03/16/2010 02:38:00 PM EST

If the Public Option is dead, so are the Democrats.

posted by wowisdabomb

The whole game or "Kabuki" theater as Huffington post puts it is about to fall off the Kabuki stage in peices.


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The whole game or "Kabuki" theater as Huffington post puts it is about to fall off the Kabuki stage in peices.

http://www.huffingtonpost.c om/miles-mogulescu/obama-du rbin-and-pelosi-a_b_497359. html

"It's all Kabuki theater to cover up the truth that President Obama made a backroom deal with the for-profit hospital industry that the final health care bill would not include a national public option."

 

The game has been played, and replayed with all kinds of excuses for the weak Health Care reform package without any Public Option.

ITS OVER. NO Public OPTION, NO VOTES.

Thats it.

That simple.

The reason we put up with the lot of spineless weasels as our democratic candidates is the faint hope that they will stand up and actually do what they promised when we get enough of them in office.

Apparently,  that was never the case, we are far better off just letting the GOP take over, and run the country into the dirt, and then some. I would prefer to have a cause to fight against than have to apologize for for a bunch of weak pathetic do nothings. 

The continuation of the current status quo may in the long run, lead to single payer, where as this bill uses tax dollars to subsidize the status quo.
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Poll

No Public Option, No more votes for D.
1 Yes 32%
2 No 8%
3 Both parties are the same 24%
4. some HC bill is beter than nothing. 24%
5. Nothing is better than this. 12%

Votes: 25
Results | Other Polls
 Display:
If the Public Option is dead, so are the Democrats. | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 hidden)
Both Parties (none / 0)
On many critical issues they are basically the same, and as we know this goes back to the broken system and money.

Of course they aren't identical. Having Sotomayor on the court versus yet another corporatist (see Citizens United ruling) is huge, and reason enough to prefer having a Dem president. And of course there are the social issues. I know, they shouldn't even BE issues, but they are, because they're used to keep at least 1/3 of the country voting against their own economic interests.

Speaking of which, on economic issues Dems are slightly better. For example, there are a few good things in that credit card legislation, although yes, the critical piece (a cap on interest rates) was missing, as usual. The question is if enough people will ever reach a breaking point to refuse to vote for anything but strong progressives, or at least non-corporatists?

In the short run we're better off with the half-assed credit card bill and federal funding of stem cell research (etc.), but in the long run voting for half a loaf only results in crumbs for the vast majority of Americans. And no, that's not a "purist" position, it's pragmatic if anything, because I'm thinking long term. The short-sighted "something is better than nothing" approach enables our broken system.

by Tom Hanc on 03/16/2010 04:38:04 PM EST

Same (none / 0)

Both parties are becoming more and more f the same with each passing day. This was an inevitable conclusion given how we fund campaigns. Until we have publicly financed campaigns, we can expect more of the same.

 

As for the public option, I wrote about it here:

http://debby6669.blogspot.c om/2010/03/public-option-is -unicorn.html

I never thought it was going to happen. 

by debby6669 on 03/16/2010 05:49:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]
hot air farting does nothing (none / 0)

the democrats, craven pussies that they are, know that there is a group even more craven and pussy than themselves---it is the group of democrat voters.

these uber-pussies will be all sturm and drang right until election time.

then they will get their panties in a bunch, get scared, and vote for the same craven pussy democrats they railed against so vociferously the previous however many days, months, years.

and the cycle will repeat itself.

why should this time be any different.

they reason democrats in congress don't give a fuck about the voters is that they _know_ that the democrat vote is guaranteed, _regardless of what happens in congress_.

by neo on 03/16/2010 06:08:36 PM EST

Yo, Obama! (none / 0)
FUCK YOU!

by kurd55 on 03/16/2010 07:05:07 PM EST

Best way to get attention is to make them losers. (none / 1)
Vote for green, independent and socialist candidates in the upcoming election.  Send a message as clear as a bell.  Yes, the Republicans might win the congress, but since the Democrats have done bupkiss with their majority where is the harm.

Don't waste your vote, vote Green or Independent in the next election.

by mcamelyne on 03/16/2010 10:01:21 PM EST

Co- (none / 0)
Signed

by Alloy on 03/16/2010 10:40:37 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Where is the harm? (none / 1)
I guess you missed the 8 yrs bush was in office


by Chinese Democracy on 03/17/2010 01:48:11 AM EST

[ Parent ]
oh and (none / 1)
the conservatives created this huge cluster fuck

I never forget that


by Chinese Democracy on 03/17/2010 01:48:58 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Bush didn't promise to change health care (none / 0)

Bush didn't make any grandiose promises to change healthcare.  His presidency was underwhelming except for his attack on privacy and budget largesse.

