the White House has taken the public option off the table. They are backtracking from it. If Obama really wanted the public option he would have Harry Reid tell Max Baucas to only have Democrats write the bill.Michael Husseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798917783817126218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22468479.post-74296169557223654252009-08-20T11:59:00.065-04:002009-08-20T11:59:00.065-04:00It isn't dead. But those of us that want healt...It isn't dead. But those of us that want health care reform are going to have to fight hard to win. There may be majorities in the House and Senate, but too many Democrats, like Blue Dogs Allen Boyd and Suzanne Kosmas, are willing to vote against the President. <br /><br />The Republicans have successfully changed the debate to "death panels" and rationing. They manage never to compare to the present system, which kills 22,000 people a year. The current death panels are run by Blue Cross and United. They are merciless.<br /><br />Something is going to pass, unless we give up. Giving up would mean the Republicans win, Obama is greatly weakened, and no health care reform for another 15 years. That is not acceptable.<br /><br />We must win this fight. We know how. We won the election. We cannot rest easy and assume Obama can do it himself. It's on. Down and dirty. In the streets. Let's get busy. You know what to do.Bill Newtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18335707182963209639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22468479.post-6060209626879989252009-08-20T11:52:16.364-04:002009-08-20T11:52:16.364-04:00You have to wonder who's playing who at this p...You have to wonder who's playing who at this point. Maybe this isn't the DLC/TNR dynamic.. I've heard noise from progressive quarters that Obama is testing out "game theory" and just trying to bring a few Republicans in to break their unity. This strategy has had the opposite effect, causing the GOP to go more off the deep end. Obama's strategy may be new, but it's not like the GOP reaction is different or unexpected -- we're seeing a repeat of the 1990s. <br /><br />Barney Franks was correct when he said talking to these real life trolls is like trying to talk with a dining room table. We deal with these jerks on blogs, they are exact same people who are heckling at town hall meetings. We've tried engaging them in meaningful conversation. Sometimes we're successful, but by and large the attempts are useless. These people do not understand common sense, they have no conception of empirical evidence. They have no capacity for critical thought. I hate to say all of this, but we've dealt with them and we both know it to be true. <br /><br />This isn't to say that there are conservatives who do make some sense out there. I like talking with those people, but they don't exist in the curent GOP leadership schema. <br /><br />It's about time Obama recognized this and rammed his agenda down Republican throats. The GOP will not be this helpless for long. History shows that Americans like balance in Washington, and supermajorities for either party do not last. Reagan did not have the luxury of dealing with a GOP Congress for, I believe, the last 4 year of his presidency. Anyone who thinks that the Senate will still contain 60 Democrats after the 2010 elections is smoking something funky -- and we may be looking at a GOP majority Congress by 2012 (if Obama survives that election). I understand some Democrats are leery of voting for this, but everybody -- Democrat leadership and Obama -- needs to realize that many Democrat congressional reps and Senators will lose their jobs <i>anyway</i>. The time to act is when you have the opportunity to do the most -- which is <i>right now</i>.tashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14296761263276891805noreply@blogger.com