09/01/2009 05:52:13 PM EST

The Public Option is Barack Obama's Litmus Test (Vote in AOL Poll)

posted by Cenk

There are many, many reports out now that the Obama administration has already made a deal with the health care industry, and corporate controlled Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, on a health insurance package that does not include the public option.

A provision that removes the public option from the bill is a poison pill that is intended to kill any real reform and keep the health care system exactly as it is now (except even more profitable by pushing more government subsidized Americans into the private insurance industry's coffers).

So, the battle that is being played out now is not between Republicans and Democrats. It's not even between conservative Democrats and progressive ones. Or between the White House and Congress. No, the battle is instead between moneyed interests and the people.

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If conservatives knew what was going on, they might be enraged to find out that all of their representatives are already bought and paid for. The only question for them now is whether they are going to take a bigger piece of the lobbyist pie or the Democrats are by better capitulating to corporate demands. That's the real battle. And in that battle, real conservatives should actually be on our side in demanding that their representatives work for them rather than the corporate lobbyists.

So, the public option is not Obama's litmus test on how liberal he is. It is not his litmus test on this particular issue of health care reform. No, it is his litmus test as to whether he is bought and paid for.

That's heavy language, but it is absolutely true. I supported Barack Obama but I did not farm out my brain or my judgment to him. And it is now fairly clear that he does not intend to do as he says. He will not actually fight for the public option. He is not interested in real health care reform. He is interested in politics and the appearances of political victories. He is interested in bragging rights and appeasement of the system. He is interested in grabbing a bigger piece of the corporate lobbyist pie for himself and his party. He is interested in maintaining the status quo while pretending to do the exact opposite.

It is fairly clear, but not perfectly clear. Maybe he will have a change of heart or mind, and reverse direction. But we're going to find out either way. If he jettisons the public option as it appears he is ready to do, then he never meant a word of all that talk about change and taking on lobbyists. He was a pawn of the system all along and we were the rubes who believed his pretty words.

Or he can prove that he is a strong and brave fighter who was outplaying and outsmarting us all. That appearances are not what they appeared to be and that he had a plan all along to bring about real change. Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't it be great if we could believe in any of our leaders just once?

He has all of these options in front of him. And that is why this is his litmus test. Will he continue to bend to the lobbyists time and time again? Will he prove to be a real leader who can bring real change? Most importantly, is he actually going to try or was it all a front? That's what we're going to find out soon. And that's why this is his real litmus test, not of policy but of character.

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UPDATE: Vote on the AOL Poll on this now -- Is passage of a public option Obama's litmus test on whether he can bring change to America?

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The Public Option is Barack Obama's Litmus Test (Vote in AOL Poll) | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 hidden)
I agree, but (none / 1)

"So, the battle that is being played out now is not between Republicans and Democrats. It's not even between conservative Democrats and progressive ones. Or between the White House and Congress. No, the battle is instead between moneyed interests and the people." 

Exactly right. Unfortunately if that's the case, will pressuring the Democrats yield the results we want considering the problem is the corrupting influence of money in politics? Weeks ago I said my greatest fear was that a weak Public Option would pass and I still think that's the most likely outcome.

That way moderates and left leaning types can be suckered by the phrase "Public Option" while the right can still cry 'socialism' and 'Nazi' and 'government takeover'. And when the weak, watered down Public Option inevitably fails the right and the MSM will be sure to blame Democrats and government involvement for years if not decades, killing real reform for another 15-20+ years.

by Tom Hanc on 08/25/2009 03:56:53 PM EST

IDK (none / 1)
I have no idea any more about what Obama is doing. Either he's a bad leader, a skillfull background political tactician, or he is actually bought.

I'm leaning towards him being a fairly bad leader in the sense that he's working with Congress in the manner a humanties professor who loves fostering debates within lectures in order for students to reach a more reasonable and agreeable conclusion between students. But this is not the case in Congress, you have to treat it as if you were a physics or engineering professor, lead and TELL the students what the right answer is.

I'm tired of his hands off style when it comes to policy making

by nigerachy1 on 08/25/2009 07:07:05 PM EST

Our Litmus Test This (none / 1)

I agree with what Cenk is saying, but I think Obama's litmus test phase is already over.  He and his administration already sold us Americans out when they politely turned a blind eye to the false promises of the pharmaceutical companies and medical suppliers.  They did nothing to help ensure the credit card company reforms actually meant something helpful and meaningful to us.

 If we wait to see what our representatives and Obama's administration is going to do over health reform, then it will be too late.  We need to truly organize to have our voices heard.  I know it is not an easy fight, but if all of our Congress people know that they will be kicked out the next time they are up for election, maybe they will realize that getting all that corporate blood money might be a little harder to achieve when they are no longer in a position to abuse their power.