It was a wasted 8 years for America and unfortunately it looks like another 4 years will be wasted.

Don't waste your vote, vote Green or Independent in the next election.

by mcamelyne on 03/17/2010 03:45:31 AM EST

[ Parent ]
unfortnuately for you (none / 0)
 
You are dead wrong

President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on Friday to sharp cuts in the nuclear arsenals of both nations in the most comprehensive arms control treaty in two decades.

China and Russia are now on board with a boycott of Iran

Banks have been cut out of the student loan business

HCR  which regardless if some people think it went to far or not far enough  is a HUGE accomplishment .. it can improve with time just like medicare and social security did.

and little things  like lifting the ban on stem cell research

reversing the ban on funding to clinics in the 3rd world that mention abortions.. Yes MENTION  if abortion was even mentioned  under the bush rules  the clinic would lose their funding

rebuilding the public education system

Engaging in the Muslim world

The world loves this guy   he has done wonders for our standing in the world.

Tanks are on trucks in convoys and rolling out of Iraq as I type..the draw down has begun.

Obama was dropped into the worst economic crisis since the great depression  and two wars..

He has not done that bad in his first year.. hes not as liberal as I would like  but when I think of the alternative McCain / Palin  I cringe.

The main thing Obama is doing slowly but surely is giving America back to the middle class.  The end of the Reagan era has begun.

People that claim there is no difference between conservatives and Democrats .. just arent paying attention

:)


by Chinese Democracy on 03/26/2010 12:28:49 PM EST

[ Parent ]
okay, here is the reality... (none / 0)

"President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on Friday to sharp cuts in the nuclear arsenals of both nations in the most comprehensive arms control treaty in two decades."

The Start treaty needed to be renewed.  They could have eliminated nuclear weapons entirely as they are completely useless.

China and Russia are now on board with a boycott of Iran.

Theses sanctions are water-downed and  toothless.  Iran is continuing along the nuclear weapons track according to most sources.  If Iran does not change its current track there will be war.  The point of sanctions is to change behavior.  They haven't so it is irrelevant.

Banks have been cut out of the student loan business.

Yes, but they received huge money from the Obama government.  Just taking from one pocket and putting it in the other.

HCR  which regardless if some people think it went to far or not far enough  is a HUGE accomplishment .. it can improve with time just like medicare and social security did.

HCR doesn't actually cover any new people for 4 years.  Much can happen in that time.  Further, a single payer plan would cover everyone immediately and reduce costs dramatically.

and little things  like lifting the ban on stem cell research

Can't argue there.

reversing the ban on funding to clinics in the 3rd world that mention abortions.. Yes MENTION  if abortion was even mentioned  under the bush rules  the clinic would lose their funding

Can't argue there.

rebuilding the public education system

Hasn't happened yet.

Engaging in the Muslim world

Still have a few hundred thousand troops occupying 2 Muslim countries with anticipation that we might occupy 2 more. Bush with a smile.

The world loves this guy he has done wonders for our standing in the world.

Anybody was better than Bush.

Tanks are on trucks in convoys and rolling out of Iraq as I type..the draw down has begun.

Yes, they are now headed for Afghanistan.

Obama was dropped into the worst economic crisis since the great depression  and two wars..

Something that Republicans in the White House and Democrats in the Congress presided over.  The Fed is the culprit and Obama reappointed Bernanke and made Geitner, also culpable Treasury Secretary.  No points there.

He has not done that bad in his first year.. hes not as liberal as I would like  but when I think of the alternative McCain / Palin  I cringe.

Can't argue there.

The main thing Obama is doing slowly but surely is giving America back to the middle class.  The end of the Reagan era has begun.

Actually the middle class would be saying they are being pushed down to the lower class.  With a jobless recovery we will have two classes.  Those who are rich and those who are poor.

People that claim there is no difference between conservatives and Democrats .. just arent paying attention.

Actually, I think it is Republicans and Democrats.  You know apples to apples sort of thing.  As a green, they are both purple, just one a little bluer than the other.

Now, what he hasn't done, yet.

