You're also right about President Obama bringing the issue of health care reform to the forefront.
But don't you think he should have fought harder for a public option?
For example, compare the statements that Obama made on health care reform all these months to the statemens made by Rep. Anthony Wiener.
Wiener fought hard. Obama... not so much.
I hear ya. I also get all fired up when I hear speeches from Rep Weiner and Grayson, but unfortunately, they lack the necessary tactfullness to get things done. If Obama came out guns blazin', prosecuted Bush for his wrong doings, attacked the GOP, and threw his health care plan down their throat... most likely he would have alienated the moderate democrats. They have been the key this whole time. Obama needed 60-40 in the Senate, and he got it! Unbelievable! Democrats are not like Republicans. They're not all sheep that recite the same propaganda. So it's very impressive that he got all of them to vote for this legislation (I understand it hasn't passed yet, but 51 votes is much easier then the 60 needed to prevent a filibuster).
Regarding what else could have Obama done... I know for a fact that Obama called my Representative in Upstate NY the day for the vote in the House and asked him to vote for the bill. He's doing a lot 'behind the scenes', despite what Cenk's 'sources' tell him, and he's doing it all with class and tact.
The proof is in the pudding, so it's hard to criticize success... yet people still do! If this thing gets passed with a public option, then Cenk and the rest of the doubters on this site and around the country will be eating their words! 'Revenge is a best dish served cold'
50,000 U.S. households are surveyed with a number of questions. One of these is "How many people in your household are currently working." Another is "How many people in your household are activly looking for work." These 2 questions are the heart of the unemployment calculation and leads to several fundamental problems.
People who are unemployed and who have given up looking for work because they are having no luck finding a job are not counted as unemployed. People who are working and are actively looking for a better job are counted as both employed and unemployed at the same time, at least it appears this way.
When the economy starts to pick up and businesses are hiring you can expect the unemplyment rate to increase for at least another year. This is because the people who have given up looking for work now think there is a better chance of finding work and will begin looking again and people unhappy with their jobs will begin looking for a different job.
The number to look at is the payroll numbers not the unemployment rate, when payroll numbers go positive then things are improving even though unemployment will continue to increase.