 This is our litmus test to make this happen... not Obama's.

by Past Sins on 08/28/2009 11:15:12 AM EST

Unfortunately... (none / 1)
Unfortunately, the minority of the American public seems to be under the impression that Health Care reform is really going to damage the economy and take money out of the working class' pocket. Obama can go ahead and put his plan into action if he desperately wants to, but I have a distinct feeling that he will not do anything too dramatic when the public is not in favor of an action he wants to take. Some people are claiming that this makes him a weak leader, or that he is just flat out a bad leader, but in reality, his options are quite limited if he wants to have more of the public's support. All of this speculation could really end up being what decides his actions, but until he actually commits to any decisions, I think we should just be supportive of the man who could either make, or break, the economy and well-being of, not only the US, but the world. It is apparent that Obama should make his decisions slowly and concisely, lest the public's faith in him waiver. I agree that HealthCare should be implimented in the US, but if a reformation were to occur without the public's "consent", it could lead to another terrible right-winger running for office and winning. I never thought I would ever be using this cliche in a serious "conversation", if that is what you would call it, but here it goes: "Rome wasn't built in a day"... or one 4 year session in office...

by RageAgainstInjustice on 08/30/2009 03:20:07 AM EST

More unfortunately... (none / 0)

the minority of the American public seems to be under the impression that Health Care reform is really going to damage the economy and take money out of the working class' pocket

I think you wanted to write the majority but the statement is certainly closer to the truth as is. The majority does not follow the debate closely enough to have an educated opinion and the corporate operated vocal minority that seems to be "the public" dominates the discourse. And unfortunately, due to the extensive coverage and its amplifying effect, this minority position is likely to prevail. It simply does not matter what the public position was in the first place or how Obama actually leads or how he respects the public consent because everything and anything is going to be distorted by the media anyway. There is no connection between what is really happening and how it is communicated. So what Obama does and how it might be perceived will not really influence the next election.

"Rome wasn't built in a day"... or one 4 year session in office...

The more accurate metaphor would be: "Rome did not go under in a day." as at this point in time we are talking about the decline of the American Empire.

by eborujion on 08/30/2009 07:54:00 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Oh yes (none / 0)
Eborujion said -

everything and anything is going to be distorted by the media anyway.

QFT, my friend, QFT. As in, Quoted For Truth.

This is why I turned off the MSM a decade ago.

Just stop watching. You won't die.

Turn off your television and unplug it. Take the batteries out of the remote and throw them away, they won't fit in the smoke detector anyhow :)

by RedPossum on 11/28/2009 01:45:41 PM EST

[ Parent ]
There must be a happy medium (none / 0)
between being careful about getting all your information from the American media and living like you are in the 17th century

A conservative believes nothing should be done for the first time

by C D on 11/28/2009 04:38:37 PM EST

[ Parent ]
oh come on (none / 0)
17th century?

CD, the TV didn't come into common household use until after WW2. It is purely a thing of the last 65 years.

And I would point out to you that the very beginnings of the Internet didn't come into being until DARPANET was born some time in the late 1960's.

I'm on the Net all day; I follow the news online.

I know you were speaking rhetorically, but I'm not living in the 17th century, and I'm not a Luddite :)

by RedPossum on 11/30/2009 02:42:38 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Hmmm (none / 1)
Good article Cenk ... why do i get a feeling of Deja Vu  after reading this article ... it seems i have read this from you before ....

p.s .. AOL is full of right-wingers .. so voting on a poll there is futile ...

A Proud Progressive!!!

by teron678 on 09/01/2009 06:18:39 PM EST

Pres Obama is owned by the establishment. (none / 0)
If the USA's power elite sees no harm &, maybe, an advantage to them, we will get Universal Health Care with a Public Option; otherwise UHC w/PO is dead.

by larry278 on 09/01/2009 06:44:16 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Obama missed his opportunity (none / 0)
When the economy was going over the edge, he could have made some mves to limit coporate power, but now the corporations are in the saddle again. For all the talk, I don't think the administration understood history and the opportuniy the economic crisis presented to really make some significant change. The adminisration it seems has actually made things worse for the American people. First they bailed out the banks and the rich CEO's doing nothing about the average homeowner. Next they did a halfhearted bailout, keeping the economy from going over the edge, but leaving unemployment high therby giving  corporate interests a cheap labor pool. Now it looks like the real healthcare reform is out, but a mandate forcing people to buy insurance from the same corporate interests that are ruining healthcare is in. The administration has no interest in reform. It can't be seen ant other way. In order for Obama to pass the litmus test he would have to hit a home run. He hasn't even been to the ball park.

by mmosespt on 09/01/2009 09:51:27 PM EST

dream on (none / 0)
Oh, Cenk, you crazy optimist :)

Obama sold us out long ago. He's already spent the 30 pieces of silver.

by RedPossum on 09/02/2009 12:20:38 AM EST

I am embarrassed (none / 0)
On a previous comment I said that the "minority of the people think that HealthCare and the Public Option will take money out of their pockets". I meant to say majority. I am not an idiot...

by RageAgainstInjustice on 09/04/2009 10:15:10 PM EST

re (none / 0)
Now the battle begins and this new battle is not between any one of the usual suspects like white house and congress or some other normal enemies but it is between moneyed interest and people.

by knight on 11/28/2009 12:38:49 PM EST

The Public Option is Barack Obama's Litmus Test (Vote in AOL Poll) | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 hidden)
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