Covered all Americans with the same insurance coverage as federal workers.  Ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Closed Guantanamo.  Leveraged his new relations with Muslims to make peace.  Passed a carbon tax(Thankfully).  Created jobs.  Balanced the budget.  Funded NASA as promised in August 2008.  Ended discrimination against gays in the military.  Passed the card check act for unions.

Another words,  he has completely ignored the people that got him elected.  Instead he has given 2 Trillion to the banks.  He begrudgingly bailed out GM, instead of reinventing it and making it stronger.  He has invested a fraction of the stimulus money in infrastructure, the real job creator.  He has employed lobbyists in the white house.  And the list of "Republicanesque" actions can go on.

As a progressive environmentalist I haven't seen any substantive change.  Just Bush with a smile.

Don't waste your vote, vote Green or Independent in the next election.

by mcamelyne on 03/26/2010 09:39:44 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Im to lazy to go point by point (none / 0)
with you back and forth

Anyone is better than bush?

EXCEPT McCAIN

You said you where posting reality  yet you typed something about countries giving up all their nukes? lol  .. Something Obama has said he wants to do btw

About the two classes   .. no the repubiicans didnt entirely dismantle the middle class  there is still hope.. Obama is trying

use your real nic


by Chinese Democracy on 03/26/2010 10:30:26 PM EST

[ Parent ]
This bill (none / 1)
Is going to kill them, and if anyone says they didn't see it coming the bitch smack. 4 years the Reps are going to be attacking this thing before it even comes into play and even if they didn't (which they will) it would still suck huge balls. I have the feeling people will come back to this bill but I’m not sure it will be democrats.

by Alloy on 03/16/2010 10:46:16 PM EST

I thought KenTx was supposed to be (none / 0)
on the other thread debating global warming

by mmosespt on 03/16/2010 11:10:12 PM EST

Now I know why the Democrats use a donkey (none / 1)
as their mascots! Seriously - why do we have to be Eeyore all the time? The glass is always half empty!

Our entire nation is debating the issue of health care. The focus of our country is on improving the lives of our citizens versus invading other countries.

Score one for the US.

And by the way, this bill improves things over what we have now. So, let's just get 'er done and then go in for round two.

by ilovecenk99 on 03/17/2010 01:00:26 AM EST

calm down (none / 1)
Have any of you read the Senate bill?  I mean actually read it and thought about it?  I have.

It is clearly a trojan horse.  It establishes the foundation that will allow states, private organizations - both for profit and nonprofit, and the federal government to operate on exchanges through which people can use any subsidies they might be eligible for (from 1.3 to 4 times poverty level) to shop around for plans that must conform to sensible standards set by the HHS secretary with the advice of special panels of health care experts.

On top of that, it expands medicaid and CHIP - the programs that give medicare to people below 1.3 times poverty level and children.  Medicaid has been funded via matched federal funding - $1 for every state dollar spent.  Now it's 90-10, so the fed spends $9 and the states spend $1.  This makes things MUCH easier on states, and goes a long way to redistribute wealth according to federal taxes rather than state taxes.

There may not be a public option, but that doesn't really matter.  Anyone can start a private nonprofit insurance company and run it exactly like a public option on the exchange.  Seriously.  It's in there.

AND once you're on the exchange, you're there for life.  The plan seems to be to slowly migrate different groups of employers over to the exchanges where all insurance providers compete while abiding by federal standards.  There even looks to be choice of law rules that DON'T result in a race to the bottom, which is what would happen under current law if people could purchase across state lines.

The point is - be informed.  I HATE the way the Dems shit on progressives to give cover to traitor corporatists in their midst.  But this bill, however watered-down, however flawed, actually does PLENTY of wonderful things.  And when those wonderful things start to make people's lives better, the Democrats will finally get some appreciation.

Calm down.

by dotkommissar on 03/17/2010 04:20:32 AM EST

The exchange is a con, a myth, a joke... (none / 0)

Do you really think the same insurance companies that are partaking in the exchange are going to UNDERMINE THEIR OWN PRODUCT?

 

REALLY?? REALLY,.REALLY...DO YOU?

 

no.

by wowisdabomb on 03/26/2010 10:36:08 AM EST

Do you really think (none / 0)
the status quo  is sustainable???

DO YOU???


by Chinese Democracy on 03/26/2010 12:31:57 PM EST

[ Parent ]
If the Public Option is dead, so are the Democrats. | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 hidden)
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